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Clerk of court debate grows = heated;=20 [SOUTH PINELLAS Edition]

CARRIE=20 JOHNSON. St.=20 Petersburg=20 Times. St.=20 Petersburg, Fla.: Aug 11,=20 2004. pg. 3.B

Full=20 Text (460 words)

Copyright Times Publishing Co. Aug 11, = 2004

A debate among three candidates for = Pinellas clerk=20 of the circuit court turned lively Tuesday, with one = Republican=20 assailing the other's record and a discussion of gay = marriage.

Political newcomer Ken Burke accused = Clearwater=20 Mayor Brian Aungst of fumbling two big projects. Aungst shot = back,=20 defending his record and charging Burke with spreading=20 misinformation. The two Republicans will face off in the = Aug. 31=20 primary, with the winner going on to challenge Democrat = Carrie=20 Wadlinger in the Nov. 2 election.

The clerk of the Circuit Court serves a = four-year=20 term, receives a salary of $135,222 and is responsible for = about 600=20 employees.

The candidates are seeking to replace = Karleen=20 DeBlaker, who is retiring. They spoke Tuesday before the = Suncoast=20 Tiger Bay Club at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club.

A query from a member sparked the = discussion of gay=20 marriage, which split along partisan lines. While all of the = candidates vowed to uphold Florida law, Wadlinger said, "I = believe=20 in equal rights for all."

Aungst and Burke said they believed = marriage should=20 be between a man and a woman.

Aungst, the only candidate to hold = political=20 office, has raised more than $100,000, nearly twice as much = as=20 Burke.

Burke, a certified public accountant who = has worked=20 as legal administrator for a law firm for the past 21 years = and the=20 vice president for Seminole Title Co., attacked Aungst for = the much-=20 maligned Clearwater Beach roundabout, saying the mayor "sat = idly by=20 as millions of dollars were wasted."

Burke also faulted Aungst for the = handling of the=20 Memorial Causeway bridge, large pieces of which have had to = be=20 demolished due to cracks.

Aungst said both projects were approved = before he=20 took office, adding he was proud of his accomplishments as = mayor. He=20 also took a swipe at Burke, who is touting his CPA = background.

"This is not a job for a processing = specialist who=20 wants to micromanage," Aungst said. "You don't need a CPA = for this=20 job. You need a leader."

Wadlinger, a Democratic activist who has = worked=20 locally for the Janet Reno and Howard Dean campaigns, = advocated=20 hiring more Spanish- speaking clerks and expanding = counseling=20 services for the victims of domestic violence.

Aungst's said his platform includes = reducing the=20 number of local residents called for jury duty. Less than a = quarter=20 of Pinellas citizens called for duty actually serve on a = jury, far=20 lower than the national average, he said.

Burke mostly discussed his experience, = including=20 his tenure as chairman of St. Petersburg College's Board of=20 Trustees.

The atmosphere between the Republicans = remained=20 strained throughout the debate. Each one had supporters in = the=20 audience, who applauded their candidate vigorously.

Wadlinger seemed a little relieved to = avoid the=20 pointed barbs.

"I'm just glad," she joked, "that I'm not = involved=20 in this primary."

Reproduced with permission of the copyright = owner.=20 Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without = permission.

People:   Burke, = Ken,  Aungst,=20 Brian,  Wadlinger, Carrie

Dateline:   ST. = PETERSBURG

Text Word = Count   460



3DProQuest

Copyright =A9 2004 St. = Petersburg Times=20

People:	Burke, = Ken, Aungst,=20 Brian, Wadlinger, Carrie
Dateline:	ST. = PETERSBURG
Text Word = Count	460