Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Election results

'Independent' Steingold wins in Safety Harbor

His grass roots campaign succeeds in keeping Debbie White from staying on the commission and brings in a "new face."

By MEGAN SCOTT
Published March 9, 2005

SAFETY HARBOR - With most of his financial support coming from his own pocket, Andy Steingold gained voters' approval Tuesday to win a one-year term on the Safety Harbor Commission.

With 62 percent of the vote, Steingold defeated Commissioner Debbie White to complete former commissioner Neil Brickfield's term. Brickfield resigned in November to run for Pinellas County Commission; Fran Barnhisel has been serving in the interim.

Steingold celebrated his victory at home, taking care of his wife and three children, all sick with the flu.

"I had no idea that I would win by the margin I won by," said Steingold, a lawyer in Tampa. "I did work very, very hard. I think it shows that people want independent representation on the commission, and they're ready for some new faces."

Steingold, 44, ran a grass roots campaign. He raised $6,300, most of that his own.

He knocked on more than a thousand doors and stood on street corners waving his sign in the mornings. He ran as the independent voice on the commission and told voters he wanted to break up the "good old girl" network on the commission.

White, who raised more than $9,200, had support from several political insiders, including Safety Harbor Mayor Pam Corbino, Commissioner Nadine Nickeson and Barnhisel. She also had backing from County Commission Chairman John Morroni, County Commissioner Susan Latvala and Clearwater attorney Ed Armstrong.

She was appointed out of 18 applicants in August to fill Robin Borland's seat, and promised not to run for that seat.

"I'm disappointed, but the voters had their say. I'll tell you what I really enjoyed was walking the neighborhood. We have a lot of great citizens and caring citizens. It was super to meet the people," she said.

White, a 20-year resident of Safety Harbor, and her friends knocked on more than 4,000 doors in the months leading up to Election Day.

On Tuesday, they divvied up to make sure someone was at each precinct waving a blue and white sign supporting her.

White was vice president of governmental affairs and economic development for the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce. She also was president of the Safety Harbor Chamber.

Steingold was a candidate for state House and Hillsborough County Court judge in the early 1990s.

This campaign was more intense, he said, mainly because he has a family and had only two months to persuade voters that he was the best candidate.

On Tuesday, however, he was pumped up - and tired. He said he had received many thumbs-up and waves from people.

A few told him they voted for him because they wanted to see a new face, he said. A couple of others said they were equally concerned about Safety Harbor keeping its small town feel.

The main difference between the two candidates was their vision of development. Steingold opposes Harbour Pointe, the mixed-use development going up on the corner of Bayshore Boulevard and Main Street. He also is worried about the spa property, which was recently purchased by the same company.

White supported Harbour Pointe, accepting money from the developer, Olympia Development, but later returned the funds.

But opposing Harbour Pointe won't be Steingold's first order of business.

Steingold wants to establish a neighborhood association advisory group, comprised of presidents from the 50 neighborhood associations in Safety Harbor.

"That was one of the things I wanted to get going so our neighborhood issues can be addressed," he said. "I also want to make sure we're going to be fiscally responsible.

About 2,000 residents cast ballots, about 15 percent of the registered voters. Both candidates said turnout seemed low, especially in the morning.

Voters also passed all five charter amendments on the ballot.

1. The City Charter will be reviewed only at the time of a regular city election. (The charter is reviewed every 10 years. If the review year falls in a non-election year, the charter will be reviewed the next year.)

Votes %

2. Any city commissioner will be removed from office if he or she has two unexcused absences at two consecutive regular meetings or misses a total of four in a year. (The number now is three and eight.)

Votes %

3. Only 10 percent of the population is required to initiate a referendum petition (it's now 20 percent).

Votes %

4. Certain city officials would not be required to post a public official bond.

Votes %

5. The city would adopt its budget and property tax rate in accordance with the state law. (This is already done.)

Votes %

[Last modified March 9, 2005, 00:55:19]