Tuesday, April 18, 2006

3:15 PM on Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Tiger Bay members, county candidates go a second round

By ABBY SLUTSKY

News Chief staff

BARTOW - Members of the Tiger Bay Club of Polk County had a second chance to ask county commission candidates the questions that matter to Polk County residents.

Commissioner Paul Senft and district 4 contenders Jean Reed, Martha Santiago and Bruce Parker were given a chance to present both their views and themselves to citizens.

The four candidates P of which only Senft has yet to officially announce his candidacy P were each given an opportunity to answer questions on county issues.

When asked how they would have voted on the two municipal service taxing units (MSTUs) which were approved by the current commission, only Senft said he would have voted in favor of the tax increase (which he did in fact vote for during the publichearing).

"I would not have voted for the MSTUs," Reed said.

With the aftermath of 2004's hurricanes, Reed, the only democrat running for the seat, said, tax payers were already in financial difficulties.

"2005 was a very difficult year for Polk County. It was not a time to institute a large tax increase," Reed said.

Before instituting tax increases, Reed said, she would have liked to see the results of the increased impact fees.

Santiago also said she would not have voted in favor of the MSTUs.

"(The current commission) can not claim success on the expense of other people's hard earned money," Santiago said. "I'm for libraries but I'm also for using what we have and using it well."

Santiago said the numerous schools around the county and the current libraries can be used for library services rather than increasing taxes to pay for new libraries.

Parker said approving the MSTUs after a voter poll showed a lack of support in them, showed a "lack of integrity" in the current commission.

Instead of approving MSTUs, Parker said, the commission should look at the budget and set priorities for what the county needs.

Parker also said the commission should be responsible for showing the voters exactly where the money in the budget has gone.

abby.slutsky@newschief.com