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Hernando Today

Spring Hill Attorney Steps Into State House Race

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By TONY MARRERO Hernando Today

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 26, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - The Democrats are back in the state House 44 race with a candidate who is already firing criticism at Republican incumbent Rob Schenck.

Jason Melton, a 34-year-old Spring Hill attorney, filed Thursday to step into the contest that Brooksville businessman Joe Puglia exited last week to focus on his wife's efforts to fight an illness.
Melton said Thursday he had considered jumping into the race earlier this year but decided to focus on his law practice. When Puglia left the race, Melton reconsidered.

"The fact is all the things that made the case to run have only gotten worse," Melton said in a telephone interview as he drove north on U.S. 19 on his way to Tallahassee to pay the nearly $2,000 qualifying fee. "Our economy continues to spin out of control and a lot is directly attributable to what's happened in the past six years and Schenck's leadership, or lack thereof."

The state relied too heavily on a booming housing market but didn't invest the windfall or focus enough on bringing diverse industry to the state, Melton said. Now that the bubble has burst, the state - and particularly Hernando County - is suffering for a lack of foresight and leadership, he said.
Melton said he would go to Tallahassee with at least three top priorities: attracting businesses to the state and particularly District 44, which includes most of Hernando and portions of Sumter and Pasco counties; reforming the way the state doles out money for education; and establishing a state-run insurance fund that would pay for wind damage if a major hurricane wallops Florida.

He said the state could increase revenue by taking away tax exemptions that only benefit the rich. As a Texas native who remembers washing off the tar after visits to the beaches there, he opposes oil drilling closer to Florida's coast.

He criticized Schenck for taking campaign contributions but failing to aggressively work to bring businesses here.

"All this money gets traded back and forth, and the citizens are left out," he said.

Schenck called Melton's assertions "typical political rhetoric."

He said he's fought for lower taxes during his term as a county commissioner and first term in Tallahassee. He co-sponsored the bill that forced local governments to roll back tax revenue to 2001 rates.

As for economic development, "That's one of the areas I'm most active in," he said.

Schenck pointed out that he authored the county's first economic incentive ordinance. And he filed a bill that would have brought economic development to the state's poorer areas. It was ultimately a casualty to a tight budget, he said.

'Pitbull without the lipstick'

A native of Dallas, Melton grew up in San Antonio the son of an "entrepreneur," he said. His father owned a retail clothing business and then started his own restaurant. Melton earned his bachelor's degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and a law degree from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

He had planned to enter politics after that but enjoyed the law and got a job as a prosecutor for the 11th Circuit in Miami.
Melton first came to Hernando County when he signed on as campaign manager for Robert Whittle, a fellow prosecutor who ran against U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite in 2004. Melton had been a registered Republican until then but switched after getting "fed up" with the party, especially President George Bush.

He liked Hernando County but also saw the "vacuum of professionals" here and decided to open a practice with Whittle in Spring Hill. He specializes in personal injury and criminal defense and serves as president of the Hernando County Bar Association. He recently got engaged to a staffer in the state attorney general's office.

Melton's decision to run is good news for Democrats and for democracy, Hernando County Democratic Party Chairman Jay Rowden said Thursday.

"He wants to give the people of Hernando County a choice, and without replacing Joe they wouldn't have that choice," Rowden said.

Rowden had been excited about Puglia's candidacy, but said that Melton has initially been his top pick for a Democratic challenger to snatch the seat away from Schenck.

"To take a phrase from Sarah Palin, I think Jason's a pit bull without the lipstick," Rowden said. "He's aggressive, and as a trial attorney he makes his living based on his ability to communicate."

There is a third candidate still in the race. Sarah Roman is a 22-year-old student from New Port Richey running on the Green Party ticket. Roman has done little if any campaigning.
Melton acknowledged he has a challenge ahead of him.

The ballots for the Nov. 4 election have already been printed, so Puglia's name will remain on the ballot, said Hernando Elections Supervisor Annie Williams.

Williams is required by law to post notices in each voting booth that a vote for Puglia is a vote for Melton. She has the option to include notices in any absentee ballots that have not been mailed. Most of the ballots - about 12,000 - have already gone out, but Williams said Thursday she will send notices out in the rest that go out.

The state Democratic Party is "excited" about Melton's candidacy, spokesman Eric Jotkoff said Thursday.

"He's a great candidate who will hold Rob Schenck accountable," Jotkoff said.

He couldn't say, however, what kind of financial support, if any, the state party will provide to Melton.

"We're still working on our exact strategy," he said.
Melton said he planned to spend at least some of his own money and would consider taking money from companies "only if they can show me something concrete they're going to do for the district." He'll also hit the streets and enlist help for a grassroots effort.

"I don't think in five weeks I can shake everybody's hand," he said, "but I will certainly be in the public shaking as many hands as I can."

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

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