An email from Alan Swartz, a Pinellas County Housing Authority member and Pinellas Park accountant, struck a nerve with County Commissioner Ken Welch on Wednesday morning. The reason? The Swartz email equates the Republican-led County Commission members possibly continuing part of the tax on tourist lodging with being an "a tax and spend Obama liberal."

"If you care to make a factual argument, I'd love to hear your positions.  If not, perhaps you should direct these mindless political cliches to my 5 Republican colleagues whom you 'know.' Just a thought," wrote Welch, a Democrat.

See the full exchange below.

On Oct 26, 2010, at 11:43 PM, "aswartz@swartzcpa.com" <aswartz@swartzcpa.com> wrote:

This information is the result of a Pinellas Online Customer Service form submission from the Pinellas County web site.

Comments--  I personally know five of you, each one who is a Republican.  Time to act like one, do not extend the tourist tax for a new stadium.  Also be very careful about extending the tax for other reasons.  In today's tough economy it is not the time to act like a tax and spend Obama liberal.
 

"Welch, Kenneth" <ktwelch@co.pinellas.fl.us>  10/27/2010 07:37 AM   
To  <aswartz@swartzcpa.com>
cc
Subject  Re: Commission to Discuss extending tourist tax as Stadium funding source

Mr. Swartz - "Obama Liberal" seems to be a popular phrase among some these days, but mostly among those with no substantive argument on the real issues.  Do you care to define the term, or how keeping a current tax (paid by tourists) which supports our local economy and our largest industry is "liberal"?

If you care to make a factual argument, I'd love to hear your positions.  If not, perhaps you should direct these mindless political cliches to my 5 Republican colleagues whom you "know". Just a thought.

Regards.

KT

 
Commissioner Kenneth T. Welch