Hillsborough County Commission District 6 | Democratic primary

Winner: Kevin Beckner

The District 6, at-large Democratic primary race features two repeat, and as of yet unsuccessful, candidates for office in strip club owner and business entrepreneur Joe Redner and activist and paralegal Denise Layne. The two are joined by first-timer Kevin Beckner, a financial planner who says he brings fresh ideas.

	Kevin Beckner, 37	Denise Layne, 53	Joe Redner, 68
Experience	Beckner has worked as a certified financial planner practitioner for nine years. A native of Michigan City, Ind., he has previously run a music entertainment business and worked three years as a police officer in Bloomington, Ind. He was the 2006 class president of Leadership Tampa Bay, is on the board of directors of Metropolitan Community Church, and has been active with the Human Rights Council, the Ybor City Chamber of Commerce, Tampa Bay Business Guild and Francis House. He received a bachelor of arts from Indiana University.	Layne has been a paralegal and owner of Paralegal Associates Inc. for 19 years. A native of Chicago, she is the president of and lobbyist for the Coalition 4 Responsible Growth. She has previously been a volunteer and lobbyist for the Florida chapter of the Sierra Club. She is the past president of the Lutz Civic Association. She has twice run unsuccessfully for the County Commission. Layne attended Hillsborough Community College.	Redner is best known as the owner of the Mons Venus strip club. Other business ventures include Xtreme Total Health & Fitness in South Tampa and a television production company. He owns other commercial property. This is his eighth try at winning office. A native of Hackensack, N.J., Redner has spent 60 years in Tampa. He is a high school dropout with a high school equivalency diploma..
The pitch	Beckner says the current commission lacks a long-term vision for the community. As a financial planner, he says, he has the training to formulate a strategy for the future, and that is something that is particularly critical in these uncertain financial times.	Layne has been a state and local activist for 10 years and says she has an understanding of the most critical issues, from transportation to water and growth management. She thinks she could work closely with more moderate board members to forge a bloc on the commission to tackle those issues.	Redner said he believes county government is doing many things wrong, from failing to protect the environment to controlling growth while still spurring economic development. As a successful businessman, he thinks he has some of the answers to the issues that plague the county and the right mentality to change things
Quote	“We need to come together as a board and say, 'What is our vision and what are the real global priorities of our county?’ and that’s the first thing I’d work on.”.	“I want our government to serve the public, for a change, instead of the special interests. People are crying for someone with my talents and knowledge.”	“If I don’t get in there to help stop the carnage, then I haven’t done my job or at least tried. I just think I’m smarter and more honest and I think I understand the problems better than other people do.”
Chief asset?	His experience as a certified financial planner practitioner.	Proven experience working with all interests, from the public to government to developers.	Says he uniquely understands the problems facing county government and has the know-how to fix them.
County mayor, yes or no?	Hasn’t decided.	Supports. Briefly volunteered with the group promoting the initiative.	Supports it. Says it’s essentially the same form of government that works at the state and federal level.
Should residents vote on growth plan changes?	Beckner said he thinks residents should have a greater voice in growth plan changes but doesn’t support letting them vote on changes, saying they elect commissioners to make those decisions and should vote them out if they are not happy with their record.	Opposes. Appreciates the idea and discussion it has spurred. But says she fears it ultimately would pit neighborhood against neighborhood because various community-level plans are embedded in the county’s overall growth plan.	“Absolutely.”
Extend ELAPP? Yes or no?	Yes. Supports the November ballot proposal that would renew the program for buying environmentally valuable lands to protect them for posterity.	Yes	Yes
Assets	Home, car, investments	Home, real estate, cars, investments, paralegal business, bank accounts	Cars, home, real estate, cash, investments
Liabilities	Credit card, mortgage.	Car payment	Loans, car
Source of income	Salary from American Financial, investments	Paralegal business	Salary from business, rental and investment income.
Net worth	$791,804	$523,570	$19.9-million
Personal	In a committed relationship	Married to Charles William Layne, one adult son	Divorced, with four children
Web site	Yes	Yes	Yes
E-mail	Yes	Yes	Yes

About the job: Hillsborough County commissioners oversee a $3.9-million budget, run the Environmental Protection Commission and make ordinance and zoning changes. The District 6 seat is an at-large position, meaning it serves voters countywide. The job currently pays $91,995.