Northpinellas: As Tuesday draws nigh, candidates share opinions

As Tuesday draws nigh, candidates share opinions

By EDIE GROSS

Election Day is almost upon us, and with it comes the blessed end of the biting political ads on TV, the smarmy brochures in the mailbox and the endless he-said-she-said blather of the candidates.

But before the heady days of toilet-bowl cleaner commercials, run-of-the-mill junk mail and small talk about the weather return, voters first must make short work of a rather lengthy ballot.

For the purposes of this abbreviated news item, the topic will be the Pinellas County Commission.

Now, These candidates have not uttered one fuzzy number, not one mention of the hallowed lockbox. Why are they important?

Because these are the folks who will spend $1.5-billion this year. That's billion with a B, as in nine zeros, folks.

The decisions they make affect the roads residents drive on, the sheriff's deputies residents rely on for safety, the property taxes residents pay each year, the land uses in neighborhoods, the drinking water and whether there's enough water to pour on that precious lawn.

All four candidates have given their views on several issues important to voters.

This commission is expanding from five to seven members this year. The group will sit for the first time Nov. 21.

Four of the commissioners already are known: Karen Seel (single-member District 5) and Susan Latvala (single-member District 4) were elected in the Sept. 5 primary; Barbara Sheen Todd (at-large District 1) and Calvin Harris (at-large District 2) are not up for re-election until 2002.

Incumbent Bob Stewart faces write-in candidate Marcus Taylor on Tuesday for the at-large District 3 seat.

However, the races for single-member districts 6 and 7 are perhaps the most interesting this time around.

The District 6 race features four-term Florida House member John Morroni, a Republican, vs. political newcomer Dave Buby, a retired physician. The winner represents a diverse district composed of the north half of St. Petersburg, Pinellas Park, Seminole and the beach communities between Redington Shores and St. Pete Beach.

In District 7, Democrat and Florida Power accountant Ken Welch faces Republican Brent Fisher, a mortgage loan officer who is active in neighborhood associations. This district covers the south half of St. Petersburg, Gulfport, Kenneth City and South Pasadena.