Two hard choices for a stronger Hillsborough

Three of the five races for seats on the Hillsborough County Commission are easy calls.

The hard choices are in Districts 1 and 5, where experienced politicians with good reputations clash in the kind of vigorous races voters deserve.

In districts 2, 3 and 7, the tough decisions were made in the primary. That adds to the importance of the competitive races in Hillsborough's District 1 - including the Tampa peninsula, most of the airport area and the entire coast - and countywide District 5.

District 1

Former Tampa City Council member John Dingfelder and former state legislator Sandy Murman each hope to replace Rose Ferlita, who is resigning to run for Tampa mayor.

Dingfelder, a Democrat and a lawyer, has the edge in local government experience and in passion to improve the county's economic environment and quality of life.

Murman's public service defines her as both conservative and compassionate. She sided with the Republican majority in Tallahassee on most fiscal issues and she was not one to make waves. Her biggest successes have involved her advocacy for children and families, the elderly, health care and local civic projects.

We have concerns about Murman's idea to cut county administration across the board. Some departments are top-heavy, but some are not.

Murman is opposed to asking voters if they want to increase the sales tax to improve transit and roads. She prefers looking at other funding sources but doesn't offer viable options.

Dingfelder has been a strong proponent of a better transit system. His top priorities are economic development and job growth. He is a critic of unrestrained residential growth.

Dingfelder criticizes the commission for allowing "almost unlimited sprawl," and promises improved growth management, which could make the county more appealing to new employers.

A former purchasing agent for the state, Dingfelder would put a sharp pencil on county expenses and look for efficiencies in consolidation with the city of some functions, possibly in purchasing and fleet maintenance.

In District 1, the Tribune recommends John Dingfelder.

District 5

Commissioner Ken Hagan is leaving north Hillsborough's District 2 to run for Jim Norman's seat, which Norman is leaving to run for state Senate.

Hagan is challenged by longtime Tampa City Council member Linda Saul-Sena and consultant Jim Hosler.

Saul-Sena, a Democrat, and Hosler, running with no party affiliation, both say the county has done a poor job of managing growth.

Hagan points out that some of the complaints are unfair because commissioners have been right to listen to suburban residents opposed to more urbanized neighborhoods.

Saul-Sena, a former planner, is a strong environmentalist, creative thinker and advocate of historic preservation.

She has championed the Tampa streetcar, downtown arena and the upgrading of Kennedy Boulevard.

She lacks experience dealing with rural issues, though she promises to fight for suburbs as hard as she fought to improve city neighborhoods.

She is right that countywide, taxpayers have been picking up too large a share of the costs of growth.

Hosler, who was on the staff of the City-County Planning Commission for 18 years, says the timing is wrong for a new tax for transit and does not like the plan.

A consultant with small businesses and commercial developers, Hosler promises to be led by his analysis of data, not campaign contributions from land developers or by visions of "sunshine and lollipops." He raises valid questions but is not known for being diplomatic and has no experience in elected office.

Hagan, a Republican, has steered a transportation task force through tricky political currents to put a transit tax on the November ballot.

The fiscal conservative is not campaigning for passage of the tax and says he hasn't even decided if he will vote for it himself. But he is right that the county needs a more modern transportation system, and the voters deserve a chance to vote for or against it.

"I'm not a tax guy," the taciturn Hagan says.

He stood up strongly and convincingly to oust the former county administrator and the auditor.

His plan to give more tax breaks to companies creating jobs could help lower the county's painfully high unemployment rate. Hagan also took the lead in talking with the Rays, who are unhappy in their outdated baseball park in St. Petersburg and whose departure from the region would be demoralizing.

He is investigating ways to keep the team without raising taxes.

Hagan hopes to reform or replace the county's civil service system and has been very effective in his district, supporting parks, libraries and the Carrollwood Cultural Center. As commission chair, Hagan has run commission meetings effectively.

Saul-Sena is a quality candidate, but in District 5, Ken Hagan has earned the right to represent the entire county.

District 2

State Sen. Victor Crist won the Republican primary to replace Hagan in District 2.

Also running is Steven Morris of Odessa, who has no party affiliation. Morris is running such a low-budget, low-profile campaign that he cannot be considered a serious challenger.

Crist has worked hard to improve neighborhoods around USF. He can be counted on to study the issues and advocate low taxes and efficient government.

In District 2, the Tribune endorses Victor Crist.

District 3

Les Miller, a former state senator and current employee of the University of South Florida, trounced discredited incumbent Kevin White in the Democratic primary.

Miller, an experienced, principled candidate, now faces the formality of a write-in opponent.

In District 3, The Tribune is happy to endorse Les Miller.

District 7

Incumbent Commissioner Mark Sharpe, after winning a hard-fought challenge in the Republican primary, now faces a write-in candidate and also Neil Cosentino, a former Air Force pilot who has no party affiliation.

Sharpe, a former naval intelligence officer, has been courageous in taking the lead to push for a better transportation system for the county. He is an eloquent advocate for passage of the sales tax referendum to pay for the road and transit plans.

Sharpe wants to give voters a chance to decide the transit issue but has been very careful with tax dollars.

He wants to add rail only where it's "insane to try to widen the roads."

Sharpe wants the county to get rid of unnecessary managers, whom he calls "wallflowers." He has a low tolerance for poor leadership wherever he finds it.

Sharpe's main focus has been on bringing to the county more high-wage jobs in the life sciences.

Cosentino, running a largely self-financed campaign, says Tampa lacks the population density to support rail transit.

He led the effort to turn the old Gandy Bridge into a fishing pier and pedestrian trail and also pushed the city to bid for the 2012 Olympics.

His latest idea is to turn remote phosphate land in the southeast corner of the county into a global airport that would dwarf the size of Tampa International.

Cosentino's dreams are no match for Sharpe's realistic vision.

Sharpe has been an energetic and accessible representative. In District 7, the Tribune strongly supports the re-election of Mark Sharpe.

Rebuttals

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.