TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Negative Primary Fliers Strike Nerve With GOP

ADVERTISEMENT

By JULIA FERRANTE The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 26, 2008

John Nicolette paints a grim picture of his opponent, District 1 County Commissioner Ted Schrader, in campaign fliers, stamping the incumbent as a tax-and-spend "LIBERAL," who is helping builders and family members cash in on growth.
Schrader denies the allegations, calling Nicolette's claims that he raised gasoline and property taxes and rubber-stamped housing projects "absolutely false."

Pasco Republican leaders also are coming down on Nicolette, too, saying his tactics are "underhanded" and bad for the GOP.

"John is claiming developers are in control, and the county is for sale. He's just totally wrong," said Wilton Simpson, a member of Pasco's Republican Executive Committee and a Schrader supporter. "I think he's saying Ted is a liberal because he thinks that will strike a nerve with the Republican Party."

Pasco GOP Chairman Bill Bunting would not comment on his discussions with Nicolette but said he encourages Republicans running against other Republicans to be respectful.

"I'm not going to get into that," he said of the Schrader-Nicolette race, which will be decided in a closed Republican primary Aug. 26. The winner faces write-in candidate John Taylor, who has said he entered the race so the contest would be decided by Republicans.

"If I said anything, I said it in private," Bunting said. "Primaries are not always as nice as they should be. Does it give me a knot in my stomach? It's between the two of them, and the voters are going to have to decide. Sometimes it's not the candidates. It's the consultants, and it's unfortunate."

Nicolette confirmed that Bunting talked to him about his campaign literature and told him any criticisms of his opponent must to be accurate.

Nicolette, who lives on a ranch in east Pasco that belonged to his wife's family and owns a defunct orange grove intended for a handful of houses, stood by the criticisms. He said the incumbent has used his position to help his brother develop larger parcels in east Pasco.

Nicolette said Friday his consultants developed two campaign pieces sent to Republican voters and that everything was verified with newspaper articles.

"In no way, shape or form will I say intentionally something that's not true," he said.

A campaign piece sent to registered Republicans this week exclaims that Schrader "is just another BIG DEVELOPER selling out Pasco County!" and that he has brought more traffic, sprawl and a "poor quality of life."

Anthony Pedicini, Nicolette's consultant, said he verified the charges against Schrader, including the commissioner's support of the Penny for Pasco sales tax increase, which is estimated to raise $437 million during the 10-year life of the tax.

Pedicini also noted that Schrader and his brother sought to rezone property in east Pasco so that more building would be permitted.

"Rezoning is very helpful when you are trying to build. That's the part that takes years," Pedicini said.
Schrader maintains his family has not developed any land but sold portions of its holdings during the past eight years. Schrader did support the Penny for Pasco, but noted that he spearheaded movements to reduce property taxes before the state Legislature mandated it.

Simpson said he does not approve of negative campaigning. He said Nicolette's tactics have gone a step further, to "deceitful."

"He is breaking Ronald Regan's 11th commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican."

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

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT