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08-03-2008, 11:55 AM
A Realtor running for county commission said he was "floored" when he learned he was not endorsed by the organization created to promote the local real estate industry.

Instead, the endorsement went with a commissioner who has publicly blasted the real estate market for creating "inflated values" for properties that would eventually come "crashing down."

Political endorsements from various groups have been coming in during the past couple of weeks, but the one by the Hernando County Realtors' Association surprised and stung one of the candidates.

Jon "JAZ" Zydenbos is the Realtor who was passed over in favor of incumbent Jeff Stabins, who earlier this year complained of soaring property costs and laid the blame squarely on those "reckless" individuals in the local real estate market.

The two are competing in the Aug. 26 Republican primary for the District 1 seat.

"I was floored," Zydenbos said of the Stabins endorsement. "He did very, very little. All he did was sit on the board and criticize."

Zydenbos also said the small sect of Realtors on the election board is a wealthy group that can take a few verbal and financial hits and still survive. Most Realtors rely more heavily on politicians who will look out for them. He believes he is a better alternative because of his background.

"I'm seeking the endorsement of the general public and the Realtor industry in general," Zydenbos said.

After initially feeling spurned by the local Realtors' association, he said he feels "encouraged much more than ever" to win the primary.

Zydenbos, Stabins and other candidates recently were interviewed by the association's board of directors. The committee made its decision based on the answers the candidates gave, said President Barbara Hahn.

"He had the better answers," she said of Stabins.

She would not go into detail about which of Stabins' answers were the best. She did not want the questions published in any article.

"What we had pertains to the Board of Realtors," she said.

Other than Stabins, the association endorsed Republican John Druzbick – who is running for District 3, which is currently occupied by Democrat Diane Rowden – and Democrat Chris Kingsley in the District 5 race.

Kingsley is running unopposed in the primary, but the Republican field includes James Adkins, Billy Healis III and Michael Robinson.

"Everyone has their opinions," Hahn said. "Unfortunately, some people are unhappy."

The Hernando Builders' Association will announce its endorsements following the primary, a spokeswoman said.

Incumbents earn fire union's endorsement; fire commissioner Giammarco does not

The Professional Firefighters of Spring Hill Local 2794 is supporting anyone other than one of the incumbents on the fire board – the one who opposes an independent fire district.

"Our decision in this race was based on our support of the special district issue," President Troy Hagar wrote in an e-mail to Hernando Today. "All candidates except one has stated (he is) committed to seeing that Spring Hill Fire Rescue stay within the hands of a local board. Only current sitting Commissioner Robert Giammarco has publicly denounced the consensus of the rest of the board.

"Given that, we would be proud to have any of the other candidates serve the district," he continued.

The other five candidates running for the two open seats are incumbent George Biro, Amy Brosnan, Benjamin Edwards, James Monk and John Pasquale.

Spring Hill voters will decide Nov. 4 whether they want their fire district to be independent from the county. If they vote no, the fire board would be dissolved and the county commission would become the governing body for the department.

Giammarco has said if voters opt for independence, he would step down. If they vote no, the board would no longer exist and his election would be moot.

Hagar criticized the fire commissioner's reasoning.

"(His) purpose for running and commitment are questionable at best," he wrote.

Giammarco said his aim is to keep his philosophy of fiscal responsibility on the forefront during the coming months.

"I think that word is getting out to people because more and more of them are showing up to meetings and asking much tougher questions," he said.

Hagar also stated the union has endorsed all three of the incumbents on the county commission – Stabins, Kingsley and Rowden.

The local Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 164, the union that represents sheriff's deputies from Hernando and Citrus counties, said they have endorsed incumbents Richard Nugent and Jeffrey J. Dawsy in the local sheriff's races.

The FOP will announce its county commission endorsements in the next two or three weeks, said union spokesman Steve Klapka.

Sorry Luke They do not want you,, This is one of many endorsements that you will never see.... :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: