Hernando County Commission | District 1, Republican Primary

Winner: Jeff Stabins

Three Republican candidates are running in the District 1 race for the County Commission. The winner will take on the sole Democrat seeking the seat, Ramon Gutierrez, in the November general election. The candidates in the primary are incumbent Jeff Stabins and challengers Michael Burmann, a home inspector, and Jon “Jaz’’ Zydenbos, a Realtor and mortgage broker.

	Michael Burmann, 48	Jeff Stabins, 48	Jon “Jaz” Zydenbos, 63
Experience	Burmann has spent the last two years as a home inspector for the My Safe Florida Home program. Previously, he had worked as a community construction manager for Winward Homes and a project manager for Graant Hommes, both businesses in Tampa. A native of Woodstock, Ill., he came to the area 22 years ago. He graduated from McHenry High School in McHenry, Ill., and attended Northern Illinois University.	Stabins came to Hernando County 21 years ago. Born in Watertown, N.Y., he has been a commissioner for one term and served as a state representative from 1992 through 1998. A home instruction teacher for the Hernando County School Board, he graduated from Watertown High School, earned his bachelor’s degree from Excelsior College and his master’s from St. Lawrence University. He has been active in the First Hernando Republican Club and is a member of the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce.	A native of Jersey City, N.J., Zydenbos has been in the area for four years. A mortgage broker and real estate agent since 2005, he was previously the owner of American Auto Warranty and Trade Cycles Consulting, both businesses in Pasco County. He is a graduate of Passaic Valley High School and attended the University of New Hampshire, the University of Maryland and the University of Massachusetts. A Vietnam veteran, he has been active in Relay for Life, the Hernando Beach Club, the Hernando Classroom Teachers Association and the Hernando County Board of Realtors.
Platform	His plan is to further reduce property taxes and curtail government spending. “There is such an imbalance in the property taxes in our county today and something must be done about it. It is the biggest reason for our economic problems and for the foreclosure rate in our county,’’ he said. He also wants to heal the relationship between Hernando residents and their county government and make officials more accountable.	With the County Commission currently downsizing county government operations, he says he wants to continue to be part of that process. “I have a strong background in education and 10 years of public service in the state Legislature and on the County Commission. I also believe I have the intelligence and temperament to be an effective and compassionate commissioner. I also have a sense of humor, which comes in very handy, on occasion,’’ he said.	He supports additional property tax cuts, additional homestead exemptions and charter government. To help Hernando County’s economy, he would develop business partnerships with major Florida cities and push to develop the Hernando County Airport as a feeder port to major airlines. He would also examine existing rail lines for possible use for commuter service to Tampa and Orlando. He also wants to improve the county’s Web site.
What are your ideas to stimulate job growth and diversify the tax base?	He supports aggressive incentives to attract a large business to the airport’s industrial park. He also wants to help out the many people in construction who are without jobs by using public dollars to employ workers to make Hernando homes more storm-safe.	He supports further incentives to entice businesses, and possibly even a reduction in the county’s industrial impact fees for a set time. Permitting should be streamlined for businesses that employ higher-wage workers. Vocational education programs should also be designed to mesh with types of skilled labor new businesses need.	More tax incentives, real estate credits and tax abatements are needed for small and medium sized businesses to make Hernando more competitive with other minor markets. “Auto manufacturing from foreign makers is also prevalent throughout the South. It would be a hit in Hernando County,’’ he said.
Do you support continued funding of THE Bus? How do you increase ridership?	He does not support continued funding for THE Bus. “There are better, more efficient ways to meet the needs of citizens with special needs,’’ he says.	He supports THE Bus at a decreased level of county subsidy. He supports higher fares and believes that gas prices will make the service more attractive. “As I have said before, the best way to increase ridership is to watch gas prices rise about $4 a gallon,’’ he said.	“We need to abolish THE Bus,’’ he says. “Bring back the vans or faith-based initiatives in transportation, including volunteers.’’
Assets	Home, vehicles, timeshare and bank accounts	Home, savings and retirement	Vehicle, household goods, shop equipment and furniture
Liabilities	Mortgage, car loan, other loans	None	Loans
Source of income	Salary, business income and unemployment	County Commission salary, school district salary and interest on savings	Real estate and mortgage company earnings
Personal	He and his wife, Diana, have two grown children	He is single	He is divorced and has four children
Web site	Yes	None	Yes
E-mail	Yes	Yes	Yes
Net worth	$108,447	$403,000	$126,473

About the job: County commissioners are elected to four-year terms and earn an annual salary of $59,552. They are elected in a countywide vote but must live in the district of the seat they are seeking. District 1 encompasses a portion of Spring Hill.