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Officials Debate Pros, Cons Of County Mayor Position

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By ELLEN GEDALIUS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 21, 2008

TAMPA - In November, Hillsborough County voters will decide whether to elect a county mayor with veto power over the county commission, potentially radically transforming the power structure of Hillsborough politics.

That possibility was enough to draw one of the larger crowds for a Tiger Bay forum in recent years. About 120 people attended a debate on the issue Friday, including two city council members, county officials, school board members and candidates for office.

Two stalwarts of local government - former County Commissioner Jan Platt and former state Rep. Mary Figg - traded pointed comments as they dissected what they see as the pros and cons of the county mayor initiative.

Figg, a proponent for an elected county mayor, argued that Hillsborough is the only urban county in Florida that "attempts to govern by committee." She said Hillsborough's government is "outmoded and inefficient" and ill-equipped to tackle major issues such as transportation.

Platt, who opposes the creation of an elected county mayor position, reminded the audience she was on the county commission when three commissioners were arrested and accused of taking bribes on a zoning case.

The arrests prompted the county to rewrite the charter to disperse power rather than centralize it. The changes, including expanding the board from five commissioners to seven, were intended "to save us from ourselves."
Figg and Platt argued over the legality of whether the county mayor could have veto power over the county commission, with Platt predicting that veto right will be thrown out in court.

They also argued about whether an elected county mayor form of government would be more or less prone to violations of the state's open meetings laws.

Platt said with an elected county mayor allowed to speak one-on-one with commissioners, more decisions will be made "behind closed doors."

Figg, however, said the existing form of government already allows the county administrator to have private meetings with each commissioner.

A theme of the debate was over which form of government would be more efficient for major issues such as mass transit.

Platt said a sales tax funding referendum for mass transit can only be put on the ballot by a vote of four county commissioners.

"You can have an elected mayor and it's immaterial what their position is," Platt said.

Figg, however, said past efforts to bring mass transit here have failed "because there was no leader there."

The county mayor question will be on the ballot Nov. 4.

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

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