The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

District park to get recreational center

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Back when plans were originally developed for the Wesley Chapel District Park, the intention was to build an indoor recreation center as part of the complex, said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

“Over time, with the downturn and people were saving money — cutting budget, it never happened,” Moore said.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore is pleased that the county is pursuing plans to build an indoor recreation center at the county’s Wesley Chapel District Park. He’s excited about the new opportunities it will create for area residents. (B.C. Manion)

Now, plans for the indoor center are again proceeding for the district park at 7727 Boyette Road, in Wesley Chapel.

“I asked it to be put in last year’s budget,” Moore said, noting he expects the county to soon select a design firm to design the building.

A county staff committee reviews the qualifications of those seeking to do the design work, Moore said.

“Once they choose the firm that meets the qualifications, they bring their choice to us,” Moore said. Generally, that’s approved by the board without debate, he said.

He expects the indoor recreation center to be similar to the building at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, on Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

The center will be approximately 15,000 square feet, and the budget for the project is approximately $3 million, Moore said.

He knows the indoor center will be a welcome addition to the community.

“I’ve been very involved at Wesley Chapel District Park for a number of years,” he said, noting he’s coached baseball, soccer and flag football.

“There’s a lot of people out there on a daily basis,” Moore said.

“Right now, they’re playing basketball outside. The leagues are playing outside, plus, just the general public is playing outside.

“Well, the downfall, it’s hot in the summer — and then, rain,” Moore said. “You figure if it’s 100 degrees outside, it’s 120 (degrees) on that court.”

An indoor facility can be used year-round, he noted. And, “it doesn’t matter what the weather is like outside. It doesn’t matter how hot it is.”

Plus, he said, “it’s just a safer environment for the kids.”

The new center also will give the community a chance to offer volleyball leagues, Moore said.

“I know for a fact, a lot of the girls and guys who are playing in volleyball are going to other places, whether it be Collier Parkway or New Tampa,” Moore said.

But, sports-minded people aren’t the only ones who will benefit, he said.

It also will create a new gathering space for the community.

He envisions a wide range of people using the center, such as the Rotary Club, community associations, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, aerobics classes, yoga classes, and various other classes and organizations.

“Think about those things they’re doing at Collier (Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex), we could do them here,” Moore said. “I think about some of our retirees, our seniors, during the day — people could have Bridge Club or knitting.”

Right now, there are about 500 boys and girls in the basketball league each year, ranging from age 7 to 17, and there are no volleyball leagues at the park.

“My assumption is that you would see the leagues increase.

“I think it’s a deterrent for people to join when you play outdoors, because of the heat and everything,” he said.

There will be more parking, too.

“When you expand capacity, obviously you need additional parking,” Moore said.

He hopes the center is completed in time to open in early 2020.

Published November 21, 2018

Dade City author debuts suspense novel

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Birth, death, fear, hatred and love are the complexities of life, which all happen to be packed in Penny L. Freeman’s debut novel, “Heartache to Happiness.”

The Dade City native has been working on her book for three years, and it has now seen publication through RoseDog Books.

In her office at Saint Leo University, Penny L. Freeman proudly displays her first published novel, ‘Heartache to Happiness.’ (Brian Fernandes)

The story revolves around Kelsi, a young, pregnant woman whose world is turned upside down when her parents are brutally murdered and she becomes a prime suspect, sending her on the run.

The plot continues to escalate after Kelsi gives birth and her newborn is then kidnapped by her parents’ murderer.

Freeman said the story came to her spontaneously, with one idea leading to the next.

She hopes readers will take away the message that, like the story’s main character, they too can overcome life’s  obstacles.

As a member of a fifth-generation Dade City family, Freeman said her humble beginnings were a far cry from that of her story’s main character.

Her father was a professional roofer and she had a stay-at-home mother.

“We had a great childhood – didn’t have much money, but we really enjoyed ourselves,” said Freeman, describing her growing-up years with her parents and her sister. “It was wonderful.”

Even during her early years, she knew she had a knack for literature, and she enjoyed writing poems and short stories.

As an author, she enjoys a wide range of genres, and traces of them can be found in “Heartache to Happiness.”

“I put a little bit of everything in it,” said Freeman. “It has murder, it has mystery and some romance,” she said, but it is not graphic in nature.

Freeman received her associate degree from what was previously known as Pasco-Hernando Community College, before starting a family.

It wasn’t until she was in her 30s, and was raising two children, that she decided to return to school.

She now has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in business administration from Saint Leo University, where she’s been employed since 1999.

She has represented the university as a member of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce for four years, which she characterized as “a really great experience.”

She currently serves as the university’s senior academic coordinator for English, fine arts, philosophy, theology and religion.

If she didn’t love her current position, she would probably be teaching in a classroom, instead of working in an office, she said.

She still writes short stories, and said that her stories always come from her imagination — instead of from real life.

One technique she enjoys using is to write out of sequence — creating the beginning of the story, then the ending, and then filling in the gaps.

With a fresh new novel out, she’s ready to begin work on her second one.

Published November 21, 2018

Excellence in Business Awards announced

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The North Tampa Bay Chamber has announced the winners of its 2018 Excellence in Business Awards, which are bestowed during an annual celebration to acknowledge extraordinary contributions by local community members, businesses and organizations in the Wesley Chapel, New Tampa, Trinity and Odessa regions.

This year’s winners are:

New Business of the Year: Holiday Inn Express – Trinity

Small Business of the Year: Buttermilk Provisions

Large Business of the Year: Shriners Hospital for Children – Tampa

Business Leader of the Year: Dr. Kevin O’Farrell

Volunteer of the Year: Damaris Rios

Dorothy Mitchell Legacy Award: John Gallagher, retired Pasco County administrator

Also, The Board Member of the Year award went to David DeWeerd, CPA, and Dr. Kevin O’ Farrell received the Chairman’s Award. Both of those awards were given by Jennifer Cofini, chair of the North Tampa Bay Chamber’s board.

The event was presented by Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel and was held in the Sierra Center at Hyatt Place Wesley Chapel.

Event sponsors were Design & Construction Innovations, Wiregrass Ranch, Avalon Park West, and the Tampa Bay Times.

Published November 21, 2018

County expected to amend digital sign ordinance

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The Pasco County Commission is expected to decrease the dwell time on digital signs from the current 60 seconds down to 15 seconds.

During a previous meeting, commissioners directed staff to make the change. Then, the issue went before the Planning Commission on Oct. 11, which recommended approval of the change.

Now, the County Commission is expected to adopt the change at its Nov. 27 meeting.

Commissioner Ron Oakley requested the change, noting the 60-second dwell time makes it hard to communicate the number of events that are planned at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, which has a digital sign.

“They have four or five events in a week or two; they want to be sure they advertise them all,” he said.

While other commissioners favored the change, Commissioner Kathryn Starkey expressed reservations. “Is that a safe idea? I’ve done a lot of research on signs. Changing signs like that, I’m just not a fan of them. I think they’re dangerous for the public. Everything I’ve read says they take your eye off the road,” she said.

County planning administrator Denise B. Hernandez said that regional attractors, by their nature, have many different events.

One message on the sign is unrelated to the next message, she said.

By reducing the duration of the message, Commissioner Mike Moore noted, “there’s a better chance the next time they (motorists) come by, they’re going to see something different.”

Published November 21, 2018

Marine Corps celebrates birthday in style

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It’s not every day that a celebration is held for a 243rd birthday, but that’s exactly what the Marine Forever Detachment No. 1440 did recently to honor the history of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Bonnie Kessell, of Land O’ Lakes, baked a special birthday cake to commemorate the 243rd birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps. Her creation combined raspberry, amaretto and chocolate flavors and was artfully decorated. The cake maker’s husband, Danny Kessell, was in the Marines from 1967 to 1971. (Fred Bellet)

The detachment, also known as the Marine Corps League of Lutz/Land O’ Lakes, had its sixth annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball at the Harbor Terrace Restaurant in the Heritage Harbor Golf and Country Club, in Lutz, on the evening of Nov. 6.

Active and veteran U.S. Marines, their wives and friends attended the formal affair, which began at 6 p.m., and included a military flag ceremony, a sit-down dinner, a birthday cake cutting ceremony, door prizes, dancing, and a chance to win money and prizes.

The ceremony also provided an opportunity to recognize six Marines who served in the Pacific in World War II and the Korean War. Those Marines received certificates of appreciation for their service.

The Marine veterans also received a letter of commendation from Gen. Robert B. Neller, commandant of the Marine Corps.

In another high point of the event, the detachment bestowed awards to the Marine of the Year and to the Associate of the Year.

Published November 14, 2018

As Commandant L. David Kirk bestows the award of Marine of the Year, the medallion ribbon slides over the nose of Marine Corps veteran Corporal (E3) Lester M. Osteen, of Lutz. Osteen served in the Marine Corps from 1953 to 1956, during the Korean War. Other awards received by Osteen were: the National Defense award, Good Conduct, Korean Service and the United Nations Ribbon. He was honorably discharged after serving 14 months and 13 days in Korea.
Six Marines who served in the Pacific during World War II and the Korean War were recognized, and received certificates and letters of commendation from Marine Corp Gen. Robert B. Neller. The veterans from left are: Capt. Jack B. Shaffer, of Clearwater; Capt. Walter R. ‘Bob’ Seitz, of Land O’ Lakes; Cpl. (E3) Lester M. Osteen, of Lutz; Cpl. (E3) Harold H. Howard Jr., of Wesley Chapel; Sgt. (E4) Donald L. Clough, of Wesley Chapel; and, Cpl. (E3) Henry ‘Frank’ Tillis, of Temple Terrace.
In making a toast, Marine Forever Detachment No. 1440’s Commandant L. David Kirk yells the traditional, ‘Oorah’ to the attendees of the 243rd Birthday of the United States Marine Corps.
Eighty-seven-year-old Sgt. (E4) Donald L. Clough, of Wesley Chapel — the oldest Marine in the detachment — couldn’t wait to taste the birthday cake, while the youngest Marine in the detachment, 30-year-old Eric Templeton, right, of Tampa, is introduced during the cake-eating tradition.
Commandant L. David Kirk presents a certificate to his wife, Gloria Sue Kirk after being named, the group’s Associate of the Year. The two have been married for 41 years.
Norman McAleney was a guest at the Marines’ 243rd Birthday Party at the Harbor Terrace Restaurant. McAleney, a newcomer to Hudson, is a member of the Glen Cove, New York Dan Daly Globe & Anchor Detachment of the Marines.
After arriving at the Harbor Terrace Restaurant, Harold H. Howard Jr., of Wesley Chapel, left, gets some assistance with his tie from fellow veteran Bill Montgomery, of New Port Richey. Howard served as a corporal in the Korean war, from 1950 to 1952. Montgomery served as a lance corporal in Vietnam. Sonia Pinciotti, of Tampa, offers her assistance.

 

Additional money sought for new library project

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Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey is pushing Pasco County to increase funding for a new library, which is part of a collaborative project between the county and Pasco County Schools.

The project is to be built in the Starkey Ranch development, located on the ranch formerly owned by Starkey’s family.

The project includes a kindergarten through eighth grade school expected to open in August of 2021, a public library and a community black box theater.

The idea is to share the facilities, allowing the school to use them when it needs them and the public to take advantage of them when the school doesn’t.

The new school will be built next to the new Starkey Ranch District Park, which is off the main entrance into the master-planned Starkey Ranch community, in Odessa.

The first phase of the district park was built through an agreement between the county and Wheelock Street Capital, the developers of Starkey Ranch. The 80-acre park, now open for use, includes a lighted Little League baseball/softball field; three lighted multipurpose fields for soccer, lacrosse and football; a concession stand with restrooms and an additional restroom building; four picnic pavilions surrounding an events lawn; a playground; a maintenance building and a trailhead to the community’s 20-mile trail system.

When the district park is complete, it will have five additional lighted ball fields, lighting and groomed turf for the current practice fields, two additional concession stands with restrooms, and a 1-mile trail around the park.

Commissioner Starkey is advocating for an additional $1 million for the library project to help it to become a cultural center for the community.

“You know that there is a library that is being built that is the first one of its kind, a co-located library with the school district and the county,” she said, during the commissioner comments portion of the County Commission’s Oct. 23 meeting.

“And, I have been working with our staff and the school board’s staff as we go through iterations of the project,” said Starkey, who previously served on the Pasco County School Board.

“I will tell you first, the school district has been fantastic to work with, and they have found a way to add more amenities to the project. They have pulled the library a little closer to the school, and they are putting some of their square footage back into the library, and there are funds over and above the $12 million that we have allotted for it, and it will help us to get an outdoor area that the community can use for outdoor events, which would include alcohol, too, if we wanted, near the theatre.

“But, where we are short is on the Maker Spaces,” Starkey said.

The current plan calls for having one Maker Space and switching equipment in and out for various uses, Starkey said. It makes more sense to have additional Maker Spaces, to provide options to do a variety of activities without having to constantly roll equipment in and out, she explained.

“In talking with the school district, that is in charge of building it, and getting the architect, (Pasco Schools Deputy Superintendent) Ray Gadd thought we needed one more million dollars in order to be able to build three Maker Spaces at what will be the Cultural Center and what I think will be the new model for these kinds of buildings in the county.

“I hope to get one over on the east side, and Ray (Gadd) is already looking at sites where the county and the school district can share again,” she said.

The idea of having multiple Maker Spaces makes it possible for a variety of activities to be going on at the same time, Starkey explained. For instance, in one area, people might be doing pottery, while in another, they could be making jewelry.

Starkey suggested the county earmark $1 million of the $2,881,000 that Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano returned to the county that morning.

“I would love to see you approve that (million-dollar appropriation) to help make this building a premiere building and the beginning of a model that we should replicate throughout the county,” she told her colleagues and County Administrator Dan Biles.

Biles reminded the board “right now the (returned) funds roll into the bottom line and go into the fund balance and our reserves.”

Biles also told the board he’d like to see what happens during the Nov. 6 election before considering Starkey’s proposed budget amendment.

Cathy Pearson, an assistant county administrator, also told board members that she recently took part in a visit to the Carrollwood Cultural Center, in Hillsborough County, to see how that operates.

During that trip, she said, she learned that the theater planned in the Starkey Ranch project was too small.

The theater plan calls for 203 seats, but it needs to be 250, Pearson said.

In addition to the money that Fasano returned to the county, Paula O’ Neil, the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller, told commissioners she would be returning $465,381.24, but she did request the county  consider providing a total of $100,000 to help four different agencies.

Published November 14, 2018

Florida’s 2018 midterms full of surprises

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The 2018 midterm election cycle was the most exciting, expensive and competitive of any in recent memory; 63 percent of the state’s registrants voted—much higher than the 51 percent in 2014. This year’s midterm election was also full of surprises…and it is still not over. Here are the five biggest “shockers” to date.

Susan A. MacManus (File)

No. 1: “It’s not over ’til it’s over.” No one would have been terribly surprised if the margin-of-victory for U.S. Senator or Governor had been around 1 percent. After all, the past four elections have been that way. But no one predicted that these two races, plus the Commissioner of Agriculture and a couple of state legislative races, would be so close (less than 0.5 percent) that recounts are necessary to certify the winners.

No. 2: Another recount controversy puts Florida in the national spotlight — again. No one expected the 2018 recount controversy to reach the fever pitch that had characterized the 2000 presidential election between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore when Bush beat Gore in Florida by only 537 votes. That high-profile controversy involved poorly designed ballots (the butterfly ballot in Palm Beach County), punch card ballots (hanging chads) and other counting irregularities. That dispute was ultimately resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court—36 days after Election Day.

But, here we are again with another round of recounts on our hands—another ballot format controversy (Broward County’s placement of the U.S. Senate race under voter instructions) and multiple court cases alleging everything from vote suppression to irregularities involving vote counting, ineligible voters casting ballots, and problems with U.S. Postal Service delivery of mail ballots. There is no way to definitively say how long it will take to resolve these controversies and declare winners.

No. 3: Election Night vote totals are incomplete; they don’t include all votes cast. The 2018 election taught Floridians that Election Night totals may change significantly, as more ballots arrive in county supervisors of elections’ offices. There are: (1) ballots cast by voters choosing to Vote by Mail that arrived on Election Day by the 7 p.m., deadline—but had not yet been opened and checked for the requisite signature on the outside of the envelope and for its match with the voter’s signature on file; (2) provisional ballots cast in person during early voting or at the polls on Election Day whose eligibility status cannot be determined on the spot for a variety of reasons, like not showing up with identification showing a photo and signature; and (3) overseas ballots cast by military, embassy personnel, academics, students, and business people that have an extra 10 days after Election Day to arrive in supervisors’ offices. Larger counties are more likely to have more mail ballots arriving on Election Day, and more provisional and overseas ballots to count, which is why their final vote totals can reverse an Election Night “winner” on occasion.

No. 4: All but one of the 12 proposed amendments passed. Many of the state’s major newspapers urged Floridians to vote “No” on a fair number of the proposed amendments. So, too, did groups that opposed bundling together several proposals into single amendments, and others who thought most of the proposals could better have been handled by the legislature rather than being put into the constitution.

But, Floridians surprised nearly everyone by voting “Yes” on all except Amendment 1. One theory is that most voters did not take time to read the detailed Ballot Summary—or couldn’t make sense of the confusing language—and instead just read the Ballot Title.  Most of the ballot titles alone sounded like good ideas—limits on property tax assessments, voter control of gambling, prohibition of off-shore oil drilling, rights of crime victims, first responder and military member survivor benefits, ending dog racing, and so forth. The amendment that got the most support promised to expand current restrictions on lobbying. The one amendment voters rejected (although narrowly) was titled, Increased Homestead Property Tax Exemption. It was fought heavily by local governments who warned voters their local property taxes would have to go up or their services cut to make up for the lost revenue. The Ballot Summary’s language for that amendment was also more confusing than for the other proposed amendments.

No. 5: Across the state, all 19 proposals to allow county governments to raise taxes or sell tax-backed bonds passed. Normally, voters are hesitant to say “Yes” to higher taxes on themselves or to approve county requests to borrow funds for large-scale projects. With so many campaign commercials and mailers, including candidate promises to keep taxes low, many analysts were skeptical that voters would approve very many of the 19 tax and bond proposals on county ballots in 2018.

But, voters approved all 19. Why all these “Yes” votes this year? One explanation is that people are willing to pay more when the economy is strong, unemployment is low and consumer confidence is high. Another is that during periods of high growth, residents want relief from traffic congestion and favor repair and/or expansion of critical infrastructure. Overall, the most requests for more funding were school-related (9 of the 19), followed by infrastructure (4), recreation (3) and transportation (3). Several counties, including Pasco and Hillsborough, asked voters to approve more than one increase. Pasco County requested voter approval to sell four general obligation (tax-backed) bonds to finance two recreational/leisure functions (parks, libraries) and two safety-related infrastructure projects (jails and fire-rescue). In neighboring Hillsborough County, voters said “Yes” to two sales tax increases—one earmarked for schools, another for transportation—even though it made Hillsborough County’s sales tax the highest in the state.

Two Constants
Despite all these surprises, two things stand out about Florida’s 2018 midterm election: Florida remains the most competitive of the 50 states (the “purpliest”) and is by far the most fascinating to watch to the nation at-large. Stay tuned. It’s never over in the Sunshine State until it’s over.

By Dr. Susan A. MacManus

Dr. Susan A. MacManus is a Distinguished University Professor Emerita from the University of South Florida. She is nationally recognized as an expert on Florida politics.

Published November 14, 2018

Voter recounts

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Machine Recount

  • A Machine Recount occurs if the first set of unofficial returns indicates that a candidate was defeated or eliminated by ½ of one percent or less of the total votes cast for an office, or if an issue (such as a constitutional amendment) was approved or rejected by ½ of one percent or less of the total votes cast on the issue.

(Section 102.141(7), Florida Statutes and Rule 1S-2.031, Florida Administrative Code)

  • The Machine Recount means all ballots are re-tabulated, or re-fed through a county’s precinct tabulators and/or central count tabulators.
  • Ballots with overvotes and undervotes in the affected race(s) are subsequently set aside in case a manual recount occurs.
  • Exception to ordering a machine recount: If the candidate(s) defeated or eliminated from contention for the office by ½ of one percent or less request in writing that a machine recount not be conducted.
  • Results: The results from the machine recount constitutes the second set of unofficial returns.
  • Definitions: Overvote: Voter designated more choices than allowable in the recounted race(s) on their ballot. Undervote: Voter made no choice or fewer than number of allowable choices in the recounted race(s) on their ballot.

Manual Recount of Overvotes and Undervotes

  • A Manual Recount occurs if the second set of unofficial returns indicates that a candidate was eliminated or defeated by ¼ of one percent or less of the votes cast for the office, or if an issue was approved or rejected by ¼ of one percent or less of the total votes cast on the issue.

(Section 102.166, Florida Statutes and Rules 1S-2.027 and Rule 1S-2.051, Florida Administrative Code)

  • The Manual Recount is a hand recount of overvotes and undervotes set aside from the machine recount.
  • Exceptions to ordering a manual recount: If the candidate(s) defeated or eliminated from contention for the office by ¼ of one percent or less request in writing that it not be conducted;

OR

If the number of overvotes and undervotes is less than the number of votes needed to change the election outcome.

  • Results: The results from the manual recount will be reflected in the Official Returns due to the state on Nov. 18

Source: Florida Division of Elections

Published November 14, 2018

Voters choose local leaders

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Voters streamed into Precinct 595 at the Lutz Civic Center on Nov. 6 to cast their ballots in 2018 midterms.

They were just as eager to make their voice known at Precinct 6, the Alice Hall Community Center in Zephyrhills.

They came by bicycle, pick-up truck and SUV at Precinct 48 at the Meadow Pointe IV Clubhouse in Wesley Chapel.

This parking lot in Lutz, at the polling precinct at the Lutz Civic Center, shows that voters were eager to cast their ballots during the 2018 midterms. The photo was taken shortly after the polls opened on Nov. 6. Some voters also parked in a lot across from the Lutz Branch Library and strolled over to the civic center to be part of the political process. (B.C. Manion)

And, they took advantage of early voting at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library in Land O’ Lakes.

Whether they were first-time voters, or have voted for decades, these voters made it a point to exercise their right to take part in the political process.

As The Laker/Lutz News went to press this week, the winner was still unknown in the race for the U.S. Senate, which pits Republican challenger Rick Scott, Florida’s current governor, against incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson in the U.S. Senate race.

The outcome also remains unknown between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum in the bid to become Florida’s next governor.

And, there’s uncertainty, as well, regarding who will be Florida’s next Agricultural Commissioner, in a race between Matt Caldwell and Nicole ‘Nikki’ Fried.

All three of those races were so close that they required state-mandated recounts.

Still, voters decided plenty of races and issues in Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

Pasco County voters selected incumbent Republican Pasco County Commissioners Mike Moore and Mike Wells for additional four-year terms. Moore defeated Democratic challenger Kelly Smith and Wells defeated Democratic challenger Brandi Geoit.

Voters also chose Megan Harding to replace Steve Luikart, who is retiring from the Pasco County School Board. In a nonpartisan race, Harding defeated Tara M. O’ Connor in a runoff.

Harding now joins Cynthia Armstrong and Allen Altman, who won their bids for re-election during the 2018 primary.

Pasco voters also approved four general obligation bond issues, with the bond issue to support a jail expansion passing by the thinnest margin. The three other approved bond issues will support expanded fire/rescue services, upgraded parks and recreation opportunities, and improved libraries.

In Hillsborough County, voters elected four county commissioners. Those winning seats are Republican Ken Hagan who defeated Democrat Angela Birdsong, in District 2; incumbent Republican Stacy White who defeated Democrat Andrew Davis, in District 4; Democrat Mariella Smith who defeated Republican Commissioner Victor Crist, in District 5; and Democrat Kimberly Overman defeated Republican Todd Marks in District 7.

Smith and Overman are newcomers to the board, which for the first time since 2004 has a Democratic majority.

Hillsborough voters also chose two new school board members, in a nonpartisan election.

Steve Cona defeated William Henry Person in District 1. Cona is replacing Susan Valdes.

Karen Perez defeated Henry “Shake” Washington in District 6. Perez is replacing April Griffin.

Incumbent Republican Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister won another term, defeating Democrat Gary Pruitt.

Hillsborough County voters also approved two new taxes, a 1-cent tax for transportation and a ½-cent tax to pay for air conditioning and other projects in Hillsborough County Schools.

At the federal level, incumbent Republican Gus Bilirakis defeated Democrat Chris Hunter to receive another term representing Florida’s 12th congressional district.

Voters also elected a number of state lawmakers representing communities within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

In the State Senate, Incumbent Republican Wilton Simpson defeated Democrat Michael Cottrell for re-election in District 10, while incumbent Republican Tom Lee defeated Democrat Kathy Lewis for re-election to District 20.

Voters also elected numerous state representatives, including incumbent Republican Amber Mariano who defeated Democrat Linda Jack in District 36; Republican Ardian Zika who defeated Democrat Tammy Garcia in District 37; incumbent Republican Danny Burgess who defeated No Party Affiliation David “TK” Hayes in District 38; Democrat Fentrice Driskell who defeated incumbent Republican Shawn Harrison in District 63; and, Republican James Grant who defeated Democrat Jessica Harrington in District 64.

Statewide, voters approved 11 of 12 amendments to Florida’s Constitution, with a proposed amendment to increase the Homestead Property Tax Exemption failing to garner more than 60 percent voter approval. The amendment received 58.07 percent of the vote.

Amendments that passed covered myriad issues, ranging from increased victims’ rights; to prohibiting offshore gas and oil drilling, to restoring voter rights to former felons; to ending dog racing.

Published November 14, 2018