Clueless Trump Should Be Rooting For Sweden
Tampa Bay Times Personnel Undergoes ‘Temporary’ Pay Cuts
Jim Davison to Challenge County Commissioner Pat Kemp

By Jim Bleyer Jim Davison, a conservative activist and emergency room physician, is expected to file papers this week for the Hillsborough County Commission District 6 seat held by Pat Kemp. The heavyweight matchup promises to be a referendum on countywide transportation which has been a fiasco for …
Policy-violating Transit Chief Axed in Policy-violating Board Meeting

By Tom Rask, from the Tampa Bay Guardian At a special meeting Thursday , the Hillsborough Area Regional Transportation Authority (HART) board of directors fired its $210,000 per year CEO Ben Limmer for violating several HART policies. The firing was “for cause,” meaning that Limmer will not get the severance pay …
Vinik Mouthpiece: Voters Wanted Minimal Oversight of $16 Billion Tax Increase

By Tom Rask, from the Tampa Bay Guardian During a panel discussion yesterday, All For Transportation (AFT) President Tyler Hudson claimed that voters wanted only “some modicum of oversight” for the $16 billion sales tax increase he helped pass in Hillsborough County in 2018. The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of …
Cooper Still Coaches While Franchise Value Decays
Corporate Con Artist Jeff Vinik Gets Tax Break Intended for Poor

By Jim Bleyer When Congress approved the creation of “opportunity zones” as part of Donald Trump’s 2017 tax code overhaul, it didn’t have half-billionaire Jeff Vinik in mind as the legislation’s sole beneficiary in downtown Tampa. But a cabal of enablers—Senator Rick Scott, former Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, and …
Convicted Felon: Main Money Draw at Hillsborough Sheriff Fundraiser

By Tom Rask, from the Tampa Bay Guardian “There’s no media allowed, Bubba,” Anthony Pedicini told the Guardian reporter (whose name was not Bubba) after the reporter had introduced himself by name. “You want to come in, you write a check for the event,” Pedicini continued. Chronister himself attended …
Hagan Only Tip of Iceberg in FBI Probe

By Jim Bleyer The federal investigation into shady land deals in Hillsborough County includes several targets besides County Commissioner Ken Hagan and his family, Tampa Bay Beat has learned. Those being investigated include private citizens as well as other public officials, according to our source in Tallahassee. No specific …
Tampa Bay Times Trashes Journalistic Ethics to Protect Its Conflict of Interest
Identity Politics Hurting Dems 2020 Chances

By Jim Bleyer The conventional wisdom—that earlier this year projected the 2020 political demise of Donald Trump and Democratic control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives—lies in tatters. Democrats themselves, are responsible for dashing those high, if unrealistic expectations. The majority of Americans abhor identity politics …
Would Split Season, Move to Tampa Solve Rays Attendance Woes?
Albatross Coach, Obstinate Owner Weigh on Tampa Bay Lightning Fortunes
Dems Open 2021 Door for GOP Mayor in St. Pete
Influential Business Group Slams Hillsborough’s Fraudulent Transit Tax

By Jim Bleyer Another heavy hitter has weighed in against the specious, politically-motivated Hillsborough County transit tax. In an amicus curiae brief to the Florida Supreme Court, Associated Industries of Florida asserted that the entire $15 billion transportation sales tax levy should be tossed. District Court Judge Rex …
Senate Implicates Vinik Lapdog Barker in Transit Farce

By Sharon Calvert, from Eye on Tampa Bay Since the legal appeals were filed in the All for Transportation/Hillsborough County tax litigation, the Florida House and Florida Senate have filed amicus curiae briefs with the Florida Supreme Court requesting the Court to strike the entire All for Transportation charter …