Rays backing Hillsborough 1-cent proposal to fund light rail

Guess who is backing a 1-cent sales tax to fund light rail projects in Hillsborough County. A certain baseball team, now located in St. Petersburg, but potentially relocating to this side of the Bay.

The Tampa Bay Rays organization is listed as a $50,000 contributor to the political committee behind MovingHillsboroughForward.org, a business-backed group supporting a referendum on the Nov. 2 ballot that would add a new tax to help fund light rail, road construction and more bus service in the area.

That puts the baseball team in company with other big business supporters of the group, like Sykes Enterprises, Nielsen, TECO, the Buccaneers and others who say better transportation is key to recruiting more companies here and helping workers commute.

MovingHillsboroughForward began in March this year to help organize those groups, and any other individuals backing the initiative of a 1-cent extra sales tax.

"The whole purpose of the campaign is to educate people about the referendum," said Betty Carlin, director of communications for the Tampa Bay Partnership, who is also working with Moving Hillsborough Forward. "That's for better roads, for light rail, for more pedestrian walkways, bike paths and other kinds of transportation."

Carlin noted a few other groups outside Hillsborough have donated to their cause, including business groups in Orlando, which she said demonstrated how groups across the state feel a need for better transportation.

The organization's most recent financial disclosure reads like a Who's Who of Tampa Bay political and economic players: Regions Bank, the Buccaneers organization, Nielsen Co., TECO, Deanne Roberts & Associates, Raymond James Financial, Sykes Enterprises, OSI Restaurant Partners, and law firms Carton Fields, Hill Ward Henderson and Holland & Knight.

Other non-profits donated as well, Tampa Bay Sierra Club, The University of Tampa and Moffitt Cancer Center.

In total, the group raised $910,865 between April 1 and July 16, according to documents filed with the Florida Department of State, Division of Elections.

With a financial donation, the Rays blend their aspirations with those of politicians in Tampa.

This summer, the Rays ignited a political storm in Tampa Bay by telling St. Petersburg politicians that the team would start looking for a new stadium location, potentially across the Bay in Tampa. That's after locals in St. Petersburg turned down a stadium the team proposed for downtown St. Petersburg.

Officials for the Rays have not responded yet to a request for comment.