The retirement of U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young leaves many Tampa Bay high-tech industries asking one question — what’s next?
For more than four decades, Young was a champion of defense contractors and marine research in his Pinellas County district, directing billions of dollars to companies like Raytheon and Honeywell, reports Josh Boatwright in the Tampa Tribune.
Whoever fills Florida’s Thirteenth Congressional District will have an uphill battle to keep the momentum Young brought to the region as an innovation and technology center. This means a harder time for Washington to come to the aid of Pinellas County.
“Whoever replaces him is going to be really challenged,” Peter Betzer, president of the St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership told the Tribune. It will be a long time before the region has another representative of Young’s stature, he added.
In 2010, out of 438 House members, Young came in fourth in total earmarks earned for his district — a total of $128 million. Comparatively, Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa came in 70th with $47 million, and Rep. Gus Bilirakis brought in $13.6 million to his Palm Harbor community.
As a strong advocate for defense spending Young’s influence was felt throughout the Tampa Bay area and beyond. In 2010, he earmarked $21 million for communications facilities at Mac Dill Air Force Base, $4 million to defense contractor Raytheon to establish a naval defense sensor system and $3 million to SRI International for a way to monitor ship movements.
Young also supported the University of South Florida, helping them develop centers for marine science, technology and excellence in health, which attracted other high-tech industries to the area.
According to Betzer, Young had a deep understanding of the economic value of long-term government investments, something that comes with “respect and authority.”
“He was smart enough to recognize that,” Betzer told reporters.
