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Commissioner Proposes Cutting Government TV

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By MIKE SALINERO

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 12, 2008

TAMPA - In an era when politicians can't seem to get enough television exposure, some Hillsborough County commissioners want to pull the plug on a station that broadcasts their commission meetings.

Hillsborough Government TV, with a $2.4 million annual price tag, is looking vulnerable as the county grapples with painful budget cuts. On Wednesday, as commissioners heard heartfelt pleas from residents not to cut programs for children and the elderly, the government station and the entire county communications department came under fire.

"I believe if you're going to cut children's programs and services to seniors, that's not a basic service," Commissioner Jim Norman said. "If you're going to operate a conservative budget that meets the needs of citizens, I don't think a TV station serves that basic need."

Hillsborough Government TV broadcasts live coverage and replays of more than 300 meetings a year, including land-use meetings and the Environmental Protection Commission. Many of the meetings are during work hours but are rebroadcast on weekends or at night.

Some critics have disparaged the station as a propaganda organ for county commissioners and County Administrator Pat Bean. The station often refers to Hillsborough as "the best county in the nation," a slogan coined by Bean.

"I'm thinking that's information people don't really care about ... that we're the best county in the nation," Commissioner Rose Ferlita said during a budget workshop Wednesday afternoon.

Ferlita said she favors keeping the station but refocusing programming toward more useful information instead of cheerleading.
Commissioner Mark Sharpe agreed, saying the station needed fewer "feel-good vignettes talking about all the good things we do."

Bean said the station is useful in informing residents about the breadth of services the county provides. For example, the county shelters children taken out of unfit households when there's no room at social service agencies or foster homes.

"I find it amazing as I move around the county the people who say, 'I didn't know the county does that,'" Bean said after the workshop.

Broadcasting that information is especially important, Bean said, in the current anti-tax atmosphere. Voters passed Amendment 1 in November, lowering property tax revenue available to governments. Because of that vote and the current economic downturn, the county has to cut $87 million from its budget for next year.

Last year, the Legislature passed a law requiring government television stations to carry five hours a day of "no-repeat," or new programming. Showing a commission meeting four times a day won't work.

"You have to look at it as live programming because there's no other way to make that number," said Tammy Peralta, the station manager.

The new law makes the case for closing the station stronger, Norman said.

Minutes earlier, he and other commissioners heard 10-year-old Zach Bonner ask that they keep $50,000 in the budget to support Teaching Tools for Hillsborough Schools. The nonprofit agency provides free school supplies to teachers at schools with a lot of poor children.

"I know $50,000 is a lot of money," said Zach, who wore a gray sport coat and tie for the occasion, "but when you think about it, you can get a lot with $50,000."

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303 or msalinero@tampatrib.com.

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