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Miranda Gives Valuable History Lesson

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 11, 2008

Thanks goodness for Charlie Miranda, who brings perspective and maturity to his seat on Tampa City Council.

The latest example happened last Thursday, when the council heard from citizens objecting to Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee's plan to better secure his command center in Ybor City. The sheriff wants to put gates on a small section of 20th Street, but critics say it will disrupt the Latin Quarter's "historic grid."
Miranda knocked the bricks out from under those arguments with his command of Ybor's history.

Miranda, who grew up in Ybor City, noted the numerous projects - from Interstate 4 to Centro Ybor - that have done far more to alter Ybor's streets than the sheriff's proposed gate. And he recalled the city's desperate attempts to convince the sheriff's office to move to Ybor City in the 1970s, when the area was little more than "tumbleweeds and crime."

The common-sense councilman emphasized the importance of keeping the sheriff's station in Ybor.

Miranda's colleagues, save for Linda Saul-Sena, demonstrated similar good sense and voted to allow the security improvements.

No one is more committed to Ybor than Miranda, who helped almost everyone understand that historic preservation is not achieved by ignoring history and reality.

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