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Three Tampa Bay Democratic lawmakers line up behind Gwen Graham for governor

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

Three prominent Tampa Bay-area Democrats are lining up behind Gwen Graham in her bid for Florida governor. St. Petersburg-based state Sen. Darryl Rouson, St. Petersburg City Council Chair Darden Rice and Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez are endorsing the former congresswoman, the Graham campaign announced Tuesday. “I’m honored to have the support of these Tampa and St. Petersburg leaders who are working every day on issues Floridians care about,” Graham said in a statement. “As governor, I will work with them to protect…

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Fifth annual list of Tampa Bay’s 25 Most Powerful Politicians

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

Now in its fifth year, SaintPetersBlog/FloridaPolitics.com is offering its annual list of the Most Powerful Politicians in Tampa Bay. In compiling the 2017 list, FloridaPolitics.com queried several of the region’s leading political consultants, activists, bloggers, operatives and local lobbyists to name who they consider the 25 most powerful pols in the area. No suggested names were provided. For this exercise, the Tampa Bay region is defined as Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco, but can also include Hernando, Polk or Sarasota, particularly…

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Tampa to face new financial challenges even before potential 2018 ballot measure hits

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The Florida Legislature’s approval of a constitutional amendment for the 2018 ballot that could severely reduce the level of revenue coming to local governments is just the latest challenge to Tampa’s fiscal health, Chief Financial Officer Sonya Little told the City Council Thursday. If passed by voters, the measure would expand the state homestead property tax exemption to $75,000. Over 4 million Floridians currently receive the current homestead exemption, which lowers the taxable value on a primary residence by $50,000. “We’re projecting a roughly $6 million…

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#21 on list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians — Mike Suarez

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While Mike Suarez lost his bid to stay as Tampa City Council Chair in 2018, with Mayor Bob Buckhorn sticking around, the position no longer carries the gravitas that it did to observers a few months ago. Suarez is likely to run announce his candidacy for mayor before he’s term-limited out as a councilman in the next 18 months, which will bring him more attention. “In our divided era, Mike is one of those figures who is respected by both…

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Tampa City Council wants lawmakers to explain bill that would have gutted CRA’s

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A proposal by Lithia Republican Jake Raburn (HB 13) calling for an end to all community redevelopment agencies (CRA’s) died in a legislative committee in the Florida House last month. And members of the Tampa City Council are happy about that. Raburn’s bill didn’t go as far as a related proposal by Brandon Republican Tom Lee in the Senate (SB 1770). That bill would have placed much stricter requirements on CRA’s, but it also stalled in a committee as well. At Thursday’s Tampa…

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Mike Suarez: Tesla must clean waterlogged HyperLINK vehicles after it rains

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The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) proudly unveiled its sleek new Tesla Model X SUV’s at a news conference last week at the University of South Florida. While the futuristic-styled vehicles were a hit with many, the design led one Tampa City Council member to wonder: “What happens when it rains?” The cars, equipped with articulating rear doors, have become a central part of HART’s HyperLINK first-mile, last-mile service now available in the University area. One of its vehicles’ more original…

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Hillsborough transit system staring at $8-million-plus deficit

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Board members with the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) received some rough news Monday when they were informed that the agency is staring at a budget deficit of more than $8.5 million going into the 2018 fiscal year. There are a number of factors behind that number including a continuing decline in ridership, a national phenomenon that has been reduced by more than 11 percent at HART since 2014, amounting to more than $2.5 million in lost revenue since…

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