Retain Mulieri, Cox in Pasco

Pasco County voters will decide Nov. 2 whether to retain county commission incumbents Pat Mulieri and Michael Cox. We recommend doing so - for different reasons.

Pasco commissioners have geographical districts but are elected countywide.

In District 4, Cox, a 46-year-old New Port Richey resident, is more deserving than Mulieri of another four-year term, which would be his second. The district covers U.S. 19 to the Suncoast Parkway and from state roads 54 to 52.

After stunning former commissioner Steve Simon four years ago, Cox, a Certified Financial Planner and former Port Richey mayor and councilman, has developed into a strong commissioner with impressive business and budgeting savvy. He never hesitates to ask tough questions and has a keen ability to cut through rhetoric.

Cox, a Democrat and former county party chairman, is understandably proud of the county's progress toward diversifying the economy by adopting ordinances to create jobs and lure business and industry, and its creation of a strategic plan. He also pushed the adoption of a program to track sinkholes - an effort that alerts homebuyers to problem areas.

If re-elected, Cox will continue to emphasize economic development and job creation, as well as work for better growth patterns.

He also supports construction of a regional transit system and extending the Penny for Pasco sales tax, which voters adopted in 2004.

Cox is challenged by Henry Wilson Jr., a Republican who also lives in the New Port Richey area.
Seeking office for the first time, Wilson, 37, the director of managed care for a radiology group, understands the need to create more jobs so tens of thousands of residents don't have to continue commuting to other counties.

But he has some rather far-fetched ideas, such as developing an "outdoor adventure park."
He seems sincere in wanting to serve but isn't qualified for such an important job.

The Tampa Tribune strongly endorses the re-election of Michael Cox in District 4.

District 2

In District 2, which covers much of central Pasco, including Land O' Lakes and other high-growth areas, Mulieri, a 72-year-old Republican, is seeking a fifth term. She lives in the Kent Grove community.

The last few years Mulieri, who for years was the lone dissenter against bad growth decisions, has become complacent and contributed to some of Pasco's irresponsible growth - including the over-allocation of malls in central Pasco. But, overall, she seems energized by the county's economic development efforts, and she is a strong listener who is courteous and eager to meet with the public.

We wish we could endorse her opponent, Clay Colson, who is running with no party affiliation and seeking public office for the first time. The commission needs a member who will put growth management and the environment at the forefront of the county's agenda.

Colson, 55, a self-employed contract laborer who lives in Land O' Lakes, is strong on responsible growth and protecting the environment. He helped stop the degradation of Cypress Creek during the early phase of work at the Cypress Creek Town Center site - work a judge stopped due to violations.

But in the past Colson has been too forceful with his advocacy, and we question whether he can be diplomatic enough to work with other commissioners and county staff. He also is one of the few candidates we've met who supports Amendment 4, a proposed constitutional amendment that would require unnecessary public votes to adopt major changes to land use plans and could block Pasco's efforts to recruit more industry and businesses.

The Tampa Tribune recommends another term for Pat Mulieri in Pasco County Commission District 2.

Rebuttals

Candidates not endorsed by the Tribune are invited to write rebuttals, which should be limited to 200 words.
E-mail replies to tribletters@tampatrib.com or write to Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 191, Tampa, 33601-0191