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Politics

Telephone poll stirs up dirty-politics accusations

By CRISTINA SILVA
Published February 21, 2007

A mysterious telephone survey has candidates and residents wondering who is behind what appears to be the latest case of mud slinging in this often divided community.

People surveyed describe it as between 10 and 30 minutes in length, with questions on building heights, the upcoming election, and Citizens for Responsible Growth, an antidevelopment group that was founded in part by candidates Linda Chaney and Harry Metz.

Candidates in the District 4 City Commission race agreed that the survey seemed to be slanted against Metz and aimed toward getting voters to support future development proposals.

But Metz's opponent, Melinda Pletcher, also was unhappy with the poll, saying it made her look like she was up to dirty tricks.

"It makes me look like the bad guy," said Pletcher. "It's like someone is trying to discredit my candidacy."

Metz said the survey falsely describes him as once having said he didn't care about building heights.

Candidates said the survey is the most apparent example of questionable campaigning this year in what they had hoped would be an amicable election season.

St. Pete Beach commission candidates have faced personal attacks in the past. Last year, District 1 Commissioner Deborah Martohue lost her bid for re-election after Citizens for Responsible Growth helped lead a campaign against her. Things got so heated that police were involved in one confrontation in a parking lot.

Pletcher said she first learned of the survey after an anonymous e-mail last week said she could no longer count on that resident's vote because of the survey. An upset and shocked Pletcher immediately sent e-mails to residents to clear her name.

She also confronted Metz over who was backing the survey. He replied that her supporters seemed to be the most likely culprits.

"His logic was that they are trying to help me, but I was like, 'Harry, I don't need any help,' " she recalled.

It was unclear Tuesday who was behind the survey.

Robert Maccabee, a manager at Western Wats, the Orem, Utah- based data collection firm that conducted the survey, said the buyer of the service had asked that no name be released to the public.

Maccabee would not say how many voters Western Wats was told to call or repeat the questions that were asked.

"Western Wats does not formulate the questions; that is all I can tell you," he said.

Cristina Silva can be reached at 727 893-8846 or csilva@sptimes.com.

[Last modified February 20, 2007, 21:18:12]