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Suncoast Pinellas News

Into The Breach

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THE SUNCOAST NEWS

Published: January 24, 2009

In October, Robert LaSala was named Pinellas County administrator. He assumed the post following 13 months in which Fred Marquis, serving as interim administrator, brought calm back to county government after the tumultuous events of 2007. A questioned land deal prompted, in September 2007, the County Commission to fire County Attorney Susan Chiruti and let County Administrator Steve Spratt know they wouldn't mind if he resigned. In his 13 months as interim manager Marquis demonstrated why the County Commission named a recreation trail run after him when he retired in 2000.

No one was ever charged with a crime resulting from the county's purchase of a parcel of land from former Pinellas Property Appraiser Jim Smith. In addition, the bipartisan Florida Ethics Commission found no ethical violations associated with the deal. This also helped keep that controversy off LaSala's plate.

LaSala, however, already has a major headache: closing a $12 million gap in the county's fiscal 2009 budget, which went into effect before he became administrator. He also, according to news reports, has to figure out a way to pare from $55 million to $70 million from the county's fiscal 2010 budget.

We wish LaSala, who was an assistant Pinellas administrator from 1979 until 1989, luck in matching county government spending with its still-dwindling revenue until the economy revives.

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