Stabins Takes First Round

County Commissioner Jeff Stabins handily beat his two Republican opponents in the District 1 race Tuesday, an early indicator of the staying power of the incumbent board.

There has been a loud anti-incumbent voice in Hernando County since last summer, when the board passed an unpopular budget. But that voice was muted Thursday with Stabins' easy victory.

Stabins was the first to face the voting litmus test, after months of public outcry against perceived overspending in county government. He defeated Jon "JAZ" Zydenbos and Michael Burmann.

Stabins will face Democrat Ramon Gutierrez in the Nov. 4 general election. Incumbent Democrats Chris Kingsley and Diane Rowden will face their opponents in that general election.

In other county commission races: Former School Board member John Druzbick easily beat his two Republican challengers Wayne Dukes and Charles Gaskin for the District 3 seat.

Druzbick will face Democrat Diane Rowden in the November general election.

For 12 years, John Druzbick was a fixture on the Hernando County School Board and worked closely with county commissioners when school concerns dovetailed with government projects.

Republican James Adkins, who retired as Brooksville Fire Chief in 1998, narrowly defeated William "Billy" Healis III for the District 5 commission race.

Adkins ran on a platform of lower taxes, less government and business experience. Healis gathered $24,095 in his campaign - more money than his two Republican challengers combined - and had broad business community support. But that wasn't enough to catch up to Adkins.

At press time, 53 of 56 precincts had reported.

The vote totals must still be finalized by the canvassing board.

Stabins: Will Finish What He Started

Stabins, 48, told Hernando Today he needed another four years to finish what he started and see some of the projects started under his watch reach fruition.

Stabins said the commission, under the guidance of County Administrator David Hamilton, has begun streamlining departments and is seeking ways to reduce spending.

He wants to get the budget "back in shape" and explore more cost-cutting strategies.

During his stint as commission chairman in 2007, Stabins substituted the traditional moment of silence at the beginning of commission meetings for invocations.

He tailored the invocation to the work at hand that day, a practice continued by current chairman Chris Kingsley.

It was Stabins who also started inviting local veterans to recite the pledge of allegiance at the start of county commission meetings.

Stabins said he realizes that residents are heavily burdened by taxes and, to affect relief, the board has reduced the millage rate 25 percent in the last three years.

He is advocating a $700-across-the-board raise for all full-time employees. For workers on the low end of the pay scale, that $700 represents a significant amount, he said.

For higher-paid managers, "at least it's something," Stabins said.

To stimulate the economy, Stabins recently unveiled his Housing Enhancement Loan Program (HELP), which would provide zero-percent loans from the already-existing State Housing Initiatives Program to people whose homes are valued at less than $30,000.

Druzbick: Ready For Rowden

Druzbick, 57, attributes his victory to his long tenure on the school board and his 30 years business experience in the county.

He doesn't plan to change his message now.

"I believe I can show the positive things and changes that can be done to hold the county government more accountable than it is today," he said. "(Diane Rowden) is a very hard campaigner and it is going to be a very tough campaign but I just believe I can bring this county forward into a much more positive light than it is now.

"(Presidential candidate Barack) Obama is saying, 'Change, change, change.' Change can be good or bad. I'm talking about positive change with proven programs to reduce our spending."

Druzbick played up his school board experience during the campaign and said he supervised a $440-million budget and 3,000 employees, will serve him well as county commissioner.

Druzbick is owner and operator of Custom Discount Blinds. The 20-year resident of Hernando County says it is time to rein in government overspending.

He is hoping his long-time experience as school board member where he supervised a $440-million budget and 3,000 employees, will serve him well as county commissioner.

Druzbick is also owner and operator of Custom Discount Blinds.

He said he will press for zero-based budgeting and tax accountability. The county's budget, he said, has grown disproportionately to the rise in population.

With the exception of David Russell, who owns a pool company, Druzbick believes there is a lack of "business sense" on the county board.

Adkins: 'Stop Frivolous Spending'

Adkins, 59, said after taking a few days off from the campaign wars, he plans to assemble his staff and determine the strategy of beating Kingsley in November.

He said he looks forward to the challenge. "He was a firefighter, I was a fire chief. He has less hair, I have more hair," he joked. "He's a liberal and I'm a conservative."

Adkins, who lost his bid for the District 5 commission seat in 2004, vowed this run for county commission would be his last.

"If I lose this primary, you won't see me running again," he told Hernando Today.

Adkins believes he has much to offer the citizens of Hernando County, including restoring responsible leadership.

Adkins says he wants to reduce what he sees as frivolous spending by county commissioners.

The board, he said, did not come down hard enough on department manager budgets and there was little oversight on their spending habits.

"The word 'no' was very seldom used," Adkins said.

To stimulate the economy, the county must do more to attract large, clean industry to the industrial parks and promote more financial incentives to get them here.

"My whole message has been less taxes, less government and more personal freedom (and) I want to give some power back to the people."

Votes cast and percentages (53 out of 56 precincts):

District 1

Jeff Stabins - 3,231 (43.92)

Michael Burmann - 2,126 (28.90)

Jon "Jaz' Zydenbos - 2,000 (27.18)

District 3

John Druzbick - 3,693 (51.30)

Wayne Dukes - 2,389 (33.19)

Charles Gaskin - 1,117 (15.52)

District 5

James Adkins - 3,368 (46.55)