Florida Sen. Fasano, Veteran on Insurance Legislation, Leaving for Tax Job

Florida Gov. Rick Scott is appointing maverick legislator Mike Fasano to the position of Pasco County tax collector.

The governor’s office said that Scott had appointed Fasano, R-New Port Richey, to the job on Tuesday. He succeeds Mike Olson, who died earlier this year.

The appointment of 55-year-old Fasano to the post means that the Florida Legislature will lose a veteran legislator who criticized fellow Republicans on their handling of issues such as prison privatization and property insurance.

Fasano had spent nearly 20 years as a legislator and served in both the state Senate and the state House. He is currently employed as a hospital administrator.

Fasano will hold the seat until the 2014 elections when he would have to run for re-election in order to keep the job.