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Dade City Tavern Owner Making Run For City Post

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By NICOLA M. WHITE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 16, 2008

DADE CITY - Local tavern owner and political observer Mike Agnello has entered the Dade City commission race, filing paperwork to run for the seat occupied by City Commissioner Eunice Penix.

Agnello, 47, best known for the live music at his historic Osceola Tavern, also is known because he was arrested last year for nonpayment of sales tax spanning several years. He also is in the red when it comes to his property taxes, records show.

Agnello avoided jail time and is paying off the sales taxes and the back property taxes, he said.

"I have no problem with people knowing that I'm struggling as a small businessman," he said.

"I think everybody is struggling right now, with gas prices, you name it."

As a business owner, many of the issues Agnello wants to pursue have to do with Dade City development: creating more parking downtown, boosting tourism efforts and looking into park-and-ride options when it comes to downtown street festivals.

He also thinks the city commission meetings should not be held on the same days as when the Pasco County government meets.

He is active with the Kiwanis Club and other civic groups. He ran for the commission in 2006, but didn't capture enough votes to unseat incumbent Scott Black.

He knows his arrest is a bad mark on his record but said the economy and the struggles of being a small-business owner caught up with him, and because of his problems, he can relate well to the average person.

He owed about $60,000 in sales tax and is paying it off, Agnello said. How much he has paid could not be confirmed Tuesday by the state Department of Revenue; a spokeswoman said the matter is confidential.

County records, however, show that Agnello owes $4,624 in property taxes from 2006.

As of Tuesday, Agnello was the only challenger to sign up for the city commission race. Penix had not filed but had requested copies of the paperwork, acting City Manager Jim Class said.

Penix did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Voters will elect commissioners to two other seats, now occupied by Steve Van Gorden and Mayor Hutch Brock. Van Gorden, 32, a middle school principal, has filed his paperwork and already has $5,700 in his campaign account.

Van Gorden was elected to his position in 2004. He said he thinks that with the city searching for a city manager as well as a police chief, having an experienced voice on the commission would be an asset.

"It's important for the city to have steady leadership," Van Gorden said.

"Now is not the time to stray off that course."

Brock has said he will not seek re-election.

The deadline for candidates to file their paperwork is Feb. 12. Qualifying ends Feb. 19. Commissioners serve four-year terms and earn $100 a month.

Reporter Nicola M. White can be reached at (813) 779-4613 or nwhite1@tampatrib.com.

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