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Voters Re-Elect Mayor Hibbard

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By CARLOS MONCADA, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 30, 2008

CLEARWATER - City voters showed Tuesday that they like the direction Clearwater is headed, soundly re-electing Mayor Frank Hibbard to a second term over former Mayor Rita Garvey.

Meanwhile, voters throughout Pinellas County overwhelmingly renewed for four more years a special school tax that goes primarily toward teacher salaries.

In all, five of the county's 24 municipalities held local elections, with the largest in Clearwater.

Hibbard, 40, first became mayor in 2005, after his election to the city council in 2002. Garvey, 62, was Clearwater's mayor from 1987 to 1999 and prior to that served on the council for eight years.

Hibbard said he ran again to continue the progress the Tampa Bay area's third-largest city has made in recent years. He cited ongoing efforts to revitalize the once-stagnant downtown, where high-rise buildings are altering the skyline, and recapturing hotel rooms lost to condominium conversions on Clearwater Beach, a major tourist draw.

Clearwater voters also decided on six city charter amendments, including one that will lengthen from three years to four the terms for the mayor and council members.

The Pinellas school district tax passed with 70 percent of the vote. The half-mill tax of 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value will raise about $35 million a year for four years. The levy was approved by voters in 2004 and was set to expire at the end of 2009.

For the owner of a $200,000 home with a $25,000 homestead exemption, the special tax will cost $87.50 per year, according to Citizens for Pinellas Schools, the group that promoted the measure.

Eighty percent of the proceeds go to supplement teacher raises. The rest goes directly into classroom programs such as improved technology, reading programs, additional textbooks and arts and music programs.

In other local races, voters in Gulfport elected Judy Ryerson over Rick Gilbert in Ward 1. In Ward 3, incumbent city council member Robert Worthington defeated challenger Angela Leiner.

In Safety Harbor, incumbent Nadine Nickerson defeated challenger Mark Taylor to retain her city commission Seat 3. In the Seat 4 race, Nina Bandoni had a slight lead over Robin Fornico.

Voters in Redington Shores and South Pasadena decided on a number of ballot questions affecting their city charters.

Reporter Carlos Moncada can be reached at (727) 451-2333) or cmoncada@tampatrib.com.

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