![]() Good Tuesday morning! Today we present the highly anticipated political breakdown of the War on Mosquitoes. Not a week goes by when someone doesn’t say, “Just Wright, what is up with the Citrus County Mosquito Board race?” Actually, I wish someone would say that. Truth is, it’s the least attractive contest. Here’s what I mean: On the ballot, it’s dead last among candidates. Only the proposed amendments follow. I reviewed all the Mosquito Board races going back to 1988, the first election I covered for the Chronicle. Took some notes, and came up with a few thoughts:
— The contestants: Stephanie Adams (incumbent) and John Cino. It’s a 4-year seat, nonpartisan (I’ll get to that in a moment), and pays $4,800 a year. — State law established Citrus County’s independent mosquito control district in 1953. There are 15 independent districts, including six counties: Citrus, Collier, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, and Pasco. Citrus is governed by a three-member elected board. — Please check out the district’s website. Those folks really do a lot to protect our community from mosquitoes. Not just the fog truck and helicopter, which we see, but the science utilized to prevent mosquitoes from breeding is pretty impressive. And you can view the budget. — Historically, the Mosquito Control Board election draws plenty of candidates. It’s a small qualifying fee; practically anyone can get on the ballot. Not much emphasis on party affiliation, if any. — For several years, the Mosquito Control Board wasn’t divided into separate “seats” for the ballot. We’d have eight or nine candidates, and the top three winners were elected. More recently, each seat is its own race. No more free-for-all. — Fun fact: There were nine candidates for three seats in the 1990 race, including Joe Cino — John’s dad. He didn't finish in the top three, but he gave it his best shot. — Past winners include some Citrus County heavy hitters: Patrick Fitzpatrick, Dr. Ron Dumas, Albert Jordan, and John Barnes among them. Brenda Buzby — what a name! — won over and over again. — Ken Frink is seeking to become the first Mosquito Control Board alumnus elected to countywide office since he left the board. (Disclaimer: If it happened before 1988, my apologies.) — Janet Barek ran and lost twice. Once by a small margin, the second time by a much larger one. That would be Citrus County Commissioner-Elect Janet Barek. She may be the first DEFEATED skeeter candidate to win countywide office. — Let’s talk a bit about this nonpartisan race. Some people in the political parties get rather indignant about making sure these things don’t cross partisan boundaries. I’m told there’s even a state law about what nonpartisan candidates can say on the campaign trail. Reality check: Cino is the Republicans’ candidate. The county GOP executive committee contributed $3,000 to his campaign. The irony: His dad, Joe Cino, chaired the county Democratic Party when it ruled in the early 1990s. (If I try being more specific than that, and get any of it wrong, Joe's wife Cindy will correct me. I've known Cindy Cino for years and love her dearly. Unless she's mellowed, that's a conversation I'd like to avoid.) Now Republicans are funneling campaign donations to their son. Shows how the script has flipped here the last 20 years. Yet...nonpartisan race. You tell me: Is a candidate following the nonpartisan spirit if he's accepting clearly partisan campaign donations? I'm not talking about individuals with political ties. This contributor is the Republican party ITSELF. My plea is simple: Don’t run for a nonpartisan office and then play partisan politics. — Stephanie Adams also has a political connection. Her husband, Joe, is Citrus County Democratic State Committeeman whose term ends in November. I checked Stephanie Adams’ list of contributors: Nothing from the party. Look. Do with this what you wish. I’m not sure anyone really cares about this partisan stuff. And this coincidental rarity: Stephanie’s husband is also chairman of the Mosquito Control Board. Yup. Two of the three elected board members share the same home address. I pointed that out in a 2020 Chronicle story prior to the election. Voters weren’t fazed. Stephanie Adams, who spent less than $800, easily defeated two opponents, including one who spent over $20,000. — That’s about all on my mind about the Mosquito Control Board. This thing can get lost on the ballot. If nothing else, I just wanted to make sure folks know it’s there. Have a pleasant Tuesday, friends. Join the discussion on our Facebook page. Enjoying the blog? Please consider supporting it at Venmo, PayPal, or Patreon. Comments are closed.
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AuthorMike Wright has written about Citrus County government and politics for 36 years. Archives
February 2025
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