Online Source: Naples Daily News on May 13, 2008

You’ll never hear Jim Coletta complain about the stresses that go along with being a Collier County commissioner.

“I love this job," Coletta said. “I’ve enjoyed every single day. Even the stressful times are enjoyable because you’re accomplishing something.

To the surprise of no one, Coletta, 64, recently filed to run for a third term in office. His present term as District 5 commissioner representing all of Collier County east of Collier Boulevard ends in 2008.

No one has filed to run against Coletta yet in the nonpartisan race. The current salary for a county commissioner is $74,688.

“I’ve developed a rapport with the public and I think they believe I’m doing a good job," Coletta said. “I’m sometimes accused of agitating people, but what I’m really doing is trying to get people involved."

Coletta, who has served two four-year terms as commissioner, said his primary accomplishments include restoring trust in a commission that had been battered by scandal in the late 90s, building and widening roads, pushing for more affordable housing and green space, and getting more hospitals and medical clinics into the inland part of the county.

Coletta sees his biggest challenge as reintroducing himself to the people in his district. Coletta estimated 30 percent to 40 percent of the people now living in District 5 weren’t there when he was first elected in 2000.

Coletta ran unopposed in 2004, so it’ll be eight years since his name has been on a ballot.

“It’s going to require quite an outreach," Coletta said. “But the truth is I love campaigns. That’s why I filed (to run for re-election) so early."

He was actually a little disappointed in 2004 when he didn’t have an opponent, Coletta said.

If elected to a third term Coletta hopes to look into a charter form of government for Collier, work to consolidate the independent fire districts, increase beach access and work toward the widening of Interstate 75.

The most challenging issue Coletta may face in the short term involves toll lanes on I-75. Coletta wants the voters to decide if two lanes of the interstate should be tolled after the road is widened from four lanes to six in the next few years.

Collier and Lee County officials want the road widened again to eight or 10 lanes, and it appears the only way to do that in the next 10-20 years is by tolling two lanes of the road.

The Southwest Florida Expressway Authority is pushing for the tolls, but Collier commissioners have expressed opposition to this idea. Coletta, a member of the expressway authority, is the only commissioner who has expressed a willingness to consider the possibility.

“This is a big issue," Coletta said. “It has to be taken out of the hands of politicians and go to the voters. I hope the other commissioners will allow that to happen."

Three of the five commissioners must support putting the issue on the ballot. That means Coletta must talk two of his fellow commissioners into supporting it.

“I just want the issue to go on the ballot," Coletta said, adding that he hoped the other commissioners would agree to let it go to the voters.