Stogie's letter to the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART)

The whole purpose of public transportation is to serve the public and your fare changes not only do not serve the public but they make it impossible for a large portion of your patrons, the working poor, to use your services. I am speaking for them. These are people who can not maintain a bank account or have the internet access needed to put funds into a Flamingo card and who do not live close enough to a facility that accepts money for a Flamingo card. Many of them have to transfer two or more times to get to work and back home every day and they have to beg for or borrow the money one dollar at a time to pay the fares. If they need $8 or more for those transfers, anything short of that $8 does them no good at all. It means they lose their jobs. Even borrowing enough to pay for a $4 day pass, something HART no longer accepts, is often difficult but certainly more possible than paying a separate $2 fare each time they have to transfer to a different bus. You HAVE to realize that many of your patrons live by a thread and the changes you have made to your fare system do them a great disservice. I am a staunch advocate for public transportation who relies solely on the HART bus system. I have had many discussions with other HART passengers and I know that doing away with day passes is a great concern for many of them. My comments here are not derived from conjecture but from first hand knowledge. By my own personal observations while riding the Hart buses every day a great many of your riders utilize the day passes and do not approve of your doing away with them. Your fare system worked and to change it only because it may be more convenient for you to no longer have to process those day passes is a horribly misguided idea. It would mean you are making the changes to benefit yourselves at the expensive of those who rely most on your service. You MUST go back to your previous fare system if you expect to remain what can be considered public transportation. Sure, there are charitable organizations who can help SOME of those working poor but your fare changes have only placed one more hurdle in their way.

I am not only an advocate for public transportation but I am also a writer for a local internet news service here in the Tampa Bay area. I have the means to broadcast this message to the public in this area and I intend to do just that.

Btw, the link you have posted on many of your bus stops that patrons are to use to submit comments about your fare changes is to a web page that does not exist.

The Story of Lisa Wells

Between the years 2003 and 2008 was some of the hardest times of my life. For a year and a half, starting in 2004, I lived in a room in a small motel near the corner of Nebraska Ave. and Hillsborough Ave. in one of the the tougher areas in Tampa.

Royal Palm Motel

I had just begun a new job as an architectural designer and was saving for a better place to live. While I lived at this motel, I met a lady named Lisa Wells. She was the motel's maid and I frequently found myself engaged in conversation with her while she was cleaning my room. During the time I was there, Lisa and I become very good friends. She often spent evenings watching the scifi channel with me. She loved the scifi channel but the TV in her room had a very poor picture.

Lisa and her boyfriend were given their room at no charge in exchange for her maid service and her boyfriend did odd jobs to make money for food. Lisa seemed to me to be in her 60s or 70s, she always appeared as though she was carrying the world on her shoulders. It was obvious to me that she had a very difficult life.

I eventually moved to a small apartment about 2 blocks away from the motel. Before I moved, I gave Lisa my phone number and told her to call me any time she liked and that I'd welcome a visit from her whenever she could get away. She did drop by my apartment a couple times and I was shocked when she told me what a wonderful place I had to live in. I thought it was abysmal.

My Apartment

Several months after I moved, I began to notice that Lisa was beginning to look rather sickly. There had been a fire at the motel and she blamed her problems on the smoke that lingered in her room for weeks.

About a year later, I received a phone call from St. Josephs Hospital in Tampa. It was someone with administration asking me if I knew of any relatives of Lisa's. They had found my name and number in Lisa's purse. I, of course, asked what was wrong with her but was told only that she was in intensive care and only family was allowed to see her and know about her prognosis. I asked if I could call from time to time to see if her condition was improving and was told that it would be ok but that all they could tell me would be whether her condition was getting better or worse. For about two weeks I called every day only to be told that her condition was unchanged.

After Lisa had been hospitalized for several weeks, I received another call, this time from her doctor. He told me that they had been unable to find any of Lisa's relatives, that she had come to Tampa from Texas and all attempts to find family there had been unsuccessful. The doctor then told me that Lisa was still in ICU and had no visitors since her admittance. He gave me permission to see her if I wished. The following day I went to St. Joseph's Hospital and, before I entered Lisa's room, one of her nurses told me that Lisa had been in a coma for almost a week. I found Lisa lying in her bed, unconscious, with a respirator the nurse said was keeping her alive. They still could not tell me what was wrong with her.

I remembered Lisa once telling me she liked the Harry Potter stories so that evening I bought the first Harry Potter book. Every day afterwards, I went to see her and I'd spend an hour or more reading Harry Potter to her. I had asked the nurses there if they thought Lisa was hearing and understanding what I was reading and one of them said that it was very doubtful but they couldn't be 100% sure.

Every day I went there, I would ask if Lisa had done anything to indicate that she was even slightly responsive and was always told no. All the times I was with her, she laid perfectly still with her eyes closed. There was absolutely no movement on her part to indicate she even knew I was there.

This went on for more than a week. Then I received another call from Lisa's doctor. He asked me how well I actually knew Lisa. I told him I knew her only from my time at the motel but had had many long conversations with her. I told him that Lisa was a very religious person and a very warm and caring person. He asked me if I could meet with him and a few other people the next morning. I told him I would and he explained that I should go to a conference room there at the ICU unit. He told me they would be waiting for me and that I should just go into the room.

The next morning I went to the hospital and, when I opened the door to the conference room, I was faced with about a dozen people, including the doctor and the head nurse, who I had gotten to know pretty well. I sat down in an empty chair at the end of the table and the head nurse moved to a chair next to me, scooting the chair right up to mine. She took my hand and said, "We need to ask for your help, Glen." She introduced the others at the table. There were people representing the legal department, the clergy, social services and, of course the medical personnel. I was told that they wished first to know if I was an appropriate person to sign a Do Not Resuscitate order and, if so, if I might consider doing so. For a couple hours I was asked many questions about my friendship with Lisa, the conversations I had had with her and my feelings about what she would wish for herself. I was told also that Lisa was 42 years old. I realized that life had aged her beyond her years. When it was over, I was asked to leave the room for a short time. It was a very short time....about 15 minutes. The nurse came to where I was waiting and led me back into the room.

Lisa's doctor told me that the decision was made to ask me if I would be willing to sign the DNR order. I asked if they had considered her boyfriend and I was told that he had brought her to the hospital initially and that they had phoned him the next day to tell him what her ailment was. They never heard from him again and their efforts to find him were unsuccessful. They then told me that it was necessary to tell me her prognosis so I could make an informed decision. Lisa had AIDS and was deteriorating very rapidly. Her doctor told me that, if her heart stopped, the best they could do would be to resuscitate her and give her perhaps a few more days of life. The resuscitation though would likely cause her a great deal of pain considering the fragile state she was in. I took the papers they asked me to consider signing and said that I wanted a couple days to think about it.

The next two days were total agony for me. I didn't sleep. I called a couple friends I knew and cried like a child. Lisa's life, what little was left, was in my hands. I called her doctor several times during those two days to ask if there was even the smallest chance she might survive this. He told me there was no doubt that she would die very soon; that her organs were damaged beyond hope.

I made my decision after those two days. I signed the papers and took them to the hospital. When I handed them to the head nurse, she hugged me and with a very deep sincerity she told me she understood how hard it must have been.

I told the nurse that I had to go to Lisa to tell her what I had done but first I wanted one of the ministers at the hospital to come pray for her. I went into Lisa's room and told her that a minister would be there soon. In a short time, the minister came in and said a prayer for Lisa.

That is when the unimaginable happened. I held Lisa's hand and kissed her on the forehead. I told her she was loved. I told her that I loved her. Then I told her that her God loved her and that he wanted her with him. I told Lisa that I had just talked to the doctors. As if it were yesterday, I remember saying, "If God wants you to go with him, the doctors will step aside and let you go. It's ok for you to go, Lisa"

I was in tears. I said to Lisa, "If you can, if there's any way you can, please let me know you understand and that I have done what you want me to do." Lisa, who had been comatose for three weeks, turned her head slightly toward me, opened her eyes just barely and grinned. All of these motions were very slight, barely noticeable but unmistakable and must have taken a lot of effort. Then, after a labored breath I swore was a sigh, Lisa closed her eyes. I can't begin to describe the feeling I had at that moment. I could not have uttered a single word if my life depended on it. I leaned back in the chair I was sitting in and noticed that three of the nurses were standing just outside the open door. It was an incredible moment and we all knew it. I spend another 1/2 hour or so holding Lisa's hand with my head lying on the bed next to her. Then I got up and went home.

This all happened at around 9pm in the evening. I received a phone call at around 11pm from Lisa'a nurse. She told me that Lisa had just passed away and she said, "Thank you, Glen."

As a footnote, several days after Lisa's death, a man from the hospital administration came to my apartment. He had some paperwork to finish up so the hospital could apply for medicare for Lisa's care. During our conversation, he told me that they had discovered that Lisa had come to Florida from Texas, where they could find no birth certificate and she had never been assigned a Social Security number. They could find no sign that Lisa had ever applied for a driver's license or any other type of identification in Texas, Florida or any other state, she had never had a job "on the books" and she had never been registered to vote anywhere in the country. Technically, Lisa Wells never existed but I knew she was more real than many and will never be forgotten as long as I am here. If you personally have never known a Lisa Wells, I am pleased I was able to at least introduce you to her.

As I was rereading my story before posting it here, I was in tears again. A little piece of my heart is forever broken.

Hillsborough County 'Safe Place' program helps kids and teens in need

Whether they've had a fight with their parents or are fleeing domestic abuse in the home, kids and teens without a place to go can visit a "Safe Place" location in Hillsborough County to get assistance.

National Safe Place Week is happening now through March 23 to help raise awareness about the vital program that provides kids, ages 10-17, who are in crisis access to immediate support services.

More info HERE

New library card policy goes into effect for Hillsborough County

A new library card system will go into effect Monday at all Hillsborough County libraries. The new policy gives children access to books based on their age, and then by levels inside those age groups. Parents get to choose what card they want their child to have.....Read More

Fight 4 Peace: Mental Health Awareness Event

FIGHT 4 PEACE

Mental Health Awareness Campaign

Perry Harvey Sr. Park

1000 E. Harrison S., Tampa

Saturday, September 30 · 12 - 6pm

Admission is FREE

More Info HERE

Enjoy a day of live music, local vendors, giveaways and more. All proceeds will go to local non-profits supporting individuals, family members, and loved ones impacted by mental illness (e.g., NAMI Hillsborough, Aaron's House, and Project LINK) and the Fight 4 Peace campaign for additional mental health awareness events in 25 major cities across the United States, including the production of the mental-health-based film, FIGHT.

Hillsborough County school board to vote on redistricting plan

Hillsborough County parents are keeping a close eye on Tuesday’s board meeting as boundary changes become part of the discussion once again.

The conversation about redistricting has been a source of controversy over several months.

The school board could approve the superintendent’s plan that would change where 15,000 students go to school in 2024.

More HERE

Let Teachers Teach—Time to Fight Back

A counterattack against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ war on truth, knowledge, and freedom stands on the launch pad with a well-known Floridian lighting the fuse.Ion Sancho, Leon County’s longtime former Supervisor of Elections, has declared that it’s time to “Let Teachers Teach” and that a Florida Constitutional amendment is the vehicle to allow that basic American right. Sancho remains active in defending democracy and is nationally recognized as an elections guru and reformer. Sporting no party affiliation, he’s a go-to talking head on news shows.

The best vehicle to obtaining the million or so signatures required to get teaching freedoms on a statewide ballot in 2024, according to Sancho: college students.“Students are already energized in the fight against far-right indoctrination,” he observed. “These activists are already protesting the governor’s attempt to marginalize women, non-whites, and the LGBT community through banning books.”The math is so simple that even neanderthal right wingers would understand it, even using their fingers and toes.There are 12 public universities and 30 private institutions of higher learning in Florida. Based on recent demonstrations against DeSantis’ war on truth, Sancho reckons each campus has between 100 and 300 vocal, high-participation activists. This does not include thousands more sympathizers who prefer a less visible role. A modest 150 average per campus totals 6,300 activists. That means these activists turned petition gatherers would need to average 159 signatures each—not a big ask.That number includes signatures above what’s called for because typically around 15 percent are tossed for technical reasons.

But Sancho doesn’t stop with student participation. He’s working the phones with the Florida Education Association and some of its chapters to get educators on board with advocating a Constitutional amendment. Parents and other private citizens would join the effort organically. Florida GOP legislators, in thrall to a corporatist, bigoted base, can’t bend over far enough to accommodate DeSantis. The threshold for a Constitutional amendment to pass as a ballot measure is 60 percent. Republican legislators, determined to marginalize democracy as well as groups that don’t align with their definition of “white Christian values,” are aiming to boost that number to 66 percent.

Sancho doesn’t see that increase as an impediment to passage of Let Teachers Teach.

“What Republicans are really scared to death of is the abortion issue,” he said.

So far, the 60 percent bar has backfired on the righties. The GOP-dominant Legislature referred three constitutional amendments to the 2022 ballot during the 2021 and 2022 state legislative sessions. All three measures were defeated. One amendment would have abolished the Florida Constitution Revision Commission and the other two related to property taxes.

The Republican-instituted proposals laughably would have passed if only a simple majority was required; they received 54, 57, and 59 percent.

At the governor’s behest, Rep. Alex Andrade (R), for the 2024 session introduced HB 999, a sweeping set of restrictions on higher education. The bill requires Florida colleges and universities to remove from its programs “any major or minor" in Critical Race Theory, Gender Studies, or Intersectionality, along with "any derivative major or minor of these belief systems."

Andrade's bill also prohibits the expenditure of funds "to promote, support, or maintain any programs or campus activities" that "espouse diversity, equity, or inclusion" or "Critical Race Theory rhetoric."

PEN America, a 101-year-old organization of writers is dedicated to protecting free expression in the United States and worldwide. It termed DeSantis’ proposal as "the most draconian and censorious restrictions on public colleges and universities in the country." FIRE, a group that defends free speech, academic freedom, and religious liberty, asserted the proposal is “laden with unconstitutional provisions hostile to freedom of expression and academic freedom."

Last week, DeSantis tilted his lance at the mythical “woke culture.” He unveiled a 2024 school board hit list featuring 14 school board members across the state who "do not protect parental rights and have failed to protect students from woke ideologies." Two of the targets are in Hillsborough: Jessica Vaughn and Nadia Combs,

Sancho served for 28 years, from 1989 to 2017. In five of those seven elections, he was unopposed.

During his time in office, Sancho was admired for his integrity as a voter advocate and elections expert, and became nationally known for his role in the Florida presidential election recount of 2000. He was also known for his appearance in the 2006 investigative documentary Hacking Democracy.

Jim Bleyer

Neo-Fascists target Hillsborough County School Board Members under guise of Parental Rights

Governor Ron DeSantis and his neo-fascist allies are wading into school board races as part of a calculated plan to up-end all the progress made since the Civil Rights movement. Public education has been the core component of social mobility in America. It now stands under attack at every avenue. Whether the efforts to decertify teacher’s unions, remove diversity and equity trainings, or out right erase history with white-washed fallacies, all these multi-pronged attacks serve one ultimate goal, the reversal of progress in America. Progress has been characterized as “Woke” ideology. To understand this fight, first allow me tell you what “Woke” truly means…

For those familiar with the 90s-2000s movie franchise of the Matrix, a dystopian future where artificial intelligences utilize human beings asleep in a virtual reality as batteries in the real world, being woke is to unplug from the artificial reality. Much in this way the moniker of “stay woke” was popularized by young African American scholars in last 20 years as a reminder to avoid falling prey to the artificial realities created by the mainstream media and global political systems. And, somehow right-wing activists and politicians have co-opted and appropriated “woke” as a blanket term to classify any policies which forward diversity, equity, and inclusion. Their long standing war on LGTBQ+ culture has now allowed them to target African American culture and any allies to either group. Gone are the days when political correctness would have right wingers call these folks special interest groups. Political correctness itself is now seen as woke ideology. Where their grandfathers had no problems dropping racial epithets in public speech, now Ron DeSantis and his Moms for Liberty now utilize the term woke in its place. These are dog whistles to a conservative base that fears the progress in America. Years ago I recall the warnings that conservatives were going to begin targeting school board races to reverse the work of desegregation. Now it is clear that they affirm to go much further in controlling curriculum from pre-K to PhD. Fascism in America was always going to be wrapped up in rallying cry for liberty while carrying a cross. This is exactly what DeSantis and his allies intend. To play victim and say their freedom is under attack, that their Christian values are lost in a public school system separated from Church by the State.

Their next target is Hillsborough County. Jessica Vaugh and Nadia Combs, two outstanding school board members are being targeted in this next election cycle by Moms for Liberty for their progressive ideals and desire to keep kids safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Make no mistake, if DeSantis gets his way, Hillsborough County will no longer be a school system that produces scholars that can compete on an international level. We will become a bastion of pseudo-science, fascism, and false history instituted by a regime of his choosing as part of the greater culture war to destroy American progress. Gone are the days when David Duke and Klan are actively working to reverse our hard fought progress, now its Karens claiming their parent rights are infringed upon because their kids have to learn that their grandparents didn’t want to attend integrated schools. I would encourage any human being with an ounce of sanity and the right to vote to get out in this next election and ensure that these Moms for Liberty have several seats, and not ones on the school board.

Christopher C. Cano, MPA, Concerned Tampeño

Raybor: The Monstor That Won't Go Away

The negotiations to entice the Tampa Bay Rays to a new stadium near Ybor City are still ongoing but now are being conducted by the Tampa Sports Authority behind closed doors and beyond public scrutiny.

This writer wants to know....what is more disturbing, the look of the new proposed Tampa Bay Rays stadium (pictured above) or the hundreds of baseball fans, having no concept of the cultural beauty of Historic Ybor, who will be invading 7th Avenue several nights a week during the baseball season?

In 2018 we came razor close to closing a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays to move to Ybor City  but a concerted public pushback convinced the Hillsborough County Commission to nix the deal. 

Now we are again faced with the looming prospect of the monster called Raybor reappearing in the neighborhood. Will we again see RAYBOR banners hanging from the 2nd floor balconies of Historic Ybor buildings? One of the more prominent real estate developers in Tampa, Darryl Shaw, is gobbling up properties, including the site of the proposed stadium, in and around Ybor City with the clear intent of gentrifying the neighborhood and a major league baseball stadium would be a glaring benchmark of this gentrification.

This stadium would cost over $1 billion and a large portion, perhaps half, of that would be funded by public funds, primarily the county bed tax. This is money that should be earmarked for the benefit of the local economy and not a cashcow for wealthy property owners and investors in the Tampa Bay Rays franchise. Numerous academic studies conclude that major sports stadiums are of little or no benefit to the local economies where they are built. In fact, money spent at sports stadiums that would often be spent in local entertainment establishments ends up instead in the hands of land owners, investors, athletes and other sports personnel, where it has no impact on the local economy at all.

I only hope that I, and others, have the energy to fight another round against Raybor.

From the Devil's Own Mouth

 Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan still thinks it's 50/50 that the Rays end up in Tampa

Ken Hagan says that he was not surprised by the Rays redevelopment deal, and that this is a good thing for the team and the area. Pat (iHeart Radio's Pat and Aaron Show) asks him if this makes Tampa more aggressive, and Ken Hagan says he doesn't blame him and others for thinking that Tampa isn't being aggressive. He says that the Tampa Bay Rays know that they need to be in Tampa, and that they are waiting for all the info from the Pinellas side to come through. He says they won't be able to go into a bidding war with St. Petersburg, and that Major League Baseball and the Tampa Bay Rays know that. He goes on to say that it would be a huge black eye on the area if they were to lose the team.

Listen to the Ken Hagan interview HERE

In this interview, Ken Hagan unabashedly states that Pinellas County would be able to invest more in a new stadium than Hillsborugh County because they collect more in their "bed tax" than Hillsborough County does. This is a clear indication that Hillsborough County would use public funds to help pay for the new stadium.

Only 1 name on Tampa mayor ballot in March

There will only be one name printed on the ballot for the next Tampa mayor election in March — Jane Castor.

The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Election told News Channel 8 that the mayor is not unopposed but will go up against one write-in candidate, Belinda Noah.

Read More Here

Letter to Hillsborough County school Board Member Jessica Vaughn

 Yesterday, the Hillsborough County School Board had an intense and robust conversation about our award winning equity policy. We’ve been notified by the state that we needed to review our policy, as they are concerned parts of it might be out of compliance with the new “anti-woke” legislation - specifically our purpose statement that talks about “institutional racism”. And even though we repeatedly asked for more clarity regarding how our policy might conflict with the law, we haven’t been provided with any more clarity from the state regarding any specific violations. I urge you all to watch the workshop for yourselves, when you have time.

n response to yesterday’s workshop, here is an email that I received this morning. I honestly can’t tell if this is genuine or satire.

(Possible trigger warning)

Subject: Major racism issue Hillsborough County Public Schools ignores

“Hello Hillsborough County Public Schools Board of Education members,

With all the accusations in Hillsborough County Public Schools of systemic racism against minorities (not supported by the facts) and an emphasis on “institutional racism”, there's a growing movement to have a Thank You White People Day

· White people created the very high standard of living all races in the USA enjoy

· They allowed non-Whites from all over the world to immigrate to the USA

· By 2044 Whites will no longer be the majority (Census Bureau) in the highly advanced country they created, extremely generous of them

· Many immigrants don't want to assimilate (destroys the cohesiveness and harmony of a country)

The USA was almost 90 percent White until the deceptive Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (proponents claimed it would not change demographics) flooded the country (chain migration big factor) with non-White immigrants (the USA became an economic superpower by about 1890).

White people created the government, the corporations, industries, technology, healthcare system, the banking system, the universities, made the US dollar the international currency etc.

The ubiquitous word “diversity” in the media, education and politics supports discrimination in hiring in companies, organizations, government agencies and education (especially management positions) against heterosexual White males and in many cases White females.

The ubiquitous phrase “people of color” intentionally divides society and marginalizes White people, Caucasians in one group and everybody else in another group. White is a color, White has 52 shades.

These days, there is more racism among the minority groups than from Whites to any minority group. For example, go to a Black neighborhood and tell them the Mexicans and the Vietnamese are moving in and see what happens.

Canada, Australia and many European countries, such as Sweden, Germany, Great Britain and France, are also generously allowing a vast number of non-White people to immigrate to their countries (huge amount of problems including financial and violence), perhaps they should also have a Thank You White People Day.

Are any non-White countries with an above average standard of living such as South Korea, Japan or Uruguay opening their countries to poor people of all races from all over the world? No, just White countries, yet White people are called racists, it’s absurd.

White people have sent billions of dollars to Africa and a vast amount of food and medicine and other vital items.

They also created the Affirmative Action program in the 1960’s so companies could hire Blacks based on their skin color and colleges could enroll Blacks based on their skin color.

Due to all the inaccurate information about White people (the most generous race in the world), perhaps Hillsborough County Public Schools can create a Thank You White People Day to show appreciation for their enormous generosity; they allowed millions of poor non-White immigrants (expensive) from all over the world to immigrate to their country and enjoy a high standard of living even though they're going to become a minority in the United States.

Best, Brian

How are you voting?

Fellow Stogie readers,

If you plan to vote by mail, make sure you know what rules your state and local area have set, because you do not want your ballot to go uncounted!

It might be wise to bring your mail in ballot to an approved polling place—you can find this out by visiting the website for your Secretary of State (for which ever state you live in) or Supervisor of Elections (for which ever county you live in). With hope, these websites will be easy to finagle through, and perhaps there will be a phone number listed somewhere accessible.

For Hillsborough County, Florida, here is a helpful link.

https://www.votehillsborough.org/VOTERS/Voting-Precincts

For the State of Vermont, here is a helpful link.

https://sos.vermont.gov/media/kxqnjcql/2020-vt-primary-general-tm-polling-places.xlsx

If you vote at the polls, early or on Election Day, please be sure to wear a mask, bring water and food if you think the line to vote will be long, and practice whatever social distancing that you can within reason.

Whatever you decide to do, please vote! I encourage you all to vote for the Democratic Party ticket and for progressive non partisan candidates. Thank you. Please be safe out there when you vote.

From the Heart,

Asher

Question for the Hillsborough DEC

 

Hello Tampa friends,

I have been watching Tampa Bay politics evolve and devolve over the past sixteen months. I am a bit flabbergasted by some of the conduct I have seen down there.

The Hillsborough County DEC (Democratic Executive Committee) and Democratic establishment has to answer a few questions. Why is it that we have top ranking Democrats, including DNC members and elected officials, who are endorsing Republican candidates during this election year?

Whether it is Commissioner Les Miller endorsing Republican Commissioner Sandy Murman over Democratic Commissioner Pat Kemp in a potentially county altering election; or DNC Member Alan Clendenin endorsing Republican Mitch Thrower over Democratic candidate Jessica Vaughn in a potentially county altering election; this trend is unfortunate and egregious.

My question to DEC Chairwoman Ione Townsend, FDP Committee-people Russ Patterson and Alma Gonzalez, and any others who stand for Democratic accountability — particularly in crucial elections — where has accountability gone off to wherein we have higher ranking Democrats blatantly going against electing Democrats?

The rules shouldn’t change because the Democrats are more progressive or aren’t universally “liked” ... I have made it a point to openly endorse people like Joe Biden for President and Molly Gray for Vermont Lt. Governor when neither were my initial choice. Many issues matter to me, and when it comes down to it, often times Democrats hold the better torch when compared to their Republican counterparts. There are rare exceptions, of course; I am not asking that we should always be rank and file. I do believe in being a team player, and supporting Democrats in most instances, especially in important elections which hold the balance of power on a thread.

Les Miller, Alan Clendenin, and other prominent Democrats clearly do not share that value with people like myself. My question to Hillsborough County’s DEC and other Democrats nationwide facing this same kind of problem: What should we do about it, and how far should we go to call this behavior out?

For those down there who are keeping strong, fighting the good fight, and striving to remain civil in the face of adversity, well done. Thank you, and please, let us make our predecessors proud. There is a lot to be thankful for, and a lot of good work being done by Democrats, (Greens, Libertarians, etc, even some Republicans) in the Tampa Bay Area and beyond.

From the heart,

Asher

A Little Stogie Fearmongering

Remember Ronda Storms

Tampa's PRIDE used to hold the distinction of the state's largest LGBT pride event. From 2005 to 2013, Hillsborough County enforced a ban on acknowledging, participating or promoting anything to do with gay pride events. The ban was spearheaded by then GOP County Commissioner Ronda Storms 

It wasn't repealed until we elected 
progressive democrat Kevin Beckner.
---
Do we want to go back to that?
Progressives have been making great progress with the addition of Kemp, Smith and Overman.
---
Now they have to it again!

Re-elect Pat Kemp and add Gwen Myers

Majority rules!

Hillsborough County Corporate Welfare: $15.5 Million

On July 15, the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners, by a vote of 6 to 1, approved a proposal from the Tampa Sports Authority (TSA) to spend $10.4 million of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act money to implement Corona Virus safety measures at Raymond James Stadium.

The beneficiaries: the Tampa Bay Bucs, a highly profitable private company, who would be able to have more fans attend their games.

Well, we can’t have the Lightning and the Yankees (both also highly profitable private companies) feeling left out.

So early this month the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners, once again by a vote of 6 to1 (Stacy White being the only ‘no’ vote) approved a total of $4.1 million of CARES money for Amalie Arena and George M. Steinbrenner Field for safety improvements related to Corona Virus.  $2.4 million will go to Amalie Arena and $1.7 million will go to Steinbrenner Field. MORE

The total of CARES money given to professional sports franchises in Tampa is now $15.5 million.  One has to wonder how many small businesses in Hillsborough County, with legitimate and pressing needs, have been unable to get even a dime of this money.

School Board Madness

Hello and salutations!

As I watch my former home unravel in political tension and chaos, I shake my head in disappointment. The Hillsborough County School Board is a hotbed for political disaster, terrible candidates, and occasional greatness.

Take the election in District 3 for example. There we have a bonafide progressive, Jessica Vaughn, running to fill the seat against an openly conservative gentleman by the name of Mitch Thrower. It would seem that the obvious choice in this election is Jessica; she supports public education, progressive values, and ending the school to prison pipeline. Mitch, on the other hand, does not support any of these things, and represents the mediocre status quo of the Hillsborough School Board — which, in turn, represents the pungent toxicity of Tampa Bay politics. To continue supporting the diversion of public funds to private interests and accept monies from private prison groups is a bad message.

It is a shame to see former candidates endorse this kind of message. I do not know Ms. Gilmore, though I wish I understood her rationale in supporting more of the same mediocre politics for the School Board. I support Jessica Vaughn and advise you to do the same. Granted, Jessica Vaughn (a friend of mine) has been known to not get along with certain people from the more conservative corners (not necessarily, always “conservative”) of the local Democratic Party. Knowing that, and wanting to elect Democrats (or people who at least support better ideas), why would someone who is a Democrat decide to support the right wing status quo?

I have asked myself this question as it pertains to endorsements. I, for instance, endorsed Sally Harris for the District 7 primaries, even though I no longer vote or live in Tampa Bay. While I personally get along with Sally, and will always respect her decision to oust corrupt former Superintendent Mary Ellen Elia, I am not convinced that I should endorse her again for the general election. She is a Republican, true enough, though she has been engaged with some more than questionable campaign tactics, and was too lenient with a former Superintendent. Lynn Gray has been an ally of public schools, fitness in education, and (my least favorite) has been known to be friendly with the anti-trans Melissa Snively. I am not sure if I should endorse either candidate this go around; based on what would be better for the School Board, I am not certain.

District 1 is an easy one. While I do not know as much about Nadia Combs, I do know that she represents positive change on the School Board more so than Steve Cona, an anti-public school conservative. Why would Democrats support Cona over Combs? Shady business, petty rivalry, some other reason. I am curious to know. I support Nadia Combs and advise you to do the same.

District 5 is a bit tougher. While I like and respect Shake Washington, as well as many of his surrogates, I am more keen to support Tammy Shamburger. While Tammy has a history of not getting along with certain teachers, she also has a remarkable history of getting positive results! Take school lunch as an example, wherein she passed an ordinance to ensure no child would be denied a hot meal due to their financial background. She has championed racial equity in schools, financial discipline, and getting more kids in lower income areas to graduate. She is a true fighter and has done well for the School Board; she, Karen Perez, and (to an extent) Lynn Gray are the only School Board Members who represent positive growth. While I wish Shake well, I do support Tammy Shamburger for re-election and advise you to do the same.

What a mess Tampa politics has become. It has some bright sides, make no mistake. I will post more in the near future, and I apologize for my recent absence on the Stogie. I love this blog and progressive politics, in Tampa as well as my home in Bennington, Vermont. I will have news regarding my political life up here in due time. Until next time...

Stay groovy,

Asher