Intersection Turn Lanes and Fresh Asphalt

Fresh asphalt on old roads and extra intersection turn lanes have always been favorite ways for Commissioners to buy votes.   For the 2008 election cycle, the District 2 Commissioner is taking credit for a roads package by putting a new face on projects that have been planned for years.  Sadly, we could have had these roads for much less than his current price tag of $500 million.

Now, like a good Liberal he is over-promising and is not admitting to under-delivering.  He knew that the predictable real estate bust could not produce the future CIT sales taxes needed to pay for them.  Ironically, his pro-development attitude that created our huge roads mess and the real estate bubble that just burst is now about to kill his $500 million re-election package.  We cannot permit his poor planning and “growth at all costs” attitude to continue.

Funding roads, rail not mutually exclusive
The roads plan by District 2 Commissioner is a blueprint for wasteful government spending.  Its cost is staggering and won't subside until this commission starts to manage growth.  Spreading a half-billion in pork is easy when the plan requires no tax increase (but will use up our future CIT sales taxes) and the road work can get going in time to look good for his 2008 re-election bid.
St Petersburg Times EDITORIAL,          Published July 29, 2007   read the article

Approved County Transit Proposal Saps Sales Tax Fund
The $500 million transportation plan will consume much of the remaining revenue from the Community Investment Tax.  The 30-year, half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 1996 largely has been spent or obligated. County officials estimate up to $250 million is left, but the Sheriff’s 0ffice say they will need new jail and court facilities that will take up the rest of the CIT money. That would leave nothing for future road, storm water, parks or other public works projects before the tax expires in 2026.  Chairman Jim Norman said "That's 19 years of commissions that won't have any ability to designate where any funds will go."
The Tampa Tribune            Published: Oct 18, 2007                     read the article 

Sales Tax Downturn Imperils Projects
A slumping economy has forced Hillsborough County budget officials to significantly downgrade estimates on how many millions will be collected from the Community Investment Tax.  Rather than having $480 million left to spend before the tax expires in 2026, the county may have only $213 million.  That imperils plans for mass transit, roads, sewers, schools, and other future infrastructure needs.
The Tampa Tribune            Published: October 2, 2007                 read the article

Poor Leadership Hobbles the County
Some County Commission members do not bring the right skill sets to the table and resist looking for solutions that would stretch beyond the next election or the county line.  They are caught up in their own pet projects – instead of the strategies that move our county forward.  They lose sight of the big picture.  And a transportation plan that District 2 Commissioner conceived will worsen sprawl in the very suburbs already crawling with traffic, and add stress to the environment in a county struggling to generate new water supplies.
St Petersburg Times, EDITORIAL    Published August 21, 2007     read the article