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Mariano Touts Efforts In Business, Environment

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By JULIA FERRANTE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 15, 2008

District 5 county Commissioner Jack Mariano faces fellow Republican Rich Jenkins in the Aug. 26 primary. The winner will face off with Democrat Ginny Miller in November.

Mariano is seeking a second term. The Tampa Tribune asked Mariano why he thinks he should be re-elected and what his priorities would be if he keeps his commission post.

Why Are You The Best Candidate?

Mariano counts among his accomplishments an emphasis on public access, economic development, tourism and green building - a concept he learned about as a county commissioner.

"It's healthier for our citizens and it puts Pasco in a progressive mode as far as thinking that way," Mariano said. "We are the first county in Florida to put it in our comprehensive plan. We were just before Sarasota."

The incumbent pushed to allow more opportunities for residents to bring issues before the county commission during public meetings.

Opportunities for public comment previously were limited to the end of regular meetings, which often meant residents would have to wait several hours for their three allotted minutes at the lectern.

"That gives them more certainty about when they'll be able to speak," he said.

Mariano also has worked to bring in new businesses to diversify the tax base and create jobs for residents.

As chairman of the Tourist Development Council, he was part of the effort to shift the focus to sports marketing and create a sports foundation. One event, a lacrosse tournament in January at the Wesley Chapel District Park, brought in an estimated $530,000 from hotel stays, meals at restaurants and other purchases, he said.

Mariano, along with District 4 County Commissioner Michael Cox, supports building a multipurpose sports complex in Pasco to increase sporting events. The board is considering forming a public-private partnership with a company that would manage sports fields and concessions.

"We've got an opportunity to have the first one this side of the Mississippi," he said. "It will help sports teams and generate tourism money."

Sun West Mine

A partnership that bought the Sun West Mine in Hudson envisions a regional resort with a hotel, condominiums, a man-made beach and a county park. The property is designated for limerock mining, and mining could continue there indefinitely if commissioners prohibit development. The resort is in the permitting stages.

Mariano has supported the Sun West Mine project in the past, but he reserved judgment pending a formal proposal.

"As a commissioner sitting on the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, I've been supportive of what they're proposing while at the same time being respectful of staff as it goes through the permitting process," Mariano said.

"This will do a lot less ecological damage than if they just leave it there with the mining pits. I think it will be huge. They have something where they could actually attract people to come, and there is a county park on the side of it."

Economic Development

Mariano has been a proponent of economic development. He says Pasco should focus on attracting smaller businesses.

"I think we have a better chance to recruit smaller businesses," he said. "We don't have a large port or a large airport like Tampa does. We're not going to be a Tier I. We're going to be a Tier II county."

A committee of 17 "stakeholders" is revamping the county's building codes to streamline the building permit process. Mariano said the revisions will make the county more "business friendly." The changes will give companies a better idea of how quickly they can get a business started in Pasco, he said.

Mariano was criticized by some for overstepping his bounds by meeting with developers outside Pasco to discuss the Central Pasco Employment Center. He said he was trying to bring county staff and the developers closer to agreement, and he made no promises to developers.

"I thought it was the right move, and I still believe that," Mariano said.

Mariano also has had conflicts with other officials about meeting with constituents about appeals that are to go before the county commission. He said the law required him to meet with constituents, and he did not discuss anything inappropriate.

Rules governing such discussions later were loosened.

Environmental Protection

Mariano supports efforts to buy the Cross Bar Ranch from Pinellas County Utilities to protect a regional wellfield and preclude development.

He also is an advocate of increasing recycling and supports once-a-week collections rather than every other week pickups to increase participation.

Mariano has not taken a position on a proposed landfill in east Pasco that many residents oppose.

"As a county commissioner, I'm going to be concerned about the health and welfare but careful not to take a position before it comes before me," Mariano said.

Construction Impact Fees

Developers have asked commissioners to consider reducing construction impact fees to help boost their business.

Mariano said one-time construction fees to pay for roads and schools should be studied before they are reduced or increased.

"I think the county's been very wise in how they set the numbers up. The reason we've done so well to decrease our millage tax rate is because of our impact fees. ...We need to make sure the costs are accurate. ...Everything we do needs to be justified."

Cost-Cutting

The county's financial analysts presented a balanced budget to the commission in July, but more cuts may be necessary to ensure needs are being met.

"The sheriff still says he needs more people," Mariano said. "You've had a county that's really frugal.

"I'm not saying there's not more room for improvement. If the state Legislature is going to tell us you've got to find a way to make that happen."

AT A GLANCE

NAME: Jack Mariano

AGE: 48

EDUCATION: Bachelor of arts in economics with a concentration in management science, Framingham State College, Framingham, Mass.

FAMILY: Married, two children

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Formerly a car salesman at Coastal Cadillac.

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Elected to the county commission in 2004. Filed paperwork to run for Pasco County School Board previously.

CAMPAIGN WEB SITE: www.jackmariano.com

Reporter Julia Ferrante can be reached at (813) 948-4220 or jferrante@tampatrib.com.

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