Common Sense Reverses Bad Policy Change by BOCC

Apparently, some "ire" was raised with the Hillsborough County Commissioners regarding a policy change to prohibit candidates form serving on volunteer committees and boards. As a result, the Commissioners voted yesterday to reverse that policy change they voted on at the previous Commission meeting. According to the Tampa Bay Times:

Reversing a vote from two weeks ago, county commissioners Wednesday dropped a proposal to deny candidates for elected office from serving on appointed boards.

The Commissioners were reminded they serve on numerous important commissions and agencies with significant and direct influence and remain on them even when they are candidates. It was also pointed out the true intent of the policy change was targeted at Conservative School Board candidate Terry Kemple to specifically prohibit him from serving on the so-called Diversity Panel and remove him from the committee he currently serves on. 

Kemple strongly believes in those "radical" traditional family values, we know them as those values our country was founded on. Believers in traditional values are now the 21st Century insurgents and according to some they must not be tolerated. But smarter heads prevailed yesterday and the result of this reversal according to the Times:

Conservative activist and School Board candidate Terry Kemple will retain his eligibility to serve on appointed Hillsborough County panels.

Terry Kemple, Candidate for School Board

Here at the Eye we always believed this policy change was a solution looking for a problem where none exists. We saw this policy as creating a double standard that elevated "them" above everyday citizens - you and me and we oppose the targeting of any constituents solely because of their beliefs. We've witnessed enough of that recently. We are glad that common sense prevailed yesterday and we thank the Commissioners for reversing bad policy.