By Jim Bleyer Jeff Vinik has always been a big con, from his student days at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx to his career as a hedge fund manager in Boston to his reinvention as a sports team owner and developer in Tampa. His latest con is …
By Tom Rask, TampaBayGuardian Just as citizens vote on a 1% sales tax to fund transit in Hillsborough County, the county’s transit authority reported that its bus ridership is down 10.3% for the fiscal year that ended September 30th (FY2018). The steep plunge calls into question the “need” …
By Jim Bleyer Despite assurances from Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer, there are literally thousands of skeptics who believe an honest vote count faces stiff odds Tuesday. Most of the mistrust emanates from opponents of the special interest driven transit sales tax increase. Anti-taxers are certain that …
By Jim Bleyer Less than two weeks after it came out against a proposed Hillsborough County transit tax, the Tampa NAACP was targeted with a hate letter that included death threats. The threats were leveled at all African Americans. Gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum was specifically mentioned. Addressed to NAACP …
By Jim Bleyer The Jeff Vinik-inspired Hillsborough County transit tax is in deep trouble judging by the actions of his band of mercenaries. Rena Frazier and Christina Barker, members of the failed team that could not sell the regressive tax increase to NAACP members two weeks ago, are begging voters …
By Sharon Calvert, from Eye on Tampa Bay It is unfortunate but hardly unexpected. The school needs and the transit greed tax hike campaigns joined forces to push both tax hikes over the finish line on November 6th. Both are now in jeopardy of failing. Over the summer …
By Jim Bleyer Four important groups that traditionally vote Democratic have deserted Janet Cruz in her quest to unseat State Sen.Dana Young in Greater Tampa’s SD18. These include the African American community, progressives, educators, and environmentalists. Cruz, a term-limited State Representative has somehow alienated them all. The Hillsborough Democratic …
By Jim Bleyer The district that sent Dennis Ross to Congress certainly deserves better than Ross Spano who was known as “The Invisible Man” in the Florida House of Representatives. Dennis Ross, who is retiring after four terms, served CD15 with distinction, supporting Central Florida’s citrus and agriculture industries …
By Jim Bleyer When the so-called “leadership” of the Tampa Bay Sierra Club publicly endorsed Tampa developer Jeff Vinik’s proposed Hillsborough County sales tax scam this week, it “forgot” to consult the membership. No debate. No discussion. No agenda item. The deceitful maneuver reflects the baksheesh tactics employed …
By Tom Rask, from the Tampa Bay Guardian In its fiscal year which ended September 30th, so-called revenue passenger trips on the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority’s (PSTA) network of buses dropped 4.5% compared to the previous year. PSTA’s ridership is thus now 13% lower than it was 10 years …
