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The following article appears in the Orlando Slantinel today and represents yet another glaring example of the type of political hit job they do on a regular basis. My comments are in blue.Doug
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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-guetzloe1406jan14,0,5820312.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-orange
Ax the Tax leader insults Winter Garden businessman
Ax the Tax is not involved in this issue at all... this occurred on my radio talk show. The Slantinel loves to attack Ax the Tax whenever it can.
Richard Mask angrily rejects Doug Guetzloe's radio characterization of a talk with his son.
The letter sent to me from a resident of Trailer City clearly states that the two boys Mr. Mask approached lived in Trailer City and gives their addresses. Mr. Schlueb has a copy of the letter and yet still states that Mr. Mask was talking "with this son." Mark Schlueb
Sentinel Staff Writer
January 14, 2006
The Orange-Osceola State Attorney's Office is investigating whether political activist Doug Guetzloe broke the law by using his radio show to accuse a one-time favorite for the Winter Garden City Commission of "trying to pick up young boys" and "trolling for children."
Guetzloe, the head of Ax the Tax and host of The Guetzloe Report on WAMT-AM (1190), warned his listeners on Tuesday to watch out for businessman Richard Mask. Mask, Guetzloe said, had been seen in the city-owned Trailer City mobile-home park talking with two children.
"I've urged the people of Trailer City to go ahead and call the sheriff's department, in this case the police department, and report Mr. Mask for potentially trying to pick up young boys out of Trailer City, because that apparently is the case," Guetzloe said. "I don't know what his problem is, but he needs to stay away from young boys and he needs to quit cruising Trailer City looking for trouble."
Later, Guetzloe continued the discussion, according to a tape of the broadcast that Mask provided to the Orlando Sentinel: "We've got to do something to get this Richard Mask to stop trolling for children or something over there in Trailer City."
I made these comments in the context of the entire discussion over the letter I had received. Clearly excerpted.
An angry Mask denied wrongdoing. Mask, who lives a short distance from Trailer City, said that if he was seen there, he was likely talking with his own son, a 14-year-old who said he often visits a friend who lives there.
This is simply not true and both Mask and Mr. Schlueb know that from reading the letter which clearly indicates the two children are from Trailer City and gives their addresses.
"When I heard all this stuff, I was raging," said Mask, 52. "For the rest of my life, people are going to look at me and wonder if there's anything to this. If someone with a microphone can say something like this, he'd better have proof." To date, Mr. Mask has not contacted me or the station to complain or challenge anything that was stated on the air.
Guetzloe has taken a keen interest in Winter Garden politics, most notably the battle over Trailer City, which city officials once talked of shutting down. Fighting over the mobile-home park was the catalyst for the recall of a city commissioner last year. Mask applied for the seat, but it went to Rod Reynolds. Mysteriously left out of the Slantinel article is that fact that Mr. Mask lied in a sworn oath to the Governor about having a high school diploma and attending Community College which according the Orlando Sentinel has no record of him attending college or graduating from high school.
Some Trailer City residents think Mask favors the community's demolition, though he says that's not true. Mask has openly advocated closing Trailer City and opposed the recall of Bill Thompson.
Guetzloe, who would only respond in writing to questions from the Sentinel, wrote that he was basing his comments on a letter that a Winter Garden resident sent to Commissioner Reynolds.
But the letter in question, reviewed by the Sentinel, alleges only that Mask was gathering evidence that children were living in the mobile-home park, which is traditionally considered an adults-only community. Reynolds said he didn't interpret the unsigned letter to mean Mask was trying to harm children. This statement is a lie. The "letter in question" clearly states that the children will be questioned as to why Mask approached them and doesn't indicate at all that Mask was "gathering evidence." Mask has been removed from the Winter Garden Planning & Zoning commission and holds no position in Winter Garden - under what pretense is Mr. Mask "gathering evidence" if this statement were true. And if he's gathering evidence to help close Trailer city then the previous statement is clearly not true about him not opposing the closing of Trailer City.
Still, Reynolds said he asked the police chief whether there had been any complaints about Mask. Chief George Brennan said there have not.
On his radio show Friday, Guetzloe backed away from his earlier comments, but only slightly.
"I really don't know why he was there," Guetzloe said during the broadcast.
Randy Means, chief of investigations for State Attorney Lawson Lamar, said Friday that he sent an investigator to collect a copy of Guetzloe's initial broadcast. He doesn't know whether Guetzloe's allegation broke the law. Again, there is no criminal statute involved here and Mr. Mask has not contacted me or the station to request a retraction or clarification.
Another hit job by Mr. Schlueb and the Orlando Slantinel.
This is why we have DON'T BELIEVE THE ORLANDO SENTINEL stickers available at www.axthetax.org!
Mark Schlueb can be reached at 407-420-5417 or mschlueb@orlandosentinel.com
Here's the letter I received from an individual in Trailer City read it for yourself and see if Mr. Schlueb and Mr. Mask are telling the truth or not:
Dear Commissioner Reynolds;
I am writing to you as a resident of District One and Trailer City.
This past week, Richard Mask was seen in the park, in his car, speaking with two of the young boys who live in the park. These boys have lived here for over 5 ½ years.
Let me point out that this park is not, and never has been, legally designated an “Adult” park. The City claimed to have secured that designation in 2001, but has since recanted and now says they never sent in the paperwork. Only HUD can officially name a park “Adult” and that would require very stringent and detailed accounting of the facilities and persons living in the park. We (the HOA) have contacted HUD and found that no application was ever received by HUD from the City to have the park designated as an “Adult” living place. Furthermore, we are planning to speak with these children to find out what Mask wanted during his visit here. Mask has been seen driving through the park on several occasions.
Shortly after Mr. Mask’s visit an Orange County Code Enforcement officer suddenly appeared in the park. He went to the exact area where Mask had been seen earlier, and wrote citations to two of the neighboring houses. The boys live at 6 Palm and the two homes that were cited are 5 Palm and 3 Palm.
Mr. Mask and Mr. Schlueb claim that Mr. Mask was talking to his son. Clearly the article is a lie. Both boys live at 6 Palm in Trailer City. Mr. Sclueb had this letter and this article lied about the letter's contents and statement!
The citations were for construction debris lying in the carport area of these homes. The owner of 3 Palm is in the middle of a major remodeling project and had two toilets sitting in the carport, along with other construction materials. The owner of 5 Palm has just moved in and is also in the midst of a remodel. He had a bag of trash in his carport.
The citations were not given to the home owners, but to the Park Manager. The owner of 3 Palm is Andrew Bruns. The owner of 5 Palm is so new that I do not know his name. I’ve been told that his first name is Willie, and that he works for the City of Winter Garden in the building department. (Perhaps Willie Herbert?)
To that end I have a few questions to ask of you:
- Why is Richard Mask questioning residents of the park, especially juveniles?
- Why did Orange County Code Enforcement suddenly appear when Winter Garden Code Enforcement did not?
- Why were only these two homes singled out? Many homes have various items in their carports.
- My home is also undergoing a major remodel job. Will I be next?
It is ludicrous that people attempting to improve the appearance of their homes would be so penalized. We have long been the object of ridicule for the appearance of our homes and park. I’m sure you can understand that no one was interested in investing money in a home that might be the subject of removal and during that time, no one made any improvements. Now that the sign is down, and the residents feel more secure they are trying to upgrade their homes and the overall look of the park.
In case you didn’t know, last spring, following the elections, Mr. Mask was hoping to be appointed to the seat of District One commissioner. During that time he stated that once he became Commissioner, he planned to have his attorney check the financial status of each and every resident of Trailer City in order to ascertain who was entitled to live in “affordable housing”. Anyone not entitled would be removed from the park. Another ludicrous claim since this park has NEVER been designated as “affordable housing”. Of course this is only hear-say and can’t be used against him.
I relay this information only to support the notion that Mr. Mask is mean spirited and holds a grudge against Trailer City and its occupants. He, obviously, doesn’t realize that such actions would be illegal and impossible to carry out.
On another issue, we have received many remarks regarding what some see as unfair taxation. Homeowners in Winter Garden pay very dearly in property taxes and some think we don’t pay our fair share, especially for lake front property. I would like to point out that
- We are renters. No renter pays property taxes directly. It is included in the rent.
- How much tax should I pay for a piece of land 12 feet wide and 45 feet long?
- Our rent was adjusted in the recent past to cover an increase in taxes.
- Would these folks give up their homes to live in a tin box? I doubt it.
The situation in Trailer City and the laws that protect it are very complex. Many don’t realize, or don’t want to know, that everything in this park is grandfathered and is also the result of improper management by the park owner, the City of Winter Garden. If you would like to know more, please contact the HOA President, Andy Bruns.
Thank you for your interest in this matter.
This is the same Richard Mask who is questioning my integrity on The Guetzloe Report.... you be the judge....
The Richard Mask record...lied to the Governor and the citizens of Winter Garden....
May 7, 2005
Candidate didn't earn diploma, officials say ; `I thought I had it,' says Richard Mask, a candidate for the Winter Garden City Commission.
Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Fla.: May 7, 2005. pg. B.1
WINTER GARDEN -- The leading candidate for appointment to a vacant City Commission seat told Gov. Jeb Bush on his application he graduated from the former Lakeview High School in 1971, but county school officials said Friday he did not.
Richard Mask never received his high-school diploma because he did not finish his senior year, according to records at the Orange County School Board's Records Management Office.
On Friday, Mask denied he had lied on his application.
"I thought I had it," he said of the half-credit he says he needed to graduate. "I went out to Valencia [Community College] to get that [half-credit]. I never gave that a second thought."
Mask said he "skipped class all the time" and flunked American literature by half a credit his senior year. He was unable to provide documentation that he received any credits from Valencia.
Mask has emerged as the front-runner for the seat formerly held by Bill Thompson, who was voted out of office in a March recall election.
Also vying for Thompson's seat are Gerald Jowers, Rod Reynolds, Don Miller and Jerry Carris.
Whoever becomes the city's fifth commissioner is likely to cast the decisive vote that could stall or jump-start the proposed Winter Garden Village at Fowler Groves.
The governor is expected to make the appointment as early as next week. The City Commission has scheduled a first reading and vote on the center June 9.
The controversial shopping center -- destined to become Florida's largest open-air regional mall, with 1.6 million square feet of commercial and retail space on 175 acres in the city, south of State Road 50 -- has created a firestorm of protest from dozens of nearby residents.
They say the mall is too large for the heavily residential area and would generate too much traffic, noise and crime.
But mall developer Mel Sembler, founder of The Sembler Co. of St. Petersburg and a heavy contributor to the Republican Party, appears to be getting local support.
Some local political heavyweights are lining up behind Mask, a shopping-center supporter who says his only concern is the traffic it will generate.
U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary and former citrus barons Jerry Chicone and Bert Roper, among others, have written the governor in support of Mask.
A former longtime employee of Roper, Mask also sits on the city's Planning and Zoning Board, which reviews development projects. And he has actively campaigned for Martinez and Beary, both Republicans.
He also is supported by Commissioner Mildred Dixon and Mayor Jack Quesinberry, a voting member of the commission.
Mask, who operates a cell-phone store in Clermont, isn't the only candidate lobbying hard for the seat.
Jowers, a local businessman and former city commissioner, has the support of commissioners Theo Graham and Carol Nichols, and former city manager Tom Sewell, among others.
Jowers, who earned an education degree in 1971 from the former Georgia Southern College in Statesboro and owns a wholesale battery business and a lead brokerage company, also supports Sembler's center, with one reservation.
The center will be bordered by the six-lane Western Beltway (State Road 429) on the east and two-lane State Road 535 on the west, and divided down the middle by four-lane Daniels Road.
"There are going to be traffic problems down there," Jowers said.
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