Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Penny advocate will run for board

After spending months on Penny for Pasco, Allen Altman hopes to focus on school growth, funding and teacher recruitment.

By MARY SPICUZZA
Published February 14, 2006

DADE CITY - Allen Altman says his decision to run for a seat on the Pasco County School Board is not due to peer pressure.

It's more a matter of timing.

Sure, dozens of people have called or sent e-mails in recent weeks encouraging him to run for the District 1 seat, which is held by Jean Larkin Weightman.

But Altman, 47, has turned them down in past years.

And now?

"The timing just seems to be appropriate," he said.

He said he decided to file Sunday night, just over a week after Weightman announced that she would not seek re-election for her seat, which covers much of east Pasco, including Dade City and Zephyrhills. School Board candidates must live in the districts they represent but are voted on countywide in nonpartisan elections.

Altman will be running against outgoing Zephyrhills City Council President Cathi Compton.

He said that, if elected, he would focus on growth and funding.

Both are topics he knows quite well from his work on the Penny for Pasco initiative.

"I gave months of my life to it," he said.

Penny for Pasco is a 1-cent-on-the-dollar sales tax increase to build and expand schools, improve roads, buy conserve land and pay for city projects.

The lifelong Pasco resident serves as the agency manager for Farm Bureau Insurance Companies. But Altman has also served on countless community organizations and committees. Those include: the Pasco County Citizens Advisory Committee, a member of the Pasco Education Foundation, chairman of the First Baptist Expansion Project capital funds committee, a representative on the Pasco High School Advisory Board, and numerous others.

He also attended Pasco County schools. Altman graduated from Pasco High School in 1976.

Altman said that in addition to growth he would also focus on teacher recruitment and retention.

He said his years of experience working in the community and as an advocate for education in Pasco County make him a strong candidate.

He added that those who have called agree - except for a couple.

"Two people have told me that I must be a glutton for punishment," Altman said. "I'm just fortunate to be able to have been such a part of it."

--Mary Spicuzza covers education in Pasco County. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6241 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6241. Her e-mail address is mspicuzza@sptimes.com

[Last modified February 14, 2006, 02:45:31]