Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

Editor’s note/disclosure: District 5 candidate Yamel Arronte has purchased an advertisement on Sticks of Fire. That fact has no bearing on this post, but you should be aware of the relationship.

District five represents the entire county.  Republican Jim Norman currently holds the post, and is being challenged by Democrat Joe Redner and Independent Yamel Arronte.

Jim Norman (REP) is the incumbent and is non-campaigning for re-election. I say non-campaigning, because the only thing he has done is register to run. I’ve seen no tv ads, heard no radio ads, he has no campaign website, refuses to appear in debates, and won’t even answer the Tampa Tribune’s questionnaire.

Joe Redner (DEM) is best known for owning Mons Venus and other adu lt establishments. He promises to refrain from voting on matters that pertain to adult business. Redner’s platform is based on his “Contract with the Voters.”  Please visit the website for details:

• Ensure that Education keeps pace with New Development
• Make Mass Transportation a Top Priority
• Make Affordable Housing a Reality
• Improved Quality of Life
• Increase teamwork between City of Tampa and Hillsborough County
• Protect our Environment
• Open Door Policy – Always

Yamel Arronte is the independent candidate, unaffiliated with any party. She has a huge list of issues on her website. I encourage you to visit to see the specifics, but Arronte has them broken down into several areas: 

• Affordable Housing
• Youth Programs
• Neighborhood Safety
• Public transportation
• Healthcare
• Homeland Security
• Hurricane Preparedness
• Conservation & Environment
• Traffic & Roadways
• Seniors
• Veterans & Government
• Education
• Government Accountability

As I mentioned in the post for District 4, the Tribune has treated independent candidates as if they do not exist. At least for this race, TBO includes Arronte on their main page for district five.  But they still failed to publish her answers to their questions. We include Arronte’s answers for you below. Also for this race, Jim Norman failed to respond to the Tribune’s request for answers, so I suppose you should just guess what his answers might be.  Click below to see the other two candidates answers.

QUESTION: How will you vote on the nonbinding referendum about regulating ad ult entertainment? As a commissioner, what will you do if Tampa declines to pass regulations as tough as those adopted by Hillsborough County?

• Joe Redner: The nonbinding referendum really doesn’t say anything except, “Do you think the laws should be enforced?” The real question is what the law should be, so a yes or no vote is immaterial. Tampa has gotten tough on some ad ult businesses with the pro stitution and dru gs, … as they should.
• Yamel Arronte: As commissioner in district 5, I am a representative for all four distinct areas and the 3 cities within. I am not in favor of eminent domain over City Commissioners or Mayors; if the City of Tampa, Plant City or Temple Terrace rule based on their constituents, then I will abide to the same constituency. I will spend time in each area with their leaders and businesses to understand their unique requirements.

QUESTION: What are the two or three most important steps Hillsborough commissioners can take to reduce traffic congestion and improve transportation?

• Joe Redner: Listen to the experts in this field that [who] are effectively dealing with the problem in other parts of the country. Part of our problem is the county commissioners, who know nothing about moving people from one place to another, [are] trying to micromanage experts that [who] are supposed to know what they are doing. We also need to study a light rail mass transportation system, which will be one of my first projects when elected.
• Yamel Arronte: Realize that collaboration with the Mayors and Tallahassee Legislators is absolutely necessary. I am for light rail but circular routes are needed for the commuters to reach final destination. The City, County or State owns our roads so cooperation & support is needed for a regional transit system.

QUESTION: What are the two or three most important steps Hillsborough commissioners can take to manage growth and provide more affordable housing?

• Joe Redner: We already know this county commission will not or doesn’t know how to manage growth by examining what they have done already, so the most important step we can take to manage growth is to get rid of every incumbent county commissioner running. Affordable housing should be exempt from impact fees, and all new developments should have some affordable housing mandated by law.
• Yamel Arronte: Plan for some housing to be at a set aside for those who serve our community, reducing loss of educators and law enforcement. For every major estate project a minor affordable one is considered as well. A moratorium will lay off thousands of construction workers and affect competitive business; affordable housing is associated with cost of supply, down payment, property tax, homestead exemptions, impact fee, availability and insurance.

QUESTION: Does Hillsborough spend too much, too little or about the right amount of tax money on services and projects? What part of the county budget do you think could be cut to provide more tax relief?

• Joe Redner: Hillsborough County spends too much on projects. For example, the $1 million Cheval Wall, which is totally unnecessary and just a payback for Cheval’s campaign contributions to Jim Norman. Also, the $40 million sports facility “Championship Park” could be eliminated to provide at least one mill’s worth of relief.
• Yamel Arronte: Misappropriation of funds is negligent; I am a huge fan of sport and philanthropic events but I will not cut services for youth, veteran, animal or legal assistance. Housing, health, library & museum services should have equal priority to economic development; it creates a quality of life. If we want tax relief lets reappraise homes & business reasonably and reset fair tax assessments; fixed income retirees should have fixed property taxes to save their homes.

QUESTION: How would you rate the performance of the county commission over in the past two years, and what is the single most important thing you could do as a commissioner to improve what happens in the next two years?

• Joe Redner: They are a joke. Manage growth in an honest, rational, common-sense manner, protecting the environment, the people and the economy while seeing that our children are receiving a good education.
• Yamel Arronte: I was perturbed and exhausted with the constant bickering; I thought the religious and moral red herrings were distractions to what their actual duties are. I will not insult constituents when they appear before me to share a concern or offend a fellow commissioner that I need to cooperate with. I will use my personal experience & education to uphold the integrity of this office and those officers around me.

QUESTION: What’s your position on changing county government to include an elected county mayor?

• Joe Redner: My opinion is not important. It should be placed on a referendum because it is the people’s opinion that counts. I am sure it will be fairly debated and the voters will make the correct decision
• Yamel Arronte: I see how the Mayors of the City of Tampa, Plant City or Temple Terrace have been able to deflect the hard tactics of County Commissioners but I worry about the funds to pay the salary of four new Area Mayors. I will leave it in the hands of the voters, perhaps if the new commissioners stick to their duty instead of trying to legislate love or religion our community will improve without litigation. When we swing so far right or so far left it affects service and trade, we are not moving forward and Hillsborough County is the home of my retired parents and my school aged children.

Possibly related posts (auto-generated)

• your new hillsborough county commission (3)
• you are running for county commission (9)
• trib questions commission candidates (5)
• six months time (0)
• redner to run for county commish? (15)