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For Hillsborough County Commission

In print: Thursday, October 16, 2008

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During the next four years, the Hillsborough County Commission faces serious questions: how to jump-start the local economy, where to begin on a regional plan to expand mass transportation and whether to consolidate some city-county services. The countywide race for District 6 is the voters' best chance to put new, forward-thinking leadership on the commission.

Ken Hagan

District 2 (north Hillsborough)

Ken Hagan, the 41-year-old Republican incumbent, has a sorry record on almost every issue, and he is inaccessible and arrogant. But his challenger is a mystery man who qualified as a write-in candidate and then disappeared. Voters have no real choice.

For Hillsborough County Commission District 2, the Times recommends Ken Hagan.

Al Higginbotham

District 4 (east Hillsborough)

Challenger Pete Gifford, a 36-year-old electrical contractor, is right that the current commission offers no vision. But neither does this no-party candidate.

Al Higginbotham, the Republican incumbent, at least has a grip on the facts and a feel for this east county district. Higginbotham, 54, has shown a moderate streak among his fellow commission Republicans, voicing support for mass transit and recognizing the need for environmental preservation. He is accessible and takes the job seriously.

For Hillsborough County Commission District 4, the Times recommends Al Higginbotham. Kevin Beckner

District 6 (countywide)

Brian Blair should have used his first term to dispel doubts about his qualifications and judgment. Instead he chose to focus on trivial issues and inflame cultural wars over religion and sexuality. Florida's fourth-largest county has more serious issues, and Blair's challenger is up to the job.

After four years in office, Blair still relies on dogma and written talking points to stumble through the breeziest of policy discussions. It is hard to understand how someone so active in the community can spend so much time and effort dividing its citizens. Blair, 51, used his commission pulpit to denigrate gays and non-Christians. His political priority was to help developers by killing the county's wetlands protections, an effort that ultimately failed. Four years of Blair's divisiveness is more than enough.

His challenger, Democrat Kevin Beckner, would bring vision and sensitivity to this countywide job. A financial planner and former police officer, Beckner, 37, would move away from wedge issues and focus on real challenges — creating jobs, improving the transportation system, building parks and preserving endangered land. Beckner has commonsense ideas for jump-starting the local economy, making government more efficient and using mass transit to lessen the pain of high gas prices.

As important, Beckner also would change the tone. He wants to give the neighborhoods a bigger voice at County Center and open up the decisionmaking process. Beckner is a good listener. His respectful demeanor and businesslike approach could spare this board from making rash decisions. He also would raise the commission's ethical bar.

For Hillsborough County Commission District 6, the Times recommends Kevin Beckner.