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Economic Task Force Membership Alarms Some

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By MIKE SALINERO

msalinero@tampatrib.com

Published: February 19, 2009

TAMPA - A task force charged with reviving Hillsborough County's economy needs to be monitored for conflicts of interest and to ensure it doesn't undermine local growth-management rules, two county commissioners said Wednesday.

County commissioners agreed in January to create an economic stimulus task force that would work to attract high-value industries to the area and stem job losses that are paralyzing the local economy.

On Wednesday, Commissioners Kevin Beckner and Rose Ferlita raised several concerns about the group, which will be run by Bob Abberger, head of the Trammel Crow development firm.

Both commissioners said the industry leaders chosen for the task force could use their positions to benefit their companies and expressed concerns the task force would use the down economy as an excuse to dismantle environmental and growth-management regulation.

"I want to make sure as we fast-track opportunities for economic development we don't set ourselves up to break our own rules," Ferlita said.

Commissioner Ken Hagan, vice chairman of the task force, conceded that Abberger helped suggest task force members. Hagan said he asked for Abberger's advice to get the strongest candidates.

Besides Abberger and Hagan, the task force members are Mark House, the Committee of 100 and Beck Construction; Henry Gonzalez III, Tampa Chamber of Commerce and Bank of Tampa; Steven Klasko, University of South Florida; Chuck Sykes, Sykes Enterprises; William Daulton, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute; Mary Ann Fullerton, JPMorgan Chase & Co.; Chuck Black, Tampa Electric Co.; John Lenyo, CAE USA; Stuart Rogel, Tampa Bay Partnership; Jack Rechcigl, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences; and Bob Samuels, financial services consultant.

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813)259-8303.

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