by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
State Rep. Mike Hogan is expected to resign from the legislature this week to run for Duval County tax collector.
According to state and local elections laws, Hogan has to resign at least 10 days before qualifying begins, meaning he has to step down before Feb. 14, something Hogan has indicated he’ll do. However, he can still remain in the legislature through the next session, provided Gov. Jeb Bush hasn’t called a special election to fill his seat before July 1.
“I can legally stay until I take over the new office, which would be July 1,” said Hogan. “I’ve opened a campaign account and formed a finance committee. I’ll resign at the appropriate time.”
Hogan held a finance committee meeting Feb. 3, clearly indicating he’s gunning for tax collector, a position currently held by Lynwood Roberts, who is not running for reelection. He also said running for tax collector should not be construed as abandoning his House seat and those who elected him to it.
“I’m still going to serve the public, whether it’s in the State Legislature or as tax collector. The legislature is a part-time job and at this point I’m willing to serve full-time,” said Hogan, who has until March 3 to raise as much money as possible. “I have 41 on my finance committee, all of whom have worked on other campaigns and are community leaders. I’m confident they can raise the funds.”
Two-term Duval County School Board member Linda Sparks is interested in the seat, but will wait until Hogan makes his formal announcement.
“My intentions are to proceed if indeed Mike Hogan does vacate his current seat in the Florida House to become our next tax collector,” said Sparks, who lives on the Westside and has solid connections throughout Dist. 13.
Bush also plays a role. As governor, he’ll dictate when the special election is held to fill Hogan’s seat. Sparks speculated the election could possibly be held the same day as either the local primary or during the general election May 13. However, Frankie Knight of the Supervisor of Elections Office said holding a state and local election on the same day could create a real problem for her office.
“It’s possible, but we’ve never held them on the same date,” said Knight. “This [the local] is a unitarian election and putting a partisan election with a unitarian election would be tough.”
Knight said the problem with holding both elections is that 33 precincts on the Westside would get a different ballot than the rest of the city and assuring there’s no confusion regarding the ballot, who gets it and counting the votes could be tricky.
According to Sparks, who talked to State elections bureau chief Connie Evans, Bush has specified neither an election date nor a qualifying period. Sparks, whose second term as a School Board member expired last November, said she does not have a definitive campaign time line in mind mainly because Hogan hasn’t made anything official and an election date hasn’t been set. However, she will be ready to go the day she gets her answers.
“I’m assembling my team,” said Sparks, adding her entire campaign team could be set by the end of next week.
For Sparks, a seat in the Florida House would give her an opportunity to continue the work she started on the School Board, but on a higher level.
“The legislature is the ultimate School Board and I want to go there,” said Sparks, who also intends to respect Hogan and his current position. “I want to give Mike the courtesy of proceeding with his due diligence before I launch my campaign.”