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Bowen: Assessing the political damage in Heritage Lake

 
Published July 9, 2015

The Heritage Lake Estates neighborhood in west Pasco is a popular destination for high-profile, door-to-door campaigning. Jeb Bush visited twice as governor to champion his brother's presidential bids. Legislative candidate Richard Corcoran spent Election Day 2010 camped outside the clubhouse greeting voters, and Charlie Crist stopped by last year to woo the residents in this Republican stronghold.

But, Gov. Rick Scott, who edged Crist by 17 votes in this precinct eight months ago, probably should skip it next time around if he does, indeed, run for the U.S. Senate. The neighbors in the adjoining Riverside Village likely won't be too hospitable either.

Nearly 1,600 homeowners in the neighborhoods are now staring at the potential of forking over $135 annually for 15 years to pay off Pasco County's purchase of 41 undeveloped acres. The county acquired the land last year to settle a zoning dispute amid promises from now-state Rep. Corcoran, R-Land O'Lakes, to seek state dollars to offset the assessments.

Scott signed the 2014 state budget that included $1 million for the project, but the benevolence didn't last long. Last month, he retracted the appropriation while also vetoing an additional $1.5 million included in the 2015-16 Legislature-approved budget.

"I guess Gov. Scott was willing to say 'yes' then since it was the election year,'' said Dory Nussbacher, who lives on Amazon Drive. "I deeply regret voting for him. If he runs for any elected office again, I vow never to vote for him.''

"Gov. Scott obviously can't be trusted,'' said Ken Tucker of Leyte Court.

Their comments were emailed to Pasco Tax Collector Mike Fasano, a former Heritage Lake Estates homeowner, who sent the residents a June 26 letter informing them of the veto and the possible future assessment.

''I was just stunned, to say the least,'' Bob Rock, president of the Heritage Lake Community Association, said in an interview. "My thoughts were, how can you veto something already passed and appropriated?''

Rock is optimistic things will work out. For now, there is a temporary reprieve. The county won't set an assessment until 2016, and Corcoran said he will again seek state funding next year.

Of course, that's not all Corcoran said. He blamed Pasco County for building a new office building for its Utilities Department in Land O'Lakes instead of spending the money elsewhere. He blamed the county staff for being too powerful. He blamed the state Senate for filling the state budget with pork.

The person he did not blame is Scott.

"Hard-working taxpayers deserve to have their money zealously protected,'' Corcoran said via Twitter after the vetoes. "Well done Governor!''

Corcoran repeated the sentiments last week. "In totality, the budget was full of pork, and I think, in totality, his vetoes were very good,'' he said.

How's this for pork? The $250,000 for the band shell and stage at the Land O'Lakes Community Center did not go through the required budget-vetting process, but escaped Scott's veto pen. It's in Corcoran's district. A $1 million request from Corcoran friend Sheriff Chris Nocco for a refurbished gun range at Pasco-Hernando State College police academy emerged unscathed as well.

A new kitchen for elderly nutrition meals, transitional housing for the homeless and a beautification program to spur economic investment along U.S. 19 did not make the grade.

"Every business owner on U.S. 19 should be upset over that,'' said state Rep. Amanda Murphy, D-New Port Richey.

Indeed. At least they are not looking at absorbing a $2,000 assessment over the next 15 years.

"The actions of the governor are inexplicable,'' Fasano wrote to his former neighbors. "I do not understand nor can comprehend what motivated him to turn 180 degrees on this issue.''

"The answer is simple,'' replied Grant and Dolores Risinger of Sheffield Drive. "When he made the promise, it was an election year.''

Maybe that will be a benefit to these people.

After all, Corcoran, the governor's chief Pasco County apologist, is running for re-election next year.