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Hernando Today

Time To Choose

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TONY MARRERO

Published: January 26, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - BROOKSVILLE - Democrats are angry enough after two terms of George W. Bush and excited about their choice of candidates to show up in force.

Republicans are motivated by a close race between candidates whose stances are far from being in lockstep.

Democrats, though eager for tax relief, tend to wonder if Amendment 1 is the right answer and worry it would do more harm than good.

Republicans consider it crazy to turn down any kind of tax cut.

These are some of the thoughts likely on the minds of many Hernando County voters as they head to the polls for Tuesday's primary, according to the local heads of the two major parties.

Jay Rowden, chairman of the Hernando County Democratic Executive Committee, said he is encouraged by the motivation among Democrats to vote despite the national party's decision to not count Florida's delegates as a way to punish the state for moving up the primary.

"They're mad about that, they're mad about the last eight years and the state of the country in general, and they're going to vote regardless," Rowden said.

Democrats are indeed showing up, according to the Hernando County Supervisor of Elections.

As of close of voting on Friday, 6,850 county residents had voted early. Of those, 3,002 were Democrats and 3,104 were Republicans.

As well, 4,041 absentee ballots also had been returned. The figure was split almost even between the two parties, with Democrats sporting a five-ballot edge.

The local parties do not endorse candidates during the primary, but Rowden and his Republican counterpart, Ana Trinque, were willing to offer their personal thoughts on the races. Both had already voted by Friday.

Trinque admitted that the decision was "a tough one" for her. Although she stressed she isn't a "one-issue person," Mike Hucakbee's support of the Fair Tax helped to sway her.

The tax would ditch the current tax code almost in its entirety and replace it with a sales tax on most goods.

"I think it would turn this country around in many, many ways," such as helping bolster Social Security and encouraging more corporations to return their operations to American soil, Trinque said.

Trinque predicted a split in Hernando between Mitt Romney and John McCain. Giuliani could get a bump from the high number of New York transplants here.

Romney's signs have sprouted throughout the county. McCain is well-liked in the party, but has angered some party faithful, Trinque said, by opposing President George W. Bush's tax cuts and not taking a firm enough stand on immigration.

"I know he's supposed to be a maverick, but he seems to side with the Democrats on lots of issues," Trinque said.

Rowden said his party is flush with good options.

He said Sen. Hillary Clinton's mandatory health care plan has been generally well-received. It's an issue Republicans have all but ignored, he said.

But Rowden said he personally supports John Edwards because he "addresses the underlying single component to our problems, and that's the fact that the pendulum has swung to corporate America."

"They're running the place, and that has to change," he said.

Turning down a tax cut?

The old adage that voters never turn down a tax cut will probably hold true for Amendment 1, Rowden conceded.

But he thinks it's going to be a lot closer than most tax votes, especially among Democrats who he said are more worried about the effect that the loss of revenue will have on services in a state that is already facing a $2 billion shortfall next year.

"The only words I have for Charlie Crist are be careful what you wish for," he said.

The amendment would: Increase the exemption for homesteaded homeowners; make the Save Our Homes benefit "portable"; cap property assessment increases for nonhomesteaded property at no more than 10 percent each year; and create a new $25,000 property exemption for some business equipment and mobile home property.

Trinque said her party has been "vigorous" in its support of the amendment.

"Everyone's saying it's not a savior, but it's a start," Trinque said.

Trinque said she also is encouraged by talk from members of the state's Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, which will meet this year to come up with more tax reform proposals. She knows some of the members personally, including Chairman Allan Bense.

"They're really confident they're going to come up with something good," Trinque said.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotoday.com.

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