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Father and Son Love Free Food Pantry in dire straits: ‘do or die’ time has arrived

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A food pantry that has provided for thousands of desperate people for nearly six years, itself is now in desperate need of financial assistance.

The monthly rent at the Father and Son Love Free Food Pantry doubled nine months ago, said its founder, Pastor C.J. Johns Sr. 

Ken Waters is associate pastor at the Father and Son Love Free Food Pantry. (Courtesy of Pastor C.J. Johns Sr.)

They now have to pay $6,000 a month for the space they rent at 21418 Carson Drive, Suite A, in Land O’ Lakes. The rent was $3,000 a month until its previous lease expired on April 30, 2023. 

And the rent could be even higher when the new lease is effective this coming May 1, Johns said. He added that he is praying the landlord will lower the rent to $5,500 a month, but he has no assurance that will happen.

The pastor believes the only other way the food pantry, which is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, will be able to stay in business is if five individual corporate sponsors each contribute $10,000 to $12,000, or one sponsor contributes $50,000 to $60,000 over the next year.

The situation is even worse than that — the pantry needs about $15,000 immediately, since it’s been struggling to pay its rent for the remainder of its current lease, Johns said. And a 10% penalty of $600 will be charged for each month in which a rent payment isn’t made on time.

The pantry supports the homeless, elderly, veterans and other people who are barely getting by on low incomes.

An area in the food pantry is decorated with an American flag and caps donated by
veterans of different branches of the United States armed forces. The flag was
actually flown in Vietnam during that war and was donated by a combat veteran.

“The time now is ‘do or die’ for this food pantry,” Johns said.

Applications have already been made for some grants, as the pantry is now in its fourth year of operating as a 501c3 organization. However, competition for those grants is fierce and there would probably be a six-month delay — or longer — in getting funds even if a grant was awarded, Johns said.

The cost to run the facility is an additional $2,000 a month. That extra money is needed to pay for insurance and utilities. Gasoline also must be bought for volunteers who use their own vehicles to pick up food and other necessities. And the electric bill has increased significantly during the summer because the facility must be kept cool so food won’t spoil, Johns added.

The pantry is the victim of a domino effect, said Angel Walker, one of several unpaid volunteer workers who donates time and energy to meet the needs of people who come in.

Walker gave the example of a group of eight people — three adults and five children — who had received groceries valued at $300 earlier on March 19. Several of those people had to move in with another family because they couldn’t afford to pay their own rent.

The food pantry is only able to pay its rent on a wing and a prayer, Johns said. And it won’t be able to pay even a slight amount more when the new lease becomes effective.

Several of the volunteers who donate their time and energy are shown in an area
where people visiting the pantry wait until it is time for them to pick up food
and other things they need.

“This area will be severely impacted if we have to close or to relocate,” Johns said.

A PayPal account is available through which contributions may be made at:

https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=5BZJ5FSHQNUCN.

Any corporate sponsor or individual who contributes to this fundraising campaign will be making a significant investment in improving the lives of possibly thousands of people whom the food pantry will serve — not only in 2024, but possibly in years to come, according to Johns.

He said that the return on investment can’t be measured in dollars or cents because there’s no value that can be placed on helping people who are in need. “We keep fighting for people who nobody wants to talk about,” Johns said.

Pastor C.J. Johns Sr., left, and Ken Waters, associate pastor, head up the operations of the Father and Son Love Free Food Pantry.

He added he estimates more than 100 homeless people who had considered taking their own lives didn’t commit suicide due to the help they had received from the pantry.

The pantry offers a large variety of food, ranging from ready-to-cook meals, canned goods, cereal, pet food and everything in between, according to Walker. People who come in are able to take a cart around and select specific food items that are needed for themselves or for their family. The only restriction is on the amount of food they can take and that’s based on how many people for whom the food is needed, Walker said.

“This is a one-of-a-kind food pantry,” Johns said, adding he doubts any other food pantry in Florida has the products that are available at Father and Son.

And, it isn’t just about food. More than 250 gifts and several bicycles were given to children this past Christmas, Johns said.

Also, hundreds of toys are available at the pantry. A Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranch in Brooksville donated the majority of them. Children who accompany their parents or guardians to the pantry are given toys.

A trailer in which people could take showers was set up at the pantry on March 12. Also, a hairdresser visits once a month and provides free cuts to people. 

Additional information about the pantry is on its website, at FatherAndSonFreeFoodPantry.org, or their Facebook page. It can be reached at  813-846-9993 and inquiries can be sent to .

Published March 27, 2024

Volunteers prepared the ShowerUp Trailer for use on March 12 when it was at the
food pantry. Many homeless people appreciate being able to have a safe place to
clean themselves.
Different types and brands of cereal are available free of charge at the food pantry.
The package of chicken wings shown here is just one of the many different types of
ready-to-cook meals offered by the pantry.
This poster from the pantry’s Facebook page describes its many available services.

State lawmakers passed $1.5B tax relief package with four sales tax holidays

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(The Center Square) — Florida lawmakers passed a tax relief package this session that includes sale-tax holidays throughout the 2024-2025 fiscal year that will bring some relief to the Sunshine State’s residents.

In total, Florida will have a tax relief package of over $1.5 billion if Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the legislation, which would include a 14-day “back-to-school” sales tax holiday, a 14-day “disaster preparedness” sales tax holiday, a month-long sales tax holiday for recreational equipment and activities in July, and a seven-day sales tax holiday on equipment and tools for skilled workers.

(Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash)

Not everyone sees the efficacy of sales tax holidays.

Katherine Loughead, a senior policy analyst and research manager at the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, told The Center Square that while sales tax holidays are popular, they’re not the most efficient way to provide relief.

“Sales tax holidays are politically popular, but there are more efficient and effective ways of providing tax relief to Florida residents,” Loughead said. “Instead of offering temporary sales tax breaks for specific items, permanently trimming the sales tax rate would provide relief to all taxpayers regardless of what they buy or when they buy it.”

House Bill 7073 is sponsored by state Sen. Stan McClain, R-Ocala, and provides the majority of the various tax savings for Floridians across the state. The focus of the tax package is to keep Florida affordable and includes sales tax holidays for back-to-school students, as well as lowering taxes on property insurance.

Lawmakers have also set aside $450 million within the state’s budget for toll relief. The toll relief program will be developed by the Department of Transportation and will provide toll relief for certain high-use drivers who will be eligible to receive a 50% credit from April 2024 to March 2025.

In a news release, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, said that the tax package is in response to the rising cost of living caused by inflation.

“Inflation has led to significant increases in costs that are negatively impacting families. We are working to ease the pain with broad-based sales tax relief that will be very meaningful for families and seniors with opportunities for tax savings for families,” Passidomo said in the news release.

Passidomo added that lawmakers have further earmarked over $500 million in tax cuts for property insurance and flood insurance premiums, which pose a “major affordability problem” for many Florida homeowners.

Published March 20, 2024

Early voting begins for March 19 Republican presidential primary

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Tampa Bay area voters are now able to make their picks for the March 19 primary election, with early voting sites open throughout the region.

Only registered Republicans will be able to vote in the Republican presidential primary, however, some counties are also holding municipal elections open to all voters.

(Element5 Digital/Unsplash)

To vote early, voters must go to an early voting site in the county in which they’re registered. Open dates, times and locations vary by county:

  • Pinellas County sites are open until March 17, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Voting sites are at the Supervisor of Elections Office at the Election Service Center in Largo, the County Building in St. Petersburg and the Pinellas County Courthouse in Clearwater. More information can be found at VotePinellas.gov.
  • Hernando County sites are open until March 16, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Voting sites are at the South Brooksville Community Center, Spring Hill Branch Library, Supervisor of Elections Branch Office/Forest Oaks Government Center, East Hernando Library, Hernando County Utilities Bldg./Community Room. More information can be found at HernandoVotes.gov.

For voting by mail, ballots must be received by the county Supervisor of Elections in which you’re registered by 7 p.m., March 19. Vote by mail ballots must be signed, and the signature must match the signature on file. Voters can drop their ballots at a secure ballot intake station found at local election offices and early voting locations. If you plan to mail your ballot, allow plenty of time for the ballot to be received.

Election day voting will take place March 19, 7 a.m – 7 p.m. Voting at the polling place assigned to a registered voter’s address is required. Visit your County Supervisor of Elections website to find your polling location.

Published March 13, 2024

State Senate committee advances bill to limit terms of county commissioners

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(The Center Square) — A bill that would put term limits on Florida county commissioners passed a key hurdle in the Senate Committee on Rules, on Monday.

Senate Bill 438 is sponsored by state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill. It would introduce term limits for county commissioners and would require certain counties to hold a referendum election to ask voters if they approve or disapprove of term limits in their county.

Florida Senate, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In the bill’s text, it says that a person is prohibited from being on a ballot for reelection to the office of county commissioner if they had served in that office for eight consecutive years. The person would also have a waiting time of at least two years before they could run for the county commissioner’s office in another county.

While introducing the bill to the Senate Committee on Rules Monday, Ingoglia introduced an amendment that would allow constitutional counties to put the question of term limits to voters this coming November, as they currently do not have the authority to do so.

Marion County Commissioner Kathy Bryant opposed the bill. She told the committee that not once in all her years as commissioner has she received a request from a constituent to introduce term limits.

“(The bill) is a solution looking for a problem that doesn’t exist,” Bryant said. “In my 14 years serving Marion County, out of nearly 8,000 emails that have come into my office, there has not been one asking for term limits for county commissioners… The thought that a county commissioner can’t be fired is just incorrect.”

Ingoglia previously stated during the bill’s passage through the Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections in January that the lack of term limits at local levels prevents communities from going out and finding the next generation of leaders.

“When you have somebody who is in office, she or he may be there for 26 years, there’s no end in sight for that term, so then people stop looking for people as potential replacements,” Ingoglia said. “The lack of term limits is a chilling factor to have the local communities find and recruit people to eventually take their place.”

Ingoglia said that term limits are very popular with voters because they do not want people to serve in government for an eternity and added that it helps society raise future policymakers.

Published March 06, 2024

School Board approves $1.2 million settlement for student injured in 2006 school bus accident 

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Marcus Button was 16 in September 2006 when he caught a ride to Wesley Chapel High School and forgot his wallet. The decision to go back for it would forever change his life, as the compact car he was riding in crashed into a school bus that pulled into its path at State Road 54 and Meadow Pointe Boulevard. 

Button received serious skull fractures and brain injuries that he has never fully recovered from. In 2009, a trial jury found the Pasco County School District bus driver mostly at fault. But more than 17 years after the accident, Button’s mother, Robin, is still trying to get the bulk of the $1.6 million jury award to help pay for her son’s care and secure his future.

Last week, she got a step closer when the Pasco County School Board, without discussion, unanimously approved a $1.2 million settlement in the case. The settlement must still be approved by the Florida Legislature, where bills seeking relief for Marcus Button are making their way through the House and Senate. The legislative session is scheduled to end March 8.

Austin Pacheco/Unsplash

Robin Button, who now lives with her son in Hillsborough County’s Carrollwood area, described the school board’s action as “surreal.”

“It’s hard to take in because we’ve been waiting so long,” she said. “It’s not going to be enough to help Marcus throughout his life. But, hopefully, it will get him to be more independent and help him learn some sort of job.”

At-fault party claims sovereign immunity
Why has the payout taken so long? Florida’s sovereign immunity law generally limits payouts from local government agencies to injured parties to $200,000 per person, with a maximum of $300,000 per incident.

Also, the Pasco County School District’s transportation services were self-insured in 2006 — there was no commercial vehicle liability insurance coverage, so there was no third party to accept the claim.

Lance Block, a Tallahassee attorney representing the Buttons, said Friday he’s optimistic that state legislators will waive sovereign immunity in the Button case and approve the settlement.

“This bill’s got wings,” Block said. “I think the bill’s going to pass.”

Block said the school board’s action, coupled with the sponsorship of state Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, and state Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, is giving the bills traction where several previous legislative efforts — dating to 2010 — have failed.

School district spokesperson Corey Dierdorff declined to discuss what prompted approval of the settlement, citing the school board’s policy of not commenting on pending legal matters.  

Marcus Button, center, poses with his Tampa attorney, J. Steele Olmstead, and his mother, Robin Button, during a recent visit to the Florida House of Representatives in Tallahassee. The Buttons are seeking to collect $1.2 million of a 2009 jury award stemming from a Pasco County school bus accident. (Courtesy of Robin Button)

The details of the 2006 wreck and the Button family’s ordeal are spelled out in legislative bills introduced in January.

If the bills are approved, the state would require the Pasco school district to pay $1 million to a trust fund set up for Marcus Button’s care and $200,000 to his mother as compensation for damages incurred by both his parents. However, Marcus Button’s father, Mark, died a few years ago.

The Buttons received $163,000 from the school district after the 2009 lawsuit, according to a state hearing master’s report filed last week.

The report noted that school district representatives previously said the accident didn’t cause Marcus Button’s physical, cognitive and behavioral issues. However, the hearing master found that the young man suffered life-altering injuries, including cognitive impairment and vision loss, resulting from the accident. 

The report also refers to estimates that Button’s ongoing care will cost $6 million to $11 million, and his lost wages were calculated at $365,000 to $570,000.

Robin Button said her son has come a long way through years of rehabilitation, and he no longer requires round-the-clock care. But he still takes a dozen different medications a day, can’t walk for long distances, is blind in one eye, has impulse control problems and requires ongoing supervision. She wants the settlement to pay for education that can help her son hold a job and function better in social situations.

“That’s all I want for my son — to have a fighting chance in life,” she said.

In the Button case, there were no students on the bus at the time of the accident, and the drivers involved received only minor injuries. However, the school district’s failure to have commercial vehicle liability insurance coverage could have had worse consequences if more students had been involved.

“You get a school bus full of kids who get hurt, and they have to split $300,000,” Block said, adding that the limit would also apply to other motorists who may sustain damages if they’re struck by a school bus and the district is held liable.

District spokesman Dierdorff couldn’t say Friday whether the district’s transportation services remain self-insured or if any changes in insurance coverage are planned.

The state hearing master report indicated the district has a deficit of over $300,000 in its general liability fund. Dierdorff didn’t know what fund would be tapped if the $1.2 million settlement is approved. Pasco Superintendent Kurt Browning couldn’t be reached for comment.

Published February 28, 2024

Pasco population expected to top 1 million by 2050

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The signs of Pasco County’s explosive growth are everywhere.

New residential communities and apartment complexes are springing up. Hospitals and schools are opening. Shopping and restaurant choices are increasing. Large companies are moving in, and small businesses are setting up shop.

Tampa Premium Outlets, which is at Cypress Creek Town Center, off State Road 56, is one of many new shopping attractions that have opened in recent years. The county has become home to a much broader variety of shops, restaurants and entertainment attractions than it had in the past, generating an increase in service-oriented jobs. That trend is expected to continue, according to experts working with Pasco County on long-range plans. (File)

The trend is expected to continue.

By 2050, Pasco is projected to have 1,018,000 residents and the county’s workforce is expected to more than double — increasing to 424,000.

Those are the figures shared at a Feb. 8 Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting by William Roll, who is a transportation planning expert for Kimley-Horn.

Kimley-Horn is the consultant hired by the Pasco MPO to prepare a socioeconomic forecast for the county’s Innovate Pasco 2050, the county’s long-range transportation plan that will guide future projects to address all types of transportation needs.

The Pasco MPO board, made up of elected leaders from Pasco County, Dade City, Zephyrhills, New Port Richey and Port Richey, is responsible for addressing transportation needs and setting priorities across Pasco.

Innovate Pasco 2050 will consider all modes of transportation — which include motorized vehicles, public transportation, bicycles, walking, freight and goods movement, and air travel.

A new interchange was created at Overpass Road and Interstate 75, creating a new way to get on and off of I-75. It also has led to complaints regarding increased truck traffic in nearby residential areas.

Forecasting the county’s expected population and job growth are key elements in the planning process.

Roll said he’s confident the county’s population growth will reach expectations.

“If we’re a little overly optimistic we don’t have a 2050 plan — we have a 2053 plan, and that’s OK,” Roll said. “The same improvements need to be made. The same type of development is going to take place.”

But he added: “If we underestimate them, now we’re shooting low and that can be a real problem.”

Roll also noted that the figures will be updated in five years, when the county does its 2055 plan.

The consultant told the MPO board that Pasco is expected to have a “pretty dramatic change” in terms of its employment figures.

Angeline Academy of Innovation is just one of the schools that has opened in recent years. The school addresses the county’s growing population, as well as adding jobs to the economy.

In 2019, the county had a workforce of about 187,000; in 2050 it is projected to have 424,000, Roll said.

“If you drove any distance through the county, you could see why. This county has changed over the course of the last 10 to 15 years,” Roll said. “I have watched over the years that you have developed a threshold that you can support other employment activities.

“When we were doing this 20 years ago, we didn’t have a Wiregrass (Wiregrass Ranch and the surrounding development). We didn’t have that type of economic item. We didn’t have some of the facilities and resources that you now have.

“Now you have those things and that growth is going to continue to happen,” Roll said.

An expanding population has created the need for more health care services. BayCare Wesley Chapel is just one of the hospitals that has opened or expanded in recent years. More hospitals are on the way.

Much of the change can be attributed to a fundamental shift in the county’s demographics, he said. Pasco is trending much younger now than it was in the past.

Roll told officials to expect to see a bit more growth on the industrial side of development, than on commercial.

“That’s following just the general trend — more of us are ordering stuff online, as opposed to going to a brick-and-mortar store,” Roll explained.

However, he added, Pasco will have disproportionate commercial employment growth than other counties because it is adding activities it traditionally lacked.

“You can buy in Pasco County now, and not have to travel to another county,” the consultant said.

The most dramatic employment increase will come in the service sector, Roll said. That includes finance, insurance, real estate, professional services, education, medical and government workers.

It doesn’t take much investigation to find evidence of the creation of new jobs, which are available now and are on the horizon.

Construction crews continue kicking up dirt, chambers of commerce continue to host ribbon-cuttings and the county board keeps celebrating announcements of big companies moving to Pasco.

The Pasco MPO approved the figures provided by Roll to be incorporated into its long-range transportation plan.

There are many other steps that are necessary before the long-range transportation plan is adopted and begins to guide future projects aimed at improving safety and the movement of people and goods through Pasco County.

Published February 21, 2024

Will Pasco get enforcement cameras in school speed zones?

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Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey thinks the county should consider installing cameras to catch speeders in school speed zones.

She raised the issue during the Pasco County Commission’s Feb. 6 meeting.

She noted the state Legislature has authorized the use of cameras in school speed zones and Hillsborough County recently passed an ordinance to do just that.

She thinks Pasco should consider doing the same.

(Stock photo)

“I don’t want them all around the county, like they have them in New Port Richey and other places,” Starkey said.

But she told her board colleagues she’d like to have a discussion of whether the county should use enforcement cameras in its school speed zones.

“People frequently zoom in those areas,” she said. “They go fast.”

The cameras use the same kind of technology as is used at red lights, she said, but they go in school zones, instead.

“I think protecting kids, in school zones, is a good thing, personally,” Starkey said.

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley responded: “Yeah, we all agree on that.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano said he met with the same people as Starkey met with, including some who used to work in law enforcement.

“I did want to have them talk to the school board, and study the issue, and see what their thoughts are,” Mariano said.

Mariano wants more information about the extent of the problem before the county makes any decisions on the issue.

“I tell you, these red-light cameras in Port Richey and New Port Richey, they were supposed to get rid of them a few years ago, and they’re making too much money and they’re not going to make that move,” Mariano said.

On the other hand, Mariano added: “I do believe in safety, as well.”

He voiced concerns that if the revenue becomes too attractive, the county might become reluctant to pull the cameras, whether or not they’re effective.

Starkey responded: “I just know that it works to slow people down in school zones.

“I’d be happy if we never got  a penny from it, if it just worked to keep people from speeding.”

On another issue, Starkey thinks the county should consider banning the location of “vape shops” near schools.

Hillsborough County has passed an ordinance on this issue, too, she said.

“Maybe we can have staff look at that Hillsborough ordinance,” Starkey said.

Published February 14, 2024

Will a new tax help pay for Pasco’s parks and recreation?

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As Pasco County’s elected board considers next year’s budget, there is talk of a possible new tax that would pay to expand park and recreational opportunities.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey floated the idea of creating a Parks Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU) during the board’s Jan. 18 strategic plan and budget workshop.

“I have always been an advocate for a Parks MSTU because we are so far behind,” Starkey said, reiterating a suggestion she has made before.

Providing more trails is part of Pasco County’s big-picture vision for enhancing the quality of life for its residents, and providing more connections between places. (File)

“An example of that is we have a new charter Little League in Starkey Ranch with no fields. They were warned there weren’t any fields, but District 12 went ahead and chartered them anyway. They’re supposed to be playing at Bexley, at the new Little League Complex that we don’t have the money to build yet in Bexley.

“We’re still way behind in sports fields for our youth. I also think that parks are important for people my age, too. Just nice outdoor places to go.

“We have the opportunity to have wonderful places. We don’t have the money to make them wonderful.,” Starkey said.

The county board member said she’s not suggesting the creation of a big-dollar MSTU, but noted establishing an MSTU would provide a reliable source of revenues for parks.

The county has impact fees to address additional parks and recreation needs caused by new growth, but those fees cannot be used to address a backlog of needs and cannot be bonded.

The Parks MSTU would enable the county to do more sooner, Starkey said.

Pasco is pursuing a new Residential Local Road Municipal Services Taxing Unit, which will provide a steady source of funding for residential road projects. It is expected to be listed on property tax bills that will be mailed in November.

The county board member also noted that the county was forced to use the money that was going to go for Magnolia Valley Park because another park project’s costs increased and the Magnolia Valley money was used for that.

“Now, we don’t have that money anymore,” Starkey said. “We had a great plan for Magnolia Valley.”

She also pointed to an opportunity for the county to establish a park in a part of Holiday that has never had a park, and it even has a boat launch.

“I think it’s really, really important for that community. And, again, we’re restricted,” Starkey said.

Commissioner Seth Weightman said he’d like to see an analysis of how much general fund millage would decrease, if all of the general fund money being used for parks was shifted to an MSTU.

Doing that, Weightman said, “would give parks pretty much a guaranteed revenue source, even in tough times.”

As the county discusses the potential of a new MSTU for parks, it also is in the midst of pursuing the creation of a Residential Local Road MSTU.

The county board directed county staff last year to prepare to add a new Residential Local Road MSTU to property owner tax bills.

That tax will replace the Paving Assessment (PVAS) system that the county has used for decades.

Pasco County is discussing the possibility of a new Parks Municipal Services Taxing Unit. That source of funding would help address a shortage of playing fields, parks and recreational facilities.

Under PVAS, the owners of the majority of property along a street had to agree to an improvement and then file an application with the county to pursue it.

If the county board approved the application, the homeowners would be assessed on their tax bills over time to pay for it.

All of the homeowners on the street would have to pay, whether they favored the project or not.

The system pitted neighbors against neighbors, and in some cases, property owners would tell the county board that they simply couldn’t afford to pay the assessments.

The new Residential Local Road MSTU will appear on tax bills and will provide a source of revenue for local road projects, maintenance, and in limited cases, sidewalk projects.

The boundaries of the Residential Local Road MSTU includes all unincorporated areas of Pasco County, except for parcels that currently — or in the future —  

are subject to, or within the boundaries of, an Active PVAS; and, parcels within a Homeowners’ Association or Community Development District that maintains its private roads.

The county board also has granted property owners who have paid or are paying their PVAS assessments a two-year reprieve from the new assessment. They said some sort of reprieve is only fair, but they don’t want to make the tax break too long because they don’t want to cripple the system.

County staff is proceeding with preparing the new system to be ready in time for the tax bills going out in November.

Meanwhile, a determination will be made regarding who is listed on the final tax roll for the MSTU, and the county board will decide what the millage rate should be.

Published February 07, 2024

Pasco Tax Collector’s support of animals wins national recognition

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Pasco Tax Collector Mike Fasano is a widely known local figure.

Of course, many residents recognize his name because he’s the man in charge of collecting taxes across the county. 

But he’s also widely known for using his offices to help generate support for a lengthy list of charitable causes.

Last week, his work to support animal welfare captured the spotlight when the Pasco County Commission adopted a resolution recognizing Fasano’s recent selection for the 2023 National Animal Care & Control Association’s Bill Lehman Memorial Award.

Mike Fasano poses here with his dog, Seaver. The golden is named after the former New York Mets’ baseball player, Tom Seaver. Fasano was recently honored by a national organization for his exceptional awareness and support intended to benefit animals. (Courtesy of Greg Giordano)

Mike Shumate, director of Pasco County Animal Services (PCAS), told commissioners: “it was our pleasure to nominate Mike Fasano for this award from the National Animal Care & Control Association.”

The award is bestowed every year by the national organization to recognize “an outstanding individual not directly employed in the animal care and control field who has shown exceptional awareness and support of animal control and care related matters,” according to the resolution unanimously adopted by the Pasco County Commission during its Jan. 23 meeting.

Fasano was honored “for his hard work and compassion in animal welfare, both in the state of Florida and in Pasco County,” the resolution says.

It also goes on to provide background regarding Fasano’s lengthy history concerning safeguarding the welfare of animals.

The resolution notes that in 2012, when Fasano was a state senator, he drafted legislation seeking to create a statewide animal abuser registry. His Senate Bill 618, known as “Dexter’s Law,” failed, but it laid the groundwork for future passage of local animal abuser registries throughout the state, including one adopted in 2017 by the Pasco County Commission, the resolution says.

In 2018, Fasano endorsed a proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution to ban dog racing in Florida, which was approved by 69% of the voters on Nov. 6, 2018, the resolution reports.

Beyond those achievements, Fasano “continues to be a strong supporter of animal welfare as the Pasco County tax collector.”

For instance, Fasano’s offices routinely highlight the PCAS’ Pet of the Week on their lobby televisions and share the PCAS shelter content on social media platforms, the resolution says.

Those efforts have resulted in adoptions and helped spread public awareness of shelter and animal welfare initiatives, the resolution adds.

Additionally, Fasano’s office has held fundraisers for Friends of Animal Services, with both fundraisers raising over $11,000 to support the nonprofit. The money was used to help in the purchase of medical equipment and established a medical fund to help citizens with one-time emergency medical care for their pets, according to the resolution.

In summary, the resolution notes: “Fasano exemplifies the spirit of Bill Lehman in his continual promotion and support of animal welfare organizations, his generosity in supporting nonprofit rescues and animal friend groups, and his influence in legislative efforts to improve state law and local ordinances to protect animals.”

Shumate told Fasano: “Mike, this award is for you, for all of the great things you’ve done for us. I think we feel pretty blessed to have you here in this county. You do a lot of great things for us.”

Fasano responded: “I’m going to share this with all of my staff, Greg Giordano, specifically, because Greg was with me in those legislative years.”

Besides being Fasano’s assistant tax collector, Giordano also was there for both the legislative successes, and the “almost successes,” Fasano said.

Commissioner Seth Weightman, whose office sponsored the resolution, noted Fasano’s many contributions to life in Pasco County.

Weightman praised Fasano’s work on behalf of animal welfare, but also thanked him for efforts during his time in the state Legislature, and as Pasco’s tax collector, which have helped to improve the overall quality of community life.

Weightman said that Fasano has elevated the tax collector’s office to deliver arguably “the best level in customer services in our county.” Plus, he has used the office “to capture much-needed funds and donations to support so many charities that otherwise wouldn’t have help. So, your footprint and passion and care for our county, and our state, are really unmatched,” Weightman said.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey echoed those thoughts. She told Fasano: “Of course, you know, you’re very well-loved in this county, and we appreciate all that you do for all of the different nonprofits and our citizens in the county.”

Like his colleagues, Commissioner Jack Mariano expressed gratitude to Fasano, too.

“We greatly appreciate all of the service you do for this county — going above and beyond, helping our charities,” Mariano said.

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley put it this way: “In short, you may say that you touch every citizen in the county, in some way or another.”

Published January 31, 2024

Setting priorities for better ways to get around in Pasco

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It’s no secret to those living or working in Pasco County that serious attention is needed to make it easier to get from place to place.

Traffic congestion and traffic safety are two key concerns that the public has identified so far, in an online survey conducted by Kimley-Horn, the consultants working with the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (Pasco MPO) on the long-range transportation plan update.

Innovate Pasco 2050 will be the long-range transportation plan for Pasco County, guiding future projects to address all types of transportation needs. Tackling congestion has been identified as a top priority by the public so far, in the early stages of the planning effort. (File)

The plan has been christened Innovate Pasco 2050.

Jonathan Whitehurst, a consultant from Kimley-Horn, briefed the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization’s board at its Jan. 11 meeting, regarding what’s being done to prepare the plan.

The Pasco MPO board, made up of elected leaders from Pasco County, Dade City, Zephyrhills, New Port Richey and Port Richey, is responsible for addressing transportation needs and setting priorities across Pasco.

In general, Innovate Pasco 2050 will identify current and anticipated transportation needs in the county for the next 20-plus years, Whitehurst said.

The plan is being updated at the same time the county is updating its long-range comprehensive plan.

Innovate Pasco 2050 will consider all modes of transportation — which include motorized vehicles, public transportation, bicycles, walking, freight and goods movement, and air travel.

Planning efforts will involve analyzing the county’s current transportation system and its projected growth to identify needs and set priorities.

The initial stakeholder interviews and community workshops were held on Dec. 12 and Dec. 13.

“We’re getting really, really good participation through the online survey. To date, with the online survey, we have 930 participants,” Whitehurst told the Pasco MPO board. “That created a lot of work for the consultant team because that has already generated over 13,000 data points and over 1,400 written comments. So, that’s a lot of information for us to kind of go through and summarize. But we like that.”

Figuring out how much money is available to address Pasco County’s trail plans is likely to be a topic of discussion, as the county tackles its long-range needs.

The survey can be done in as few as 5 minutes, or, it can take longer, depending on the level of detail in the responses.

Based on the level of feedback so far, people seem to be putting in more time, Whitehurst said.

During his presentation, he asked the MPO board for some feedback.

He identified eight transportation themes and asked them to rank them in order of importance.

These are the themes they ranked: Improve Transit Service, Improve Transportation Connectivity, Increase Transportation Choices, Maintain Roadways, Promote Economic Growth, Reduce Congestion, Reduce Crash/Injuries and deaths and Shorten Vehicle Trips.

The top three themes identified in the boardroom were: Economic growth, congestion and connectivity. The bottom three were shortening vehicle trips, increasing transportation choices and improving transit service.

The public’s response was different, based on the 930 surveys.

The public identified congestion as the top issue, safety as the second highest and maintenance of existing facilities as number three, Whitehurst said.

The consultant also noted the survey has a map, where people can place pins on areas where they believe a transportation improvement is needed.

How will transit figure into the county’s long-range transportation plans?

That improvement can involve a roadway, a trail, transit or other type of transportation facility, Whitehurst said.

So far, the map has about 2,000 pins indicating needed improvements. That doesn’t correlate to 2,000 separate suggestions because many pins can be clustered at a single location, he explained.

Along those lines, though, Whitehurst asked the board: What is the first project you would construct, if funding wasn’t an issue?

Their responses included the Orange Belt Trail and the intersection of U.S. 41/State Road 54 .

“The Orange Belt Trail was certainly a topic that came up in those meetings that we had back in December,,” Whitehurst said.

Safety along U.S. 19 was another issue that came up, when focusing specifically on bicycle and pedestrian improvements, he added.

Another project that’s been identified involves the widening of U.S. 301, between Tampa and Zephyrhills, he said.

That potential widening offers a great example of why it’s important to work with neighborhood MPOs, because a portion of U.S. 301 is in Pasco’s MPO and another portion is in Hillsborough’s MPO, Whitehurst said.

Another comment that has frequently surfaced deals with a lack of east-west roads in the county, the consultant said.

The online survey also asks the public to assign budget priorities to different types of transportation projects. Of the 930 responses, the public clearly identified roadway capacity and roadway maintenance as top priorities, Whitehurst said.

As more planning efforts are being made to provide ways for people to get around better within their communities, bicycle safety is expected to gain more attention.

While the initial work has been informative, much work remains to be done, the consultant said.

In coming months, community members will have additional opportunities to participate in shaping the vision and direction of the long-range transportation plan. 

That input will be received both through in-person meetings and in digital activities conducted through the planning project’s website.

Innovate Pasco 2050 “really will be the road map that the county will use through the MPO to fund transportation projects through the year 2050,” Whitehurst said.

It will define what projects are needed to address the county’s transportation needs through the year 2050 and beyond.

Once those projects are defined, then a determination will be made regarding local and federal sources that are available.

A priority list will be created and a cost feasible plan will identify how much of that work is possible, based on funding sources.

Whitehurst said that Kimley-Horn will create a State of the System Report, which will review existing and projected conditions. That report will be done in late January or early February, he said.

A needs plan will be done, which will include all types of transportation projects the consultants believe the county needs to look at through the year 2050 and beyond. That is expected to be completed in mid-March.

The cost feasible plan is expected to be completed toward the end of April.

The report and executive summary are scheduled to be written by the end of June, but final adoption is not expected until later in the year, Whitehurst said.

Get involved
Do you have thoughts about Pasco County’s roads, trails, sidewalks and other forms of transportation? Get involved in the county’s long-range transportation planning by signing up for email alerts and taking an online survey at InnovatePasco.com.

Published January 24, 2024