By Jim Bleyer Former Police Chief Jane Castor rolled to an easy victory Tuesday in Tampa’s mayoral runoff, making history as the city’s first openly gay mayor. Her election ensures what essentially will be a four-year extension of policies promulgated by her predecessor, Bob Buckhorn. With 98 …
By Jim Bleyer Former Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor, riding her name recognition and Mayor Bob Buckhorn’s potent political machine, steamrolled six opponents Tuesday in almost winning outright the prize of succeeding her term-limited mentor. Castor garnered 48 percent of the vote and will meet billionaire David Straz in …
By Jim Bleyer To paraphrase former President Gerald Ford: “My fellow Tampanians, our long municipal nightmare is over.” That is unless potential voters were comfortable with hypocrisy, empty promises, and losing political strategies that defy comprehension. The seven candidates embraced Mom, apple pie, and transit while introducing themselves to low-income …
By Jim Bleyer Candidates for Tampa mayor have been so excruciatingly bland during the runup to the Mar. 5 primary that the campaign has been dubbed “The Big Yawn” by locals. Not to worry. The fervor expected to be epitomized by the seven mayoral hopefuls …
Jane Castor speaks at Arts and Culture Forum By Jim Bleyer Tampa’s uninspiring mayoral race enters its final month with a clear leader, no spark from the seven suits seeking to succeed Bob Buckhorn, and a questionable process in reaching the average voter. The Big Yawn began in earnest …
By Jim Bleyer Anyone that sat through the entire Tampa mayoral debate Wednesday night punched their ticket to heaven. It was that bad. The stench emanating from the Hillsborough County Community College Ybor campus and the Bay News 9 airwaves hung thickly over the Big Guava like those stationary, …
By Jim Bleyer A Tampa media entity suffered amnesia last week, denying three city mayoral candidates the opportunity to participate in a Jan. 9 debate it is sponsoring. Spectrum Bay News 9 forgot its major responsibility of fully informing the public and its viewership, …
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 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 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 …
