Nestor Ortiz: The Case for Sky U. White in 6 Acts

Act 1: “Sky has NEVER held political office.

”Although this is true, I believe that’s a great thing for the constituents of District 3 and the County as a whole. Sky not having previously served in public office means she’s not “stuck” to the way politics used to work in Hillsborough County and will come with a fresh perspective and new ideas. Never having held political office before also means she will not be constrained by or beholden to the old-guard politics of the past but instead will be driven by the many substantive possibilities 
moving forward.

Growing up in and around the communities found in District 3 her entire life and utilizing the resources made available to all its residents means she has first-hand knowledge on what’s working and what’s not for District 3. That kind of familiarity with the average resident will bode well for a commission that can be seen as far removed from the average (county)
 Jane and Joe.

Act 2: “She’s TOO young.”
I know our first inclination is to pick someone older (because we’ve been taught to equate older with wiser) and who may have done it before, but we are in unprecedented times. We are tackling issues that none of us have ever faced and that requires a new look at things. From increasing transit woes to the speedy gentrification of our county (most especially in District 3) and from community resilience to an unstable economy in the time of a pandemic. In the face of such challenges, someone with youthful creativity and exuberance should be seen as a benefit to the County not a detriment. With a healthy understanding of intergenerational cooperation, Sky will work tirelessly to bridge the concerns of our younger families and newer residents with the significant contributions made by the families that have left a legacy in our thriving County.
Bringing in someone younger can also help add some age balance to a significantly older county commission that may not currently reflect or understand the concerns of younger folks from a personal perspective. She would be the youngest commissioner on the Board that represents an ever-increasing landscape of younger residents growing in and moving to Hillsborough County.

Act 3: “I’ve never heard of her.”

Yeah, you probably haven’t but she has been fighting for a seat at the table since 2017 in her County-Wide race against Kimberly Overman where she did significantly better than anyone would have expected for a first time candidate with no name recognition. And when her campaign ended in second place in the five-person democratic primary, she actively championed for Commissioner Overman and helped her get into that seat.

If you've never had the chance to actually meet Sky, she is accessible, genuine, and down to earth and doesn’t exude that slick “politiciany” feeling that other candidates do. She is a nurse, the proud mom of a teenager and an active member of the community. She’s not afraid to be vocal and push back on what she sees as important to the communities she serves. There’s so much to say about Sky but the best place to check her out is on her website at skyuwhite.com.

Act 4: “Does she really represent the communities of District 3?”
So this is where it gets a little more nuanced but the immediate answer is “YES”! District 3 is broken out into several smaller communities, about 12 give or take. Each of those communities represent a certain majority demographic in terms of age, race, gender, household income, and so on. A younger-ish, educated, woman of color that is not rich and is raising a child as a single parent is very much representative of the communities found in District 3. From East Tampa to Progress Village to parts of West Tampa, North Hillsborough, University Area, Tampa Heights, Thonotosassa and all of the other communities look very much like that. She knows what it’s like to be young in this time, to be a person of color in this time, to be a woman in this time, to be a single parent in this time, to have to worry about money and bills in this time. And in this time, representation matters more 
now than ever.
It’s also important to note that Sky doesn’t see things in black and white but can effectively work with others (in the grey) to get things done that benefit the larger community. She does so every day as she sits on the non-partisan Tampa Tiger Bay Club Board as well as through her work on the Hillsborough County MPO Citizen Advisory Board (an appointment made by her once political rival, Commissioner Overman). White is also a member of the Hillsborough County Democratic Black Caucus, the Democratic Progressive Caucus of Tampa Bay and the NAACP.

Act 5: “She can’t raise enough 
money to win.”

She could if people took her candidacy seriously and didn’t underestimate her. So many people have ruled her out for all the reasons mentioned throughout this article. I don’t think anyone would deny that Sky is not as politically connected as some of the other candidates. She doesn’t know all the players or have access to major campaign donors but she’s a smart and tenacious fighter. I wish local politics wasn’t about who can raise the most money especially in a district that has historically represented lower income residents, instead I wish it was about who will listen and work for every constituent in their district. I believe Sky is that person.

And why do we continue to support the shuffling of the same politicians around in new seats? We keep hearing the same names go around and around. They’re certainly not all bad but there is no guarantee that they will be better in one seat versus the one they came from. Personally, I would love to see people with resources also investing in some of the political power and promise of those up-and-coming future leaders that are going to inherit the problems we find ourselves in today.

Act 6: “Can she REALLY win?”

YES! Hillsborough County is growing and changing daily, most especially in the areas of District 3. As such Sky will do everything in her power to protect the intergenerational significance of all the communities in District 3 that are so important to who we are as a county. She sees what’s wrong with the system and will proactively work on making things better for everyone while staying squarely focused on making sure District 3 is represented on the County Commission in a real and meaningful way.

I would like to close with a quote from President Obama’s recent commencement speech:

“First, don’t be afraid. America’s gone through tough times before — slavery, civil war, famine, disease, the Great Depression and 9/11. And each time we came out stronger, usually because a new generation, young people like you, learned from past mistakes and figured out how to make things better.”

HELP HER HERE

sanctions for Commissioner Sandy Murman

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and State Attorney Mark Ober found no evidence of any criminal wrongdoing in how county staff, commissioners, and private consultant Beth Leytham acted in the months leading up to the selection of Leytham's client, Parsons Brinckerhoff, for the lucrative "Go Hillsborough" project. But the report corroborates 10Investigates findings that Leytham made a habit of influencing decision-makers behind the scenes. 
And Ober suggested sanctions for Commissioner Sandy Murman - and training for other commissioners - over non-criminal public records violations. here

Local Hero Guido Maniscalco

They came by the dozens activists and just regular residents from Seminole and Tampa Heights all imploring the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Organization not to include the controversial Tampa Bay Express project in the MPO’s Transit Improvement Project.

Speaking for the project? 
8people, most of whom wore suits (or in the case of the representative for Jeff Vinik‘s group, a dress). none of whom are believed to live in the district, and several of them representing
 major business organizations.

Just like GO Hillsborough they let us think we had a say in the matter. In the end they don't give a shit what we think. After three hours of discussion, the MPO voted 13-1 to support the project. The only dissenter was Tampa City Councilman 
Guido Maniscalco. here
Who is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
here

Mr. Beckner, Ms. Montelione and Mr. Miller, Shame on you!

Sierra Club's Letter To Hillsborough County Commissioners

In a letter sent to all commissioners, Tampa Bay Group Sierra Club Chair Kent Bailey urged the board to increase the amount of funding for transit options that would come from the half-cent sales tax referendum known as Go Hillsborough. here

More Lies About GO Hillsborough

Joe Brown Guest Columnist @ The Tampa Tribune here

• "Based on telephone responses and town hall meetings this year, most Hillsborough County residents want to fix the roads and bridges in existence."
• ( Note chat above, this is not true. Rail IS our top priority.)
•  Telephone responses here
• Voters between the ages of 18-29 were automatically eliminated. 
• Taxpayers who did not vote in last year's gubernatorial election didn't get to participate in the focus groups were which conducted last November.
• Consultants only talked to Republicans without any registered Democrats, but only conservative members of the GOP who always vote in Republican primary elections were included in the Republican group.
• Those who labelled themselves as moderate or liberal Republicans were not invited to the GOP focus group.
• Participants in the focus groups were chosen from Carrollwood, Westchase, Town and Country and Brandon which means which means South Tampa, West Tampa, Central Tampa, Temple Terrace, East Tampa, Plant City, South Shore, South County and Sun City were excluded from having their voices heard in the focus groups.
• The participants were each given $75 to take part in the focus groups and among the major takeaways are , there is no sense of crisis in transportation; rail is not seen as a viable alternative; the bus system has a major image and usage problem.
• Read more about this sham here

GO Hillsborough Meeting Today In Temple Terrace

One of our last chances

"Good luck with that," That’s what one Tribune columnist said about Commissioner Hagan talking about a balanced transportation referendum for more options.

It’s a dare. Some think we won’t stand up to make sure we have options. 

We need to make it loud an clear to every doubter, naysayer, and tea party insider that it’s time to work together to create new transportation options for everyone. This is one of our last chances to be heard. Come out tonight for just 15 minutes:
Don't let these corporatist Republicans ruin our future.
If you Dems would of voted Pat Kemp would be in office and we would not be dealing with Higginbotham. No one even ran against Hagan.

Omar K Lightfoot Community Center
10901 N 56th St
Temple Terrace

http://connecttb.com/april28

Rid Hillsborough County of it's Right Wing infestation

Tampa Vote No on Go Hillsborough

Hillsborough commissioners approve transportation plan. here

No Rail, No New Taxes! 

Why do you keep wasting our time!
Check out the crap they are trying to sell us.

Vote Jae Passmore For Hillsborough County Commissioner

This is what we have:

Caps On Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

Corporate Welfare

Slithers Out

 Worked to derail Go Hillsborough

Supported barring discrimination against LGBT

No new Hispanic district

Denies Domestic Partnership Registry

Did not sign GaYBOR Days proclamation

Appointed local bigot Terry Kemple to a county board charged with protecting equal rights

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Must have enough toilet paper

-----------------------------

Here is who we could have!

Check her out here
Please note: This blog takes full responsibility for this post. 
Not endorsed by any candidate.

"Go Hillsborough" Is A Sham

Omar K Lightfoot Community Center 
in Temple Terrace

My survey form, Rail is not even an option.

When i asked why, they told me to write it in on the back.

As you can see here Transit routes and bike lanes 

 are our top priority.

Yet according to this, it is not.

Thank you to this very nice gentleman

(Brian of Hillsborough County)

For helping me out.

Tea Partier Sharon Calvert and Florida GOP Victor Crist were there.

We say, NO RAIL?,

NO NEW TAXES!

State Ethics Investigation Into Sandy Murman, Ken Hagan And Bob Buckhorn

The Florida Commission on Ethics is interviewing the three local officials alleged to have steered a $1.35 million Go Hillsborough contract to the client of a politically connected public relations consultant.

Investigators interviewed Hillsborough County commissioners Ken Hagan and Sandy Murman last week in Tallahassee. Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn will meet with the ethics commission while in the state capital Monday and Tuesday. here 
And here

Tampa City Council Stop Wasting Our Money On Consultants

We will give you this advice for free. Head on down to the Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Library and check out their display of what I4 and I275 did to Tampa.  The county spent all that money on consultants for 
GO Hillsborough and what did that get us? The start of the solution is simple. Buy the CSX tracks and some trains. Is someone on the council also in bed with 
Beth Leytham? here
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City Council remember you work for us, not FDOT. The state tried taking away the power of cities with Fracking and they lost. You want to keep your jobs or move up? Check this out!
Huntersville NC. Mayor Jill Swain and two town commissioners were booted from office because of residents’ anger about the state’s plans to widen Interstate 77 with toll lanes. here

If FDOT wants to go to war with Tampa, bring it on!

The 2019 Dream with Asher

Hello there fellow politicos! Are you excited for the next election cycle?

2019 will set the stage for 2020, both nationally and locally. Keep in mind that Florida won’t have a scheduled Senate or Governor election until 2022. That gives Floridian progressives time to work our local and presidential races.

In cities like Tampa, municipal elections are to be held in March. I already support some candidates for City Council.  John Godwin, Bill Carlson, and Orlando Gudes have proven to me that they belong on the Council. As for Mayor and other Council races, I am still undecided. What do you want to see in Tampa politics? I want a government that will protect and expand transit options, take justice reform seriously, and take Tampa away from the influence of Bob Buckhorn.

The presidential primaries are upon us, and we need to be prepared for what that will come with. For one, it will reignite old rivalries between centrist and progressive Democrats. I advise that my fellow progressives remain bold on the issues and push for “when they go low, we go high” tactics when interacting with less than pleasant individuals—we ought all end up on the same team after the summer of 2020, and we should do so by the setting the stage for what we want to see happen. I want our progressives to be tough and have the spinal fortitude to stand by the issues. I do not want our progressives to engage in pointless feuds, or waste energy while using reason to combat irrationality. I want our progressives elected, in power, and in a position to redefine political triumph in a way that accomplishes goals, such as expanding the ADA, and ensures cooperation through positive dialogue. 

I recall being an Organizer for the progressive Gillum campaign and making it a habit to introduce myself to the staffers from other gubernatorial campaigns while promoting a field of decency, mutual respect, and kindness. I had good relationships with the other staffers, and had a positive interaction with Gwen Graham (While I wore my Andrew Gillum t-shirt, no less). Following the primary, and moving forward into 2020, I cannot say that I have not encountered challenges. People from the right wing to the left wing have frustrated me, and I feel that it is important to do two things. Acknowledge the frustration, and move on. Be confident and bold on the issues, and speak out if you or someone who you care about is the butt of someone’s hostility. Examine the (sometimes) blurry line between needless drama and making an important point. There are opportunities ahead to elect wonderful people to different offices, and we need to hone in on our commonalities to achieve the best results.

What I want to see are genuine, strong progressives run and win. For President, I like Bernie Sanders, Tulsi Gabbard, and Julian Castro. For School Board, I would like to see some competent candidates to heal the poisoned Board, particularly in Districts 1 and 7 (West Hillsborough and Countywide, respectively). Maybe Robert Pechacek, Bill Person, Laurie Rodriguez, and Karen Clay will consider running. For County Commission, I know that I will support the re-election of Pat Kemp. For District 3 (East Tampa area) I like Sky White and Gwen Myers. For District 1 (South Tampa area) I like Jen McDonald, and wouldn’t mind seeing some other candidates to entice an issue driven primary for that seat. For the judicial elections, I know that I will support attorney Gary Dolgin should he decide to run.

Who do you want to see set the stage for 2020? Leave your comment on the Stogie or on Facebook, and please, remember that agreeing to disagree is a crucial step in respectfully containing a potentially hostile political discussion. Remember First Lady Michelle Obama, “When they go low, we go high!”

— Asher

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.

Tampa Right Wing Attacks

Tampa tea party founder Sharon Calvert and conservative activist Sam Rashid have been relentless in their attacks on the Go Hillsborough transportation initiative, suggesting that rampant cronyism influenced the spending of $1.35 million in public funds. 

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But when county sheriff’s investigators last year asked Calvert and Rashid for evidence of wrong-doing, the critics came up empty. “Investigators asked if they had facts to support their claims and allegations but they had none to provide,” investigators said in records released Monday. here

Tampa's Culture Of Corruption

More than a year after the Florida Commission on Ethics agreed to investigate several complaints filed against  County commissioners Sandy Murman and Ken Hagan and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, the cases remain unresolved. here

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 They are accused of steering a $1.3 million Go Hillsborough contract to the client of a politically connected public relations consultant.

Community Forum on Transportation - February 13, 2019

Opening comments by Commissioners Mariella Smith, Kimberly Overman and Pat Kemp (left to right)
 

Please forgive me if the video and sound are slightly out of sync in these videos. In the rush to get this post out today, I neglected to preview the final edited versions of the videos. The sync should be close enough that you won't be distracted from the message.

Two days ago a Community Forum on Transportation was held at the Seminole Heights Library. It was hosted by the Sierra Club, a well recognized environmental advocacy organization that has been around since 1892. Considering the critical impact our new transportation initiative will have on the immediate and long range plans for transportation within Hillsborough County, I expected a huge turnout of both community activists, or advocates if you prefer, and public officials directly charged with implementing new plans for improving transportation here . I saw neither.

Questions and Answers

There were about 50 people representing the interests of the public and a grand total of 3 public officials on the panel. In this first serious attempt to establish a line of communication between our government officials and the public, of the 7 members of the County Commission, only 3 bothered to answer the open invitation to attend, Commissioners Mariella Smith, Kimberly Overman and Pat Kemp. Of the 14 members of the HART Board of Directors, only 3 members attended and coincidentally they were, Mariella Smith, Kimberly Overman and Pat Kemp. Of the 7 members of the City Council of Tampa, not one councilperson showed up. In the audience, there was 1 candidate for the upcoming election for mayor, Topher Morrison, and 2 candidates for councilmen, Walter L. Smith II and John Godwin. This dismal turnout of county government officials and candidates seems to me a clear indication that, despite the rhetoric to the contrary, the large majority of present and future hopeful officials have their own agenda of how they intend to spend this new transportation windfall and have no serious interest in the wants or needs the public, who voted for the initiative and is financing it in full. I have to add that John Turanchik, the son of Ed Turanchik, candidate for mayor, spent some time outside the event handing out flyers promoting Ed's "Go Plan", his agenda for transportation. John didn't attend the event itself. If your interest is in the people who actually rely on the bus system in Hillsborough County, I can only add that, when the host of the event asked for a show of hands of how many people in the audience had taken a bus to get to the event, only 1 person, myself, raised his hand. When he asked how many WOULD have taken a bus if there was one available to get them there, nearly half the audience raised their hands. I think the host was trying to make a point of how lacking our bus system is by asking these questions but I, personally, interpreted the responses completely differently. I found the responses rather odd because the HART MetroRapid has a stop 3 blocks from the event and I find it difficult to believe that I alone among the 50 or so attendees of the forum live near enough to a bus line capable of getting me to the event. I hope you get my point.

I also hope that, in the near future, I will see a real concerted effort to establish a working relationship between our government officials and the citizens of Hillsborough County. I'd like to see the schools in the county handing out notices to their students, to take home to their parents, advertising upcoming forums in their school auditoriums. I'd like to see questionnaires on all the buses that can be filled out and returned to any driver, asking riders what they want from the new bus system and inviting them to future outreach events. I'd like to see an upsurge by the public, demanding of the county officials, who THEY elected and whose salaries they pay for, listen to their concerns about the future of the transportation system they are funding. I'd like to see an indication by our county representatives that they will at least make an effort to reach out to the public they supposedly represent. Voting for the transportation initiative is a fine example of talking the talk. County officials telling each other how important it is to establish a concerted program of community outreach is a fine example of talking the talk. I'm hoping to see many, many more of these people begin actually walking the walk......but I'm not holding my breath.

Finally, there are thousands of Hart patrons who rely on the buses to get back and forth to work or school every day and will continue to suffer a dismally broken bus system for at least another year thanks to a lawsuit, meant to completely undermine the intent of the transportation initiative, filed by the self-serving Commissioner Stacy White. Whether you are a Democrat, a Republican or any other political affiliation, you must know that Stacy White does not represent you and should not have a seat on our county commission. I urge everyone to keep this in mind when the elections come around next year.

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.