Harassment claim sets off lawsuit

The tax collector and a signature collector go to war over boundaries.

By JAMAL THALJI, Times Staff Writer
Published January 24, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Olson said he's protecting people from being harassed by signature collectors at government offices.

Ed Cardwell said he's plying his trade and making it easy for people to exercise their right to petition their government.

Who's right? Olson wants a judge to decide.

That's why his office filed suit Wednesday against Cardwell's company, America's Politically Incorrect Inc., in Pinellas-Pasco circuit court.

The tax collector is seeking an injunction to force Cardwell's signature collectors to obey the rules Olson said his office and the county attorney drafted for those who want to petition or picket or hand out literature at the county's Gulf Harbors building at 4720 U.S. 19.

"We believe the customers, the citizens of Pasco County, have the right to unimpeded egress to and from the building," Olson said. "It's either see our customers have issues or go ask a judge for an injunction and compel them to work out of the designated area."

That would be the tables the collectors can put outside the Shamrock Drive and U.S. 19 entrances to the building. Olson said he has received complaints that Cardwell's signature collectors get in the way of residents or try to collect signatures inside the building, which is prohibited.

But Cardwell denied harassing anyone. He said he and his people are the ones who have been harassed by the tax collector and law enforcement. Cardwell said Olson wants them to work without doing or saying anything.

"According to Florida state law, the only rule we have to obey is not to impede egress and ingress of the building," Cardwell said. "(Olson) doesn't want us to talk to anybody - just stand there and wait for them to come over. It just doesn't make any sense."

Both sides said this problem has been brewing since 2003. But Cardwell said it's the first time in 15 years of collecting signatures that anyone has sued him.

"(Olson) has the power of Pasco County behind him," he said. "He doesn't have to pay the bill of the attorney for the lawsuit, but I have to pay an attorney to protect myself.

"The bottom line is we have a right to be there, a right to petition our government, a right to be on public property."

Jamal Thalji can be reached at thalji@sptimes.com or (727) 869-6236.

[Last modified January 23, 2008, 21:19:58]