County chair qualifications

We received a press release from the Mel Martinez campaign for Orange County chairman this week, announcing he was "the first candidate to qualify" for the office. Martinez passed this milestone Monday by paying $3,599 to the supervisor of elections. Campaign spokesman Steve Hazelton acknowledged that the event was meaningless, so we reviewed our file in search of his campaign's deeper meaning. March 10: "Martinez announces campaign breaks $460,000 mark." Jan. 12: "Martinez announces campaign breaks $400,000 mark." Oct. 10: "Martinez fundraising success continues." Looks like a pattern. We asked for Martinez's positions on transportation, taxation, crime, the sheriff's status, schools, sprawl. "He doesn't have any position papers," Hazleton said. But he promises a platform -- with issues -- next week.