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Inquiring Minds Setting Stage For Main Event

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By TOM JACKSON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 3, 2008

July has passed and Labor Day looms in the distance, the glow of its beacon visible over the horizon. It signals, as ever, the conclusion of summer's reveries, but also as it does every even-numbered year, the moment when voting-eligible citizens begin to take notice of the folks determined to determine public policy over the next few years.

For some, this marks the beginning of the end, their personalities and/or positions dissolving under the scrutiny of an engaged electorate. Others - these, perversely, may be the lucky ones - will be spared the post-Labor Day death spiral, their days wearing out shoe leather ending with the primary election.

Which, for the record, is Aug. 26. That's right. Just four Tuesdays down the road.

In the interest of making the choices clearer for primary voters, that subset of later-arousing deciders who will crowd the polls come Nov. 4, thoughtful organizations are sponsoring forums for local candidates around Pasco County in the coming weeks. Among the first is a debriefing set for Tuesday at the New Port Richey campus of Pasco-Hernando Community College, arranged by the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

Scheduled to appear in 45-minute blocs beginning at 5:45 p.m. are candidates for county commission District 3 (Democrats), school board District 2, sheriff (Republicans) and clerk of court.

Bob-Bob-Bob, Bob-Bob-A-Ran

If tradition holds, audience members will be invited to submit written questions for consideration by the moderators, a pair of veteran journalists representing major daily newspapers in the Bay area. In furtherance of that tradition, most of those questions, submitted by supporters of a particular candidate, will want to ask of his/her rival something in the "Have you stopped beating your spouse?" genre.

These are unlikely to be posed to the candidates by the veteran journalists. That does not mean they won't attempt to raise the contenders' hackles. For instance, Robert Sullivan, challenging incumbent Bob White for the Republican nomination for sheriff from a distance - his primary residence is in Brooksville - will likely be asked the following:

Your failure to establish residency in Pasco is seen by many as a lack of commitment to the county. Why are they wrong?

For White, the idea of agency-owned cars going home with non-emergency personnel still rankles. The practice ended soon after it was exposed, by the Sullivan campaign. For Sheriff White: How can your constituents be certain that you are watching every dime?

Unions Vs. Big Bidness

Nearly 20 percent of Joanne Hurley's $29,000 treasury has come from teachers unions. For the District 2 school board hopeful: Explain how your decisions won't be improperly motivated by the influence of unions.

For rival Kurt Conover: The current economic climate has thousands of your would-be constituents going every day to dreary jobs in which quality, pride of responsibility and morale are being sacrificed at the altar of efficiency. Why would we take this moment, to impose a businesslike atmosphere on Pasco schools? Yours better be a compelling bottom line.

And we're just getting started. Find time Tuesday and c'mon down.

Tom Jackson can be reached at (813) 948-4219.

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