TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Proposed Laws Would Change Makeup Of Boards

ADVERTISEMENT

By ELLEN GEDALIUS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 3, 2007

TAMPA - Two bills filed by local legislators have the potential to reignite tensions between Tampa and Hillsborough County.

One bill proposes changes to the makeup of the Environmental Protection Commission. The other goes a step further, proposing changes to the EPC, Tampa Sports Authority and planning commission.

"What this does is create a sense of antagonism between the city of Tampa mayor and the city of Tampa city council," County Commissioner Rose Ferlita said. "Additionally, this is going to resurrect the same antagonism between the city and county that we were trying to outgrow."

State Rep. Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City, filed a local bill Friday that would give the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City seats on the Environmental Protection Commission.

Tampa City Councilwoman Mary Mulhern pushed the idea, upset the EPC tried to eliminate the wetlands division this summer while Tampa had no say in the matter. Under existing rules, only county commissioners serve as the EPC board.

Glorioso's bill proposes the EPC become a nine-member board, with four members appointed by the county commission, three by Tampa City Council and one each by the city boards in Temple Terrace and Plant City.
Mayor Pam Iorio has said she doesn't support Mulhern's efforts to increase the cities' representation on the board and wrote a letter to the legislative delegation last week outlining her concerns. The letter has been a sore spot for the city council, which endorsed Mulhern's proposal.

Meanwhile, Rep. Kevin Ambler, R-Lutz, filed a bill that would take some power away from Tampa on the sports authority board and increase the county's role on the planning commission.

Ambler said Friday that after hearing Tampa City Council's concerns on the EPC issue, he decided to include that board in his bill as well. However, he proposes giving majority control on the EPC to the county. Glorioso's bill would give majority representation to the municipalities.

At the heart of Ambler's bill is the argument that the county deserves more representation on the joint boards because the unincorporated county has more than twice as many residents as Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace combined.

"I still feel rather strongly we need to look at more proportional representation that is commensurate with the growth in this county," Ambler said.

Commission Chairman Jim Norman agreed, saying most governmental bodies use population to determine representation.

Mulhern, however, sees it differently.

"I'm trying to protect the environment, not political turf," Mulhern said.

Bob Buckhorn, a former councilman who sits on the sports authority, described Ambler's bill as silly.

"It's childish, and it makes city-county relations more difficult," he said. "The county saw a blatant opportunity to take a cheap shot at the city."

The legislative delegation will consider the bill in December. If it receives enough votes, the bill will be forwarded to Tallahassee.

Reporter Ellen Gedalius can be reached at (813) 259-7679 or egedalius@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT