'Injustice' to Stanton incited him to run
John Mandujano is counting on voters to be progressive.
By LORRI HELFAND, Times Staff Writer
Published October 21, 2007
The firing of former City Manager Steve Stanton continues to fuel John Mandujano's campaign for the Largo City Commission.
The termination, which Mandujano calls "discrimination," first motivated him to be a city leader. And he's the only candidate for the Nov. 6 election who has opposed Stanton's firing.
"I was raised that if I see an injustice it's your responsibility to speak up and try to make it right," said Mandujano, 52, who faces off against Vice Mayor Harriet Crozier for Seat 5.
At last week's last candidate forum, Mandujano criticized Crozier for voting to give Stanton a raise months before firing him.
Crozier, 63, has not brought up Stanton in her campaign, but maintains that commissioners made the right choice. Instead, she has touted her experience as a city leader and her advocacy for the city on various boards.
Mandujano's stance on Stanton has earned him backing from the Stonewall Democrats of Pinellas County, which supports gay and transgender people.
"We feel like there needs to be some change in Largo to get more fairness and balance on the City Commission there," said Rick Boylan, the group's president.
The PAC supporting the Stonewall Democrats held a reception this month to benefit his campaign and members knocked on doors in Largo to encourage residents to vote for him. Mandujano said he wasn't sure exactly how much the reception brought in, but he estimated it was about $150, about5 percent of his total contributions.
Despite some public reaction during the Stanton controversy, Mandujano says he's not concerned how residents will perceive political backing from the Stonewall Democrats.
"I think the community is more progressive than the commission thinks," said Mandujano, who works as a systems analyst for University Community Hospital in Tampa.
Stanton, who changed her name to Susan and moved to Sarasota, said she appreciates Mandujano's support.
"You have to have elected officials that understand the riches and the differences that we all bring to the workplace," Stanton said. "I'm enthusiastic that one candidate sees the significance of discriminating against someone because of their gender expression."
But Stanton, who is looking for another job in city management, said it would not be appropriate for her to support Mandujano's campaign. That's because she's a member of the International City/County Management Association, a professional organization for municipal and regional managers.
Mandujano has also stood by Stanton's former secretary, Brenda Francisco, a 33-year Largo employee who was fired by new City Manager Norton "Mac" Craig.
Both firings were fiscal mistakes, because the public would be stuck with the bill if either sued the city, Mandujano said.
While Crozier is not talking about Stanton, the topic has surfaced in the other race for City Commission. Curtis Holmes, who is vying for Seat 6 against Woody Brown, complained at forums last week about how Stanton's leadership shaped the culture at City Hall.
An American of Mexican heritage, Mandujano said he considers himself socially liberal and fiscally conservative.
He grew up on the south side of Chicago and his parents divorced when he was a youngster. His mom, who worked as a bookkeeper for a baking company, raised him and his older brother.
After high school, Mandujano took classes at Boston College and later worked on various political campaigns.
Mandujano, who worked for several companies as a computer consultant, married his wife, Eileen, in 1987.
He ran into financial difficulties in the 1990s and in 1996 filed for protection from creditors under Chapter 13 of the federal bankruptcy laws. Mandujano said his financial woes followed steep cuts in pay. He initially worked as a consultant in Boston, making more than $100,000 a year, he said. But he moved to Syracuse, N.Y., where he eventually took two different computer jobs, each with significant pay cuts.
"It was a tough adjustment for me working, making a third of what I was making before," he said.
His difficulties, however, have made him more sensitive to others, he said.
"I'm kind of grateful now that I had those financial problems back then because it helps me to understand what people are going through now," Mandujano said.
Lorri Helfand can be reached at lorri@sptimes.com or 445-4155.