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Politics

County harmony may be coming

As longtime adversaries Storms and Castor leave, things will change.

By BILL VARIAN
Published November 5, 2006

While any election brings a potential shift in the public policy, this one could significantly change both the agenda and the approach of the board.

The new commission faces pressure for tighter growth management, an elected county mayor and a shift of emphasis from road building to mass transit to counter traffic gridlock.

Some also expect the tone of board meetings to change with the departures of District 4 Republican Ronda Storms and her frequent sparring partner, District 1 Democrat Kathy Castor.

Storms and Castor have served as magnetic poles. Remove those poles, and the compass needle may turn, said Scott Paine, a University of Tampa associate professor of government and communications.

"I think you're going to have a commission that's going to be a little bit more interested in gathering information and digesting information before choosing a direction," Paine said. "I think this current commission has tended to have policy positions staked out, and then they go out and gather the information."

On specifics, it is more often a matter of emphasis than hard-and-fast positions that divides the candidates.

Most say transportation should be a priority, but include planning for rail and more public buses. Some Democrats are pushing for a greater emphasis on reining in the sprawling residential development that has come with growth.

Many of the candidates oppose a proposed beltway linking Hillsborough with Pasco, Pinellas and Manatee counties. Most similarly oppose a $40-million amateur sports complex north of Plant City that has been proposed by commission Chairman Jim Norman.

Most of the Republicans want to provide greater property tax relief for home and small business owners. They also are more likely to support the county's ongoing efforts to more vigorously curtail adult businesses.

"I believe the foundation of the decisions made by this commission are going to continue to be conservative," said Norman, who is facing Democratic strip club owner Joe Redner and Yamel Arronte, a grade school teacher running without party affiliation.

District 1

Rose Ferlita, 60, a Republican Tampa City Council member seeking to represent South and West Tampa and shoreline neighborhoods of south Hillsborough, said relations between the county and other regional governments should improve if she is elected. She sees a commission willing to work with others for common goals.

"I want to prove a point: There's no reason the city and the county can't get along and work together," Ferlita said.

She supports encouraging development where roads and sewer pipes can accommodate it - less in South Tampa, for instance.

Her Democratic rival is Mary Mulhern, 47, a graphic designer and community activist who has made growth management a focal point. She emphasizes the need for light rail, and for offering incentives to people who build energy-efficient, environmentally sensitive buildings.

Mulhern questions Ferlita's credibility on growth management, since much of her campaign money has come from development interests.

Ferlita said her voting record shows she's beholden to no one.

Mulhern was alone among the candidates in saying she would seek to overturn a 2005 ban on gay pride recognition.

District 3

Like Ferlita, Democrat Kevin White, another Tampa City Council member, said he will help improve relations with the city. Transportation is his biggest priority, he said.

"First and foremost is ... trying to revamp our public transportation system, via improving and increasing bus routes as well as looking at regional rail and light commuter rail," said White, 42.

His opponent, Republican insurance agent Ken Anthony, 55, firmly opposes two projects under consideration: Norman's sports complex and the Tampa Bay beltway.

White said he wants to look at analyses of those proposals before taking a stand.

Anthony shares with White an interest in improving transportation and coming up with ways to create more affordable housing.

District 4

Al Higginbotham, 52, a lobbyist and former executive director of the Hillsborough County Republican Executive Committee, singles out property tax relief as a top concern.

"Somebody's got to be brave enough to stand and say we've got to find a way ... to bring this county budget in check with how we're living at home," he said.

Democratic rival Lisa Rodriguez, 49, a community activist, sees sprawling development and clogged roads in east and south Hillsborough and says something must be done. She said she's not sure of the answers but believes developers need to be more involved in widening roads and providing space for schools that new construction requires.

She counts herself as a fiscal conservative, but questions Higginbotham's willingness to curtail growth given his heavy financial support from development interests.

"It has to have a bearing on him," Rodriguez said.

Higginbotham said that won't affect him, that he'll judge rezoning proposals on a case-by-case basis. An avid outdoorsman, he said he would never approve anything that hurts the environment and believes the current housing slump will enable county government to catch up on infrastructure needs.

Rodriguez opposes Norman's planned sports complex as well as the beltway, while Higginbotham is willing to study the ideas. Higginbotham believes sexually oriented businesses should be regulated more strictly while Rodriguez does not.

Both face Jean Batronie, campaigning without party affiliation, who strongly backs a rail system, doesn't see a need for tighter regulation of sexually oriented businesses, and opposes the beltway and sports complex.

District 5

Redner, the strip club owner, hopes his sixth try at political office will be the charm as he seeks an at-large commission seat. He has spent thousands of dollars arguing that the county needs to curb development so that it doesn't occur in environmentally sensitive areas or in places where roads and schools can't handle it.

"I believe that the developers are having their way with the County Commission because they have invested so much money in getting the present County Commission elected," he said.

Arronte, a social studies teacher running without party affiliation, said she backs a rail system, opposes the beltway and sports complex, and would let voters approve changes to the long-range growth plan.

Norman, the incumbent, disagrees with having citizens vote to change the plan. He said the County Commission has been responsive to citizens. Development must pass through several levels of scrutiny by professionals, and commissioners almost always heeds their advice.

He says he wants assurance that his proposed sports complex, the bay area beltway and rail system are cost-effective before committing to them.

Norman notes that the commission has passed several area-specific development plans that allow citizens to determine how they want their communities to grow. And the commission has set aside $350-million for new roadwork in coming years without raising taxes. He backs tighter regulation of sexually oriented businesses.

District 7

In the other at-large race, Democratic Commissioner Tom Scott, 53, leaving District 3 due to term limits, is challenging incumbent Republican Commissioner Mark Sharpe, 46.

Both are considered moderates. Scott touts the experience and know-how acquired from a decade on the commission.

Both are open to the possibility of a commuter rail system, have qualms about a beltway toll road, and would not like to see the creation of a county mayor post.

Scott has taken the lead on affordable housing and transportation, and said he will continue to do so.

Sharpe has emphasized transportation, economic development and emergency preparedness, themes he says he will continue to tackle.

[Last modified November 5, 2006, 12:40:43]