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Parsons Brinckerhoff

As 2016 closes, Hillsborough’s transportation problems still mostly unsolved

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Another year of our lives is about to become history, and that means another year where little tangible was accomplished in terms of addressing the transportation needs of the citizenry in Hillsborough County. But a whole lot of people did get angry with each other over the process, anyway. At this time a year ago, the biggest concern was: What would come out of the Hillsborough County Sheriff Department’s investigation into Go Hillsborough, the two-years-in-the-making transportation plan that called for a 30-year,…

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Hillsborough Commission to copy Richard Corcoran’s proposal to ban texting by lobbyists?

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Hillsborough County Commissioners approved a motion on Wednesday directing their attorney to research and provide draft language on a proposal that would ban them from receiving text messages from a lobbyist during a board meeting. However, the proposal’s ultimate passage is unclear, based on comments from some members. “In the event that we did receive a text message during a commission meeting from a lobbyist related to official public business, we would have to disclose that communication by filing it with our…

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Tampa Chamber releases preliminary poll numbers on Go Hillsborough that don’t say too much

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Three weeks before the Hillsborough County Commission is scheduled to vote on putting the half-cent Go Hillsborough transportation tax on the ballot, extremely preliminary results from a poll conducted for the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce were released on Thursday. And they don’t really do much to clear up where the voters stand on the issue. The Chamber reports that support for the sales tax was “raised at four different points in the overall survey, with answers of support ranging…

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Vote on whether Go Hillsborough goes on ballot to take place April 27

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After more than two years of preparation, the Hillsborough County Commission will hold a meeting on April 27 to decide whether a half-cent transportation tax referendum will be on this November’s ballot. The hearing is planned a night after the board will hold a separate hearing on implementing a new mobility fee ordinance, very much a part of addressing what County Administrator Mike Merrill says are the more than $9 billion in transportation needs of the county. Both meetings could be held away from…

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Hillsborough Sheriffs Office to media: We’ll tell you when Go Hillsborough investigation is done

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With a half-cent sales tax for transportation at stake potentially this fall, there is a great deal of anticipation about the results of an investigation regarding the Go Hillsborough transportation plan. Since last September, the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office has been looking into allegations of improprieties in the hiring of engineering firm Parsons Brinckerhoff to the lead in the effort. One of those allegations was that Parsons was hired based on the advocacy of public relations consultant Beth Leytham, who was…

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Mitch Perry’s Top 10 stories in Hillsborough politics of 2015

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As first said by Greek philosopher Heraclitus, in the universe change is the only constant. Nowhere was that more applicable than in Tampa Bay during the past 12 months. From the much-ballyhooed dismissal of MaryEllen Elia as Hillsborough County School Board District superintendent to redistricting and the rising (and falling) fortunes for hizzoner Bob Buckhorn, many of the leading political issues of the year centered on shaking up the status quo. With that, here are Hillsborough County’s top ten stories in 2015: 1) MaryEllen Elia…

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Hillsborough County Commissioners to vote on Go Hillsborough plan in February

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It’s not as early as was originally envisioned, but the Board of Hillsborough County Commissioners are poised to vote in February on whether to put a half-cent sales tax for transportation before voters in November 2016. “In the beginning of January we’ll talk about the projects in programs in detail, and then the last couple of meetings we’ll talk about funding options, and at the beginning of February, we’ll take action on a plan,” County Administrator Mike Merrill told SPB…

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