Democrats slam Sen. Fasano’s view on offshore drilling as ‘boneheaded’

By David DeCamp, St. Pete Times Staff Writer

Friday, June 20, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Already targeted by the state Democratic Party this campaign season, state Sen. Mike Fasano drew a blunt rebuke Thursday for his support in allowing oil drilling off the Gulf Coast.

"This is a boneheaded move on the part of Fasano," said Democratic Party spokesman Mark Bubriski, noting estimates that it could take 10 years for gulf-drawn fuel to reach consumers' gas tanks.

Bubriski said the suggestions from Fasano and other Republicans that new fuel would help lower gas prices are "disingenuous."

Fasano this week echoed Gov. Charlie Crist's support for studying drilling off the Florida coast, and allowing states to choose whether to allow drilling.

Fasano's district runs along the coast from north Pinellas up through Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Most of the country's coast has been under a drilling ban for 26 years, and most Florida politicians endorsed it - until gas recently reached $4 a gallon.

Fasano, R-New Port Richey, defended offshore drilling as the best way to help residents. He said truckers have told him that high fuel prices are putting them out of business.

Bubriski "is totally out of touch with what my constituents, what the citizens of Florida are dealing with in these tough economic times," Fasano said Thursday.

Fasano said any oil rigs would be 100 or 150 miles away from the coast, not within a few miles. He also wants federal regulators to force oil speculators - often blamed for helping drive prices - to invest more of their own money. He would have little control of the last idea as a state legislator, however.

Fasano's Democratic opponent, Fred Taylor of New Port Richey, who has received campaign assistance from the state party, said removing the ban on drilling "will do nothing to lower gas prices and only distract us from the problem at hand."

Another Democratic candidate, college student Richard Skandera of Palm Harbor, also opposes drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, saying it's unsustainable. He said he supports renewable energy sources.