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November is here. Soon, I will be sending you my annual state of the district report. It's always good to write it and to review the year with you. This month however I have a decision and some reflections to share with you.  Because this concerns politics, not governance, I am sending this to you privately rather through than any government-related channel.

I have decided not to seek a third term as your commissioner. I'd like to share my reasons with you.

In November of 2002, I came into office as a citizen legislator.  For those unfamiliar with the term, citizen legislator is a classification sometimes used for public servants, elected to office directly from the private sector, without prior political experience, and without the intention to remain long-term. That certainly described me in 2002. I brought to my office over 30 years of solid private sector experience, which I believed I could bring to bear on the policy decisions needed to address the significant issues facing the county and our district at the time. I never intended my public service to be a second career. I saw it more as a second opportunity to serve in a time of need, much akin to my military service in Cold War Berlin. Although I am proud of what has been accomplished during my tenure, it hasn't turned out to be quite that simple.

Our founding fathers envisioned our political system as one that would rely on citizen leadership.  They postulated that people fresh from life outside walls of political enclaves might have a better sense of American life (what it is like to be on the receiving end of government) than dwellers within the corridors of power. Contemporary political pundits - as diverse as George Will and Paul Krugman - have echoed these sentiments periodically. The thought is those who come into with office with a clear agenda and no intention to stay are likely to have greater freedom to ignore demands of the lobbyists and the financers of campaigns. They are presumed to be less swayed by transient political winds, freer to act for the greater good. I believe this is often true - I came into office a firm believer in term limits. However, after watching the chaos in Tallahassee, I am no longer sure term limits should be a given. I have found out that solid on-the-job experience in public life (just as in the private sector) is a public benefit not replaced easily. Perhaps it is better if we trust elected officials to step down when they know it is time. (We always have the ballot box!)

Contemporary public service is demanding. It isn't enough to simply work hard or work smart. The job requires a broad set of carefully honed skills and deep knowledge of the landscape.  Effective leadership comes from understanding the issues and their inter-relationships in depth. Collier County does not exist in a vacuum.  We are subject to regional, state, and Federal decisions, financial and environmental constraints, and external laws and regulations. Special interests - good and bad - abound. Precedence and history vigorously maintain their places in the order of things. Only solid background research and a network of relationships with other key players at all levels offers any opportunity to find real solutions to complex problems. This takes time to develop.  And only from this and from experience on the job, does one develop the capacity to build coalitions, to gain and hold needed respect from colleagues and constituents, and to advance ideas into policy.

Contemporary policy-making is not for the faint of heart, the political dabbler, or the hobbyist.  It is a full time endeavor and the learning curve is steep. Despite my real world experience, I found it necessary to embark on a whole new education - some of it formal - to gain the solid basis I need to make decisions. I am no longer a casual believer in brief service and in fixed term limits. Every political body needs access to experienced people who know the ropes.  The next several years are going to be critical ones for Collier County and the nation. Fiscally we face the new hard times. Tough decisions will have to be made.  Why then am I stepping down? 

When I came into office, I had a specific agenda. Our crumbling and increasingly inadequate infrastructure was a community embarrassment.  The political atmosphere was unsavory, the natural skepticism of citizens toward government fueled by open scandals. Unchecked growth was putting our natural amenities at risk. Citizen wishes blatantly were ignored in favor of the special interests. These problems were right up my alley. I couldn't wait to get my teeth into them.  I was fortunate to work with people who had the same priorities and, although I soon found getting action is far from easy and compromise nearly a prerequisite component of any plan, together we made significant progress on much.

The problems now are different. The largest issues facing the county are fiscal, systemic, and budgetary. We need a massive revitalization of our county's economic engines. We need economic drivers that fit with the character of our community and the realities and constraints of our natural and man-made environments. It is new work.  We need a fresh approach.

I am an engineer by training. I am not an economist nor have I had experience or training in re-engineering macro-economic systems. In addition, looking at the hourglass of my life, I have increasingly noticed that there is a whole lot more sand in the bottom than at the top. My wife, Diane, and I are truly ready for the retirement we promised ourselves 10 years ago. After careful consideration, I have decided that I am not the person to tackle these problems. It's time for me to step down.

The decision was not easy and took soul-searching. I moved off the fence when Gina Downs agreed to throw her hat into the ring and run for this office. She is a real person. She has been there for the community when we've needed her ever since she became a full-time resident.  The areas of expertise needed are hers and she has the energy, the intelligence, the drive, and the skill set to tackle the challenges we face.  I hope you will support her.

I pledge to you that I will continue to work hard for you over the course of my remaining year in office. Working together, we will continue to make a difference - moving Collier County to a secure future. 

Sincerely yours,
 

Frank Halas

October 31, 2009
 

Frank Halas