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Despite Outcries, Award Renamed For Late Activist

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By MIKE SALINERO

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 18, 2008

  Ralph Hughes

TAMPA - Even in death, outspoken conservative businessman Ralph Hughes continues to ignite controversy.

Hughes, who died in June, was the subject of a sometimes-nasty debate at Wednesday's Hillsborough County Commission meeting as citizen activists denounced commissioners who wanted to honor Hughes' memory.

The commissioners voted 5-2 to rename the county's Moral Courage Award after Hughes, who gave hundreds or thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to six of seven commissioners. The award is to honor residents who ethically and courageously challenge government.

Commissioners who voted to bestow the honor on Hughes cited his long fight against big government and taxes. But nine of 10 speakers at the meeting opposed the idea, accusing the commission of repaying their old benefactor and tarnishing the award in the process.

"Hughes used his money and power to get his way," said Cam Oberting, who received the first Moral Courage Award in 1992. "He gave big campaign contributions, paid for commissioners' meals. ... But to public officials or candidates who disliked him, he intimidated those that didn't agree with him."

Several speakers mocked Commissioner Jim Norman, who had proposed renaming the award because Hughes "put his money where his mouth was."

"He put his money where some of your mouths are," said Jerry Lewis, a member of the Taylor Road Civic Association. "It cheapens the meaning of the award."

Norman fired back that the insults to Hughes' memory were an embarrassment to the commission and hurt the businessman's family, who were not in attendance.

"I believe you can make your case strongly without disrespecting others," Norman said. "I feel it's gotten way, way out of hand. I feel bad about things that were spoken today."

Records from the county Supervisor of Elections Office show Norman got $2,500 in campaign contributions from Hughes or his company, Cast-Crete Corp., from 2001 through 2006.

Other commissioners receiving campaign contributions from Hughes were Kevin White, $1,500; Brian Blair, $2,500; Ken Hagan, $500; Al Higginbotham, $2,000; and Mark Sharpe, $1,000. Sharpe joined Commissioner Rose Ferlita in voting against renaming the award for Hughes.

Ferlita, the only board member who didn't get a donation from Hughes, said she refused his help because there were strings attached.

"I found out very quickly that Ralph expected something back from me if I was going to be one of his chosen candidates," Ferlita said.

Norman argued that supporting political candidates with money is not a vice.

"Because Mr. Hughes has supported us and many other candidates before, I don't see why that's a detriment to his character or what he believed in," Norman said.

Balm-Wimauma activist Marcella Osteen disagreed, saying more-deserving recipients would be ordinary residents without money or clout who take time off from work and hire babysitters to attend commission meetings.

"If Commissioner Norman is not seeing these people, maybe he's not lifting his eyes up to look at them," Osteen said.

The only speaker to rise in Hughes' defense was former Commissioner Joe Chillura, who nominated the conservative activist for the Moral Courage Award this year. Chillura said Hughes used $150,000 of his own money to pay for an audit of Hillsborough government that identified more than $50 million in possible savings.

When Chillura was trying to convince the state Board of Regents that the University of South Florida needed a school of architecture, Hughes helped by raising money for endowed scholarships.

"That's the kind of thing Ralph would do and not get any public acclamation," Chillura said. "Ralph did so many things for people quietly."

Researcher Melanie Coon contributed to this report. Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at msalinero@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-8303.

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