mayor or queen?
Mariella permalink | categories: Florida, Tampa vs Hillsborough, city, county, government, hc bocc, politics, tampaby Mariella @ 3:01 pm
Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio has written your state legislators to say the City of Tampa does not want to do what the Tampa City Council says the City does want to do.
Although the Tampa City Council voted unanimously to write this letter (on City of Tampa letterhead) asking state legislators to change the composition of the EPC board to include representatives from the cities, Mayor Iorio wrote this letter (on City of Tampa letterhead) saying:
“the City of Tampa does not support changing the composition of the EPC.”
She emphasized her point by repeating it, using more bold type:
“Again, the City of Tampa opposes any change to the composition of the EPC Board.”
This must be perplexing to the legislators who have now received two letters speaking for the City of Tampa, asking them to change—no, wait! don’t change—the EPC. The mayor’s letter doesn’t mention the city council and their position at all.
She says she’s “had several very productive meetings with [county commission] Chairman Jim Norman and [county] Administrator Pat Bean on a variety of topics.” Not this topic, though. Her letter says they have not discussed the issue of board representation, on which they disagree, but they have “opened up a healthy discussion on common issues.”
So she’s fine with leaving the county commission in charge of the Environmental Protection Commission. And she goes so far as to say the City of Tampa is fine with it. No matter what those pesky City Council members say.
Tags: city, county, dysfunction, environment, EPC, Florida, government, hc bocc, hcbocc, politics, tampa, Tampa vs Hillsborough
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October 26th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
This inconsistency helps point out part of the problem with our local governments.
I have been enjoying all the discussion over the new Regional Transportation Committee - that doesnt even have the money to buy lunch , much less solve transit issues.
Why not just put all environment zoning issues on Ebay and send the money to Parks and Recreation projects ?
October 26th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
I am posting this in its entirety as its hard to find…
http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/politicalwhore
“Iorio ‘vetoes’ Council desire for EPC representation”
October 25th, 2007 by Wayne Garcia,
Creative Loafing
Mayor Pam Iorio has taken what I can’t help but think is an unprecedented step in trying to halt the Tampa City Council’s push to change the composition of the county Environmental Protection Commission.
Iorio had previously announced that she wouldn’t support the Council’s vote in July to ask the county to reconstitute the EPC to include a seat for a city appointee. Saying you won’t back the plan is one thing; writing a letter to state legislators in an effort to torpedo the legally voted action of an elected board is quite another.
Iorio wrote to all members of the Hillsborough Legislative Delegation this week:
I know you have many issues on your agenda right now with the special session, but I did want to write to make clear that the City of Tampa does not support changing the composition of the EPC. The City is comfortable with the historic make-up of the County Commission acting as the EPC Board. While some of the recent decisions of the Board may be controversial, the voters can decide at election time who will serve on the EPC Board.
Iorio went on to mention that she has been meeting with County Commission Chairman Jim Norman and County Administrator Pat Bean to “iron out” longstanding differences about money and equal representation on other government boards, such as the city’s Community Redevelopment Agencies. In July, the council’s chairwoman, Gwen Miller, sent a letter to legislators asking for the EPC law to be changed to better represent the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace, none of which has a direct seat at the table. Miller’s letter specifically cited the EPC attempt recently to kill its local regulations that preserve wetlands.
State Rep. Rich Glorioso was set to introduce just such legislation — until Mayor Pam’s letter hit. It is sure to infuriate newly elected City Councilwoman Mary Mulhern, who led the fight to change the EPC, if not all of the council members. This may prove to be Iorio’s first real stumble, since the EPC wetlands fight has left many in Tampa livid with the county’s control over that vital function.
October 26th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Mayor Iorio continues to disappoint!
October 26th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
Mariella, the Mayor’s letter was addressed to Victor Crist. Wasn’t he on one of the invitations to the campaign fundraiser for our commish? See, they all run in the same pack and only care about the next election and their political futures. Cronyism! Look over the contributors to Mayor Pam’s campaign. Lots of lawyers and real estate and developers represented. I thought she was on a different level…hah! When push comes to shove she knows better than to rock the political boat. I’ll cross her off my list of trustworthy politicians.
October 27th, 2007 at 10:34 am
“Attorney says mayor speaks for the city”
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/10/27/Hillsborough/Attorney_says_mayor_s.shtml
October 27th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Hey, I’m not that hard to find. http://www.thepoliticalwhore.com is the direct route.
October 27th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Thanks Wayne, I found the direct link after I already posted….
October 30th, 2007 at 8:06 am
And direct link to Garcia’s post is http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/politicalwhore/2007/10/25/iorio-vetoes-council-desire-for-epc-representation/
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:57 pm
“Bills would change the EPC”
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/03/Hillsborough/Bills_would_change_th.shtml