Commissioner Kevin Beckner

With civil citations, task force tries helping juveniles, families

Paul Dontenville — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:43:00 -0500

By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune
Published: November 27, 2011
Updated: November 27, 2011 - 3:03 PM

TAMPA --

Now that Hillsborough County has adopted a civil citation program that officials hope will keep more juveniles out of courts and detention, a task force is looking at ways to assess youthful offenders and their families so they can get help.

The Juvenile Justice Task Force, which began meeting in February 2009, completed the first stage of its work this summer with an agreement to expand the civil citation program from schools to all county jurisdictions.

County Commissioner Kevin Beckner spearheaded the group's creation in an attempt to reduce the disproportionate number of minorities referred to the juvenile justice system.

The civil citation is available to juveniles who commit first-time misdemeanors such as shoplifting, vandalizing property, fighting or continually disrupting school functions and events.

Punishment entails some type of sanction short of detention and no fewer than five hours a week of community service until the child completes the program. Successful completion precludes the stigma of a criminal record that could hurt the youth's future choices of employment or service in the military.

"This process addressees the crimes very quickly," said Kristin Schillig, court operations manager for the county's juvenile diversion program. "Youth are not impacted by a long-term criminal record offering them more opportunity for a productive and successful future."

Schillig said 240 children have chosen the civil citation path since the countywide program was implemented June 1.

Experts say civil citations keep youth who make mistakes from reoffending, thus increasing their chances for a productive life while saving taxpayers' money through reduced court, detention and probation costs. Floridians pay $280 a day for a juvenile in detention, based on a formula set by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.

Even more potential savings are possible if the civil citation prevents juvenile offenders from continuing on to prison, where one inmate costs taxpayers $20,000 per year of incarceration.

"By reducing juvenile crime, over time, the goal is to reduce the number of individuals who become career criminals and are committed," said a report released in September by the county's Juvenile Justice Task Force.

"These efforts save tax dollars that can be reinvested in education … and other initiatives to help our youth become more constructive and productive citizens."

Beckner said the task force will next work on developing an assessment process for troubled children and their families so that they can be referred to appropriate services.

"As you read through the (task force) report, 40 percent of the kids acting out are doing it because of issues going on in the family structure," he said.

Though turning around a dysfunctional family might seem a daunting task, there are intervention models that have proven successful, said Richard Dembo, a criminology professor at the University of South Florida and adviser to the task force.

"It's not really easy and you don't reach everybody," Dembo said, "but the alternative is to throw up your hands and then you're not effective with anybody."

Also on the task force's agenda is identifying agencies that can help children and families with their underlying problems once they've been assessed. The service providers who are chosen will have to show through data that they have been effective in preventing kids from reoffending.

"This is probably going to be one of the more challenging parts of the process because there are so many for-profit and not-for-profit agencies that service kids," Beckner said. "Anytime you evaluate services and make decisions on who to refer to, it's challenging."

But the larger hurdle will be finding the money to pay for the assessments and services in the wake of government budget downsizing.

To experts like Dembo, it's an investment worth making if society is serious about preventing juvenile crime as opposed to locking up ever more offenders, a more expensive proposition.

"The question is do we have the resources and the political will to really move in this direction," he said, "because it's not an easy change."

msalinero@tampatrib.com (813) 259-8303

One Frustrated Florida County Tackles Auto Insurance Fraud On Its Own

Paul Dontenville — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:04:00 -0500

By Michael Adams | September 29, 2011

One county in Florida has decided not to wait on state lawmakers’ promise to address the insurance fraud and fix the state’s automobile no-fault law. It has passed its own ordinance to crack down on fraudulent medical clinics.

The Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners, by a unanimous vote, passed a series of regulations that will require medical clinics to obtain a county license if they primarily treat people involved in automobile accidents and earn the majority of their income through auto personal injury protection insurance claims.

Commissioner Kevin Beckner said the new ordinance is needed if the county has any hope of stopping the fraud that he said is costing county residents up to $350 each in higher premiums.

‘In Hillsborough County, we are paying $15.5 million in higher premiums due to fraud,’ said Beckner, citing a National Insurance Crime Bureau report. ‘This is impacting everyone’s rates and is having a significant impact on our local economy.’

Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, has become ground zero in the debate over PIP (personal injury protection) fraud. The NICB ranks Florida number one in staged accidents with the number of such accidents in Hillsborough County increasing by 166 percent between 2008 and 2009.

The county also has seen a proliferation of medical and pain clinics that primarily treat PIP patients. In Hillsborough County alone there are an estimated 158 such clinics, compared to 74 in Pinellas County, 22 in Pasco County, 20 in Manatee County and 17 in Polk County.

Beckner¸ who headed the initiative to enact the ordinance, said the regulations are narrowly drawn and are based on the experience of law enforcement officials that investigate clinics and PIP fraud.

‘We wanted to be clear how clinics operate, what it takes to shut fraudulent clinics down, while protecting legitimate clinics,’ Beckner said.

Based on a 15-month study on the issue by local officials, law enforcement, and other interested parties, the ordinance requires PIP medical providers to obtain a county license.

A PIP medical provider is defined as any person, clinic, or other business that received 50 percent of their patients in the form of referrals that they directly or indirectly pay for. The ordinance also defines a PIP medical provider as any person or clinic whose PIP clients accounted for 90 percent of their gross income or bills insurers more than $200,000 in PIP claims annually.

The ordinance doesn’t apply to clinics where the majority of the physicians are surgeons or to clinics that only provide magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, or positron emission tomography services. Clinics owned by publicly help corporations, affiliated with a medical school, or owned by a federal tax-exempt corporation are also exempt.

Targeting a clinic’s operations, the ordinance requires clinics to be open for business at least three days a week, during regular business hours from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m., to see walk-in patients or allow patients to make appointments for services, therapy, and other treatment.

A physician must oversee the clinic’s operations and be physically present at the clinic at least three days a week for four hours per day. A physician may not serve or operate more than five PIP medical provider clinics. A license application requires a nonrefundable fee of $500 and a $1,500 annual fee.

Failure to comply with the ordinance can result in a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail. Also, physicians whose clinic license has been revoked are prohibited from operating another clinic for five years.

While fully supported by the commission, the ordinance is not without its critics.

Cindy Barsa, who has operated several clinics in Tampa, said the new ordinance added a layer of regulation to an already overregulated industry.

‘This is a lot of expense for a lot of people that really should be left to the state and the medical boards to look after,’ Barsa said. ‘These clinics should answer to them, not to the county commissioners.’

Other critics also complained that the ordinance was an example of government overreach since it dictated the working hours of physicians and placed limits on their source of income.

However, proponents of the ordinance, who included insurance agents, said it is necessary to stem the growing fraud problem, which is pushing up driver premiums.

Jeanett Foley, owner of Bruners Insurance Agency, said she was losing 15 to 20 clients a day because people could no longer afford to pay the premiums. As a result, she said, she likely will have to close down one of her three agencies in the area.

‘Up and down the street in Hillsborough County I’ve seen agencies shutting down and I’m going to have to be one of those,’ Foley said.

The Hillsborough County ordinance is the first of its kind in the state. Officials say it allowed under the county’s home charter, which grants it the authority to enact regulations affecting the health, safety, and welfare of its residents.

The county’s action reflects the frustration many have with state lawmakers’ failure to reform the state’s PIP law. Although state officials have said that PIP reform will be a top priority when the Legislature meets next year, there are no guarantees that reform will actually pass.

‘It is a very complex issue when you involve lobbyists from every legal, insurance and medical profession,’ said Melissa Snively, representing the Florida chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

Beckner said that is all the more reason that Hillsborough County can no longer wait to act. ‘At a local level we are responsible for the safety and well-being of our residents,’ said Beckner. ‘If the state doesn’t act, then it is our responsibility to protect our citizens.’

Hillsborough looks to combat staged accident fraud

Paul Dontenville — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:23:00 -0500

By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune
Published: September 21, 2011

TAMPA --

Commissioners will consider closing a loophole that exempts medical clinics from licensure requirements if a physician's name is on the license application.

On the night of June 9, 2009, Haley Morris was involved in a suspicious accident while driving her grandmother's car.

Betty Morris said Tuesday her granddaughter rear-ended another car that had unexpectedly slammed on its brakes as they drove through an intersection. The vehicles were barely damaged; the three men and a boy in the other car appeared unhurt.

Later, however, Betty Morris got letters from law firms demanding compensation for the four males' medical bills. The letters said a chiropractor at a rehabilitation clinic found the four suffered from back and neck injuries, including bulging and herniated spinal discs.

"I couldn't believe these people had all these injuries from this one little bump," Morris said Tuesday.

The accident bore many of the hallmarks of staged-accident fraud, a crime that has exploded in Hillsborough County in three years. This afternoon, county commissioners will consider an ordinance to address the issue.

Florida is a national leader in staged accident fraud. One reason is the state's Personal Injury Protection insurance, which requires insurers to pay up to $10,000 in medical costs per accident victim no matter who is at fault.

Sheriff's investigators say criminals load a car full of "victims" so they can each collect the maximum $10,000 PIP payout.

Florida law also has a loophole that exempts clinics from licensure requirements if a physician's name is on the license application. It's a loophole "you can drive a truck through," said Chris Brown, legal counsel for the sheriff's office.

"Physicians are allowing their names to be used for exemptions for clinics that they have nothing to do with," Brown said. The doctors are paid for their signatures.

The ordinance is aimed at any clinic with 50 percent or more of its clients claiming PIP reimbursement, or that bills insurers for $200,000 or more annually in PIP claims.

Those clinics would have to designate a physician who would actively practice there. The doctor would also have to have his or her name on the clinic's bank accounts and liability insurance.

The county would have the right to inspect the clinics "as necessary."

"What the ordinance does is it makes that doctor responsible for everything that happens in that office," said Chris Foley, an insurance agent who helped found Fraud Alert. The group has worked for an anti-fraud ordinance for two years.

But Frank Parillo, who owns a rehabilitation clinic in Tampa, says he already complies with state licensing requirements. Parillo says there is a fraud problem, but the perpetrators are mostly massage establishments with no medical directors.

"It's gotten out of hand, but a bad law is not going to fix it," he said.

Betty Morris said she believes her granddaughter's accident was fraud, though law enforcement never investigated it as such.

"Their lawyer's demands for thousands for each occupant for the 'injuries' was staggering," she said. "However, my little car has so little damage, it's hard to find."

msalinero@tampatrib.com

(813) 259-8303

Deputies target 53 people in personal injury scams

Paul Dontenville — Fri, 13 May 2011 14:17:00 -0500

By Jessica Vander Velde, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Friday, May 13, 2011

TAMPA — Some faked car crashes. Others filed false insurance claims. On Thursday, deputies issued warrants for 53 people accused of working one of the fastest growing scams in the area — personal injury fraud.

Detectives raided four clinics they say filed thousands of dollars in fraudulent insurance claims. They arrested clinic owners, massage therapists, crash participants and recruiters accused of setting everything up.

Services billed by clinic owners were unnecessary and often not provided, deputies say. But everyone walked away with cash.

Experts suspect hundreds of similar clinics currently operate in Hillsborough County, a national hot spot for staged crashes. Only the totals in Brooklyn, N.Y., surpass those of Tampa.

The Sheriff's Office started investigating in September 2009 after noticing a string of suspicious crashes.

Since then, Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner has joined the crackdown. He's working to create an ordinance requiring personal injury protection insurance clinics to be licensed and employ a physician.

In February, he listened to citizen comments on a draft. Deputies note that one of their suspects spoke against it.

Back then, Liza Pereyra, owner and manager of Recovery Rehabilitation Services at 7025 W Hillsborough Ave., told commissioners that increased regulation would put a costly strain on legitimate clinics like hers.

On Thursday, deputies arrested Pereyra, 28, on a felony racketeering conspiracy charge.

They searched her business and arrested a receptionist and therapist. It was Pereyra's first arrest in Florida, state records show.

Deputies have made similar roundups but say Thursday's was different because they arrested clinic owners and office managers, not just crash participants.

After the first roundups, the Sheriff's Office recruited informers who helped undercover detectives infiltrate the operations.

"That allowed us to go further," said Chief Deputy José Docobo.

Authorities say several physicians are under investigation.

"It's so lucrative," said Ron Poindexter, a local director for the National Insurance Crime Bureau. "It's a personal slush fund for certain individuals."

And it's a burden carried by the honest. This year, he said, Florida motorists will pay an average of $83 more in annual personal injury protection premiums because of fraud.

Two Brandon-area students earn inaugural youth excellence awards

Kevin Beckner — Wed, 04 May 2011 13:28:00 -0500

By BARBARA ROUTEN | Special correspondent
Published: May 04, 2011

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BRANDON --

When Jessica Martinez of Randall Middle School learned she won a Youth Excellence and Achievement Award for Success Despite Difficult Odds, she said, "I felt good inside. I was amazed that I won. I am proud of myself and grateful to Mrs. [Sandra] Dorey for nominating me."

Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner presented the award to Martinez, the daughter of Michael and Kris Martinez of Lithia. She was the first of six recipients to receive the new Youth Excellence and Achievement Awards given by the county commission.

Mann Middle student Kelsey Bone, daughter of Allen and Jody Bone of Brandon, received her award from Commissioner Ken Hagan. She was the only other recipient from the Brandon area.

"I asked my fellow commissioners to create these awards last year," Beckner said. "I felt like many times we give awards for sports, or so often in the news you hear about kids getting arrested or in trouble. We wanted to have distinct awards that would recognize and highlight the positive accomplishments of youth in our community in a variety of categories. We wanted to shine the spotlight on kids for achievements in academics, on youth who display leadership."

About 50 nominations were reviewed by the Commission on the Status of Women, an organization appointed by the county commission.

Fifteen-year-old Martinez was nominated by Dorey, Hillsborough County Public Schools deaf/hard of hearing resource teacher, who has worked with her for six years at both Bevis Elementary and Randall Middle.

"Jessica was born with a chromosomal abnormality and has faced many challenges in her life," Dorey said. Those include many surgeries and ongoing physical, occupational and speech therapy.

"She is not cognitively impaired at all. She was accepted into the National Junior Honor Society due to her high grades, volunteer hours and leadership. Her grades are from regular education classes," Dorey said. "She is on track to graduate with a standard high school diploma and will be in honors classes at Newsome [High] next year."

Martinez plans to go to college and study accounting and is "a true role model for other students," Dorey said.

"Despite a moderate to severe hearing loss in both ears, Jessica is fully functional in the classroom with the assistance of FM equipment which amplifies the voice of the instructor," said Kris Martinez. "She has not let her disability interfere with her success in the classroom. She advocates for herself if she needs additional assistance and always puts forth her best effort.

"Her tenacity and determination have resulted in tremendous success in the classroom. I am so very proud of the fact that Jessica has made straight A's every marking period in both seventh and eighth grade."

She is a homeroom representative, sergeant-at-arms for student government, member of the chorus and Beta Club, and has volunteered at an elementary school summer reading camp.

"Jessica also has participated in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, Hoops for Heart and Pasta for Pennies, raising money for these worthy causes," her mother said. "She is a committed individual who puts aside her own personal difficulties to help others in need."

Eighth-grader Bone, a lifelong Brandon resident, won the category of Volunteer or Community Service for surpassing her $1,500 goal to become a Relay for Life Star Supporter this year.

The 14-year-old was nominated by her mother, Jody, who said Kelsey has loved being part of Relay for Life since she was asked to read a poem during a luminaria ceremony three years ago.

Kelsey likes to help people, and since several family members and friends have been affected by cancer, Relay for Life seemed a good event to support.

"Kelsey met the goal by pet sitting and asking people to donate to Relay for Life instead of paying her. She made greeting cards, baked goodies, participated in a yard sale, made jewelry and even made a birthday cake for someone," Jody Bone said.

In the process she exceeded her goal, raising more than $1,900.

Kelsey is a straight-A student and will attend Brandon High next year. She plays clarinet at Mann Middle, is in a youth band at First United Methodist Church, is a budding photographer and takes dance classes.

"Kelsey is an outstanding example of our youth today," said Nancy Trathowen, principal at Mann. "I have never heard her say a bad word about anyone. She serves as an office assistant and member of National Junior Honor Society. Thinking of others is not difficult for Kelsey, because it comes straight from her heart."

Kelsey said receiving the award was a great experience. She is happy they recognized and appreciated her community service efforts.

"Kelsey has proven that no matter how old you are, you can make a difference," her mother said.

The other four recipients of the Youth Excellence and Achievement Awards were Laura Osorio of Stewart Middle for Leadership; Liat Sanz of Freedom High for Leadership; Benjamin Carpenter of King High for Success Despite Difficult Odds; and Elisa Berson of Freedom High for Volunteer or Community Service.

neighbors@tampabay.rr.com

Lawmakers want civil citations for juveniles statewide

Paul Dontenville — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:46:00 -0500

By ELAINE SILVESTRINI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 18, 2011

A program designed to give juvenile law-breakers a chance to avoid arrest records will be bolstered around the state under bills approved by the House last week and on track for passage in the Senate.

Employing what are known as civil citations, the program provides social services for first-time youthful offenders who commit certain nonviolent crimes and allows them to take responsibility for their actions without having to enter the juvenile justice system.

"This bill is a really important first step in our juvenile justice reform efforts," said Wansley Walters, secretary of the state Department of Juvenile Justice, speaking before a Senate committee that approved the bill sponsored by Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico.

The bills drew support from both sides of the political aisle, as well as from law enforcement, public defenders and business interests. The House vote to approve its version was unanimous.

"Sounds like we're in debate and it's a rah rah," joked Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, chair of the House criminal justice subcommittee, as members chimed in with praise for the idea.

"We can be judged by how we treat our children in perpetuity," said Rep. Darryl Rousson, D-St. Petersburg, during House debate of the bill sponsored by Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota. "I urge you members to pass this unanimously off this floor so we are sending the message that our young people are important to us."

Hillsborough County is one of several jurisdictions around the state that already have a program, which was already on track for expansion in June.

The county's school-based program has been expanded to the streets in unincorporated areas of the county in the last few months for juveniles caught committing petit theft.

In June, the program is scheduled to be expanded to encompass more offenses, including criminal mischief, trespassing, disorderly conduct and simple assault. County officials expect the program also will be expanded to Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace.

"It gives an opportunity for kids who do stupid things to have an opportunity to be a productive citizen," said Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner, who created the county's Juvenile Justice Task Force.

The program has existed in the county since 2005. In the last school year, 197 youngsters participated; so far this school year, there have been 144 participants, according to sheriff's Col. Greg Brown.

In January, Sheriff David Gee clashed with Beckner's task force over its plans to expand civil citations, saying they needed to move more slowly.

But Col. Jim Previtera said last week that the sheriff is a proponent of the program and of its expansion, and was just not happy with the consultant who evaluated it for the county.

"The sheriff has never been opposed to civil citation," Previtera said. "He has worked to expand civil citation. We have been the ones leading the way."

Previtera said the sheriff's office has expanded the program steadily, but Gee did not agree with what he saw as a proposal to "suddenly enact drastic changes. …We have continuously managed the expansion of civil citation in a controlled manner intended to maximize its' effectiveness as a diversion program."

The program, Beckner said, gives youngsters an opportunity to "complete their higher education, to go into the military or obtain gainful employment without having a criminal arrest record."

Previtera agreed.

"We've found that in a lot of cases, civil citation has been the break a kid needs to overcome what otherwise is a youthful indiscretion," he said.

"You can't give them a continuous blank check; you can't give them a break every time. …Youthful indiscretions are just that, if they don't rise to the level of violence, substance abuse or deviant behavior, then it's appropriate in certain circumstances to give them a break, a second chance."

Current state law encourages counties and cities to have civil citation programs; the new measures would mandate that local jurisdictions have either civil citations or similar programs. The bills also would require the Department of Juvenile Justice to help with the implementation and improvement of the programs.

esilvestrini@tampatrib.com

(813) 259-7837

Beckner: Taking over juvenile detention could save millions

Paul Dontenville — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 10:48:00 -0500

By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 4, 2011

TAMPA - Hillsborough County is looking at taking over juvenile detention duties from the state Department of Juvenile Justice, a move that could save county taxpayers millions of dollars.

State law allows counties to run their own juvenile detention centers, but until last year, there was no written process for the DJJ to certify that locally run centers meet state standards.

At the request of Hillsborough and other counties, the state agency formed a task force to develop a certification process. In November, Marion County became the first county to assume detention duties from the state.

"DJJ never thought a county would want to do it, so they never developed a rule to come in and certify the local facility," said Tom Wilder, chief of staff for the Marion County Sheriff's Department.

Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner told his fellow commissioners Wednesday the county could save between $3.7 million and $5.2 million a year by taking over juvenile detention.

He cited estimates by the sheriff's office that it can operate juvenile detention at an annual cost of $2.5 million to $4 million compared to the state cost of $7.7 million.

The savings would result from the county not having to pay DJJ fees for taking care of juvenile offenders, said Sheriff's Col. Jim Previtera. Those fees are inordinately high because only 38 of Florida's 67 counties pay. The smaller, poorer counties pay nothing.

Previtera said the most recent figure he had seen showed the county paying the state $288 a day for each juvenile in detention. The sheriff's office estimates it could house juveniles for between $100 and $160 a day.

Sheriff David Gee is willing to consider assuming detention services, Previtera said, but only after a detailed feasibility study.

Taking over juvenile detention responsibility would require hiring up to 100 additional deputies, Previtera said, and possibly building a new detention facility if the DJJ center at Columbus Drive and Falkenburg Road is not up to snuff.

Savings could be used for intervention and diversion programs that have proven effective in rehabilitating juvenile offenders, Beckner said. A preventive approach keeps juveniles from becoming adult prisoners at a much higher cost for taxpayers.

"We know when we invest in the front-end cycle, our kids and our community both benefit in the long term," Beckner said.

County commissioners approved Beckner's request to name a technical advisory group to study the best way for the county to assume juvenile detention duties.

Other options besides having the sheriff do it would be to contract detention services to a private company, or form a regional system with surrounding counties. Beckner said Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coates has expressed an interest in such an arrangement. However, for the regional approach to work, a state law would have to be changed that requires that juvenile offenders be detained in the same county where the commit an offense.

If the county did start housing juvenile offenders, the detention center would have to undergo quarterly inspections by the Department of Juvenile Justice to make sure it meets state standards. If a center gets two bad inspections in a row, the state takes back control, said DJJ spokesman Frank Penela.

Beckner asked the county attorney in August 2009 to research the possibility of assuming juvenile detention operations. His request came after Jan MacLeod, the county's criminal justice liaison, discovered DJJ was charging counties for costs the state should pay. In fiscal 2007-08, the state agency charged counties $2 million for state employee bonuses.

Since 2007, the county has filed five administrative complaints and one lawsuit against DJJ for improper charges. During that time, an administrative law judge found the agency overcharged Hillsborough for 14,000 detention days. As of last year, Hillsborough has gotten more than $3 million in credits from the state due to legal challenges and MacLeod's work.

Mike Salinero

(813) 259-8303

Task force: Use civil citations for non-violent youth offenders

Paul Dontenville — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 22:34:00 -0500

By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 21, 2011

TAMPA - Expanded and streamlined use of civil citations for juvenile offenders who commit misdemeanor crimes or other non-violent offenses would help turn around troubled youth, members of Hillsborough County's Juvenile Justice Task Force told county commissioners Thursday.

The citations, which have been used with success by the county school system, punish lesser crimes with community service and keep juveniles from having a criminal record that can ruin their adult life.

"We believe civil citation is going to be very instrumental in making sure youth that make mistakes are given an opportunity to succeed by finishing their education, getting a job, serving in the military, without the black mark of an arrest record," said Commissioner Kevin Beckner, a member of the task force.

Beckner was making his first report to the commission on the task force's work over the past year. No commission action was taken.

Dewey Caruthers, a consultant who works with the task force, said civil citations have been shown to keep juveniles from reoffending and allow law enforcement and the courts to spend time and money on more serious criminals. The citations have to be coupled, Caruthers said, with appropriate services, such as substance abuse treatment, anger management and family counseling.

But what if the money for services is not available, asked Commissioner Victor Crist, a former state senator. The state is facing a budget deficit for fiscal 2011 of between $3.5 billion and $4 billion, and Crist said juvenile justice funding is likely to be hit hard by lawmakers.

Beckner said the task force has not addressed funding yet, but he anticipates working with existing agencies, such as the Children's Board of Hillsborough County, which is financed through a dedicated property tax. Beckner said the commission should also evaluate the many agencies that work with children and get county funding.

"We need to be very focused and make sure our dollars are going where we get the best results," he said.

The task force also wants to reduce the number of black children referred to the court system. Black youth made up 50 percent of the referrals to the county juvenile justice system in fiscal 2008, though only 22 percent of children in the county between ages 10-17 were black.

Beckner said he thought civil citations could help alleviate some of the disproportionate numbers.

He was challenged, however, by Commissioner Les Miller, who asked why none of the task force's paid consultants were black or Hispanic.

Beckner pointed out that the task force included members of the Abe Brown Ministry and Pastors on Patrol, groups that work with youth in the black community. He said that as the task force begins to address "social issues" it will include more minorities.

Mike Salinero

(813) 259-8303

Hillsborough wants to crack down on fraud from staged crashes

Paul Dontenville — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 22:28:00 -0500

By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 21, 2011

TAMPA - Hillsborough County is becoming a hotbed for insurance fraud involving staged auto accidents, and law enforcement is asking county government for help in fighting the crimes.

On Thursday, county commissioners took a first step, asking the county attorney's office to draft an ordinance to regulate on medical clinics that are often a key component of the fraud. The ordinance would allow the county to better track owners and screen employees.

Drivers and passengers involved in staged accidents are taken to the clinics, usually with no doctor on staff, and instructed on how to fill out paperwork to make insurance claims.

Commissioner Kevin Beckner, who has been working with the sheriff's office since July on the rising insurance fraud problem, said he hopes the ordinance will be as successful as the one commissioners passed last year to crack down on illicit pain management clinics, also known as "pill mills." The ordinance required the clinics to register with the county and have a licensed physician be responsible for all written prescriptions.

Staged accidents, he said, are "draining the pockets of the property casualty insurance companies and, ultimately, our citizens."

The fraudulent claims take advantage of loopholes in Florida's personal injury protection insurance, also known as "no fault."

All Florida drivers are required to carry the insurance, which entitles them to $10,000 in medical care for injuries received in an accident, no matter who's to blame. The staged accidents often involve multiple drivers and passengers so the criminals can collect the maximum from insurance companies.

"It's like a personal slush fund that the undesirables have access to by way of Florida's PIP insurance," said Ronald Poindexter, National Insurance Crime Bureau director in Tampa.

In 2009, the Tampa area surpassed metro Miami, once a national leader in staged-accident fraud. The Tampa area had 487 questionable claim accidents that year, according to the insurance crime bureau, compared to 258 in the Miami area.

Poindexter said the costs incurred by insurance companies is passed down to policy holders as a "fraud tax" of $86 per driver.

Sheriff's Maj. Donna Lusczynski said the agency assigned two detectives to work fulltime on this type of fraud, and last year undercover deputies successfully infiltrated two phony clinics.

"As of this date, we've charged over 74 subjects with insurance fraud, patient brokering and racketeering," Lusczynski said.

Poindexter and Lusczynski said the clinics and staged accident coordinators are part of extensive criminal enterprises that also deal in money laundering and human trafficking.

Commissioners should see a draft ordinance at their Feb. 2 meeting.

Mike Salinero

(813) 259-8303

Transportation plan is more than a commuter train

Paul Dontenville — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:56:00 -0500

Tampa Tribune, November 1, 2010

A train linking downtown Tampa to the airport and to the USF area and beyond has long been the focus of the debate over the transportation referendum, which leaves suburban voters feeling shortchanged.

But approval of an extra one-cent-per-dollar sales tax is also needed for major improvements in bus service, roads and sidewalks in many areas that won't soon enjoy rail service.

Both the bus agency HART and the business community supporting the plan have tried to spread the word that most of the money from the tax will go to buses and highway improvements.

In the Brandon area, for example, a rail line is on the map, but it's far in the future.

Immediate plans will add bus routes on Brandon Boulevard, Bloomingdale Avenue and Lithia Pinecrest Road. And buses will come more often.

Buses will come every 15 minutes, and at peak hours, every 10 minutes, says former U.S. Rep. Jim Davis of Tampa, one of the leaders of the transit campaign.

"That means," Davis says, "the bus is either coming or it's there. It's something you can depend on."
Bus hours will also be expanded countywide, with more weekend service. Express routes from Brandon will serve Westshore, USF, Citrus Park. From Gibsonton a new route will connect to MacDill Air Force Base. Everyone will have better access to the airport, Moffitt Cancer Center, the VA hospital and downtown Tampa.

Two new traffic lanes will be added to Lithia Pinecrest between Lumsden and Bloomingdale avenues and between Adelaide Avenue and Fishhawk Hills Drive. Two lanes will be added to Boyette Road between Balm Riverview and Bell Shoals roads. A new two-lane road will be built from Big Bend Road to Gibsonton Road.

John Moore Road will be improved from Bloomingdale Avenue to Lumsden Road.

Gornto Lake Road will be extended to connect to Brandon Boulevard, which will relieve pressure on the mall intersection to the west, one of the county's most hazardous crossroads.

Turn lanes, sidewalks and safety enhancements for pedestrians and bicyclists are also planned in many areas.

An on-call bus service called Flex will serve business and residential centers in the suburbs. It will take you anywhere within a half mile of the bus route.

More details for Brandon, and for all communities in the county, are available at the Internet site movinghillsboroughforward.org.

Hillsborough County has no money in its budget for these needed improvements. Davis and others are explaining that in community meetings around the county.

We believe if enough people hear and understand the issue, and see how much is at stake in their community, the tax will pass

Transit plan improves accountability

Paul Dontenville — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:48:00 -0500

St Pete Times Editorial, October 27, 2010

The transportation plan that goes before Hillsborough County voters Tuesday may be about roads, buses and light rail, but it also represents a new way of thinking. Local transportation planners would collaborate like never before. The public — not the politicians — would have a much bigger say in how the region spends billions of dollars in tax money. And area leaders would be required to look ahead. The plan does as much to instill a new level of accountability in local government as it does to create a modern transit system.

The public's attention in the runup to Tuesday's vote has focused on the opportunities that a modern transportation system would bring. But the 1-cent sales tax proposal also would create a framework for dealing with transportation across the entire region. Hillsborough would have a dedicated source of money to meet its most pressing transit needs. An agreement between the county and its three cities would guide how these separate jurisdictions cooperate over the long term. And the plan would eventually link Hillsborough's transit system with networks in Pinellas and other adjoining counties.

The public is being asked to raise taxes with protections to ensure that the money will be spent responsibly. Toward that end, the cities and county spent months building backstops into the plan. The money will be deposited into dedicated trust funds and used only for transit projects that have been vetted and ranked. Local agencies will prepare annual audits, and a citizens oversight committee will meet regularly to review expenditures. The plan spells out how much is going for roads and mass transit. Legal restrictions will make it difficult for politicians to monkey with which projects get funded. And the county's transit agency is required to "ensure connectivity to adjacent counties," ensuring that the region thinks through the process of linking its major cities and destinations.

The plan brings more scrutiny to transportation spending than to any other operation of county government. It lays a foundation for governments throughout the region to cooperate on a host of issues, from managing growth to job development efforts. Adding a new level of public oversight to the contracting process will reduce the chance for fraud and raise the public's expectation of transparency in government.

Local officials did a good job crafting a plan that both improves transit in the region and protects taxpayers. That regard for accountability should give voters the confidence to approve the referendum.

Supporters of Hillsborough County transit referendum say more buses a big plus

Paul Dontenville — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:07:00 -0500

By Janet Zink, St. Pete Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 19, 2010

TAMPA — When Sagar Patel moved to Tampa about a year ago, he expected to find the same type of bus service he enjoyed while growing up in the Indian city of Vadodara.

"The frequency there is every five minutes and the bus stop was right by my house," said Patel, a 26-year-old graduate student at the University of South Florida. "Since there are 40,000 students here and it's such a developed area, I was expecting it to have a good means of public transportation."

Instead, he discovered he has to walk 20 minutes to get to a bus stop. Buses run only every 30 minutes, and service stops at 9:30 p.m. He can't afford to buy a car, so he relies on friends to drive him to the grocery store, to the beach or to the nightlife in Ybor City.

All that could change if voters approve a 1 cent sales tax next month to pay for transportation improvements, including road upgrades, light rail and expanded bus service.

Thirty-two percent of the $180 million a year the tax is expected to generate will boost the bus service operated by Hillsborough Area Regional Transit.

And while it will take years to launch light rail and fix roads, changes in bus service will be nearly immediate, said Ron Govin, chairman of the HART board.

Right now, the agency has buses sitting idle because there isn't enough money to operate them, he said.

Property tax revenue to support the system fell by $8.2 million between 2007 and 2011. Meanwhile, ridership has increased from 10 million in 2005 to 12.3 million in 2010, its highest ever.

A budget boost means drivers will be hired and frequency of service will see a bump a few months after the Nov. 2 election, Govin said.

Plans call for running some buses 24 hours. Express bus service will be launched between Brandon and the West Shore area; Apollo Beach and MacDill Air Force Base; Brandon and USF.

But is there a demand for more routes and greater frequency?

"The demand is created by meeting the needs of the people," Govin said.

He noted that when HART boosted the frequency of a bus running between Temple Terrace and the University of South Florida from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes, ridership picked up. And a new flex service added in Brandon, which provides door-to-door transportation in a limited geographic area, has proved quite popular.

If people can count on buses operating efficiently, he said, they will use them.

"People have a threshold," he said. "They're only going to wait so long. They're not going to walk up to a stop and wait for a bus if they just missed it and it's going to be an hour."

Right now, HART has 235 vehicles to cover a 1,000-square-mile county.

"That just doesn't cut it," Govin said. "It doesn't allow us to put the coverage out there that we need. There are areas of the county and cities that just don't get service."

As a point of comparison, supporters of the tax point to Dallas, where nearly 700 buses serve 700 square miles.

If the tax passes, plans call for adding 49 buses and 23 vans to the fleet over the next two years.

Shannon Calvert, founder of NoTaxForTracks.com, a group created to fight the 1-cent sales tax, remains unconvinced.

She objects most vigorously to the rail portion of the tax, saying that laying tracks is expensive, the trains won't be used and the routes can't be adjusted if they're not popular.

She supports expanding the bus system. But not with a new tax. She mentions dedicating gas tax money to bus service, or bringing in private companies.

And though she sees deficiencies in bus service, she doesn't support a massive expansion of the system.

"Start small. Find out actually if there's ridership," she said.

Robert Minthorn, who lives in Gibsonton, also said the bus component of the tax won't persuade him to support it.

"We do have a number of people in Gibsonton that depend on the buses," he said. "Current levels of service seem to meet most people's needs."

Others see it differently.

Pam Clouston, who lives in Lithia, said if the buses were frequent and reliable she might use them to visit friends in Tampa, or go to the mall or a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game.

"But it would have to run in a timely manner. You'd need to be able to expect a bus every 20 minutes," she said. "I grew up in Cleveland. And I will tell you if I wanted to go to the shopping center, I could walk across the street and get a bus and I knew one was going to come in 10 or 15 minutes. If I wanted to go downtown to a Cleveland Indians game or Browns football game, we took the bus. We never drove."

She recalls taking the bus to work at a mall when she was 16.

"I was able to get a job because I could take the bus," she said. "In order for our city, our county, to move forward, we do need a better mass transit system."

Janet Zink can be reached at jzink@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3401.

Hillsborough transit plan benefits everyone

Paul Dontenville — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 09:28:00 -0500

St. Petersburg Times Editorial, 10/18/10

The message is sinking in: Hillsborough County's proposed transit tax would do as much for suburban residents as those who live in the cities. A St. Petersburg Times/Bay News 9 poll released this month shows that a slight majority of probable voters — 51 percent — support the proposal. But the bigger story is that a far higher percentage — 61 percent — support the tax in the southern suburbs of Sun City Center and Apollo Beach. Residents want easier and cheaper ways to reach downtown, the hospitals, Tampa International Airport, MacDill Air Force Base, the University of South Florida and other major destinations. That will happen if voters approve the tax.

Critics have misrepresented the proposal by calling it a "rail tax" that would benefit only city residents. But the truth is getting through. Most of the money would go for roads and improvements to the bus system. And enhancements to roads and bus service would take effect first. Rail would come later, but when it did it would connect the USF area, Brandon, downtown, the West Shore business district, the airport and the northwest county suburbs. And those rail lines would be served by buses, giving rail a countywide reach.

Voters should not fall for the attempt to pit urban and suburban residents against each other. The transit plan's three-pronged approach — roads, buses and rail — offers something for everyone. Buses and rail would free up congestion on the roads and lessen the need for taxpayers to condemn more private property for highways. Improving roads throughout the county makes the region more economically competitive. Putting more money into mass transit enables the county to draw down more federal aid for transportation. Mass transit gives people who cannot or do not want to drive the ability to get where they want. And a more balanced transportation system grows the urban core while protecting suburban lifestyles.

There are broader benefits, too. Mass transit could drive redevelopment of older, urban areas. It could free up some of the significant amount of income that low-wage earners spend maintaining a car. Employers would benefit from a reliable transportation system that gets their employees to work. And about one-fifth of the 1 cent sales tax would be paid by nonresidents, spreading the burden to those who use the transit system. Most importantly, the county would be creating an essential revenue stream. Hillsborough has tens of billions of dollars in unfunded transit needs and no significant pot of money to tap until 2026. The county will need a transit tax sooner or later, anyway. Why fall further behind or continue to lose out in the competition for federal dollars?

Voters have time before Nov. 2 to study the benefits for themselves. A group of political and business leaders supporting the referendum has broken down the transportation projects by neighborhood. Check out the group's website at www.movinghillsborough forward.org; click "The Plan" and then "What's in it for me?"

The short answer: Plenty for everybody.

Benefits of rail transport

Paul Dontenville — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:18:00 -0500

By Gary Sasso, Special to the Times

The Times' editorial on Sunday meaningfully contributed to the discussion about the Nov. 2 transportation referendum in Hillsborough County. It concluded that the "Tampa Bay area desperately needs a modern transportation system" and that Hillsborough has a "thoughtful plan" and a "compelling vision" to accomplish this. But the editors worry that voters may not "look beyond their individual, immediate financial concerns" in supporting a 1 cent sales tax to finance this plan even though it is "an investment with bigger dividends." The editorial suggests that voters need answers to questions about how the referendum will benefit them.

The transportation plan will benefit county voters in many ways. Most directly, it will improve mobility for all county residents. It will raise funds for much-needed road projects throughout Hillsborough. Fully 25 percent of the 1-cent sales tax will be used for this purpose, as well as to improve bike and pedestrian facilities. And 32 percent will be used for expanded, countywide bus service. Only 23 percent of county residents are now served by good or excellent bus service. The plan will increase this to 79 percent. It will fund express buses, bus rapid transit (BRT), more local buses with more frequent service, and improved paratransit for the disabled. The remaining 43 percent of the proceeds will fund a light rail system along major corridors.

The referendum will benefit voters even if they never use this system. It will create tens of thousands of quality jobs. These will include everything from construction and engineering jobs to new jobs in service and retail that come from new development around stations. For every dollar invested in transit, the private sector invests $4 to $6 in development along the line. This form of development is compact and saves land, energy, air and water. This is why the Sierra Club and environmentally concerned voters support this referendum.

The plan is crucial to attracting and retaining businesses. Businesses need infrastructure, including modern transportation to move their employees and customers and to spur mixed-use development to attract and retain employees. This is why so many businesses in Tampa Bay have invested in this campaign.

The Times has asked about the routes for the light rail system. HART has specifically identified the alternative routes it is considering and is inviting public input. The fact that HART hasn't yet completed its analysis is no reason to vote against this plan. The selection of any of the alternative routes would result in a modern and cost-effective transit system that offers all of the anticipated benefits.

It is important to consider the consequences if we don't approve this plan. Population growth and unsightly development will continue to mount, and traffic will increasingly outstrip our deteriorating roads, forcing the county to add more lanes at exorbitant cost. The county faces a $15 billion dollar shortfall for roadwork. We will be forced to pay additional taxes or tolls for less benefit.

Congestion imposes other costs upon Hillsborough residents. In Tampa Bay, residents spend more than 20 percent of their annual income on transportation, one of the nation's highest rates. According to AAA, owning, operating and maintaining a mid-size sedan costs around $8,000 each year, not including car payments. Congested traffic wastes more dollars than it will cost to fund this initiative. Transportation options allow families to reduce their reliance on cars and related costs. Without modern transit, we will continue to lose ground to more progressive communities and suffer an erosion of our business and employment base.

Much is riding on the outcome of this referendum for the economic health of our region. Hillsborough is not the only county planning improved transportation. Other counties, including Pinellas and Pasco, are working on referendums. Planning is under way to link Pinellas and Hillsborough by light rail. If Hillsborough County voters reject this referendum, other counties will have nothing to connect to. There will be a vast transit hole between Polk and Pinellas, Pasco and Manatee, and so on.

The county's transportation plan offers a compelling vision and should be adopted. A broad coalition of stakeholders, including large and small businesses, environmentalists, community organizations, workers, labor unions, students, senior citizens and voters of every stripe have scrutinized the overall plan and concluded it is right for Hillsborough. If the case for a countywide transportation system can never be 100 percent certain, the case against a countywide transportation system almost certainly spells very bad things for our future. The best decision is to vote for countywide transportation to move Hillsborough forward.

Gary Sasso is chairman of Moving Hillsborough Forward, chairman of the Tampa Bay Partnership, and CEO of Carlton Fields.

The true costs of 'no' on transit

Paul Dontenville — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:15:00 -0500

By JOSE VALIENTE

Special To The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 13, 2010

In November, voters in Hillsborough County will have an opportunity to approve a plan to invest in our county's failing transportation infrastructure and create a modern system of improved roads, buses and light rail.

Last week, an opinion piece in this newspaper questioned the fiscal responsibility of this initiative, citing costs, the burden on future generations and the availability of "alternatives" ("Full financial disclosure needed on transit tax," Other Views, Sept. 9). Every other metropolitan area of our size has rejected this argument - an argument tantamount to claiming manual typewriters can do the same job as computers at less cost. It misses the forest for the trees.

We must address our transportation needs. Failing to do so is damaging to our economic vitality and quality of life. And while it is fair and valid to consider the costs of this investment, it is a false comparison if we assume the cost of voting against this plan will be nothing. This biased and misleading approach ignores the real costs of road congestion, travel delay, taxpayer-subsidized road widening and deteriorating environmental quality.

Every year, drivers in our community waste 47 hours stuck in traffic, costing them more than $900 in congestion-related delays. As we continue to grow, these costs will grow. In the next 15 years, our county is expected to add almost 460,000 residents. The added pressure on roads will not only lead to an increase in personal congestion-related costs, but we will be forced to widen roads at exceptional costs.

Take, for example, the corridor between the University of South Florida and downtown Tampa. To accommodate future traffic, I-275 would need to be widened to 12 or 16 lanes at a cost of more than $2.2 billion. Compare that to the cost of building light rail, which for that segment is estimated at only $900 million. Due to the exorbitant cost of land acquisition and construction, light rail is more cost effective than highways once you exceed eight lanes.

Not only are roads more expensive to build in many places, but unlike public transportation, they are 100 percent subsidized. Fare-box revenue is conservatively projected to cover almost 9 percent of the cost of the transit portion of the plan. While opponents are quick to criticize this point, this overlooks the fact that roads generate zero rider fares and thus are paid for exclusively with public debt - unless they are proposing we make all of our roads toll roads.

What about buses? Buses are an important part of the solution and account for 82 percent of the operating costs of the transit portion of the plan, but they can't be the only solution. It is precisely because bus routes are flexible and can move around that they fail to encourage private investment and high-density development. This would result in a lost economic opportunity for our community at a time we desperately need one. Buses only would condemn us to a future of continued haphazard growth, consuming our natural lands and rural communities.

This is the true burden we will bestow on our children and grandchildren if we fail to act now to tackle our transportation challenges. It is shortsighted to ignore the environmental costs of continuing to rely exclusively on automobiles and buses. Our children are already suffering from higher asthma rates brought on by air pollution. If we don't act soon to address our air quality issues, the federal government will withhold our highway funds as it did previously in Atlanta - to disastrous effect.

It's true there will be a debt to pay that will be borne by future generations. However, it is a debt smaller than we would incur by investing in roads alone. Further, it is false to claim that by not approving this plan, we will rescue our children from federal debt related to transit. This overlooks the fact that state and federal funds set aside for transit will be spent for communities that qualify for funding. Unless we start moving forward on a rail plan of our own, our children will incur that debt for the benefit of other communities.

This system is really for them. It will keep our children here, rather than chasing them to more progressive communities. The fiscally responsible decision is to vote "FOR" countywide transportation on Nov. 2.

Jose Valiente is a CPA with Larson Allen of Tampa, a Republican and a former chairman of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce.