Bill Heller
Encyclopedia
Dr. Harold William "Bill" Heller (born September 3, 1935) is a Florida educator and Democratic
politician who serves as the state representative
for District 52 in Pinellas County Florida. He was first elected to the Legislature in 2006 and was re-elected in 2008. Before entering politics, he had a long history of community involvement and was a dean and professor with USF. He is a University of South Florida
professor in the College of Education. Dr. Heller sits on the boards of directors of Family Resources, Family Services Inc. and Florida International Museum. He is chairman of the board for Bayfront Medical Center and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He is married to Marlene Jeanne, of Mobridge, South Dakota
, and has three children, Cynthia Ann, James Richard, and Cheri Rene, as well as four grandchildren.
on September 3, 1935.
He attended Bradley University in 1954.
From 1954 to 1956 he served in the U.S. Army, with the 82nd Airborne Division. He earned the Parachutist Badge and the Expert Rifleman's Badge. He graduated from Southern Illinois University
with a Bachelor of Science
degree in elementary and special education in 1959 and received a
Master of Science
degree from Northern Illinois University
in guidance and counseling in 1961. He earned an Education Doctorate
from the University of Northern Colorado
in special education in 1964.
's College of Education and Allied Professions. He moved to Florida in 1992 to head University of South Florida
St. Petersburg campus. He was the first permanent head of the St. Petersburg campus in three years, beginning in August 1992. His predecessor, Lowell E. Davis, had died in 1989. A number of temporary replacements had served in the interim. His brief was to develop the campus' business, liberal arts , and journalism departments, as well as to complete the library and marine center building projects.
Dr. Heller led the St. Petersburg campus as dean
and chief executive officer
from 1992 to 2002. He resigned as CEO of the St. Petersburg campus at the behest of USF president Judy Genshaft and became a faculty member in August 2002.
The City Council had planned demolishing its Bayfront Center arena and theater complex
to USF and renting the land to USF, which would have used the land to build a conference center. They had second thoughts when Dr. Heller resigned. A rental agreement with an outside agency such as USF would have required a referendum
. Other options included renovation and finding some other use for the land after demolition. His successor was Karen White, former dean of fine arts at the University of Nebraska at Omaha
and a concert violinist, originally from Joplin, Missouri
.
. These included County Commissioner Calvin Harris, State Representatives Charlie Justice and Frank Peterman, Jr. as well as St. Petersburg City Council members James Bennett, Rick Kriseman, and Rene Flowers, and School Board member Linda Lerner. County Commissioner Ken Welch remained neutral as he sat on the county canvassing board. McCallum had narrowly lost to Farkas in the 2004 election, by less than 3,000 votes. Despite McCallum's strong showing in 2004, Dr. Heller was encouraged to run by colleague Betty Castor
, a former president of USF and former Florida Secretary of Education. He came into the race at a time when McCallum had been running about a year. He had remained active in the community after stepping down as head of the St. Petersburg campus, with membership on the boards of directors of Bayfront Medical Center, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, Great Explorations museum, Florida International Museum and Pinellas Association of Retarded Children. He cited his education experience and ties to the community as important qualities.
His community connections allowed Dr. Heller to quickly overcome his late start in fundraising, and swamp McCallum's campaign efforts. While she was taking a traditional door-to-door approach, he was able to raise money by making phone calls to acquaintances he had made over the previous 14 years. The St. Petersburg Times endorsed Dr. Heller, citing his ability to solve problems through consensus building and his work to make USF St. Petersburg independent. It also praised his success at promoting a successful referendum to improve taxpayer funding of teacher's pay, and his leadership in saving Sunken Gardens
. A PAC
, Pinellas Democrats PAC, endorsed a slate of candidates and ran an ad attacking Dr. Heller. In return, a graphic designer who had done work for the Heller campaign accused the PAC of violating contribution laws based on a $5000 contribution it had received, and lashed out against the wrongness of Democrats attacking fellow democrats. The PAC representatives countered that the $500 limit per individual contributor does not apply to PAC's. The Florida Democratic Party protested the use of the word "Democrats" in its name. Dr. Heller narrowly defeated McCallum in the primary, to face Republican Angelo Cappelli , the chair of the St. Anthony Hospital Foundation in November.
Similar in some ways, Dr Heller and Cappelli differed in personality and their views on social issues. Cappelli was seen as taking an authoritarian approach, while Dr. Heller was more inclined to collaborate with others. Heller favored prosecuting crimes based on sexual orientation as hate crimes and supported same sex-unions. He said he would ban selling semi-automatic weapons, and advocated including contraceptive and safe sex information in sex education
classes. Heller supported embryonic stem cell research and categorized himself as pro-choice
. A local political analyst, Darryl Paulson, described their differences on social issues as irrelevant, with property insurance as the most important issue for voters. Dr. Heller said he would address cherry picking by auto and life insurance companies. Cappelli favored encouraging insurance companies to return to the Florida market by implementing a state catastrophe fund. Capelli was seen as appealing to the Republican base and received large contributions from individuals and from the Florida Republican Party, Dr. Heller's support was seen as going beyond the Democratic Party because of his long term civic activity and because he was seen as someone able to work across party lines. Dr. Heller again faced an attack campaign when Capielli approved a flier paid for by the Florida Republican party that described Heller as a "nutty professor." The ad misrepresented Heller's support of the teacher's pay referendum, which was overwhelmingly supported by the voters, as a pro tax increase stance. Dr. Heller again received the St. Petersburg Times endorsement. While praising him for an "impressive" resume, they described Capiella as having "regressive views on gay rights, sex education, gun control and . . . school funding," based on his responses to a questionnaire from the Christian Coalition. Once again, Dr. Heller's years with USF and his involvement with the community, and his ability to work with others were cited as essential qualities. Added to this was the position that his progressivism more closely reflected the interests and views of voters in District 52. Despite the attack campaign and a disadvantage in campaign contributions, Dr. Heller's popularity won him the election handily. His long term ties to the area included a friendship with Republican Governor Charlie Crist
, who endorsed neither candidate.
In June 2006, a Pinellas Park
man had claimed to have been thrown out of a bar for not drinking, despite his assertions that he was acting as the designated driver
for his group. Sen. Mike Fasano
, who claims to be a non drinker, took umbrage with this and introduced in the Senate a bill to illegalize requiring bar patrons to drink. Dr. Heller sponsored the bill in the House. There was an increase in the number of homeless
people attacked by bored teenagers in Florida in 2006. In response, the Legislature acted to stiffen prison sentences for those who attack the homeless. Dr. Heller was one of four House sponsors of the bill. State Senator Arthenia Joyner
sponsored an identical bill in the Senate.
Dr. Heller and two other Pinellas Democrats, Janet C. Long
and Darryl Rouson
voted to support the use of school vouchers, which Florida Democrats have historically been opposed to, citing separation issues
. Dr. Heller had originally been opposed, but says he was persuaded that it was an issue of quality education after meeting with the parents who were using vouchers to send their children to a private school.
He opposed a Bill in 2008 (HB 257) that would require pregnant women have a sonogram
before undergoing a first-trimester abortion
.
, with Carl Zimmerman and Janet C. Long
. He was endorsed by the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, and Associated Industries of Florida. He also won the endorsement of the St. Petersburg Times. They cited his ability to work across party lines and experience as an educator and former administrator with USF. They credited him with legislation that reduced the influence of the FCAT
, working to ensure that autistic children would be able to receive health care coverage, and with the designated driver law. They believed he would be able to help prioritize educational programs in an era of reduced expenditures and increasing budgetary constraints. They also said he would offer insight into the problem of making windstorm insurance coverage more available and more affordable.
Representative Heller won re-election on November 4, 2008, defeating Republican Ross Johnson with 60% of the vote. Their campaign was good-natured with them waving to voters side by side on the same St. Petersburg street corner. He had support from Republican mayors Rick Baker of St. Petersburg and Frank Hibbard of Clearwater.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician who serves as the state representative
Florida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The House is composed of 120 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 156,677.The House convenes at...
for District 52 in Pinellas County Florida. He was first elected to the Legislature in 2006 and was re-elected in 2008. Before entering politics, he had a long history of community involvement and was a dean and professor with USF. He is a University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
professor in the College of Education. Dr. Heller sits on the boards of directors of Family Resources, Family Services Inc. and Florida International Museum. He is chairman of the board for Bayfront Medical Center and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He is married to Marlene Jeanne, of Mobridge, South Dakota
Mobridge, South Dakota
Mobridge is a city in Walworth County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 3,465 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Mobridge is located at ....
, and has three children, Cynthia Ann, James Richard, and Cheri Rene, as well as four grandchildren.
Early life
Dr. Heller was born in Scales Mound, IllinoisScales Mound, Illinois
Scales Mound is a village in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, United States. The population was 376 at the 2010 census, down from 401 at the 2000 census.-History:...
on September 3, 1935.
He attended Bradley University in 1954.
From 1954 to 1956 he served in the U.S. Army, with the 82nd Airborne Division. He earned the Parachutist Badge and the Expert Rifleman's Badge. He graduated from Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University is a state university system based in Carbondale, Illinois, in the Southern Illinois region of the state, with multiple campuses...
with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in elementary and special education in 1959 and received a
Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree from Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a state university and research institution located in DeKalb, Illinois, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P...
in guidance and counseling in 1961. He earned an Education Doctorate
Doctor of Education
The Doctor of Education or Doctor in Education degree , in Latin, Doctor Educationis, is a research-oriented professional doctorate that prepares the student for academic, administrative, clinical, or research positions in educational, civil, and private organizations.-Differences between an Ed.D...
from the University of Northern Colorado
University of Northern Colorado
-Organization:The University of Northern Colorado offers 100 undergraduate programs and more than 100 graduate programs. The university has a satellite campus in Denver, Colorado...
in special education in 1964.
Academic career
From 1980 to 1992, he was dean of the University of North Carolina at CharlotteUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte , also known as UNC Charlotte or simply Charlotte, is a public research university located in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States...
's College of Education and Allied Professions. He moved to Florida in 1992 to head University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
St. Petersburg campus. He was the first permanent head of the St. Petersburg campus in three years, beginning in August 1992. His predecessor, Lowell E. Davis, had died in 1989. A number of temporary replacements had served in the interim. His brief was to develop the campus' business, liberal arts , and journalism departments, as well as to complete the library and marine center building projects.
Dr. Heller led the St. Petersburg campus as dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
and chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
from 1992 to 2002. He resigned as CEO of the St. Petersburg campus at the behest of USF president Judy Genshaft and became a faculty member in August 2002.
The City Council had planned demolishing its Bayfront Center arena and theater complex
Bayfront Arena
The Bayfront Center was an indoor arena in St. Petersburg, Florida that hosted many concerts, sports, and other events, holding up to 7,500 people. It was built in 1965 and demolished in 2004....
to USF and renting the land to USF, which would have used the land to build a conference center. They had second thoughts when Dr. Heller resigned. A rental agreement with an outside agency such as USF would have required a referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
. Other options included renovation and finding some other use for the land after demolition. His successor was Karen White, former dean of fine arts at the University of Nebraska at Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
The University of Nebraska at Omaha is a four-year state university located in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. Founded in 1908 as Omaha University, the institution became the public Municipal University of Omaha in 1931. It assumed its current name in 1968 following a merger into the University...
and a concert violinist, originally from Joplin, Missouri
Joplin, Missouri
Joplin is a city in southern Jasper County and northern Newton County in the southwestern corner of the US state of Missouri. Joplin is the largest city in Jasper County, though it is not the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 50,150...
.
Campaign and election in 2006
Though party officials usually remain neutral in primaries, Dr. Heller was endorsed over Liz McCallum by several Pinellas Democrats in the contest to decide who would run to succeed Frank FarkasFrank Farkas
-Biography:Farkas was born on May 17, 1956 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is a graduate of St. Petersburg Junior College, Palmer College of Chiropractic and Eckerd College. Farkas is married to Toni Lee Witkowski and has two children. He is Roman Catholic....
. These included County Commissioner Calvin Harris, State Representatives Charlie Justice and Frank Peterman, Jr. as well as St. Petersburg City Council members James Bennett, Rick Kriseman, and Rene Flowers, and School Board member Linda Lerner. County Commissioner Ken Welch remained neutral as he sat on the county canvassing board. McCallum had narrowly lost to Farkas in the 2004 election, by less than 3,000 votes. Despite McCallum's strong showing in 2004, Dr. Heller was encouraged to run by colleague Betty Castor
Betty Castor
Betty Castor , neeElizabeth Bowe, is an American educator and former politician and elected officeholder. Castor was elected to the Florida Senate and the Florida Education Commissioner, and she later served as the President of the University of South Florida, and President of the National Board...
, a former president of USF and former Florida Secretary of Education. He came into the race at a time when McCallum had been running about a year. He had remained active in the community after stepping down as head of the St. Petersburg campus, with membership on the boards of directors of Bayfront Medical Center, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, Great Explorations museum, Florida International Museum and Pinellas Association of Retarded Children. He cited his education experience and ties to the community as important qualities.
His community connections allowed Dr. Heller to quickly overcome his late start in fundraising, and swamp McCallum's campaign efforts. While she was taking a traditional door-to-door approach, he was able to raise money by making phone calls to acquaintances he had made over the previous 14 years. The St. Petersburg Times endorsed Dr. Heller, citing his ability to solve problems through consensus building and his work to make USF St. Petersburg independent. It also praised his success at promoting a successful referendum to improve taxpayer funding of teacher's pay, and his leadership in saving Sunken Gardens
Sunken Gardens (Florida)
The Sunken Gardens are 4 acres of well-established botanical gardens located at 1825 4th Street North, in the center of St. Petersburg, Florida, USA. The Gardens were a commercial tourist attraction for many years, but are now operated by the city and maintained with the help of volunteers...
. A PAC
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
, Pinellas Democrats PAC, endorsed a slate of candidates and ran an ad attacking Dr. Heller. In return, a graphic designer who had done work for the Heller campaign accused the PAC of violating contribution laws based on a $5000 contribution it had received, and lashed out against the wrongness of Democrats attacking fellow democrats. The PAC representatives countered that the $500 limit per individual contributor does not apply to PAC's. The Florida Democratic Party protested the use of the word "Democrats" in its name. Dr. Heller narrowly defeated McCallum in the primary, to face Republican Angelo Cappelli , the chair of the St. Anthony Hospital Foundation in November.
Similar in some ways, Dr Heller and Cappelli differed in personality and their views on social issues. Cappelli was seen as taking an authoritarian approach, while Dr. Heller was more inclined to collaborate with others. Heller favored prosecuting crimes based on sexual orientation as hate crimes and supported same sex-unions. He said he would ban selling semi-automatic weapons, and advocated including contraceptive and safe sex information in sex education
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
classes. Heller supported embryonic stem cell research and categorized himself as pro-choice
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
. A local political analyst, Darryl Paulson, described their differences on social issues as irrelevant, with property insurance as the most important issue for voters. Dr. Heller said he would address cherry picking by auto and life insurance companies. Cappelli favored encouraging insurance companies to return to the Florida market by implementing a state catastrophe fund. Capelli was seen as appealing to the Republican base and received large contributions from individuals and from the Florida Republican Party, Dr. Heller's support was seen as going beyond the Democratic Party because of his long term civic activity and because he was seen as someone able to work across party lines. Dr. Heller again faced an attack campaign when Capielli approved a flier paid for by the Florida Republican party that described Heller as a "nutty professor." The ad misrepresented Heller's support of the teacher's pay referendum, which was overwhelmingly supported by the voters, as a pro tax increase stance. Dr. Heller again received the St. Petersburg Times endorsement. While praising him for an "impressive" resume, they described Capiella as having "regressive views on gay rights, sex education, gun control and . . . school funding," based on his responses to a questionnaire from the Christian Coalition. Once again, Dr. Heller's years with USF and his involvement with the community, and his ability to work with others were cited as essential qualities. Added to this was the position that his progressivism more closely reflected the interests and views of voters in District 52. Despite the attack campaign and a disadvantage in campaign contributions, Dr. Heller's popularity won him the election handily. His long term ties to the area included a friendship with Republican Governor Charlie Crist
Charlie Crist
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Crist, Jr. is an American politician who was the 44th Governor of Florida. Prior to his election as governor, Crist previously served as Florida State Senator, Education Commissioner, and Attorney General...
, who endorsed neither candidate.
First term in the Florida Legislature
In his freshman term, he was a member of the Agribusiness, Utilities and Telecommunications , and Post Secondary Education Committees as well as a member of the Schools and Learning Council. He was ranking Democrat on the Post Secondary Education Committee. He sponsored a number of bills.In June 2006, a Pinellas Park
Pinellas Park, Florida
Pinellas Park is a city located in central Pinellas County, Florida. The population was 45,658 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 47,166 . The city was founded by Philadelphia publisher, F. A...
man had claimed to have been thrown out of a bar for not drinking, despite his assertions that he was acting as the designated driver
Designated driver
The terms "designated driver" and "designated driving" refer to selecting a person to remain sober, as the driver of a vehicle, while others are allowed to drink to excess . A designated driver is a person who abstains from alcohol on a social occasion in order to drive his/her companions home safely...
for his group. Sen. Mike Fasano
Mike Fasano (politician)
Mike Fasano is a Republican member of the Florida Senate, representing the 11th District since 2003. Previously he was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1994 through 2002....
, who claims to be a non drinker, took umbrage with this and introduced in the Senate a bill to illegalize requiring bar patrons to drink. Dr. Heller sponsored the bill in the House. There was an increase in the number of homeless
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
people attacked by bored teenagers in Florida in 2006. In response, the Legislature acted to stiffen prison sentences for those who attack the homeless. Dr. Heller was one of four House sponsors of the bill. State Senator Arthenia Joyner
Arthenia Joyner
Arthenia L. Joyner is a Democratic member of the Florida Senate, representing the 18th District since 2007...
sponsored an identical bill in the Senate.
Dr. Heller and two other Pinellas Democrats, Janet C. Long
Janet C. Long
Janet C. Long is a Democratic politician and educator who serves as a member of the Florida House of Representatives for House District 51. She was a member of the Seminole, Florida City Council from 2002 to 2006...
and Darryl Rouson
Darryl Rouson
Darryl Rouson is a St. Petersburg, Florida, lawyer, political activist, and Democratic politician who serves as the Florida House representative for District 55. He is a former president of the St. Petersburg NAACP and former chair of the National Bar Association's Substance Abuse and Addictions...
voted to support the use of school vouchers, which Florida Democrats have historically been opposed to, citing separation issues
Separation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
. Dr. Heller had originally been opposed, but says he was persuaded that it was an issue of quality education after meeting with the parents who were using vouchers to send their children to a private school.
He opposed a Bill in 2008 (HB 257) that would require pregnant women have a sonogram
Sonogram
A sonogram may refer to the following:* A diagnostic medical image created using ultrasound echo equipment, see medical ultrasonography...
before undergoing a first-trimester abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
.
Campaign and election in 2008
Dr. Heller was among three Pinellas legislative candidates endorsed by the Suncoast Group for the Sierra ClubSierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
, with Carl Zimmerman and Janet C. Long
Janet C. Long
Janet C. Long is a Democratic politician and educator who serves as a member of the Florida House of Representatives for House District 51. She was a member of the Seminole, Florida City Council from 2002 to 2006...
. He was endorsed by the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, and Associated Industries of Florida. He also won the endorsement of the St. Petersburg Times. They cited his ability to work across party lines and experience as an educator and former administrator with USF. They credited him with legislation that reduced the influence of the FCAT
Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test
The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or the FCAT , is the standardized test used in the primary and secondary public schools of Florida...
, working to ensure that autistic children would be able to receive health care coverage, and with the designated driver law. They believed he would be able to help prioritize educational programs in an era of reduced expenditures and increasing budgetary constraints. They also said he would offer insight into the problem of making windstorm insurance coverage more available and more affordable.
Representative Heller won re-election on November 4, 2008, defeating Republican Ross Johnson with 60% of the vote. Their campaign was good-natured with them waving to voters side by side on the same St. Petersburg street corner. He had support from Republican mayors Rick Baker of St. Petersburg and Frank Hibbard of Clearwater.