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Experience A Must In Key Pasco Races

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 15, 2008

The union that represents Pasco County school employees - as well as longtime school board member Marge Whaley - wants voters to take a leap Nov. 4 and elect an under-qualified teacher as the next superintendent of schools.

Pasco, unlike Hillsborough, elects its superintendent and this year, incumbent Superintendent Heather Fiorentino faces Steve Donaldson, an advanced-placement teacher at Gulf High School who is the union's choice.

Unquestionably, Donaldson, a 50-year-old Trinity resident, is a promising candidate. The Democrat has a master's degree in educational leadership from Saint Leo University and is passionate about addressing the challenges facing Pasco schools. Previously, he owned a telecommunications business. He also was in the Air Force for 25 years, rising to the rank of major.

While commendable, these accomplishments aren't enough to catapult him into the superintendent's office. He's been a teacher only five years and has logged no time as a principal or administrator.

Donaldson needs more seasoning to be prepared to manage the county's public school system, which has nearly 66,000 students, a $1.2 billion budget and is the county's largest employer.

Fiorentino, a 50-year-old New Port Richey resident, has the edge on experience. A 24-year district employee, including 14 as a classroom teacher, she was elected four years ago and has done a solid job during tough economic times.

During her time as a district employee, Fiorentino also spent six years in the state House of Representatives, where she gained valuable experience on education budget and policy issues. That insight has helped her manage the school system and deal with Tallahassee's mandates.

It's not surprising that the union and Whaley, who is retiring after 16 years on the board, oppose Fiorentino. Whaley, a registered Democrat, rarely sees eye to eye with the superintendent. She backed her opponent in 2004 and after Fiorentino, a Republican, was elected, Whaley pushed to make the superintendent's job an appointed position.

The Democratic-leaning union is irked that employees' raises and step increases were put on hold this summer and fall, among other issues. But there's a valid reason for the freeze. As budget cuts have deepened, Fiorentino put students first - as she always does and should. The union forgets that no employees have lost their jobs, even as Fiorentino cut about $23 million from spending last year and this.

Fiorentino isn't perfect. Her move to fire a teacher who tried to commit suicide at school was insensitive, and she has a tendency to micromanage. But during her first term, the district's grade rose from a "B" to an "A." It also built 15 schools.

In addition, the dropout rate fell 32 percent last year, as the district established career academies to help non-college-bound students develop job skills. These accomplishments, coupled with her thoughtful handling of budget cuts, warrant another term.

The Tribune strongly recommends Heather Fiorentino for Pasco County school superintendent.

In two other closely watched races, Pasco voters will elect a new clerk of court and decide whether Sheriff Bob White deserves a third four-year term.

Sheriff

White, a 58-year-old Trinity resident, survived a major challenge from Robert Sullivan, a former Pasco sheriff's lieutenant, in the Republican primary. We endorsed Sullivan, who received 45 percent of the vote, because he was a better overall candidate who could have brought new ideas and a sharper focus to the agency.

White's opponents in the general election are Kim Bogart, the Democratic nominee and a former Pasco sheriff's captain; and Bobby Kinzy, a registered Democrat seeking the office with no party affiliation.

Kinzy is not qualified to be sheriff. He worked for TECO for 35 years, retiring as senior mechanic at the utility's central garage. But he has no experience in law enforcement.

Bogart, 56, who lives in New Port Richey, would bring an impressive blend of experience to the sheriff's office, where he worked for 16 years. He has experience in law enforcement and jail operations - the office's two main divisions - working as executive director of the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission and running his own consulting firm, in addition to his sheriff's office tenure.

White's second term has been disappointing. He has shown poor leadership in budget matters, once accusing county commissioners, who control the purse, of failing to adequately fund law enforcement. The fact is, over a five-year period, commissioners approved almost 98 percent of his budget requests before state- and voter-mandated property tax reductions kicked in.

White also supported Amendment 1, which is reducing the amount of money available for law enforcement and other public needs. Further, he caved to a union demand that taxpayers provide health insurance to retired workers with a certain amount of service until they qualify for Medicare.

Still, voters liked White enough to elect him over incumbent Lee Cannon eight years ago and elect him again in 2004. It's understandable - White is a good man who cares deeply about his employees and protecting communities. He has done a good job improving deputies' salaries, enhancing response times and technology, and creating a non-emergency "citizens service" unit to ease pressure on uniformed officers. He also is getting deputies the training needed to deport illegal immigrants arrested on criminal charges - which will help lower the load on taxpayers. He has done this in the face of unprecedented growth, which makes the job tough.

White is the better candidate for the general election. The Tribune recommends another term for Bob White as Pasco County sheriff.

Clerk Of Court

Jed Pittman is retiring after 32 years as clerk of the court. Seeking the job are his chief deputy, Paula O'Neil, the Republican nominee, and New Port Richey civil attorney Robert Altman, a Democrat. Altman lost to Pittman four years ago.

Altman, 52, has practiced law in the Tampa Bay area for nearly 30 years and has a good reputation. He believes his legal experience and knowledge of the clerk's operation qualifies him to lead the office.

But the clerk of court does much more than provide court support services. It also is responsible for recording property records and other official documents, collecting fines, watching over and auditing county finances, and issuing passports and marriage licenses, among other duties.

Someone with sharp management and organizational skills is needed to run the office. O'Neil, a Bayonet Point resident with more than 20 years of government service, possesses those strengths.

In her two years as chief deputy, she essentially has run the daily operations of the 400-worker office because of Pittman's health problems. And during her nearly six years as an employee there, she has worked hard to plan and implement much-needed technological advancements that have made the office more user-friendly and efficient.

Pasco residents would be best served by entrusting the operation to someone who knows it inside and out, someone with a record of good customer service. And that's O'Neil.

The Tribune endorses Paula O'Neil for Pasco clerk of the circuit court.

REBUTTAL OFFER

Candidates not endorsed by the Tampa Tribune are invited by the editorial board to write rebuttals. Rebuttals should be limited to 200 words. E-mail all replies to tribletters@tampatrib.com, faxes to (813) 259-8080, or write to Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 191, Tampa, FL 33601-0191. Check out TBO.com's Election 2008 special report for more information on candidates.

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