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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 24, 2008

DOT Announces Pasco 5-Year Plan

The Department of Transportation plans to spend $53.7 million in Pasco County next year, the bulk of it on expanding the eastern end of Ridge Road to four lanes.
State transportation officials revealed their proposed five-year budget for Pasco during a recent meeting with the county's metropolitan planning organization. The organization plots out transportation projects countywide. Members include the five county commissioners and the mayor of each of the county's four cities.

The DOT's plan includes money for road construction in New Port Richey, airport maintenance in Zephyrhills and railroad preservation in Lacoochee.

The first phase of the plan starts in July.

The single largest expense next year will be $38 million to widen Ridge Road between Little and Moon Lake roads. That heavily traveled portion of Ridge Road provides the only access for the main campus of Pasco-Hernando Community College, aircraft-parts maker Pall Aeropower and the neighborhood of Hidden Lake.

The 2010 work schedule also includes $6.2 million for repaving about 14.5 miles of Interstate 75 from County Road 54 Wesley Chapel Boulevard in Wesley Chapel to the Hernando County line.

Also in the work plan for next year is $2.2 million to install streetlights on the northern end of U.S. 19 between Denton Avenue and the Hernando County line.

The DOT's five-year plan for Pasco County includes a variety of other projects slated for the coming years. That list includes:

• 2010: $55 million to rebuild the interchange of Interstates 75 and 275 at the Pasco-Hillsborough county line; $22.8 million to add a continuous right-turn lane along 11.5 miles of U.S. 19 between the Pinellas County line and State Road 52.

• 2011: $13 million to buy right of way for widening State Road 54 between Curley Road and Morris Bridge Road.

• 2012: $31.7 million to widen U.S. 41 between Tower Road and Connerton Boulevard.

Former Deputy Sentenced In Drug Case
A former Pasco County sheriff's deputy was sentenced to two years in federal prison for participating in a drug ring by using his patrol car and service weapon to rob a man he thought was a drug courier.

Don Riggans, 35, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess and distribute hydrocodone and possession of a firearm in the course of a drug crime. Ordinarily, he would face a minimum mandatory sentence of five years in prison on the weapons charge and that sentence would have to be consecutive to whatever other sentence he received.

But Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Porcelli asked the judge to sentence Riggans without regard to the minimum mandatory sentence and also to impose a lesser sentence because of Riggans' extensive and immediate cooperation with law enforcement as soon as he was arrested.

Riggans was prepared to testify against co-defendant Kevin Massimino, who ultimately pleaded guilty without the need of a trial, Porcelli said. He also gave information about another Pasco detention deputy, Rodney Philon, who was sentenced to probation with six months of home detention for distributing steroids.

Another co-defendant, Robert Caddick, 52, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison.

State Representatives Work To Keep Electric Rates Lower

In November, Progress Energy Florida customers were shocked to learn they would be paying nearly 25 percent more on electric bills come January.

State lawmakers recently asked utility executives to reduce the rate increase to help cash-strapped customers during a recession.

State Sen. Mike Fasano and state Rep. Peter Nehr are asking nicely now, but if Progress Energy isn't cooperative, Fasano has hinted legislation might come next year to repeal the part of the rate increase for preconstruction costs of nuclear power plants.

Although sympathetic to the plight of customers, company officials say the money is vital to help pay for the two nuclear power projects. The company wants to avoid potentially even larger spikes in rates later and shift away from fossil fuels.

In January, the cost of 1,000 kilowatt hours is scheduled to go up by $27.28 to $137.87 under the new Progress Energy rates approved by state regulators.

Slightly more than half of the increase would go toward higher fuel costs.

The remainder of the increase for nuclear power preconstruction costs should be postponed indefinitely, Fasano and Nehr said. They began jawboning to ask the company to lower the rate hike voluntarily.

That doesn't seem likely, according to the Progress Energy Florida prepared statement released through company spokeswoman Suzanne Grant.

"We understand that any rate increase has an impact on our customers, especially during these difficult economic times," the company statement reads in part. "Nuclear energy is necessary if Florida is going to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At Progress Energy, we want to find the best way to invest in nuclear while minimizing costs to our customers. Florida law allows for recovery of certain preconstruction items for nuclear plants. Postponing the preconstruction costs until the plant is operational will increase the overall cost of the project and ultimately make electricity even more expensive for our customers."

The door was left ajar to negotiations, though.

The statement said company officials "welcome the opportunity to talk to Sen. Fasano and Rep. Nehr about their ideas on the best ways to finance and build new nuclear plants that are needed for Florida's energy future."

"I ask Progress Energy to approach its shareholders and seek the funds they need from them rather than lay the burden on its customers," Fasano said in a joint news release with Nehr.

Fasano wonders why the Progress Energy Florida estimates for the cost of the nuclear power projects have mushroomed, according to Greg Giordano, Fasano's chief legislative assistant.

"Progress Energy told the Legislature 18 months ago the cost of building nuclear plants would be about $9 billion to $10 billion," Giordano said.

So the lawmakers authorized the utility to collect preconstruction costs in advance.

The proposed nuclear plant in Levy County and the expansion of the utility's existing nuclear plant in Crystal River are about 10 years away from being finished. There's a chance they might not be built at all.

"Now they are charging $17 billion without any explanation" to lawmakers for the dramatic inflation in costs for the nuclear power projects, Giordano said.

Utility officials said they would need more time to research Giordano's question concerning the estimated costs of the projects.

Pasco Schools, Union Reach Tentative Agreement

The Pasco County School District and the employees union reached a tentative contract agreement last week that would keep salaries the same as they were in 2007-08. There would be no raises or step increases, although employees would still be given a year of credit for their service.

The contract for teachers and other school workers must be ratified by employees and approved by the school board. That process is expected to take place in January.

The school district agreed to continue fully funding health benefits for employees, which will include paying a $191 increase in cost per employee.

Negotiators for the district and the union said their primary goal was to preserve jobs and they said they think they may have done that.

Terry Rhum, director of employee relations for the district, said he anticipates the contract will be approved in January despite the lack of raises.

"Most people realize we're in a different place than we've ever been," he said.

Auto Burglars Targeting Schools

Auto burglars have been targeting motorists who leave their cars unlocked while they run in to a day care or school for a few moments.

That's all the time it takes for burglars to open the door and swipe a purse, or anything else of value, said Pasco County Sheriff's Office spokesman Kevin Doll.

Pasco has seen some of these incidents in recent months, particularly at schools, after-school programs and day care facilities, Doll said. Detectives are investigating at least one organized theft ring that travels from town to town in Florida.

School resource officers and school officials have been warning parents of such thefts. Over the weekend, the district used the reverse 911 system to get the word out.

Once a purse or wallet is stolen, the owners quickly could become the victim of another crime.

"They could be using the credit card in minutes," Doll said.

Thieves also take GPS units, satellite radios, spare change and medications, and an unlocked car is an easy take.

"If they see something really worth it, they could smash the window," Doll said.

With its access to main roads and highways, Central Pasco probably has seen more of these burglaries than any other area in the county, Doll said.

District Changes Watering Restrictions

Regional regulators again modified watering restrictions for new lawns in response to complaints from sod business owners.

Changes the Southwest Florida Water Management District made in October were threatening to drive firms out of business, according to Rhyan Porter, owner of P&R Sod. The 34-year-old company has two West Pasco locations.

Swiftmud imposed the new restrictions in Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties because of a severe water shortage caused by a persistent drought.

The restrictions are slated to remain in effect through June 30, 2009.

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