As anyone interested would know, this year’s election will feature two referenda for tax increases: a one cent increase for transportation and a half-cent for the school board. Unsurprisingly, there is news about both.
First, the school tax includes a provision for an oversight board, as does the transportation plan. For a variety of reasons (including it is not clear yet who will sit on the government bodies that would choose its members) the transportation board has not been named. The school oversight board is a little easier.
Of course, unlike transportation issues, giving kids air conditioning in school is not that contentious. In fact, it is so lacking in contentiousness that the County Commission is considering getting involved.
While, for fiscal reasons, the school board may not take them up on it (it’s in the article here), it is still amazing how the County Commission comes up with resources when they want to.
Nevertheless, the transportation referendum does not have a list of projects, or even a partial list. We would like a partial list (a beginning list), but it is what it is.
In any event, the Times has supported passing both the school and transportation referenda. We are not going to go into depth on what they say as they repeat the pro-referendum arguments for both. Additionally, as we would expect, the transportation referendum was endorsed by the Lightning, Rays and Bucs and Visit Tampa Bay.
Additionally, as anyone who watches TV probably knows, All for Transportation has released an ad for the transportation referendum:
The ad is relatively well made, which we would expect for the money raised. Interestingly, as noted by Florida Politics:
We are not sure what the polling and market surveys said, but not mentioning the actual tax is clearly, as the quote says, strategic. What is also interesting is how much the ad downplays transit and focuses on roads, including, like this screenshot:
Screenshot from All for Transportation ad – click on picture for YouTube video
While it is true that the referendum plan has a limited amount of money for new roads (potentially more than some think), it is interesting that the ad focuses on roads.
Finally, URBN Tampa Bay has a screenshot of how the transportation referendum will appear on the ballot:
From URBN Tampa Bay – click on picture for Facebook page
We have to admit, we find it a bit odd that they listed some areas but not others. We would not have done it that way but, once again, we have to assume there is some strategy based on polling or surveys.
— Our Opinion
Some might wonder why we have not said more about the referendum. The fact is that we have written a number of pieces on the referendum only to decide to not post them in the Roundup. One reason for that is that while there is much to like in the language – the bike and walking improvements, the split spending, the increase in transit spending, the dedicated lane/fixed guideway concept, and others – the language has some issues. We deleted most of what we wrote because, in all honesty, we like the general intent of the referendum and see no reason to publicly share ways to undermine it. (Of course, if the loopholes were intentional, those who wrote it that way already know it.)
But even setting that aside, the reality is that, if the referendum passes, the key factor to its success of failure will be the functioning of the Oversight Board. We completely get the idea of an oversight board, but in an area where the political officials (and political factions related to them) have ignored problems, settled, inflated accomplishments, and failed to stick to plans so often – and will be the organizations deciding how to spend the money in the first place – how the board functions is a concern. (How the various government entities function is also a concern, but that is not specific to this referendum.)
Our concern is not lessened by the fact that many of the organizations that will choose the Oversight Board endorsed (some quite enthusiastically) TBX and have decided that the very flawed “BRT” plan is the kind of transit we really need. (Will the Oversight Board say that running a bus on a highway shoulder, or even an express lane, is a dedicated lane?) Even plans involving the aspects of the referendum we like, like bike lanes, are routinely fudged by local governments.
That is why we wish there was a preliminary list of projects to be funded. It would be nice to know that, at least at first, the money would not be spent on poor projects and there would be time to get the Oversight Board working properly. But there is no list. That means that, to a large degree, the proper implementation of the referendum’s intent is based on faith that the Oversight Board does its job properly and remains independent of the various local political factions. We hope it will, but that is, admittedly, aspirational.
Thankfully, past performance by our local officials is not a guarantee of future returns. On the other hand, there is no guarantee they won’t perform as in the past (or the present).
In sum, we like the referendum’s intent. We like much of the structure. The language has some flaws, some of them major. And it all depends on whether the intent will actually be implemented or the process will be hijacked by politics and rife with settling.
All that being said, the status quo is not really sustainable.
Now, it is time for the election.
Transportation — Another Example
Sadly, we have yet more examples of why operating on the interstate or in the shoulder is a bad idea.
From October 5, and sadly involving another death on the highway:
From Florida Future at SkycraperCity – click on picture for post
Right now, the lots are covered by suburban style apartments. While we don’t have any design details of the proposal (and therefore can’t say much about the proposal), the lots, especially the north lot, frames Julian Lane Park. Whatever gets built there needs to have significant density and true street activation (not just a 4-6 story stick building with nothing on the street). The City invested a lot of money in the park. The land immediately surrounding it is no place to settle for a generic apartment building.
The Heights has so far been a good project so that gives us some hope for this proposal. We look forward to finding out what they plan and seeing the City not settle (hopefully, it won’t even be asked to).
Hyde Park – What?
There was an unfortunately not that odd article in the Business Journal this week about Hyde Park Village.
We are not going to judge the merits of a specific lawsuit, but we can comment on what is in the article. Hyde Park Village has been there since the 80’s and has always had bars and restaurants (not to mention movie theaters), with bartaco in the former location of the Cactus Club (which wasn’t the quietest place).
We get people want quiet and if there is something outrageous going on it should be fixed, but Hyde Park Village has been there a long time in pretty much the same set-up, if not quite as successful at certain times. During all that, the neighborhood has done pretty well.
Airport – Bringing the Boxes
As is clear from just going to the airport, the cargo business is booming.
And it is also clear from all the planes at hard stands that the airport needs more cargo facilities. It is just another area where the airport has really made progress after previous administrations really did very little.
That seems to be a reasonable plan. It makes sense to make a cargo cluster near the present FedEx facility. Maybe it will also help attract more regular general cargo service.
Economy – Tourism
The national tourism boom continues, as does the boom locally:
That is all good. We are wondering when the County Commission will add the optional percentage point of bed tax. The option exists for a reason. Why they have failed to act is a mystery.
Tampa Heights/Seminole Heights – Lee Elementary
There was news about Lee Elementary which, as you may remember, was greatly damaged in a fire.
Setting aside that the insurance policy seems a bit odd, we are all for rebuilding the school and preserving the façade. The neighborhood it served deserves to have both the attractive façade and a modern facility. Of course, how good it actually is depends on the specifics of the plan.
Pasco – How Not To Do It
When Pasco instituted its mobility fee scheme in place of impact fees, it garnered a number of accolades. And the idea was good. Of course, details matter.
For decades this area has been creating fee systems to have developers pay for the impact of their development, then not enforcing them. (The results are obvious in Hillsborough.) It is clear that doing so does not work in the long run, though it helps the developers. And, more to the point, if it is the market and not incentives that determine where people build, then there is no harm in charging the proper fee and having money for infrastructure.
That’s all well and good, but it won’t matter if the county government does not enforce it. (Pasco should have learned that from Hillsborough’s errors.)
Please Consider Helping
With the destruction caused by Hurricane Michael, please consider donating for relief efforts. There are many ways to do so. One of them is the Red Cross, the donation page is here.
I would note that none of the organizations that have appointments on the board have endorsed Fake-BRT and a majority of the appointments come from boards that have no endorsed TBX.
Did somebody say transportation? Let me jump in here as a hipster to prove how cool i am by regurgitating the lies i am told by the in crowd, let me spread their propaganda in a vain effort to be cool.
Transportation is very important, cheap, effective, it will get stains out of clothing and protect the children, all while being paid for by someone else.
We musty have transportation else the crops will dry and the river will flood, the robots will rise up and take the babies if we do not give a lot fo money to transportation.
No need for planing, no need for accountability, those things are stupid. We just need a lot of money right now.
The truth is as plan as the guy who told me this. How could it not be true, the guy ahd a tie and everything.
tampasphere 
I would note that none of the organizations that have appointments on the board have endorsed Fake-BRT and a majority of the appointments come from boards that have no endorsed TBX.
Also please be clear that the language never uses the amorporhojs phrase “dedicated Lane” but the legally defined phrase of “exclusive right of way”
Did somebody say transportation? Let me jump in here as a hipster to prove how cool i am by regurgitating the lies i am told by the in crowd, let me spread their propaganda in a vain effort to be cool.
Transportation is very important, cheap, effective, it will get stains out of clothing and protect the children, all while being paid for by someone else.
We musty have transportation else the crops will dry and the river will flood, the robots will rise up and take the babies if we do not give a lot fo money to transportation.
No need for planing, no need for accountability, those things are stupid. We just need a lot of money right now.
The truth is as plan as the guy who told me this. How could it not be true, the guy ahd a tie and everything.