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Valdes Is Re-Elected Amid Criticism Of Travel Spending

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 27, 2008

TAMPA - Accusations she spent too much money on travel didn't stop voters from re-electing Hillsborough County School Board member Susan Valdes to a second term by a comfortable margin.

"I feel very humbled by the support of the community," Valdes said. "I'm just so, oh my gosh, humbled and thankful for the support."

Valdes, 43, had drawn criticism for spending $50,000 in taxpayer money on travel during her first four years, the most of any board member. In defending herself, she said she took on too many trips in her eagerness to do a good job. She said Tuesday that she felt like voters responded to her sincerity.

Her constituents in District 1 - which includes Town 'N Country, Westchase and other northwestern Hillsborough communities - awarded her four more years. The first time she ran, she beat educator Janice Torgersen. This time, she beat Torgersen's husband, David Schmidt.

The other school board seat up for grabs remained undetermined Tuesday night.

None of the three candidates for District 7 received more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary, so the top two candidates, Carol Kurdell and Stephen Gorham, will face each other in the general election in November to represent the countywide seat.

Kurdell, who got the most votes, said she had hoped to win the primary outright but thought a combination of low voter turnout and three candidates in the field kept her from securing the majority of votes she needed to win Tuesday night.

"Three people in the race - it splits the vote. You just never know," said Kurdell, the board's longest-serving member. She was first elected in 1992 and has twice been board chairwoman. "You always give it everything you have."

Kurdell and Gorham ran against Jason Mims, a 55-year-old retired Army lieutenant colonel.

Mims had never run for office before and raised and spent little money on his campaign. He has been both a consultant and volunteer for the district to help underprivileged and struggling students.

Gorham, who will be 30 years old in September, would be a newcomer to political office if elected, although he ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate in 2006. He is director of networks and telecommunications/chief security officer for Hillsborough Community College and also an officer candidate in the Florida Army National Guard.

He saw the results Tuesday as a sign the public wanted change. A 16-year incumbent should be able to net more votes, he said.

The low turnout showed that the voters who came to the polls were the ones who felt strongly about the election, Gorham said. He visited 42 precincts and said people were "showing up and saying we're unhappy with our school board."

If Kurdell, 63, loses in November, Superintendent MaryEllen Elia will lose one of her most loyal supporters.

Kurdell also has strong support and contributions from current and former administrators and vendors who do business with the district. She has been a state PTA officer and was a consultant for two school district projects, although she is now a full-time board member.

She said she would have to examine her campaigning strategy before the general election and would need to do a better job of speaking up for herself and defending criticism from Gorham.
Gorham said he would continue his strategy: "We've been talking about positive change the entire time."

Valdes also has talked about change, clashing with Elia and other board members during her first term. She said she and her fellow board member and friend, April Griffin, have challenged the status quo, and others resisted change.

"We're in a time where kids deserve a progressive board that is really, really looking at education in a more global way," Valdes said.

Reporter Marilyn Brown contributed to this report. Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503.

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