Politics

Complaints filed against tax group

"Government Gone Wild" seminars violated laws, an activist claims.

By JOHN FRANK, Times Staff Writer
Published October 3, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT Anna Liisa Covell alleges the group needed to file organizational papers before it spent thousands to organize this summer's "Government Gone Wild" seminars.

BROOKSVILLE - A local political activist filed formal complaints with the Florida Elections Commission on Monday, alleging that four leaders of the Hernando movement for lower property taxes violated state elections laws by not filing as a political committee.

Anna Liisa Covell, a member of the county's planning board and a former local Republican leader, alleges the group needed to file organizational papers with the Hernando County Supervisor of Elections Office before it spent thousands to organize this summer's "Government Gone Wild" seminars. By not doing so, the group violated six state election laws governing political committees, according to a copy of the complaint provided by Covell.

Named in the complaints are: ringleader Blaise Ingoglia, political activist Linda Hayward, former county Commissioner Len Tria and Ana Trinque, chairwoman of the county Republican Executive Committee.

"I just want them held accountable like everyone else," Covell said in an interview Tuesday. "They need to be very transparent with the public about who's supporting them. It's not just this group; it's every group that should have this type of scrutiny since it's required."

Ingoglia was not available for comment Tuesday. In the past, he has maintained that the forums were merely educational, not political. He spent $12,000 of his own money to organize the "Government Gone Wild," and the more reserved "An Evening of Change," seminars that claimed the county was misspending and mishandling of Hernando County tax dollars.

State law requires a group that receives more than $500 in contributions or spends more than that amount to file registration papers. Sherri Williams with the Hernando County elections office said her agency hasn't received any documents from the group. She said they should have filed because Ingoglia's personal expenses are still considered a contribution.

A spokesman for the state Elections Commission said the agency does not confirm nor deny whether a complaint was filed. If the commission does decide to investigate, it could levy civil fines up to $1,000 per count against anyone who commits a violation.

The complaint was filed two business days after Ingoglia announced he was forming a separate political action committee that would work to oust the three commissioners who are up for re-election in 2008. He pledged $25,000 to the cause, though such a contribution would be illegal. State law limits donations to $500 per election cycle for political committees that support or oppose candidates, Williams said.

Trinque dismissed the allegations in the complaints, saying she isn't involved in the "Government Gone Wild" seminars. They were the brainchild of Ingoglia, not a political committee. "To insinuate that we were all involved in it is totally erroneous," she said.

The complaint states Trinque acted as a co-host, Hayward checked people in at the door and Tria was the master of ceremonies.

"It's not a political organization," Trinque continued. "It was an educational forum that has nothing to do with politics."

Trinque also said Covell named her because she has a "personal vendetta against me" that stems from Covell's unsuccessful run for the County Commission in the past.

She said she is not taking the complaint seriously. "It's a nuisance thing," she said. "It means nothing, and it's totally out of line."

John Frank can be reached at jfrank@sptimes.com or 352 754-6114.

[Last modified October 2, 2007, 21:12:42]