By Jim Bleyer Developer Jeff Vinik’s six-month, multi-million dollar propaganda campaign aimed at hoodwinking Hillsborough County residents into voting themselves the highest sales tax rate in Florida passed by a large margin Tuesday. Voters by 57-43 approved the $16 billion, 30-year transit tax that will bring the county’s …
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 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 Sharon Calvert, from Eye on Tampa Bay The billionaires are entitled. They buy off the media. They bankroll a deceptive advertising campaign for a massive tax hike that never mentions the word “tax”. They want to shut down any debate about their $16 Billion rail tax boondoggle in …
By Jim Bleyer Sure, the legendary Wall Street misanthrope Gordon Gekko is more chiseled and less rumpled than Tampa wheeler dealer Jeff Vinik, but there is no argument the duo share many characteristics. Both are charming, manipulative people whose goal of enhancing …
