Zane Thomas, running as an independent, has 25 years as a Navy officer, traveling around the world and serving in both diplomatic and combat roles. ...more

October 12, 2008

Highlands County commissioners said they would take one last look at more possible cuts in the county's proposed budget for next year. And all but one constitutional officer said that if they must make cuts, they will. But the harm these cuts would have on our county would far surpass any supposed benefits they would bring. ...more

September 7, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY -- Pasco County officials and law enforcement leaders might still be far apart on how much cuts might become necessary in the next Sheriff's Office budget, according to several comments today. Both Commissioner Jack Mariano and a Sheriff's Office spokesman, Doug Tobin, hailed the spirit of cooperation between the two sides in the wake of Amendment 1 property tax reforms. ...more

June 5, 2008

What a difference a year makes. In 2007, while still in the dark before changes to the state's property tax system had been finalized and home values plummeted, Sheriff Bob White released a tentative fiscal 2008 budget asking for an extra $11.2 million to $94.7 million. With the 13.4 percent increase, White wanted to hire an extra 109 more employees. ...more

June 4, 2008

The city's department heads will spend the next three weeks preparing their budgets for next year with an eye toward making cuts. ...more

May 6, 2008

Amendment No. 1 will take a bite of about $2.32 billion out of Pasco County's total taxable property value, Property Appraiser Mike Wells told the County Commission this morning. ...more

February 12, 2008

Re: Response to Mr. Ronald Dixon, appearing in the Feb. 8 Hernando Today. ...more

February 10, 2008

On Jan. 29 Florida voters passed Amendment 1, which substantially changes the Florida property tax system. ...more

February 6, 2008

There is no doubt that Florida's property tax system needs to be reformed. This current inequitable system, coupled with rapidly increasing local government spending, has produced tremendous tax increases for many taxpayers. Unfortunately, these are not the taxpayers that Amendment One would help. The Legislature's need to pass something "people will vote for," coupled with a sincere desire to help Floridians who cannot afford to move because of higher taxes, resulted in a proposal that is not only unsatisfactory but also likely to be detrimental. Not to mention that one of the provisions may be unconstitutional. ...more

January 27, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. – The Sheriff's Office sought to rev up support today to buy seven traffic patrol motorcycles with Penny for Pasco revenue. ...more

January 22, 2008