Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 1-1-16 Edition

Features
Go Hillsborough! Plan Will Mean Jobs
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
The Go Hillsborough! Ini- tiative is an effort to recom- mend a fair, balanced and community driven trans- portation plan that will fix roads, relieve congestion, and redesign transit. The recom- mendation is funding this plan with a half-cent sales tax referendum on the 2016 bal- lot that will create $117.5 mil- lion annually, and $3.5 billion over 30 years.
County Commission Chair Les Miller said if the request for the half-cent tax increase passes, it will make a huge impact on the African American community with the jobs the project will cre- ate.
“Neighborhoods will get better roads, and the people will get a better bus system. All of it together is great for economic development.
“For the people who don’t have access to mass transit, HARTline will be the big player that will cover late night service and service into areas that currently don’t have it.”
Comm. Miller said when companies are looking to move to a city, one of the first things they look at is the educational system, then the transit system.
“The half-cent tax increase must be presented to voters
COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIR LES MILLER
in the form of what it means to them and how they will benefit with better roads and a competent bus system. Go Hillsborough! Is the result of what the people said they wanted.
“We’ve gone around the county and talked to people about what their needs are when it comes to public transportation.
“For this to pass, all it will take is 4 commissioners agreeing that the half-cent in- crease is a good idea, hen put- ting it on the ballot.”
Comm. Miller said right now, they are waiting for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office to complete their in- vestigation before they move forward.
“We hope it will be done in January 2016 so we will still have the time to get it on the ballot.”
Who Will Be Next To Represent District Five?
Who?Will Represent District 5 On City Council?
CITY COUNCIL CHAIR FRANK REDDICK .....cannot run due to term limits.
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
Although city elections won’t come along until later in 2016, some residents in West Tampa have already started asking, Who will Be Next to Represent District Five on the City Coun- cil?
A few names were tossed around, but no one could agree on one successor to Council Chair Frank Reddick, who will be term-limited out of returning as that district’s representative.
“This is a crucial time for West Tampa, and it’s important leadership is in place and that it be someone who understands and is compassionate to what the residents are up against,” said Heem Baisden, President of the West Tampa Alliance (WTA).
“We hate to see Mr. Reddick go, because he’s done a great job and understands the history of this community.”
Baisden and members of the WTA have ca- sually asked residents who they would like see come in as their new District representative.
“One thing was agreed on by all, and that was the need for someone young and with fresh ideas. “Seeing Ed Narain has enlightened us on the need to be progressive in our thinking, and pull away from what’s been accepted as the stan-
dard way of doing things.”
Baisden said at no time have the residents
of West or East Tampa suffered from bad repre- sentation, but there is a growing need for younger people to get experienced in city politics.
“We are discussing having an open meeting to talk about potential candidates, and the need to start grooming them now.
“We’re open to any and all suggestions, but we feel it must be someone who has no past as an elected official, and will bring fresh ideas to the table.”
Baisden said whoever takes over, they must be prepared to deal with an area that’s under de- velopment, getting a CRA, and is under siege by developers and others who want rights to their property.
“We want to invite everyone in District Five to attend our open meeting so we can talk about our future.
“We have not come up with a date or location for the meeting, but it will happen in late January or early February.”
PAGE 4-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016