While discussing a referendum that could bring about the possibility of a Latino commissioner on the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners last month, a member of the public who regularly speaks during the public comment portion of those meetings, Marilyn Smith, enraged Hispanic citizens by saying such a move would "ghettoize" the board, and said to those advocates, "You want to be different? Go back to where you came from."
Since that time, several of those citizens have fumed that the chair of the BOCC, Ken Hagan, didn't cut Smith off from the mic at that time, although Commissioner Les Miller did immediately condemn the remarks and apologized to those in the County Center and television audience.
Flash forward two weeks later, to today's commission meeting. Several of those same Latinos criticized the board for allowing Smith to continuing speaking after her cutting remarks, with one woman tearing up emotionally.
Shortly thereafter, another speaker who frequently bashes commissioners during public comment, Mark Klutho, began criticizing the board for what he said was their failure to commit to building sustainable structures. After Klutho called the board "fools," Miller jumped in immediately.
"Mr. Chairman, enough's enough….I do not appreciate you calling me a fool, sir!"
Commissioner Victor Crist then chimed in, saying, "Mr. Chairman, this man's time is up," telling Klutho that "if you want to address us in a civil way, we will listen, but you have refused to speak to us in a civil way. Mr. Chairman, I demand that you take action."
Hagan then called on the deputy who presides at board meetings to remove Klutho from the dais. Klutho seemed a bit oblivious, and with his mic cut, continued to berate the commissioners, saying he had a First Amendment right to speak.
This article appears in Mar 8-14, 2012.