Brown Believes in Signatures

BARTOW | Jason Brown has something that sets him apart from most of the other candidates.

He qualified for office by gathering signatures from potential voters rather than simply paying the qualifying fee.

"I had decided if I couldn't get it by petition, I wouldn't run,'' said Brown, a 33-year-old Lakeland businessman.

"I proved my work ethic by doing it,'' he said.

This is Brown's first run at political office, but he made his views on county government well known last year when he spoke against the county's tax rate during the County Commission budget hearings.

Rather than a Republican primary as he initially thought the Aug. 26 election would be, he and opponents for the District 1 seat will face all voters because there were no candidates from other parties.

Brown said he's been wanting to get involved in politics since he was a teenager, and he thinks now is the time.

"At my age and position, I'm still young enough to relate to the prime demographics in Polk County,'' he said, referring to young married couples.

Brown, who traces his local family roots to the early 1800s and whose campaign signs read "Leadership Built on Heritage," said he's concerned that Polk County is losing its identity.

"We're either east Tampa or west Orlando,'' he said.

Brown said in addition to his youth and deep Polk County roots, he's independent of the outside development interests that he thinks have hurt Polk County.

"I'm not owned by anyone or anything,'' he said. "I know right from wrong; I have grassroots common sense.''

Supporter James Grasse, a Lakeland retiree, said he's impressed with Brown's enthusiasm, character and community ties.

Grasse said he was also impressed that Brown used the petition route to qualify.

"He didn't buy his way in,'' Grasse said, adding he was impressed that Brown has no ties to the construction industry, whose activities - with the support of incumbent Commissioner Bob English and his colleagues, Grasse said - have skewed the county's tax base, putting more burden on homeowners like himself.

Brown said he thinks English, whom he is trying to replace, has sent Polk County in a direction that's not compatible with what people want, and he said candidate and former County Commissioner Don Gifford has already been voted out of office once.

Regarding candidate Blaine Gravitt, his contemporary, Brown said he doesn't think he has enough "grassroots credibility to protect Polk County.''

Brown initially financed his campaign through his businesses and relatives but has been picking up an increasing number of other supporters.

According to his latest campaign-finance report ending July 17, he has raised $9,385 and spent $8,640.

County commissioners are elected countywide and serve four-year terms. They are paid $40,092 a year.

[Tom Palmer can be reached at 863-802-7535 or tom.palmer@theledger.com. Read more views on county government at http://county.theledger.com.]