The coveted seat District 2 seat for Pinellas County’s commission is a race between veteran politicians.
State Rep. Ed Hooper, a Republican, is vying for the seat against Democratic Largo Mayor Pat Gerard.
Rep. Hooper, a retired firefighter, said he’s concerned about beach renourishment and solving the fire and EMS funding issue.
“I have a burning passion about this county, I’ve been involved in city elected office for five years, just finishing up eight years in the Florida Legislature, and I still care enough that I want to make Pinellas County even better than it is today," he said.
Gerard is in favor of improving conditions for small business and investing in parks, beaches and an effective mass transit system.
"I’ve been working on county-wide issues with most of the current county commissioners, Gerard said. “And officials from other cities around the county, planning and homelessness and transportation issues.”
The two candidates have very different views on Greenlight Pinellas.
"I think of Greenlight as being the future of this county,” said Gerard, a former Largo city commissioner who became mayor in 2006. “As much as you don’t want a higher tax, I think that the situation that they’ve worked out with lowering the property taxes and putting it in the sales tax is a fair trade.”
Hooper, meanwhile, said the cost to taxpayers is his main concern with the initiative.
"I’m troubled that Pinellas could have the highest sales tax in the state of Florida, and that’s my biggest objection," said Hooper. "When I’m in Tallahassee, I’m up there on behalf of the citizens of Pinellas County and my district."
Wide open race for commission seat in District 4?
The race for the Pinellas County Commission seat in District 4 has plenty of intrigue.
It started with seatholder Susan Latvala’s decision to not seek re-election to her post that covers north Pinellas. The high level of interest for the seat saw Dave Eggers emerge from a seven-candidate GOP primary.
Now, he joins Democrat Mark Weinkrantz and no-party candidates Carl Folkman and Marcus Harrison in vying for the position.
But the four men won’t have to sway voters county-wide: Only registered voters in this district can pick a candidate in this race.
Eggers, 57, is the current mayor of Dunedin and has been involved in politics since 2003. Eggers touts that experience, saying it would serve him well in a seat on the commission.
“My fiscally responsible approach to governing Dunedin for today, planning for a better tomorrow and having dealt with challenging and difficult decisions will enable me to hit the ground running on November,” Eggers said.
Eggers, along with Weinkrantz, Folkman and Harrison all point at District 4 large collection of unincorporated areas as an issue to be addressed.
“Unincorporated residents of Pinellas County are at a disadvantage when it comes to having a voice in matters relating to community issues and capital improvement projects,” said Harrison, a 56-year-old consultant with a technology company. “I would establish an appointed committee of unincorporated residents, non-profits, and business owners that would meet with the County Administrator on a monthly basis to discuss ongoing issues.”
Greenlight Pinellas, however, draws a distinct line through the candidates.
While Weinkrantz and Eggers support the measure, Folkman and Harrison oppose it.
“Because I am not bought and sold by special interest groups or large political parties like some of the other candidates,” said Folkman, 48, a wine and spirits business owner. “I can stand up for the residents of District 4 and make sure they are counted in countywide decisions.”