We need better performance at ballot box, Capitol

By Ernest Hooper, Metro Columnist
In print: Monday, April 14, 2008

Jerry Beavon cuts one of the boards that will make a cart that will be shipped overseas to help people who have lost their legs from a mine or an accident.

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Instead of running on his record, it appears Hillsborough County Commissioner Brian Blair is trying to boost his candidacy by touting Stone Age values. His protest against high school teens observing a day of tolerance would be outrageous if it wasn't such a sad attempt to cloud his shoddy resume of accomplishments with an issue that isn't even the purview of the board.

Don't expect Blair to object to this criticism. I spelled his name right and that's all that really matters to him. He doesn't think Hillsborough voters have the sophistication to see through his subterfuge.

We can adopt a county mayor ordinance, we can change to seven single-member districts, but until we start doing a better job at the ballot box, I'm not sure it's ever going to matter. Sooner or later, we have to stand for something and stop falling for everything.

Double-dipping: doesn't work with salsa and chips and doesn't work with highly paid state employees.

My neighbor, a native of Spain, always says teen alcohol abuse isn't nearly the problem in Europe that it is here. Maybe we can learn from that difference and gain more insight into our own culture during Florida's Kids & Alcohol, a town hall meeting set for 5 p.m. Thursday at Gibbs High. WEDU-Ch. 3 airs the discussion April 24 at 9:30 p.m.

Seen on a bumper sticker: Don't eat your soul to fill your belly.

When you're young, you dream of making more money, buying a house and raising kids. But I miss my single days when I got a 1040EZ form and did my taxes every April 14 outside the post office. Only now do I appreciate the value of that E and Z.

That's all I'm saying.