By MICHAEL D. BATES | Hernando Today
Published: May 19, 2010
Updated: 05/19/2010 07:01 pm
Rep. Robert Schenck on Monday turned in his application for one of two vacant positions on the state Public Service Commission.
On Tuesday, Republican Schenck said he changed his mind and on Wednesday was in the process of removing his name.
But as of late Wednesday, he had not done so, said Connie Ennis, program manager for the state Office of Legislative Services, which staffs the PSC nominating council.
Schenck said he never had any firm intention of resigning his District 44 House of Representatives seat and working for the PSC, a job that pays $129,000 a year. State representatives are paid a base salary of $31,932 annually.
He only did it, he said, as a favor to a PSC official who encouraged him to apply and because, at the time, there weren't any qualified candidates for the job.
Schenck said he didn't publicize the move because "I didn't think it rose to newsworthy level."
But Schenck's Democratic opponent for the House seat, Diane Rowden, thinks otherwise and calls this flip-flop further proof that he is not committed to following through for Hernando County.
"Robert Schenck quit his job as a teacher, he quit his job as a county commissioner and now he wasn't really sure he wanted to quit his job as state representative and work for the PSC," Rowden said. "Yet he filled out an application."
Schenck discounted Rowden's comments as more campaign rhetoric.
Schenck said a PSC official asked him to apply because of his experience dealing with utility companies while on the county commission from 2002-06.
The PSC is a five-member board that regulates Florida's utilities.
Schenck said his name was more or less a "placeholder" and he was not really interested, especially after he saw Tuesday that there were 59 other applicants who seemed to have the necessary qualifications for the job.
Schenck told Hernando Today on Wednesday afternoon he would take his name off the list and devote his full energy to the campaign.
"It's done and I'm fully running for re-election," Schenck said.
On his application for the PSC, Schenck said he would be willing to resign from his legislative post if appointed to the state job. In the "remarks" section of the application, Schenck cited his familiarity with rate design and his record of voting against rate increases while a member of the county board.
"My time in public office has also taught me how to operate under the Sunshine Law and my experience in land use cases has taught me about ex-parte communication," he wrote.
State law on ex-parte restricts commissioners from communicating about aspects of a land use or other case coming before them.
Rowden said this is yet another example of Schenck "doing one thing and saying another."
"Why would you apply for something if you didn't mean it?" she asked. "I don't really understand the logic behind that."
Rowden called this Schenck's second flip-flop in seven days.
Last week, Rowden blasted Schenck for not being forthcoming on his pro-oil drilling stance and previous comments that he favored oil drilling off the Florida Coast.
Schenck told Hernando Today he was willing to reconsider his stand following the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf that led to an oil spill that threatens the Florida Keys coastline.
When he won election to the District 4 county commission seat in 2002, Schenck quit his job at Central High School, where he had taught for two years.
Then, with about four months left in his term, Schenck resigned as county commissioner in 2006, much to the surprise of his commission colleagues and members of the local Democrat and Republican parties.
On Wednesday, Schenck defended his previous resignations, saying he couldn't hold down a teaching position and be a county commissioner at the same time. He said he resigned his commission seat early to concentrate on his legislative campaign.
Then-Gov. Jeb Bush appointed Tom Hogan Sr. to complete Schenck's unexpired term.
Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.
