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Council job no springboard, Miranda says

Tribune file photo (2007)

Charlie Miranda greets a well-wisher on Election night 2007.

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE

cwade@tampatrib.com

Published: July 1, 2009

TAMPA - As political jobs go, the hours are long, the pay is paltry and you get blamed when things go wrong.

Nevertheless, in every election dozens of candidates compete for seats on the Tampa City Council, a seven-member governing body that sets policy for city government.

But all too often, some say, the job is used as a springboard for higher office by career politicians who have set their sights on running for county, state or federal posts.

Tampa Councilman Charlie Miranda said he thinks that's being disingenuous to the voters.

"If you commit to serving four years on council, you should serve four years," he said.

Miranda wants council members who step down before their terms end to run for higher office, and lose, to have to wait a full four-year term before they run for council again.

Thursday, the council voted 5-2 to have city staff study Miranda's proposal.

Such a move would require amending the city's charter, said City Attorney Chip Fletcher, which likely would have to be put to the city's voters in a ballot question.

Councilman John Dingfelder, whose term expires in 2011, is running for a seat on the Hillsborough County Commission next year and will have to step down early.

He opposes Miranda's proposal, arguing it's a violation of the Constitution.

"It is a waste of time for our city attorneys to look into this, as I have no doubt that this type of constraint on an individual's right to run for office is unconstitutional," he said.

If Dingfelder loses his bid for county commission and decides to run for a council seat again, he would have to sit it out for four years if Miranda's proposal becomes law.

Miranda said he isn't trying to single out fellow council members by proposing the limits.

"This is to ensure that the people elected to serve the city don't jump off the ship when the first port of call comes around," he said. "It's about being fair to the constituents."

Council members serve four-year terms and are paid about $40,000 a year. Term limits prohibit them from serving more than two terms unless they run for a different seat.

Miranda, a first-term council member, hasn't decided whether he'll seek re-election.

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 259-7679

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