Anti-tax sentiment derails transportation tax

Greg and Shelley Hamilton were such strong backers of a transportation tax that they drove from North Tampa to a Davis Islands polling location to spread the word on Election Day. Carrie Covington voted for it because, she said, if we want to make Tampa the next great city, we need better public transportation.

Shawn and Angela Brigham, of Seminole Heights, voted for the tax as well. Having lived in the Washington, D.C., area, they said they understand what it's like to live in a city with ample public transportation.

But in the end, voters found it difficult to support Amendment 1, a 1 cent-on-the-dollar sales-tax increase to fund light rail and bus and road improvements. The measure failed, 58 percent to 42 percent.

Many of those who voted in opposition to the tax Tuesday cited the same reason: In these tough economic times, they didn't want to spend more money on taxes.

"We can't even afford insurance, let alone a tax," said Airial Triplett, 29, of East Tampa.

Vanderlyn Jones, 58, of East Tampa, said roads and schools need to be improved more than anything else and that people already pay too much in taxes.

The Moving Hillsborough Forward campaign, which supported the amendment, had pointed out prior to Tuesday's election that since more people would be driving without light rail and bus improvements coming to the county, a good deal more money would have to be spent on road improvements.

But Angel Gonzalez, a 60-year-old delivery driver for Lowe's, said Tuesday morning that "the roads are going to get damaged even if you have more taxes."

University of South Florida senior Devin Ambron voted against the tax for a different reason.

He was uncomfortable with the way the money would have been managed.

"If we come up with a better management system for that particular amount of money, I would feel more much more confident voting on that," he said.