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County, Sports Authority Tussle: No Harm, No Foul
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Published: July 19, 2008
TAMPA - A dust-up between the Hillsborough County Commission and the Tampa Sports Authority was defused Friday when Sports Authority executive director Henry Saavedra agreed the agency would significantly cut its administrative costs.
The tussle started Thursday at a county commission budget workshop. Commissioner Rose Ferlita said she felt Saavedra had been dismissive of a July 1 letter from County Administrator Pat Bean asking for the $250,000 cut and for the sports authority to hold cost-of-living pay increases to 2.25 percent, the same as the county.
Bean pointed out in her letter that the county pays two-thirds of the authority's operating deficit each year, a figure now around $2 million. Tampa pays the other third, about $1 million.
Saavedra wrote Bean back that the authority's staff would "immediately start working on ways to accommodate this request..." He said the revised budget would be taken to the Sports Authority board July 28.
That didn't satisfy Ferlita.
"That's not good enough considering the amount of dollars we provide the Sports Authority," Ferlita said. "We should request Mr. Saavedra appear before us to explain his budget instead of to his board."
Ferlita said after the meeting the commission wants to make sure the authority cuts higher-level positions, not just people who mow the lawn at Raymond James Stadium or the three golf courses the sports authority manages.
Saavedra said Friday he was "completely blown away" when he heard about Ferlita's comments.
"For whatever reason, there was a misunderstanding," Saavedra said. "We're taking this very seriously."
Saavedra said the sports authority would be "reducing substantial amounts of money, probably more money than the $250,000. But we're an independent agency and I have to take it to the board," he said.
The sports authority's preliminary budget for fiscal year 2009 showed an overall 3.6 percent increase in salaries. Saavedra said that amount probably would be reduced.
Records show Saavedra makes $205,000 for leading the 40-member staff. His director of finance and administration makes $102,024 and his director of operations makes $181,147.
Saavedra said the sports authority has an operating budget deficit because it gets a flat $5 million a year rental fee from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That amount was negotiated by city and county officials in an effort to keep the Bucs in Tampa after voters approved using sales tax money to build the stadium.
"That's all we're allowed to get for the next 30 years," Saavedra said. "We have no ability to increase our revenues. But yet by contract with the Bucs we're supposed to maintain a first-class facility that is nationally televised."
Saavedra or a member of his staff is expected to appear at the county commission's budget workshop Thursday.
Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303 or msalinero@tampatrib.com.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( ad ) on July 19, 2008 at 8:38 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
There was no mention of the free food, parking and amenities Jim Norman receives along with the other County Commissioners who are members of the Sports Authority. Maybe cut out the food portion of their package and make them park their car in public parking and sit with the other fans. Jim Norman be a regular person - never happen he has gotten too comfortable living off the gratuities of others.
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Posted by ( gojisteve ) on July 19, 2008 at 9:49 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
you are RIGHT ad, If all people on both county commission as well as sports authority and any other paid governemnt offical would cut OUT there personal little "perks" People would be amazed on how much money would be saved.When things get good again in our economy, the perks can come back but the whole country is in a depression, the perks of the job must go.
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Posted by ( signit4bes ) on July 19, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
"Your Community Investment Tax, passed by County voters in September 1996, has funded a wide variety of projects that are helping the quality of life for all residents in Hillsborough County. Proceeds of the half-cent sales tax are shared by Hillsborough County, its three municipalities, the Tampa Sports Authority and the School Board to finance jails, build new schools, construct a community stadium, purchase law enforcement and fire equipment, and improve our libraries, parks and other public facilities." -straight from the County's website.
So let me get this right, our taxes fund the county. Our taxes fund the Tampa Sports Authority. Yet the TSA operates at about a "$2mil deficit each year" and the county suppliments and shortfall. All those BUCS sellout games, parking, $7 cocacola's, etc....and the TSA runs a deficit?
In other words, if the TSA were a real business, it would fail to be.
I would like to take this moment to recognize the Mr Chillura and the Sheeple of Tampa for passing the Communist Investment Tax, and allowing the Glazers to tie our hands under threat of team relocation.
The whole system is designed to benefit the Glazers.
No wonder the Rays won't even look at Tampa. We have the TSA, County commies, and a beaurocratic nightmare here.
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Posted by ( friendlyguy ) on July 21, 2008 at 10:41 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
$205,000 salary? That's crazy for a Sports Authority. Typically, someone who makes that kind of money is a VP of sales who brings in vast revenues. This gentleman is a caretaker and should be compensated as such.
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Posted by ( justlooking2 ) on July 23, 2008 at 7:13 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Signit4bes:
I understand your comments regarding the profits from the Bucs games, had I not known better I would have made the same assumption. The stadium agreement is public record and if you have a chance to read it, you will see that OUR WISE AND KNOWLEGABLE POLITICAL LEADERS have negotiated an agreement that excludes the stadium from ANY of the revenue from the Bucs games. They get no share of ticket sales, food sales, etc. All goes in the Glazer's pockets. In their desperation to keep a pro football team in Tampa, they sold out. Looks like the Sports Authority is doing the best they can, seems like they have very little control. So the focus should not be on criticizing the Sports Authority, rather our wonderful leaders.
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