The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Pasco board demands action to resolve permitting issues

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Pasco County board members are tired of constant delays in processing permits through their system.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley drew attention to the issue during the board’s March 7 meeting.

“I’ve been here six years … and for six years I’ve heard from many, many people that they would no longer do business in Pasco County because they can’t get a permit through our department,” Oakley told his colleagues.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley is fed up with delays that occur in processing permits through Pasco County’s system. He’s demanding action to improve the county’s performance.

He said he understands that some of the problems are a result of information missing from applications or difficulty in accessing information that’s in the system the county uses to process applications.

Whatever the reason, Oakley told County Administrator Mike Carballa that he wants the problem fixed.

“I always hear how long it takes to get a permit. It just continues. I’m just tired of it,” Oakley said. “I think it’s time that we really do something in that department, to straighten it up. It hasn’t changed,” Oakley said.

“I’m just tired of dealing with it. We need to have some changes. It’s got to happen. It can’t go any longer,” he said.

“I don’t know what we have to do, but we have to do something,” Oakley said.

Other county board members weighed in, too.

“I echo Commissioner Oakley,” Commissioner Seth Weightman said, noting he’s been compiling a folder of examples of problems with the process.

He said he’s identified steps within the process where failures are occurring.

Weightman added that these “are real-life examples, not just constructive criticism that the public shares with us.”

Commission Chairman Jack Mariano agreed with Oakley’s observation that too much time is spent following up on issues that should have been handled correctly the first time.

“It is such a burden to follow up over and over with these projects that are going on,” Mariano said.

Mariano said he has faith that Carballa will address the issue.

“He’s already started some changes,” Mariano said.

He also suggested a new approach.

“Maybe we need somebody to just take an application that comes in.

“Get a person to take the application and then let that person then walk it through, set up some type of new system.

“We definitely need some action,” Mariano said.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said she’s encountered similar complaints.

She said she had just forwarded some information to county staff about a constituent who has been trying to get a certificate of occupancy for his business since October.

“It just takes too long. It’s too long,” Starkey said.

Published March 22, 2023

Local author fair helps boost literacy awareness

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It was a look at local books.

When the Dade City Heritage and Cultural Museum had its inaugural Local Author Fair on March 11, it provided a place for writers to show off and sell their books, connect with readers and to promote literacy.

Steve Altier, from Valrico, smiles as he talks about some of his books, such as ‘Lizardville’ and ‘The Ghost Hunter’ series during the Local Author Fair at the Dade City Heritage and Cultural Museum on March 11. (Mike Camunas)

For all the festivals and events that are held throughout town during the year, there wasn’t one focusing solely on reading.

Until now.

“We just noticed there was a need for it in this community — we noticed that this town has a lot of festivals and family friendly events, but nothing for literacy,” said Museum Volunteer Director Jayde Archbold, who organized the author fair. “But it worked out great, and I think people are having a great time, so, yeah, we’re going to want it to be a yearly thing now.”

The event was held in the old Atlantic Coastline Train Depot, which is the museum’s home.

Janet Watson, of Wesley Chapel, autographs her book for a fan and customer at the Local Author Fair at the Dade City Heritage and Cultural Museum on March 11. The inaugural event hosted more than 25 local authors from Pasco County, but also as far as from Brandon to Sarasota to Hernando County. The event gave authors the opportunity to promote themselves, their books and reading.

More than 25 authors — from Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas and Polk counties — were there to display books they’ve written and to sell them, discuss them and even do readings from them.

“We didn’t have a specific geographic area that we targeted authors, just a general area near to Dade City,” Archbold said. “We were just happy that when we put it out there, promoting it for authors to sign up, that we had such a great response that we had to stop because of our limited space. We accepted as many (authors) as we could, but we might need a bigger space — or maybe do it outside next year.”

The event was sponsored by Dade City booksellers, Lighthouse Books and The Book Shack, as well as American Pizza Oven.

Local authors in attendance included Janet Watson and J.L. LaPointe.

Shelby Mander, a Dade City native and teacher at nearby Centennial Elementary, was there, too, promoting her children’s book, “Petunia the Piccolo Player.” It tells the story of a musical elephant, Petunia Pachyderm, and her journey to make it to a big show.

Shelby Mander, a Dade City native and elementary school teacher, wrote her children’s book, ‘Petunia The Piccolo Player’ and promoted it at the Local Author Fair at the Dade City Heritage and Cultural Museum on March 11.

“I think (the fair) is the little push I need to start getting sales of my book,” Mander said. “This was a great way to meet other authors and see their works, see their set up and see how they do it, too.

“It’s been a great turnout from authors and from potential readers,” she added. “And I’ve really enjoyed hearing the stories, too. Not just hearing authors read excerpts from their books, but their stories about what they went through to get published, from beginning to end, to get their books made.”

Archbold is a librarian at Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center in Odessa and has worked for Pasco County Libraries for five years. For her, the event is about bringing literacy and local author awareness to Dade City, as well as the rest of Pasco County.

“There are local authors out there, making waves with their books, so we want to promote them,” she said. I think people underestimate the value of libraries to the community, or think that libraries are just for children now. Libraries, and this (fair), bring together local authors to show people what is out there, that people in the community, maybe even their neighbors, are out here writing, reading and promoting books that are good.

“People need to know who is around them that is contributing positive things in their community, so they can support them,” she added. “It’s always, ‘Support your local business, support your local artist, support your local events in the community.’

“So why not support your local authors, too?”

Published March 22, 2023

Arthur Auvil’s legendary fistfight drew attention

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“You can’t fight city hall!”

That’s a common expression used when someone is on the losing end of a public dispute.

Arthur Auvil once worked together in the practice of law with William Larkin, another prominent attorney in Dade City. (Courtesy of Tom Nichols)

But there is one case, reported nearly a century ago, that involved an actual fistfight at Dade City’s city hall.

The altercation happened in 1924 when Dade City Mayor Frederick Daniel Cosner and City Attorney Arthur Lee Auvil came to blows.

The fight took place on the chamber’s floor after Cosner made a derogatory remark about Auvil during a city commission meeting, according to a published report.

Cosner subsequently resigned in June of 1924 and was replaced by Orville L. Dayton, grandfather of Bill Dayton, an attorney in Dade City.

Bill Dayton later told The Tampa Tribune: “From all sources, it is quite clear that attorney Auvil won the fight, and very quickly!” 

Bill Dayton was the president of the Dade City Historic Preservation Advisory Board at the time when the Tribune’s report was published.

Julie Hale, of Dade City, currently sits on that same historic preservation board. 

She has the files and photographs that her mother, the late Mary Auvil Hale, had saved regarding her father, Arthur Auvil. He was Julie Hale’s grandfather.

The materials in Julie Hale’s collection reveal that there’s a lot more to Arthur Auvil’s story than the legendary fistfight at city hall.

Items in the collection include an account written by Mary Auvil Hale, recounting how Arthur Auvil ended up in Dade City.

He initially visited Dade City during a train trip he was taking in 1912, for an interview with a Clearwater law firm, the account says.

The train made a long stop in Dade City.

An undated photograph shows Arthur Auvil, grandfather of Jonathan Auvil, in the Rose Garden at the White House. Arthur Auvil is third from the right, with U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in the center of the picture. (Courtesy of Jonathan L. Auvil)

Arthur Auvil “spent the time seeing as much of the little town as he could and liked all that he saw. When he returned to the train, Clearwater was no longer an option,” Mary Auvil Hale wrote.

That same year she, her eight siblings and their parents, Ruby Sealy Auvil and Arthur Auvil, moved to Dade City.

Arthur Auvil went to work as city attorney for both Dade City and San Antonio. 

His accomplishments were many.

He wrote the city charter for Dade City.

He was elected to a seat in the Florida Legislature, serving from 1927 to 1929. He was elected again in 1933.

His campaign platform opposed “putting a sales tax on the poor man’s meat, bread and other necessities.”

He served in a multitude of roles, over time.

He was chairman of the committee for the construction of the Pasco County courthouse annex in 1938.

He was a prosecuting attorney for Pasco County for 10 years and was appointed as an assistant state attorney for the Sixth Judicial Circuit in 1935.

He had business and civic interests, too
He was a successful businessman.

He joined L.J. Gaskins and John S. Burks on July 19, 1923, when they filed a charter of incorporation for the Highlands Motor Company, with capital stock in the amount of $25,000.  

Highlands Motor Company was the premiere auto dealership in Dade City, from 1923 to 1955. (Courtesy of Pioneer Florida Museum & Village)

Highlands Motor Company was the premiere auto dealership in Dade City, from 1923 to 1955.

The site was later occupied by a number of dealerships.

He was involved in civic life, too.

He was a founding member of the Dade City Kiwanis Club and was a member of Masonic Lodge.

And, while no one seems to know the exact details of when, why or how it happened, Arthur Auvil also was included in a group photograph with President Woodrow Wilson in the White House Rose Garden.

Jonathan Auvil, who is Arthur Auvil’s grandson, said the family didn’t even know the photograph existed until it was found in the office safe of Bill Larkin.

His grandfather, Jonathan Auvil, recalls, “often traveled unannounced to members of my family.”

Larkin was Arthur Auvil’s law partner and a good friend. He was appointed to fill his friend’s unexpired term as prosecuting attorney of Pasco County more than 50 years ago.

Arthur Auvil passed away on Aug. 27, 1951, at his home, following a year’s illness. He was 74.

Doug Sanders has a penchant for unearthing interesting stories about local history. His sleuthing skills have been developed through his experiences in newspaper and government work. If you have an idea for a future history column, contact Doug at .

Published March 22, 2023

Pasco County Schools recognizes Medal of Honor recipients

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The Pasco County School Board took a moment from its March 7 meeting to honor the men and women recipients of the nation’s Medal of Honor.

State law designates March 25 as Medal of Honor Day, and required instruction on that day is intended to encourage patriotism and to make students aware of the sacrifices that veterans and Medal of Honor recipients have made in protecting democracy, according to a proclamation adopted by the school board.

Medal of Honor recipients are recognized for rising above the call of duty “at the risk of grave injury and loss of life,” the proclamation adds.

These “fearless service members distinguished themselves as heroes in the eyes of their comrades through their bravery and self-sacrifice,” according to the proclamation.

The U.S. Congress established the Medal of Honor in 1862, “as the highest award to be given to the country’s military forces in recognition of their incredible valor during armed conflict,” the proclamation says.

Before reading it, school board member Colleen Beaudoin addressed board members and others attending or watching the meeting.

“This really is more than a proclamation. This district is very committed to this,” Beaudoin said, noting she’s attending training on the topic with staff and teachers.

Teachers create lesson plans relating to the day, Beaudoin said.

Schools also have welcomed Medal of Honor recipients, who have come to speak at many schools over the years, the board member said.

Published March 22, 2023

R.B. Cox Elementary celebrates Black History and diversity

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The faculty and staff at R.B. Cox Elementary celebrates diversity throughout the school year.

“Our population of the community we serve here is very diverse,” Principal Kimberly Natal said. “Most of our students are Hispanic and African American, so it’s important to the community and it’s important to celebrate that diversity we have here at R.B. Cox and our community we serve.

“So, through committees, we plan this every year — we have a Hispanic Heritage and Black History celebration every year.”

The school held a Black Heritage Celebration on March 3, complete with educational and entertaining performances, readings and presentations.

Angela Theodore, from Hugh Embry Library in Dade City, tells the story ‘Anansi Does the Impossible!’ on March 3 during Black Heritage Celebration at R.B. Cox Elementary in Dade City. Students, families and community members attended the event to watch presentations and performances about Black Heritage and to see part of the Rosewood Traveling Museum. (Mike Camunas)

It ended with a traditional soul food dinner. 

“We celebrate diversity a lot at this school,” said secretary Monica Russ, who heads up the Black History Month Committee at the school. “At R.B. Cox, this is one of the times we do that, where we invite everyone out to come join and celebrate and learn about Black history and diversity.

“And everyone is welcome.”

Faces in the crowd proved that people of all races came together for the celebration — a fact that pleased the R.B. Cox event organizers.

“We have Black families, Hispanic families, even some white families and part of our police department is here, too,” Russ said. “Anyone that just wants to come out and be a part of us and part of this community — and we’re very pleased with how it turned out. Whenever you can get parents in the doors with kids and they learn something, come together as a community and enjoy time together, we’ll take it.

“The free soul food was a great draw, too,” she said, with a laugh.

The Rosewood Traveling Museum was a new highlight this year.

The Black Heritage Celebration, on March 3 at R.B. Cox Elementary, attracted a diverse crowd to enjoy educational and entertaining performances, as well as a soul food dinner.

The museum, and its foundation, is dedicated to remembering the town of Rosewood, which, in January 1923, underwent a racially motivated massacre of Black people and the destruction of the Black town in Levy County, Florida.

At least six Black people were killed, but eyewitness accounts suggested a death toll of 27 to 150.

The museum had about 10% of its collection on display, but the exhibit will be available to see at Pioneer Florida Museum & Village starting on Juneteenth (June 19).

Representatives from the Rosewood Family were on hand at R.B. Cox to tell about the museum and its causes and share some history of the massacre. Its choir also performed.

Harriet Clemons dances to music performed by the Rosewood Choir on March 3, during a Black Heritage Celebration at R.B. Cox Elementary, in Dade City.

“I’m connected to the (Rosewood) group through marriage,” Russ said. “It touched my family, so that’s what I think about when I think about Black History. … (Rosewood) is honoring 100 years, so (when) given the opportunity for them to come and share it with us, I jumped at it.

“Because I think it’s a great way to let people know who aren’t aware of that history, and we want to share our history,” she said.

Natal said she was pleased with the turnout, and the message for honoring “Bridge Builders, Obstacle Movers, World Changers” at the celebration. She also said the Black Heritage event, and the Hispanic Heritage one the school held in the fall, were the first ones held, post-COVID restrictions. 

She said it was uplifting to see the enthusiasm for the event’s return — from both staff and students.

“This year, we wanted to do it big since we hadn’t done it in a while,” Natal said. “It was a real grassroots effort from the staff to really bring in the community and celebrate the culture, and I think we’ll see even more people next time,” she said.

It’s important, the principal said, “for the kids to celebrate their heritages.”

Remember Rosewood – Centennial: 100 Years of History
Where: Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, 15602 Pioneer Museum Road, Dade City
When: Starting June 19
Details: The Rosewood Traveling Museum will be on display at Pioneer Village starting the week of Juneteenth (June 19), at no charge.
The Rosewood Museum is dedicated to remembering the town of Rosewood, which, in January 1923, underwent a racially motivated massacre of black people and the destruction of the black town in Levy County, Florida. At least six black people were killed, but eyewitness accounts have suggested a death toll of 27 to 150.
Info: Visit RememberingRosewood.com or PioneerFloridaMuseum.org.

Published March 15, 2023

Jada McClendon, of Dade City, performs on the drums on March 3, during a musical number at the Black Heritage Celebration at R.B. Cox Elementary.
The Rosewood Choir performed on March 3, during the Black Heritage Celebration at R.B. Cox Elementary, in Dade City.
R.B. Cox Elementary staff members wore shirts emphasizing such ideals as empowerment, education, inspiration and celebration, during the school’s Black Heritage Celebration on March 3.

Angeline Academy to help prepare the way for AI careers 

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It’s almost impossible today to watch any news program without hearing about an innovation relating to Artificial Intelligence, or AI, for short.

There already are plenty of jobs in the field — just waiting for people who are equipped to tackle the challenges.

Angeline Academy of Innovation — a magnet school in Pasco County — plans to help provide additional options to its students and to address that talent gap through its Artificial Intelligence coursework.

It is adding the AI option to the curriculum at the magnet school, set to open at 8916 Angeline School Way, near the Suncoast Parkway and Ridge Road in August. 

Initially, the school will serve students in grades six through 10, but plans call for adding grades 11 and 12.

JoAnne Glenn is the school’s inaugural principal.

She explained the school’s decision for adding AI, in an email to The Laker/Lutz News.

Specifically, she said:

  • AI jobs are plenty, with hiring growing by 32% in the last couple of years and expected to increase.
  • There is a high talent gap—not enough qualified applicants for vacant positions.
  • AI professionals earn top salaries, well north of $100,000 yearly.
  • As a rapidly evolving industry, growth opportunities in AI careers are diverse.
  • AI careers are flexible—AI experts can be a freelancer, consultant, researcher, practitioner, or even build AI products as entrepreneurs.

Angeline’s content will address the five big ideas in AI, Glenn added. Those are: “perception; representation and reasoning; machine learning; human AI interaction; and societal impacts of AI.”

Angeline Academy of Innovation is taking shape in the emerging ‘city’ of Angeline. The magnet school for grades six through 12 is expected to live up to its name — by offering curriculum options and learning experiences aimed to help students prepare for an ever-evolving world of work. The school recently announced it will offer coursework focusing on Artificial Intelligence, or AI, for short. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

The course content also includes practical experiences in AI system design, deployment, and evaluation. 

The sequence of the four courses relies on equipment and materials that already are part of the school’s Computer Science and Cybersecurity pathway, enabling the school to provide AI coursework.

The introductory semester course is called Artificial Intelligence in the World, Glenn said. There’s also a Procedural Programming course.

After accepting her role, Glenn created a video to explain Angeline’s philosophy and mission, as well as providing practical details about what to expect at the school.

She told viewers that Angeline’s planning is intentional to make its “learning experiences exciting and engaging, and connected to the real world to prepare our students for their lives after high school.”

She went on to explain: “Our key levers to support this work include rigorous instruction; a compassionate school environment that ensures that our students feel cared for and supported; equitable instructional practices, meaning we believe in having an open door; and, allowing students to feel supported in taking academic risks and trying new things.

“These three levers are actually the foundation that we believe are essential to ensuring that our students leave our system prepared for college, career and life,” she added.

The high school will offer career academies, as well as opportunities to merge some fields — enabling students to create a more personalized track.

The school will be near Moffitt Cancer Center’s Pasco County campus, which has been christened Speros FL.

The school district has been collaborating with Moffitt to give students the chance to experience internships, externships and the opportunity to work directly with scientists, doctors and other experts.

Construction activities are ramping up on Moffitt’s 775-acre campus, with the first phase of the project in the northwest corner of its property near the Suncoast Parkway and Ridge Road.

A Moffitt official previously reported that Moffitt likely will build on about 500 acres of the land, leaving views of nature for patients.

The Moffitt site is entitled for up to 24 million square feet of development, but its current master plan calls for about 13.5 million square feet of mixed uses.

At full build out, the campus is expected to have about 140 buildings, according to a previously published report in The Laker/Lutz News. It also is expected to attract cancer researchers and life sciences companies from around the globe.

Upcoming School Choice Window
A second school choice window will be open from April 12 to April 19. Students and families from the central Pasco region who are interested in joining grades six through 10 at Angeline Academy of Innovation are invited to apply using the School Choice application in the school’s  parent portal.
Seats in grades six through eight are awarded by lottery, while high school students must meet minimum requirements for grades and standardized tests.
For more information, visit tinyurl.com/2y8shnef.

Published March 15, 2023

Founder’s Day not lost, returns after two-year hiatus

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It’s been more than two years, but the Annual Founder’s Day Festival, Celebration and Parade returned to historic downtown Zephyrhills on March 4, ushering in some changes, but ones that were greatly welcomed.

The 112th edition of Founder’s Day Festival kicked off on March 4, returning after a two-year hiatus due to COVID and scheduling conflicts. Dozens of vendors set up shop, up and down Main Street in historic downtown Zephyrhills, with a handful of booths dedicated to the three mayoral candidates and two more for the city council seat up for election on April 11. (Mike Camunas)

For starters, the parade and festivities, which were canceled last May due to weather and held off in 2021 due to COVID, returned, not only in a big way, but at a time change.

While there were activities all day long throughout Zephyrhills, dozens of vendors set up at 4 p.m. to welcome residents and shoppers up and down Main Street. Included in those were booths dedicated to the two running for the City Council Seat 2, up for election on April 11. Incumbent Alan Knight had a booth and was shaking hands, while his challenger, Steve Spina — a former Zephyrhills City Manager — also had a booth.

The three mayoral candidates — Nick Deford, Melanie Bahr Monson and Martin Harm — vying for the position relinquished by exiting mayor, Gene Whitfield, also had booths and greeted potential voters through the late afternoon and evening.

The parade, also returning, was pushed into the evening, a departure from years past when it was held in the early afternoon.

Main Street Zephyrhills Director Erin Beasley said moving the parade to the evening was a change welcomed by most.

Although the attendance was not as large as in previous years, the parade will remain in the evening and the festival will add more things, she said.

Those could include adding ”a 5K or getting booths and other exhibits to the other historical sites around town,” Beasley said. “It’s special, it’s a community and it’s the hometown experience. People come out and they value where they live.”

Parade judges Madonna Wise, Erica Freeman and Amanda Eskelund picked the winner of this year’s parade, with Kids Corner winning Best of Show. Rounding out the other parade awards were Zephyrhills High School Marching Band for Best Walking Unit; Zephyrhills Little League, Best Costume; Zephyrhills Sanitation and Utilities, Best Vehicles; Zephyr Airport Cadet Squadron of the Florida Wing, Civil Air Patrol, Best Club; and West Zephyrhills Elementary won Best Theme.

Candidates vying in the municipal election also took part in the parade, on car or truck floats, tossing beads and other trinkets. Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley was there, too.

AdventHealth, Shireman Pest Control, Red Feather Home Group, the City of Zephyrhills and Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency sponsored the event.

Published March 15, 2023

A Zephyrhills couple dances at the Clock Plaza in historic downtown on Fifth Avenue, to the sounds of the Time Travelers during the Annual Founder’s Day Celebration on March 4. Festivities ran all day, with vendors up and down Main Street and a parade later in the evening.
The color guard team of the Zephyrhills High Marching Band leads the way down Main Street during the Founder’s Day Celebration Parade on the evening of March 4.
Sandra Vogelpohl, a member of the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, has a good laugh while in full costume prior to the Founder’s Day Festival Parade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve Spina rides in a car float to promote his bid for the Zephyrhills City Council Seat 2, which he is challenging Alan Knight for in the municipal elections being held April 11.
The Zephyrhills High Marching Band made its way down Fifth Avenue, playing music and performing with its color guard unit during the 112th Founder’s Day Festival Parade on March 4.
Andres Mujica, of Tampa, sends a big shot during a life-sized game of beer pong outside of A.O.K. arcade on Fifth Street in historic downtown Zephyrhills during the Founder’s Day Festival on March 4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zephyrhills resident Josh Larramore dances with his daughter, Bellamie, while listening to the Time Travelers during the 112th Founder’s Day Festival on March 4.
A Zephyrhills couple dances at the Clock Plaza in historic downtown on Fifth Avenue, to the sounds of the Time Travelers during the Annual Founder’s Day Celebration on March 4. Festivities ran all day, with vendors up and down Main Street and a parade later in the evening.
Zephyrhills Police Chief Derek Brewer tosses beads to spectators while walking in the Founder’s Day Festival Parade on March 4.

Pasco officials are optimistic as they plan county’s 2024 budget

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Pasco County has taken a pulse on its economy and the prognosis is good.

Pasco County Budget Director Robert Goehig gave the Pasco County Commission an overview of the county’s economic conditions, as the board prepares to make decisions for the county’s 2024 budget.

He began his presentation this way: “We’ve all heard the horror stories out there, ‘There’s going to be a recession, there’s not going to be a recession. There’s going to be an economic downturn, there won’t be an economic downturn.’

“One thing we know is that with the exception of the wild swing in the economy at the beginning of COVID, the economy has been growing at about 2% per quarter for the past 10 years.

“We expect that trend to continue for the near upcoming future and if there is a recession, we believe that our area, because of the growth in our region, we are much more able to withstand the negative impacts of any recession — more so than other areas of the economy.”

That being said, Goehig said Pasco isn’t immune to increased labor costs resulting from record-low unemployment rates and higher costs due to inflation.

The region’s inflation rate is 9.6%, which primarily affects health care, energy, vehicle and construction costs, Goehig said.

On a brighter note, though, “tourism is back to where it was prior to the pandemic,” he said.

That’s important in Pasco because about 12% of the county’s sales tax revenue is generated by visitors to the county, he said.

The county’s building activity remains strong.

“We are at record highs in our building permits and for that reason we are expecting the 2024 taxable values to be at, or a little below, where they were in 2023.

“As  you can see, in 2023, taxable values increased by 16.7%,” Goehig said.

This year, the county expects the increased values to be between 12% and 16%.

“In 2023, new construction was at an all-time high, even higher than 2008,” Goehig said.

“We are expecting that to reduce to kind of the average. We are not expecting this to stay at this very high level forever. And, we’re certainly not expecting it to drop off like it did during the Recession.”

For planning purposes, if the county’s taxable assessed values increase by 12%, that would yield an additional $35.5 million in property tax revenues, the budget director said.

Of that, portions would go to the Sheriff’s Office, the Community Redevelopment Agencies and for transportation improvements.

Once those are subtracted, the county would have about $18.4 million for new initiatives and to address budget increase requests from the county’s constitutional officers.

If the county’s values increase by 16%, the board would have about $25 million in additional property tax revenues, Goehig said.

He also gave the board an overview of expected revenues from the half-cent sales tax, Penny for Pasco and Local Option Fuel Tax revenues.

The half-cent sales tax and Penny for Pasco are expected to have increased revenues in the 5% to 6% range. The Local Option Fuel Tax revenues have been growing at a rate of about 2% a year and that trend is likely to lessen as more electric vehicles hit the road, Goehig said.

As it builds its budget, the county must allocate more funds for personnel that will be needed at the expanded jail, a new library and new fire station. Plus, it plans to take over the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus, which has been operated by Radd Sports.

So, while more revenues are expected to come in, the county’s administration is recommending that spending in the 2024 budget is divided between new initiatives and capital spending.

The capital spending would address existing needs and it can be pulled back, if the county needs to make an adjustment, Goehig said.

In essence, he said: “We’re entering into the 2024 budget year optimistic, but we want to stay agile, in case there is a recession or something comes up that we need to respond to.”

The county board is expected to have a workshop on May 16 to discuss the upcoming budget in greater detail.

Pasco County’s 2024 budget outlook
Key expense drivers for Pasco County’s 2024 budget

  • Increased operating costs for expanded jail
  • Opening of a new fire station and a new library
  • Assuming operations of Wiregrass Sports Complex
  • Increased Medicaid costs
  • Increased employer-paid health care and retirement costs
  • Increased property and worker’s compensation insurance costs
  • Increased employee compensation costs
  • Inflationary impact on costs of health care, construction materials and vehicles

Revenue outlook

  • Expect growth of at least 12% in taxable assessed values, putting the county in a good position for the 2024 budget year.
  • Expect record growth trends to slow at some point, so county administration recommends a spending plan that splits new revenues, new initiatives and capital spending.

Source: Pasco County Budget Director Robert Goehig’s economic outlook

Published March 15, 2023

Harp player brings soothing sounds to patients

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Judy Raab, “musician in residence” at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz, administers a different kind of medicine to the patients there.

“My hope is to improve the hospital environment, bring down the stress level and humanize being in the hospital,” Raab said, in a news release from the hospital.

Judy Raab is a ‘musician in residence’ at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz. (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

She plays for two hours a week, asking patients if they are open to a music session.

She usually plays for them in their rooms or in an area just outside their rooms where patients can hear her. If she plays for a patient, her session is charted on the patient’s medical record, similar to them receiving medicine.

The Carrollwood resident is a certified music practitioner and has played harp for more than 35 years, including 10 years at St. Joseph’s North.

She plays for patients, staff and visitors and is compensated through BayCare’s spiritual care department and St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation, according to the release.

Raab said the instrument is a good fit for the hospital environment due to its soothing and soft nature.

“The harp is not overwhelming like a wind instrument that can occupy a whole room,” Raab said, in the release. “With the harp, I can project directly to that individual person.”

The musician has written about her work and has been published in scholarly journals on the subject. She holds a unique degree: a Master of Arts (MA) in arts in medicine from the University of Florida. The degree teaches people how to safely and effectively engage the arts, like music, into health care environments.

Raab said her work is rewarding. “It is very satisfying and fulfilling to use my skill set and be certified to play in hospitals,” she said. “It is nice to hear a patient say ‘This is really cathartic, it is really helping me.’”

Raab also plays the harp at hospitals at St. Joseph’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital, in Tampa, as well as other health care facilities.

Published March 15, 2023

Longtime Rays broadcaster Dave Wills passes away

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Dave Wills, one-half of the Tampa Bay Rays’ radio broadcasting team for the past 18 seasons, died in the early morning of March 5, according to a team news release.

Wills, who lived in Lutz, joined the Rays in 2005, along with partner Andy Freed, and were fan favorites and considered one of the top radio duos in Major League Baseball.

(Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays)

“Dave was an outstanding broadcaster, a great friend, and an even better person,” Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg said in a statement. “He had a remarkable talent for bringing the game to life for our fans and was a vital part of the Rays family. We will miss him dearly, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Wills, who was 58 at his death, lived in the Heritage Harbor community, off Lutz Lake Fern Road.

During the 2022 season, Wills missed the final two weeks due to “a little bit of a heart situation” after being hospitalized in Toronto. At the time, he said on his  social media that he was diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia, which is an irregularly fast or erratic heartbeat (arrhythmia) that affects the heart’s upper chambers.

Wills returned to work the Rays broadcast for their playoff series against Cleveland in October. He also worked on the broadcast for the Rays’ March 4 Spring Training game against the New York Yankees.

In a news release, the team also noted: “During his time with the Rays, Wills became a beloved figure among fans for his passion, enthusiasm and expertise. He called some of the most memorable moments in Rays history, including the team’s run to the World Series in 2008 and 2020. Wills was known for his impeccable play-by-play calling, his insightful analysis, and his infectious personality. His contributions to the Rays organization and the Tampa Bay community will never be forgotten.”

The team will honor Wills with a special pregame tribute during the season, with details to be announced at a later date.

Wills is survived by his wife, Liz; son, Alex; and daughter, Michelle.

Published March 15, 2023