Shannon Wittwer, a candidate for District 4’s County Commissioner seat in Pasco County questions who is guiding Pasco County policy and why decisions opposed by the majority of the county’s residents are being rubber-stamped.
Shannon Wittwer was living in a quaint rural neighborhood in Pasco County’s west side that was supposed to be protected by the county’s Comprehensive Plan guidelines (per the “Comp Plan” states it would be at best a transition….ie. an Adult Living Facility (ALF), condos, townhomes etc). Suddenly the Planning Commission (appointed by the Board of County Commissioners) and the Commissioners (three out of five) were touting the ultra-large apartment (4, 4-story buildings, 230 apts. each up to 4 bedrooms) complex and strip mall (10,000 sq. ft.) to be built
literally in Wittwer’s rural neighborhood. Residents pointed out that the infrastructure (roads, schools, emergency services) wasn’t there. The Commissioners didn’t care; the developer didn’t care; even the Commissioner for her District was hosting meetings for the developer ahead of the vote.
Residents in District 4 were perplexed. The county commissioners seemed to fully support the developers, but not support their own citizens.
Wittwer and her committee (KeepItRural) pursued the fight with an attorney (that the community chipped in for) and went all the way to Tallahassee. There she found out how broken the system is. That’s when she began asking bigger questions, finding out that citizen input is anything but welcome, becoming more amazed at the dysfunction, and more determined to shake things up.
Wittwer has declared herself a candidate for her District’s seat. Her candidacy has revealed the political machine and its bias against new candidates who are not part of the presiding power structure. Ms. Wittwer didn’t throw her hat in the ring to infuriate anyone. She is running because of the one-sidedness that most residents see in this county, the lack of foresight in unbridled and poorly-planned growth, and outright dismissal of the input from the communities across Pasco County. Wittwer is running to represent Pasco County tax-paying citizens believing they should actually have a say in how their local government operates/funds the choices that are being made on their behalf. Currently, those decisions are made by a small handful of people more focused on their own interests.
You can read more about Wittwer’s positions in her recent campaign letter. https://www.shannon4pascocc.com/re-pasco-county-audit
Pasco County’s primary election will be held on August 23rd, 2022 with early voting starting on August 13th, 2022.
Media Contact: Eva Spissak 727.243-0552 | email: eva.spissak@gmail.com