The County Council's action to give car-title lenders safe harbor undermines the good work of other counties. A Change of Heart is in Order.

Central Floridians have found in recent years that they have good reason to think regionally.

Because Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties have overlapping interests, residents benefit by cooperating with one another across political boundaries.

By the same token, when one community acts in a way that affects the region adversely, everyone suffers. A recent Volusia County Council decision offers a case in point.

Volusia County officials, like their counterparts throughout Florida, have an opportunity to reel in predatory businesses that offer cash for car titles at outrageous rates - as much as 264 percent a year.

The same law that allows those loan sharks to gouge people in dire financial straits also reserves local governments' right to lower those rates. At least 13 counties and cities in Florida have done so, mostly in response to the Legislature's shameful refusal this year to fix the problem. Another five either have proposed ordinances or have approved drafts for ordinances.

Locally, the Osceola County Commission plans to take up the issue soon. Osceola County has cooperated with other Central Florida counties in efforts to agree upon setting a reasonable regional rate. Orange and Seminole counties already have acted responsibly, setting the limit at 30 percent a year. Lake County also is moving in that direction.

But when Volusia County's turn came to show its concern for loan sharks' victims, four council members balked: Big John, Dwight Lewis, Ann McFall and Jim Ward.

Oh, they cut the rate a bit - to 120 percent a year for a one-month loan. The law limits banks and credit-card companies in Florida to 18 percent, consumer-finance companies to 30. Nothing justifies allowing car-title-loan companies in Volusia County to charge several times those rates.

After all, residents aren't putting up stereos and old jewelry to borrow money. They are risking the transportation they need to survive financially.

The Volusia County Council's action has given car-title lenders a safe harbor, providing a base from which to prey on consumers in neighboring counties. That undermines the good work those counties have done in approving the 30 percent rate.

Worse, it will turn Volusia County into a magnet for a type of business that few legitimate businesses - or residents - would want nearby.

The council members who voted for the outrageously high rate can't actually believe that Volusia County would become a better place because car-title lenders do business there. They can't really believe that anything warrants charging people as much as 120 percent a year to borrow money or that encouraging more car-title-loan stores would benefit the economy.

Mr. John, Mr. Lewis, Ms. McFall and Mr. Ward have shown poor stewardship in selling Volusia County residents short.

At least Ms. McFall and Mr. Lewis apparently have had a change of heart. Ms. McFall said last week that she has considered changing her vote to 30 percent, after talking with many concerned constituents. Good for her.

Mr. Lewis indicated that he didn't understand all the details of the ordinance that Volusia County passed. It masqueraded as providing for a 64 percent rate, which still would have been too high. Mr. Lewis said the county should make rates more restrictive. Unfortunately, his idea of a proper rate - 60 percent, with a maximum of 5 percent a month - would double what exists in neighboring counties.

To get the message to other errant council members that they have done the wrong thing, Volusia County residents can complain directly, using the accompanying information. Residents also should contact Ms. McFall and Mr. Lewis to encourage them to move in the appropriate direction.

Mr. John, Mr. Lewis, Ms. McFall and Mr. Ward have a chance to redeem themselves by voting to reconsider the issue at the next council meeting, Thursday. If that happens, Volusia County's sorry new law could be reversed as early as July. If the council fails, though, Volusia County residents will have to look to the next election and support leaders who care about their community and its people.