The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 151

THE TAMPA TRIBUNE. Thursday. September 18, 1980 5- Pasco Hospital Officials Making Plans To Push Taxing District Proposal By KATHY HOYT Tribune Staff Writer NEW PORT RICHEY Although the Special Hospital District Ordinance that will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot won't be worded exactly as hospital officials had wished, they're still ready to give their all to see that it passes. The Pasco County Commission Tuesday approved the ordinance, which creates a special taxing district that will levy an annual tax of up to two mills a year for a period not longer than 10 years.

A mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of taxable property. The ordinance will be put to Pasco voters so they can decide if they want to help support financially troubled West Pasco and Jackson Memorial hospitals. The ordinance adopted by the commission differed from what had originally been re quested by the boards of trustees of both hospitals. The trustees had requested that a total of two mills be levied for a period of 10 years. County Attorney Jerry Figurski recommended against setting a mandatory two-mill figure, saying that would create artificial restraints because the value of a mill could change drastically within the next 10 years.

"My basic attitude has to do with flexibility over a period of years," he said. The hospital boards had also requested that it be specifically stated that iyz of those two mills would go toward capital improvements for the facilities, while the other one-half mill would go to indigent care. The adopted ordinance included no such specifications as to how the money would be used. County Administrator Scott Barnes agreed with Figurski's recommendation. "I think you'll make an error if you lock into a 10-year period," Barnes said.

"I would recommend against that. I don't think it's needed." County Commissioner Mike Olson said he would not vote for a flat two mills, because of its probable fluctuation in value. The reason they asked for two mills was so future county commissions could not hedge," Olson said. "We have to start somewhere." He added that he thought a locked-in two-mill figure would hurt the ordinance's chances of passing in November. "I don't see a way in the world the public is going to pass this referendum if they're locked in to two mills," he said.

"You just can't lock the people in to a two-mill figure for the next 10 years." Roger Michaels, chairman of the board of trustees for West Pasco, said the trustees of both hospitals would still rather see the two-mill figure made final. He said that although everyone admitted they presently had a good and conscientious County Commission, there was no guarantee that would always be true. Under the approved ordinance, the County Commission is the governing body of the special hospital district "Our point in asking for the two mills is because it would take the politics out of the hospital," Michaels said, adding, "I think our boards do concede we do have a good board of county commissioners. You seem to have the situation pretty well in hand." Michaels said the boards would go along with the commission's decision. Then, in answer to questions from some members in the audience about where the boards were getting money to help promote passage of the ordinance in November, Michaels said all funds were coming from private donors and not from the hospital.

"Just as you candidates had to raise money to sell yourself to the voters, so do we," he said. To educate the public, we need to use media and mail-outs. We have secured some money from friends of the hospital, concerned citizens and business. "We've already raised $13,000 to $14,000 because people do care." Michaels said the boards had a regular bank account and officers and were using the Jackson Memorial Hospital foundation as their base. "We are operating totally in accord with the rules and regulations," Michaels said.

"We have not spent any money from Jackson Memorial Hospital or West Pasco Hospital." He said board members planned to attend political rallies and ask for a chance to speak in favor of the hospital tax. mmm Charlie. From Page 1 How does he feel about it? Inventory Clearance Sale 1 Limited Quantities Prices Good While They Lost His only reply is a hollow laugh. What does his wife say about him going to work every day and not bringing home a pay check? His laughter becomes even more mournful. How does he pay the household bills? "I had some bread put by, but it's going fast," reg.

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The money from the sale of WFSH? He nods agreement. His expression indicates it's time to change the subject. What went wrong at WPAS? "Ask (Lincoln) Mayo about his broadcasting philosophy," Wister says cryptically. He refuses to elaborate. But the phone number for Mayo is not in service, and I can't find anyone who knows his address.

It's as if he does not exist. But Ayres says Lincoln Mayo was much in evidence at WPAS between last fall and this summer, when the courts decided to turn over the station's operation to Ayres. Mayo is from Plattsburg, N.Y., and has spent many years in broadcasting, Ayres says. What is Mayo's philosophy? Ayres tugs at his pencil-thin mustache, rocks back and forth in his chair and smiles like the Sphinx. He.

says nothing. Apparently, however, it has something to do with hiring more staff. Under Mayo, WPAS had 19 employ-, ees, 10 of them full-time. The station now has six full-; time employees, including Ayres, four part-time announcers and one volunteer salesman (Wister). I Wister's charges of mismanagement include the allegation that expenses were allowed to get out of line.

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The Mayo company also raised the station's adver-', MditlliiUBn tising rates, a move which may have alienated some advertisers. Still, WPAS seems to be surviving with a little I help from its friends. And a lot of free work from Charlie Wister. TRKGTOR.CO. me.

David Ayers, left, and Charles Wister are seeing radio station WPAS through difficult times. Tribune Photo By Mark Elias 1010 S. 98 By Pass DAOE CITY 567-6414 Hours: 7:30 PM in 'ii ii i i' i nw Bus, Mail news of your organization's events to Pasco Pulse, The Tampa Tribune, 714 E. Meridian Dade City, Fla, 33525. tem, especially among retired resi-; dents.

"I think we should go for it," he said. Councilman Robert Burke noted that there weren't a lot of people at- tending the meeting for the purpose of hearing about the transit system. "I think there'd be more people here I if they had a bus," he said. LOTlDOn LEU FOC From Page 1 portation officials have said that people usually don't want to pay for a system they can't see. A referendum increasing the millage to pay for transportation would probably have more chance of passing if the city could handle the funding for the first year, he said.

The council chose a mass transit plan that will allow the city to lease the buses for a period of two years. "After two years, we have to make a decision whether the transportation system is successful," Gallagher said. "If you decide it is, then you have to buy the buses. After those two years, there would be no legal or contractual ties to keep the system." Gallagher said the purchase of the buses would be financed by the federal government, state and city at the same percentages mentioned earlier. All council members expressed their approval of the idea.

Councilman Jim Bowman said he thought there was a definite need for a mass transit sys Councilman Ken Carter said he -went along with the idea of the city funding the first payment. "Then we can get it in operation and prove or disprove its success and then go to the public," he said. In answer to a question from an audience member, consultant Waters said the STAR transportation system would not be affected by a New Port Ri-chey bus system. "There's more of a demand for STAR than they can accommodate," Waters said. "They're encouraged that they could actually buy seats on our buses." 4t 1 Your First 5-Piece Place Setting i i1 1 U.S.

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41 with 37,000 pounds of rock truck. Besides the request for a traffic signal, other specific requests such as a study of traffic flow in Hernando County were asked of the governor. As a result, on Aug. 26 and 27 the transportation department conducted an engineering study at the intersection of U.S. 41 and Wilson Boulevard, about 10 miles south of Brooksvilie.

The study showed that vehicle counts there fell far short of meeting standards required by state law for signal controls to be installed. Nevertheless, the transportation department complied with the commission's other requests by imposing the temporary, lower speed limits. At the Brooksvilie regional office of the Florida Highway Patrol, a spokesman said Wednesday the patrol has received a copy of the speed plan, and said troopers intend to enforce the new, more restrictive speed limits. duct additional speed studies in the area," he said. "If these studies show that the reduced speed limits are effective in reducing speed, the reduced speed limits will be left in place; however, if these studies show that speed hasn't been reduced, we will have to raise the speed limit back to 55 miles per hour." Lott said 85 percent of the drivers must comply with the new speed limit for it to be considered effective.

The speed reduction plan proposed by the transportation department, and supported by Hernando and Pasco residents, came after Hernando commissioners passed a resolution calling for a traffic signal at the intersection of U.S. 41 and Wilson Boulevard in Masaryk-town. The signal, officials had hoped, would slow rock truck drivers. On Aug. 5, commissioners decided to ask Florida Gov.

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