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Politics

One word is on voters' minds: change

From the U.S. House to the schoolhouse, voters want peace, financial stability and an end to those annoying political ads.

By CHANDRA BROADWATER
Published November 8, 2006

Terra Barbara didn't vote in the last presidential election.

But ever since then, the 29-year-old Spring Hill resident has made sure to get to the polls.

“Look at where we are today,” she said, referring to state and national politics. “Scandals and war. I’m not leaving that to chance again. The only way to change is to change the people with the power to make the decisions.”

While taxes and insurance were two key issues at the top of most Hernando County voters’ lists, residents like Barbara also expressed concern over bringing change to the local political scene.

And though mostly divided along party lines, they agreed on one thing: They’ll be glad to see the political ads stop.

“You want to ask me who I voted for? Democrats all the way,” said Linda Iannone, 56, of Spring Hill, after voting at St. Joan of Arc on Spring Hill Drive.

The single mother of four still has two children at home and struggles to support them on her server income.

Republicans aren’t making it any easier, she said. While they’ve held office, her property taxes and homeowners insurance went through the roof.

“The politicians are taking all the money. It’s all about them. They don’t care about the people. So let’s give the Democrats a shot,” Iannone said.

To Brooksville resident Pat Lombardi, 62, the country seems to be on the wrong track. She voted at Precinct 1 in Istachatta.

“The way the government has been running for the last few years — I’ve not been satisfied,” Lombardi said. “The war has been on my mind. I would like it to come to a quick solution.”

But she said insurance and tax issues in Florida have also prompted her to seek a change on Election Day.
“Changing from the Republicans,” she added.

At Precinct 10, just east of Brooksville, independent voter Charles Long also planned to vote against Republicans. He’s furious with the party’s handling of the war in Iraq.

“Basically, it’s the war,” he said. “And that President Bush has mismanaged everything.”

But the war is what prompted Ginny Bunch-Winston, 62, of Brooksville to vote a straight Republican ticket. Her reasons?

“First of all is Iraq,” she said. “I feel we should be there. War was declared on us, and I know I’d rather have it over there than over here.”

Pocketbook issues are important to her, but Bunch-Winston said the economy’s recent upturn gave cause for optimism.

A “middle-class person” without a lot of investments, she says she doesn’t want to pay more taxes on what she does have.

Lois Oliver, 76, who lives in Wesleyan Village, said she thinks it is wrong to vote against local or statewide Republicans because of dissatisfaction with President Bush.

“I don’t think you should ever vote for the party,” she said. “I think you should vote for the person.’’

She also said the negative campaigning had made both Crist and Davis seem unsuitable for office. Other voters mirrored her thoughts.

Negative advertisements had obscured the facts and made it hard to reach a decision, they said.
Walter H. Williams, 71, of Brooksville said the candidates’ televised commercials spread misinformation.
“I think there are people really, really confused because of all the false accusations,’’ he said.

Williams added that he knew little about many of the local candidates, but planned to vote for Democrats to register his anger about the war in Iraq.

“I just don’t know why our young guys are over there losing their lives,’’ he said. Williams, a retired carpenter, said more of the wealth makes its way to working people when Democrats are in power.

“It’s hard to whip Republicans because they’re rich,’’ he said. “I’m an average retired poor man.’’
Ida Williams, 71, on the other hand, said the County Commission races were her priority. She wanted to vote against any candidate who allowed the rampant growth in the county in recent years.

“The biggest thing is all the building and development that’s coming in,’’ she said. “It’s too much.’’

Weeki Wachee resident Palmer Lake said it was anger and disgust that drove him to the polls Tuesday. The 65-year-old, who said he had no party affiliation, said it was time for sweeping changes.

“I’m tired of the Bush boys,” he said. “I don’t like the position they’ve put our country in. Iraq is a no-win situation, just like Vietnam was.”

Louise Bullard, 62, of Weeki Wachee, said she was disappointed by the candidate choices in the majority of the state and congressional races.

“It’s pretty slim pickings,” said Bullard. “I’ve been voting for 40 years, and I’ve never seen it so bad. You end up voting for the lesser of two evils.”

Bullard said she chose Reform Party candidate Max Linn for governor based on his performance during the last debate.

“He didn’t run away from questions, and that impressed me,” she said.

Barbara, the Spring Hill voter, is mother of a J.D. Floyd Elementary kindergarten student and says she is also concerned about local politics. She wants to see new faces on the Hernando County School Board.

Barbara was not happy when, on the first day of school this year, several students were unaccounted for at the end of the day, sending parents into frenzied searches for their children.

She said not enough people, from the board to principals, are held accountable in the school system.
“I want someone on the School Board who will change that,” Barbara said. “I’m tired of this.”

- Times staff writers Dan DeWitt, Asjylyn Loder, Logan Neill and Tom Marshall contributed to this report. Chandra Broadwater can be reached at cbroadwater@sptimes.com or (352) 848-1432.

[Last modified November 8, 2006, 08:18:27]