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Developer money is queried in race
By ALISA ULFERTS © St. Petersburg Times, published September 4, 2000 NEW PORT RICHEY -- The race for County Commission District 3 has been about growth and development. Or, more precisely, it's been about how much money developers have invested in County Commissioner Ann Hildebrand's re-election campaign, according to her opponent Scott Factor. Factor, at 33 a newcomer to the Pasco political scene, has steadfastly refused to accept money from developers or the lawyers who represent them. The fact that fellow Republican Hildebrand has raised more than $40,000, much of it from development interests, is a point Factor makes at every public opportunity. "My integrity is not for sale," Factor said at a recent public forum. Hildebrand, 62, says hers isn't for sale either and counters Factor's accusation with this observation: "It takes money to run a campaign." She adds that she is neither pro- nor anti-development and that she considers what's in the best interest of the entire county before voting on anything. Although both candidates are Republicans, Hildebrand is a rarity at Pasco GOP meetings. Meetings with constituents and caring for elderly relatives take up much of her time, Hildebrand has said. Factor, on the other hand, is a regular at party meetings and belongs to several Republican clubs, including the Spirit of 76 Club and the West Pasco Republican Club. Factor says his ideals are more in line with Republican principles; Hildebrand says she considers what is best for the county as a whole before voting and that those positions are usually non-partisan. All voters will be eligible to vote in the Republican primary because there is no Democratic or third-party opposition. Thus, whoever wins the Tuesday primary is elected. Factor is single and owns a Snap-On Tools franchise. He was born in Pennsylvania but grew up in Pasco. He moved here in 1971. He graduated from Hudson High School and attended but did not graduate from Pasco-Hernando Community College. Factor said he decided to run because that public office seems a natural extension of what he'd been taught growing up: "Do a little good for the neighborhood." He said he has seen some good changes in Pasco during his lifetime, but there is much room for improvement. Although he views Gulf View Square Mall as an anchor in the west Pasco community, Factor said he wants to limit development to prevent urban sprawl. He stayed in Pasco because his family is here, but says most of the people he went to school with have left the area. He's glad he stayed, "But your opportunity is limited here." Factor said he would like to improve that by providing more opportunity for the county's youth, both recreational and economic. Hildebrand has served as a county commissioner since 1984. She is a native of Michigan and has lived in Pasco since 1971. As a county commissioner, she has served on the board of Tampa Bay Water and other regional government agencies. Hildebrand is a social worker by trade and graduated from Michigan State University in 1960 with a bachelor's degree in social science. She is married and has two grown sons. She says she is seeking a fifth term because "I still enjoy being a public servant." Hildebrand supports extending Ridge Road to provide another east-west evacuation route, but doesn't want that road to translate into more strip-mall style development. "I don't want to see the Suncoast Parkway stripped out," Hildebrand said. I don't want to see Ridge Road stripped out." If re-elected, her fifth term will be her last. She says she made a few mistakes in the past four years, such as allowing then-county lobbyist Clyde Hobby to dictate the terms of the county's 1997 proposed purchase of Lindrick Utilities, owned by fellow Hobby client Joe Borda. That deal did not go through. "That was a bad error," Hildebrand said in a recent interview. But overall, Hildebrand says she has achieved much good during her time on the board. The county's water supply is under the protection of a regional plan designed to reduce pumping in Pasco. Hildebrand has helped development non-government sources of social services for residents, such as the Good Samaritan Clinic, which she founded and which serves those without health insurance. She has served on the boards of the Lighthouse for Blind and the Pasco Food Bank, among other organizations, and she has won numerous awards for volunteering with the United Way and other groups. But chief among Hildebrand's accomplishments are the places children now have to read and play. The county has retired the debt from the bonds it used to create its parks and library system -- bonds which Hildebrand and other county commissioners had to persuade voters to approve. And that's why she thinks voters should give her another term. "I want my legacy to be the parks and libraries."
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