TIMES THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2002 78 Debate from 1B On Wednesday, Democratic legislators took that line of attack a step further, saying the revenue lost from Bush's tax cuts could have paid for smaller classes. A Bush campaign brochure says he has cut taxes by $4-billion. That's enough to pay for the firstyear cost of the class size initiative that Bush says Florida can't afford. But McBride didn't make that connection. Most of that estimated $4-billion comes from three years of paring the intangibles tax on stocks and bonds.
Bush signed legislation in 2001 increasing the exemption for couples from $40,000 in savings to $500,000. The change helps 750,000 Floridians, less than 5 percent of the state's population. For now, tax cuts are out and spending is in. "Tax cut fever has subsided," said U.S. Rep.
Mark Foley, R-West Palm Beach, a Bush supporter. "We realize the money is simply not there, and you can't keep providing tax relief when the economy's not there. I think that tax cutting, and that jargon, has probably run its course, and until you see a resurgence in the economy, where do you cut it from?" Sen. Ron Klein, D-Delray Beach, questioned the "choices" made by Bush, especially the intangibles tax cut. "There hasn't been any proposal to reduce class size in the past years.
These were choices made by the governor and pushed on the Legislature," Klein said. For the most part, the governor's race has been a referendum on public education. In TV ads Bush talks about putting more money into classrooms, setting higher standards and getting a traffic light for a rural elementary school. "For him, education is the No. 1 issue," said Sally Bradshaw, Dress from 1B ered disruptive.
"It's permissible for a boy to dress as a girl and vice versa," Hart said. But the clothing must not violate the dress code's stipulations on decency and it must not cause a stir. "If in the principal's opinion the clothing is disruptive, it's a dress code violation," Hart said. how students react to how someone is dressed. The problem is it could make a student a target of harassment." So why wasn't Williams disciplined at the homecoming dance for wearing a flowing ball gown on his muscular teenage frame? Hart said Washington decided not to make an issue of it last weekend even though students were talking and speculating about the boy's sexual orientation.
"Henry Washington did the right thing," Hart said. "The district supports him." This is not the first time the school district has faced a decision about a cross-dressing student. In June, former Robinson High School student Nikki Youngblood filed a lawsuit in federal court after the school refused to allow her to wear a tie and jacket for her senior picture. The school required girls to wear scoop necked drapes and boys to wear shirts and ties. In the pending lawsuit, Youngblood claims the school violated her constitutional rights.
Williams' mother, Carmela Williams, also believes her son's rights have been violated. "You can't tell a person how to dress," Ms. Williams said. Since he was 4 years old, Ms. Williams said, her son has preferred dresses and dolls.
"He's very feminine," she said. "He wanted to be a cheerleader. He did things normal boys wouldn't do. "He really wants to be gay all the way," said Williams, who has seven other children. "I have no Uncuffed from 1B furter.
Satisfied, Espinosa allowed the trial to proceed, despite the defense's call for a mistrial. The judge expressed dismay that some people were still unaware jurors were conversationally off-limits. "Just another failure of seventh-grade civics," Espinosa said. BOOK BAG LEADS TO BOOKING: Two kids decided to break into Causeway Discount Pawn on Oct. 17, said Hillsborough sheriff's deputies.
Problem was, one of the kids forgot to take his book bag out of the pawn shop when he left. Deputies discovered it when they were called to the crime scene. The book bag contained the 15- Bush's closest political adviser. "He has also made growing the economy a priority. In the absence of tax cuts, you would not see Florida leading the nation in job growth." Bush's opponents see an election-year transformation.
"Bush is a chameleon," said Tony Welch, a McBride campaign spokesman. "In a campaign, it's time for him to move to the middle." McBride promotes a 50-cent cigarette tax increase, and he favors an initiative to reduce class sizes that's extremely popular despite a price tag in the billions. He also talks of wiping out some tax exemptions, which Bush says is the same as raising taxes. Bush frequently cites his tax cuts as having been a catalyst for job creation. But his Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development cannot cite a study that shows a correlation.
A member of Bush's Council of Economic Advisers, Florida State University economist Randall Holcombe, said the connection is difficult to draw. "The tax climate is important, but it's hard to Holcombe said. "It's hard to say that tax cut created these jobs. It's more of a qualitative answer. Certainly lower taxes are one thing that attracts jobs to this state." A voter looking for a TV spot about tax cuts will have to settle for state Rep.
Johnnie Byrd, the Plant City Republican who will take over as House speaker next month. A new 60-second ad aimed at seniors, paid for by the Republican Party, shows Byrd saying, "Because seniors deserve to enjoy their retirement, we cut their taxes." While other big states are hurting, Bush says, Florida's economy has stabilized and revenues for the first quarter of the budget year were higher than anticipated. He now wants to borrow to build 12,000 additional classrooms that he says will reduce class sizes in the early grades. A Republican Party poll by the 10 percent of those surveyed knew that state taxes had declined. Fifty percent said the tax burden remained the same, and 21 percent said taxes had gone up.
The rest didn't know. A party spokesman said the poll numbers, first reported by Gannett News Service, were from selected state House districts and do not accurately reflect statewide opinion. A St. Petersburg Herald poll last month suggests that the electorate is divided over tax cuts. Forty-one percent said taxes were cut too much; 33 percent said they were cut just right; 17 percent favored deeper tax cuts; and 9 percent were not sure.
Bush also advocated the successful repeal of a by-the-drink tax in bars and restaurants, a tax cut sought by the Florida Restaurant Association, which supports his reelection. This year he also got an accelerated depreciation allowance for business equipment purchases, estimated at $262-million. Democrats say Bush frittered away the surplus by giving tax relief to those who needed it the least, businesses and the wealthy. A new St. Petersburg Times analysis shows that a growing segment of the cost of education has been shifted to property taxes paid by homeowners and surpluses in the state retirement fund.
At campaign stops, McBride rarely mentions Bush's tax cuts. When he does, he cites them as a case of misplaced priorities. McBride's running mate, state Sen. Tom Rossin, struck a similar chord in an Oct. 10 debate with Lt.
Gov. Frank Brogan. "These tax cuts that they have taken for the past years have put the state in a tremendous hole," Rossin said. "If we had bonded that money, we would have something like $18-billion." -Times staff writer Wes Allison contributed to this report. Times photo TONI L.
SANDYS Antonio Williams was sent home from Middleton High School in Tampa for wearing a skirt Wednesday. "I come to school to get a diploma, not be in a fashion show," that read: "It isn't easy being me." problem with it. Whatever he wants to be, I'm okay with it." Williams, who has played football a and baseball, said his closet is filled with both boy and girl clothing, some of which he has sown himself. Typically he wears athletic clothes to school. Williams could face detention or even suspension if he violates the dress code again.
He's not sure what he will wear to school when he returns Friday. But he hopes the school will allow him to dress as he pleases. Williams said he plans to mind his own business. But if other students react inappropriately to his attire, he believes they should be the ones who are punished, not him. "I told them, 'I come to school to get a diploma," he said, "not be in a fashion Times researcher John Martin and staff writer Tamara Lush contributed to this report.
Melanie Ave can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or year-old's ID. Deputies to his home in Clair-Mel and arrested him. "Not a real well-planned burglary," said Sheriff's Lt. Rod Reder. "The moral there is not taking your book bag and ID to do a crime like this." YOU WANT As Tampa police gingerly investigated the case of a truck that rammed into a Westshore Boulevard real estate office, killing a woman inside the building last Friday, some young water skiers had something else on their minds.
Apparently, one of the water skiers had left his Chevy Blazer in the parking lot of the real estate office before the fatal crash. Despite swaths of crime scene tape around the parking lot, the would-be skiers shoeless and wearing T-shirts that said things HILLSBOROUGH OBITUARIES ASHER, BERYL, 63, of Tampa, died Monday (Oct. 21, Born in Harrisburg, she was a member of Idlewild Baptist Church. Survivors include her son, Richard; two sisters, Barbara Warner and Beverly Keefer; and two grandchildren. Florida Mortuary Cremation Services, Tampa.
BELLE, WILLIAM PAUL, 78, of Spring Hill, formerly of Tampa, died Tuesday (Oct. 22, 2002) at home. Born in Cleveland, he moved to Spring Hill four years ago from Tampa. He was a retired registered physical therapist and an Army veteran of World War II. He was a member of the American Legion and Grace Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include his wife, Ruby two sons, W. Douglas, Tampa, and Donald Spring Hill; a daughter, Mary Crum, Valdosta, and five grandchildren. Turner Funeral Homes, Spring Hill. CAISSIE, ERNEST 86, of Tampa, died Monday (Oct. 21, 2002).
He was an Air Force veteran of World War II, a member of the American Legion Post 91 of Candia, N.H. and was employed at Tampa Bay Downs for the last 14 years. Survivors include a son, William, Manchester, N.H.; a daughter, Nancy Riendeau, Candia, N.H.; a brother, Raymond, Texas; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Blount, Curry Roel Funeral Homes Cemeteries, West Hillsborough Chapel, Tampa. CORNWELL, HAZEL 73, of Riverview, died Sun- day (Oct.
20, 2002) in Brandon. Born in Ewington, Ohio, she moved to the Tampa area 25 years ago. Survivors include a daughter, Beverly Kay Allen, Plant City; five sons, David Ronnie Sprouse, Plant City, Gary Wayne Sprouse, Tampa, Bobby Eugene Sprouse, Alabama, Gerald Dean Sprouse, Daytona Beach, and Steven Ernie Sprouse, Riverview; five sisters, Georgie Wright, Dorothy Varney, Grace Schaffer, Donna McMillian and Betty Condon, all of Ohio; 11 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. Hopewell Funeral Home Memorial Gardens, Plant City. FLYNN, BONNIE, 71, of Tampa, died Wednesday (Oct.
16, 2002) at St. Joseph's Hospital. Born in Chicago, she was a graduate of Tampa University and the University of South Florida. She taught elementary school in South Tampa and retired from Dale Mabry Elementary School in 1992. Survivors include her husband, Rudy; two sons, Randy Flynn, Tampa, and Terry Flynn, Lakeland; a brother, Joe Powell, Loma Linda, and a grandson, John William "J.W." Flynn, Lakeland.
Mark III Funeral Home, Tampa. GRIFFIN, JAMES EDWIN, 62, of Hudson, formerly of Tampa, died Tuesday (Oct. 22, 2002) at home. Born i in Alabama, he moved to Hudson in 1982 from Tampa. He was a carpenter and member of Church of Christ of Tampa.
Survivors include his brother, George Thomas Griffin A note to readers about obituaries The St. Petersburg Times wishes to remind its readers that it continues to publish obituaries free as a public service. There often is confusion over this because the Tampa Tribune charges for obituaries. Also, families who have lost loved ones should be aware that some Hillsborough funeral homes do not send obituaries to the Times unless the families request they do so. Families should make sure that the obituary sent to the Times contains all of the information they have provided about their loved one, as funeral homes often omit details to reduce the cost of the obituary in the Tribune.
In addition to the basic facts of an obituary, the Times publishes place of birth, date of relocation to the Tampa area, occupations held, military service and awards, memberships, religious affiliations and church memberships, immediate family survivors including spouses or significant others, children, parents, siblings, and number of grandchildren. Photographs are published free of charge. JOHNSON, CLARENCE 80, of Tampa, died Sun- day (Oct. 20, 2002). He was an Army veteran of World War II, serving as a paratrooper during the Normandy Invasion with the 101st Airborne and earning the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.
He was an insurance agent and worked as a service officer at the James A. Haley VA Medical Center. He was an active member of the DAV Chapter 4 and the NOTR. Survivors include his son, Clarence B. Johnson II; two daughters, Sharon P.
Joyce and Sylvia Brown; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Blount, Curry Roel Funeral Homes Cemeteries, Garden of Memories Chapel, Tampa. MASON, FREDDIE 59, of Floral City, formerly of Tampa, died Friday (Oct. 18, 2002) at home. Born in Iron City, he moved to Floral City in 1997 from Tampa.
He was a stunt driver and performed at state fairs. Survivors include his sister, Kandy Corbiere, Plant City; an aunt, Faye Mosher, and an uncle, Brice Mosher, both of Inverness; and a cousin, Vickie Walburn, Fort Wayne, Ind. Heinz Funeral Home, Inverness. OLIVERO, FRANK P. 60, of Tampa, died Monday (Oct.
21, 2002). He was a retired staff photographer for the University of South Florida and a member of Living Water Church. Survivors include his wife, Carolyn; six sons, Frank Reuben, Daniel, Stephen, Kevin and Joseph; four daughters, Veronica, Juanita, Melinda and Cynthia; his father, Gilbert; 12 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Hillsboro Memorial Funeral Home, Brandon. VEAZEY, DONNA JEAN DORMAN, 51, of Tampa, died Sunday (Oct.
20, 2002). Survivors include her husband, George; two daughters, Sandy a and Christina Veazey; I her father, Charles J. Dorman, her mother, Carrie Lou Dorman; two brothers, Thomas Dorman and Jim Dorman; a sister, Sandy Dorman; and five nieces and nephews. Blount, Curry Roel Funeral Homes Cemeteries, Carrollwood Chapel, Tampa. WELLINGTON, FRANCIS RYON SR.
"FRAN," of Tampa, died Friday (Oct. 18, 2002). Born in Pooler, he moved to Tampa in 1990 from White Pine, Tenn. He was a World War II veteran and was a restaurant manager. Survivors include his son, Francis W.
"Frank" Tampa; a he said. He also wore a T-shirt Photo courtesy of Antonio Williams Antonio Williams wore a white dress, a tiara and spike heels to his homecoming dance Saturday. such as "Cracker Boy" busted through the yellow tape to rummage through the Blazer. TPD Maj. Scott Cunningham walked over to the young men," looking puzzled.
The shoeless guys tried to explain. Cunningham remained calm. "A ski rope?" Cunningham raised his eyebrows. "It's that important?" One guy who appeared to be wearing underwear on his head nodded. Days later, Cunningham acknowledged that yes, people often waltz into crime scenes.
"They just think that it's okay, the tape doesn't apply to me," he said. "You can't make the tape any brighter." Christopher Goffard can be reached at 226-3337 or Tamara Lush can be reached at 226-3373 or Spring Hill; and two sisters, Sarah McKenzie, Floral City, daughter, Susan Pfannerstill, Pewaukee, a brother, and Effie Westfall, Spring Hill. Thomas B. Dobies Funeral Jesse Ryon, Miami; and two grandsons. Veterans Cremation Homes, Hudson.
Burial Society, Clearwater. FOR COMPLETE OBITUARIES, SEE WWW.SPTIMES.COM N.J. SUNCOAST DEATHS KNOPPERT, MARGARET ETHEL, 92, of Clearwater, died Oct. 15. Moss-Feaster Funeral Homes Cremation This list is extracted from detailed obituaries published in Services, Fort Harrison Chapel, Clearwater.
other regional editions of the Times. MARTIN, ELIZABETH, 88, of Clearwater, died Oct. 21. National Cremation Society, St. Petersburg.
Pasco METTEN, MARION GROVE, 90, of Largo, died Oct. 22. CAPALDO, ERNEST 86, of New Port Richey, died Oct. National Cremation Society, Largo. 22.
Funeral Home Cemetery, SEKERAK, MARY LOU CARDELLA, 76, of Belleair Bluffs, New Port Richey. died Oct. 21. Hubbell Funeral Home and Crematory, GRIFFIN, JAMES EDWIN, 62, of Hudson, formerly of Belleair Bluffs. Tampa, died Oct.
22. Thomas B. Dobies Funeral WESTERGARD, BARBARA 73, of Palm Harbor, Homes, Hudson. formerly of Hudson, died Oct. 22.
Thomas B. Dobies HARMON, VERNON, 75, of Hudson, died Oct. 23. Family Funeral Home, Tarpon Avenue Chapel, Tarpon Funeral Care, Hudson. Springs.
LOWRY, HELEN 94, of New Port Richey, died Oct. 22. I National Cremation Society, New Port Richey. South Pinellas McDONALD, EDWARD F. "BUD," 75, of Spring Dobies Hill BRAVO, EDWARD JOSEPH, 82, of Pinellas Park, died Oct.
At (Pasco County), died Oct. 22. Thomas B. 21. Taylor Family Funeral Home, Pinellas Park.
Funeral Homes, Hudson. CURRY, 83, of St. Petersburg, died Oct. 22. MORFOGENIS, EDITH, 86, of Brooklyn, N.Y., formerly of Anderson-McQueen Funeral Homes Cremation 3.
New Port Richey, died Oct. 10. Tribute Center-Ninth Street Chapel, St. Petersburg. 4 Funeral Home of Cemetery, Port New Port died Richey.
Oct. 22. Bell DuFAIS, KATHARINE DECHANT, 99, of St. Petersburg, 0 SARNAGO, PAUL, 92, Richey, died Oct. 21.
Anderson-McQueen Funeral Homes Funeral Home, Hudson. Cremation Tribute Center- Chapel, St. STRATTON, RUSSELL GORDON, 83, of Bayonet Point, Petersburg. 'B died Oct. 20.
Faupel Funeral Home, Port Richey. ERWIN, CHARLES, D. "JACK," 82, of St. Petersburg, died WILLIAMS, CHIKUKO, 78, of Port Richey, died Oct. 22.
Oct. 21. Anderson-McQueen Funeral Homes Faupel Funeral Home, Port Richey. Cremation Tribute Center-Bobbitt Chapel, St. 2 Petersburg.
North Pinellas HICKS, MICHELLE DENISE "SHELL," 28, of St. BEAM, DAVID, 43, of Oldsmar, died Oct. 22. ALife Tribute Petersburg, died Oct. 21.
Smith Funeral Home, St. 2 FuneralCare, St. Petersburg. Petersburg. CUNNINGHAM, EDITH 91, of Clearwater, died Oct.
21. JOHNSON, JOHNNY C. 58, of St. Petersburg, died Moss-Feaster Funeral Homes Cremation Services, Oct. 21.
Creal Funeral Home, St. Petersburg. Belcher Road Chapel, Clearwater. KADOW, SHARON 55, of St. Petersburg, died Oct.
22. DANNER, HARRY 98, of Lopez Island, formerly National Cremation Society, St. Petersburg. of Safety Harbor, died Oct. 19.
Purdy McCARTHY, ELDA, 89, of St. Petersburg, died Oct. 21. Funeral Home, Everett, Wash. C.E.
Prevatt Funeral Home, St. Petersburg. DEZIELL, RUSSELL 83, of Dunedin, died Oct. 22. PUGH, RUTH 88, of St.
Petersburg, died Oct. 21. National Cremation Society, Largo. Anderson-McQueen Funeral Homes Cremation ERDSALL, IRENE, 78, of Largo, died Oct. 22.
Lewis W. Tribute Center-Bobbitt Chapel, St. Petersburg. Mohn Funeral Home Cremation Services, Seminole. RUSCH, ANTHONY 76, of St.
Petersburg, died Oct. FLINT, GEORGE 86, of Palm Harbor, died Oct. 16. 21. Anderson-McQueen Funeral Homes Cremation Fletcher Funeral Home Cremation Services, Keene, Tribute Center-Ninth Street Chapel, St.
Petersburg. N.H. SCHWARTZ, CHARLES HORACE, 81, of Little Rock, GROESBECK, JEANNE T. "GRAMMY," 82, of Largo, died formerly of St. Petersburg, died Oct.
18. Griffin Leggett Oct. 21. Moss-Feaster Funeral Homes Cremation Healey and Roth Funeral Home, Little Rock. Services, Serenity Gardens Chapel, Largo.
THACKER, LESLIE 82, of St. Petersburg, died Oct. 21. GUERGAWI, DR. SAMIR NASSIF, 77, of Palm Harbor, National Cremation Society, St.
Petersburg. died Oct. 20. Moss-Feaster Funeral Homes VAN HOUTEN, CHARLES 86, of Loudon, Cremation Services, Palm Harbor Chapel. formerly of Seminole, died Oct.
E. James Reese HENDERSON, MARY FRANCES, 82, of Clearwater, died Funeral Home Crematory, Seminole. Oct. 22. Sylvan Abbey Funeral Home, Clearwater.
VOGEL, HILMA ESTELLE GOLDEN, 93, of St. Petersburg, HOMER, ANN 67, of Palm Harbor, died Oct. 22. died Oct. 18.
John S. Rhodes, East Chapel, St. Curlew Hills Funeral Home, Palm Harbor. Petersburg. JOHNSON, JULIA RIDEOUT, 106, formerly of Largo, died WHITE, OLE JOHN, 28, of St.
Petersburg, died Oct. 19. Oct. 18. Anderson Funeral Service, New Brunswick, C.E.
Prevatt Funeral Home, St. Petersburg. CRITICISMS and WITTICISMS. Howard Troxler Detersburg, Friday tampabay.com.
