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Elections Boss Defends Not Attending Commission Hearing

News Channel 8 Photo by ERIC HAUSMANN

Hillsborough's elections supervisor spoke outside BuddyFreddys, a chain his family founded.

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By CHIP OSOWSKI | News Channel 8

Published: December 18, 2008

Updated: 12/18/2008 04:21 pm

TAMPA - Hillsborough County Elections Supervisor Buddy Johnson said he didn't think he needed to attend Wednesday's county commission meeting because his second-in-command was the best person to answer questions about his $2.3 million request.

Instead, he left the job of answering those questions to his chief deputy. "There's no one better on budgets in the elections office than Kathy Harris. With respect to budget questions, she's the best," Johnson said in an interview today.

Some commissioners were upset that Johnson wasn't there to make the request, which he said was to offset unexpected expenses from November's election.

The perception, he said, "was as though I was a no-show … I wasn't a no-show at all."

In retrospect, Johnson said, "I do wish I could have been there to answer some of the inaccuracies," adding that there would have been "pluses and minuses" to attending.

He said he could not have predicted the election's record turnout or problems with voting machines. He said he understands the timing of the request is bad because of the poor economy but thought it was better to try to resolve the shortfall than to saddle his successor with it.

The commission rejected Johnson's request, instead ordering an audit to determine the financial shortfall in the elections office.

Johnson said that doesn't worry him.

"My office is totally transparent," he said.

"I have no resentment in my heart," he said. "I've done a great job, my staff has done a great job, and I think in time, maybe like Harry Truman – I hate to compare myself to someone great like that – but I think in time, people will see that the office is in really good shape, the technology is in first-class condition, and it's a tough job to do, particularly when you try to stay fair and nonpartisan."

TBO reporter Cheryl Segal contributed to this report.

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