By Jim Bleyer The proposed $15 billion Hillsborough County transit initiative is primarily designed to rescue two failing private-sector entities and bring to fruition a taxpayer subsidized ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays. The fact that those bankrolling the petition effort are hiding behind a “non-profit,” tells voters all …
By Jim Bleyer The economically dying Tampa Bay Times, with former Sen. Bob Graham calling the shots on the board of the parent Poynter Foundation, continues to repeat unsubstantiated charges against a Political Action Committee (PAC) favoring gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum. This time the Times repeats a …
By Beth Eriksen Shoup, Contributor The Democratic Party of Florida, having already seen progressive support erode in several of the state’s most populous counties, continues to alienate a key voting bloc by accepting contributions from the predatory lending industry. Those companies, led by Tampa-based Amscot Financial, preys on low-income …
By Jim Bleyer I feel like Commissioner Gordon who resorts to sending up the bat signal in times of distress. And I’ve got plenty of company. The six candidates who have declared to run in 2019 for mayor of Tampa just cannot be the best a city of 385,000 has …
By Jim Bleyer Attorneys knowledgeable with civil rights law assert that Jane Castor’s admission of racial profiling under her regime as Tampa’s police chief opens up the city to a bevy of lawsuits. Damages could run into the millions if every victim of Castor’s “biking while black” targeting comes forward …
By Sharon Calvert, from Eye on Tampa Bay Transportation planning and progress have been dysfunctional and elusive in Hillsborough County for over 20 years. After three failed sales tax initiatives, from the Committee of 99 to Moving Hillsborough Forward to GO Hillsborough, and multiple unfunded Long Range Transportation …
By Jim Bleyer With approximately $100 million in debt and operating nowhere near profitability, the Tampa Bay Times is in its death throes as a viable, traditional newspaper entity, Tampa Bay Beat has learned. The pension plan is in jeopardy. Assets have been mortgaged. Filing bankruptcy could very well …
By Jim Bleyer East Tampa residents feel shortchanged by the City of Tampa on transit, housing opportunities, infrastructure, and fair treatment by law enforcement. After yesterday, they have more than sufficient reason to feel abandoned by City Hall. Though invited to a “Tea and Conservation” event in Temple Terrace, …
By Jim Bleyer Joe Citro doesn’t take “no” for an answer, even a resounding one. In his world, it’s four strikes and you may be out. He is the same guy that first ran for Tampa City Council in 2007 with one difference: he switched his party registration from …
By Jim Bleyer After two full terms and hundreds of votes on the Tampa City Council, you would think mayoral candidate Harry Cohen would have made a few enemies. Tampa Bay Beat hasn’t found any, at least any that bear a grudge. Somehow Cohen has sidestepped those political tripwires …
By Jim Bleyer I want to meet the crisis counseling consultants on retainer for Publix. Whatever they are being paid, they are worth every cent. The grocery chain didn’t just dodge a bullet; it avoided hundreds of rounds from an AR-15. After protests and boycott threats from gun control …
By Jim Bleyer By any measure, the Janet Cruz campaign for state senate’s so-called “unity” event last Thursday in South Tampa was a failure. Worse, it was an embarrassment. The stunt was necessitated by what Tampa’s progressive community considers reprehensible behavior by Cruz and the Florida Democratic Party. It was …
By Sharon Calvert, from Eye on Tampa Bay All the proposed sales tax hikes for transit in Tampa Bay have gone down in flames. Now there’s a new scheme in Tampa Bay for how to get new pots of money to fund more transit. With transit ridership continuing to …
By Jim Bleyer Yeah, I know, the body isn’t even cold. But the Tampa Bay Lightning’s loss in the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday to a clearly inferior group of skaters is a call for immediate action. The blame for the latest deep playoff failure falls squarely at the feet of …
By E. Eugene Webb, PhD, from the Bay Post Internet You’re probably watching gasoline prices go up and wondering what’s going on. Well, the answer is a lot. The seasonal changeover is in process, the petroleum industry sees a good economy and the chance to gain massive profits while …
By Jim Bleyer It was a very good week for Stu Sternberg, billionaire owner of Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays. His team won six of seven games vaulting itself into third place in the American League East and into the thick of the wild card chase. But Sternberg …
By Jim Bleyer John Godwin, a national security and technical innovation consultant who works with the US defense, diplomatic, and intelligence communities, is running for Tampa City Council District 2, a city-wide seat. Godwin has strong support from young progressivesas, influential businesspeople, and veteran Tampa politicos who value …
By Jim Bleyer The Tampa Bay Times’ alleged expert on election laws, Mark Herron, has faced ethical challenges and has political relationships with candidates favored by the St. Petersburg-based paper. And he may have cost Al Gore the presidency in 2000. The Tallahassee lawyer has been at the …
By Jim Bleyer The Florida Democratic Party is begging for “unity” after its meddling transformed a very flippable Florida Senate race into an utter longshot. The meddlers, FDC chairman Terrie Rizzo and corporatist Alex Sink, who caused this potential election disaster are in full panic mode realizing they …
Rick Baker’s 2017 makeover was a fashion fail and earned him ridicule. The original favorite according to polls, Baker got waxed in the St. Pete’s mayoral race. Could Jane Castor’s new softer look make voters forget her awful tenure as Tampa police chief? By Tom Rask, Tampa Bay …
