There's a brouhaha brewing regarding the move to elect a mayor for Hillsborough County. ...more

July 16, 2008

There's a brouhaha brewing regarding the move to elect a mayor for Hillsborough County. ...more

July 16, 2008

The county coalition aiming to reduce substance abuse has a new business name to highlight its efforts - Drug Free Highlands. ...more

July 14, 2008

Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Buddy Johnson's tenure has been plagued by questions - about hush-up payments to a former aide, his failure to his pay property taxes on time, even his willingness or ability to forthrightly explain his office's operations. ...more

June 13, 2008

Two members of the Montreal Canadiens are expected to be in the lineup tonight against Tampa Bay despite their arrests outside a South Tampa nightclub early Monday. ...more

February 11, 2008

The single-member district proposal which is being circulated would greatly diminish the power of every voter in our county. I urge all county residents to vigorously oppose the petition drive by not signing it and if it makes it to the ballot, vote "no"! ...more

January 27, 2008

Keep On Editorializing Regarding "Now It's Your Turn" (Letters, Jan. 19): I was both appalled and amused by the many comments, pro and con, that you received concerning your recent endorsements of John McCain and Barack Obama. I guess I expect too much of adults in our purportedly educated society. ...more

January 26, 2008

The Florida Legislature has made a mess of the citizens' initiative process. The system is now more burdensome for citizens groups seeking to change the state constitution and more chaotic for local elections supervisors. ...more

January 18, 2008

Developers are proposing several large residential and commercial projects in rural areas that critics say will cripple Hillsborough County's efforts to contain sprawl and cost taxpayers big bucks for county services far from urban centers. ...more

January 16, 2008

Early voting for the Florida primary starts today. This election has important issues not just for registered Democrats and Republicans but also Independents. For partisan voters, from today until Jan. 29, is the opportunity to decide the party nominee for president. While registered Independents in Florida bypass that option, this year, they will have the chance –– like other voters –– to cast their ballot on whether the state should adopt property tax changes to address runaway ad valorem taxes. The property tax referendum seeks to double existing $25,000 homestead exemption for homes valued at more than $50,000 but only for non-school taxes. It also would let homeowners take their Save Our Homes benefits along with they move. Other provisions would give businesses a break on taxes they pay on equipment and other personal property, and put a 10 percent cap on annual assessment increases for non-homestead properties. The ballot provision is more far-reaching than just the doubling of the homestead exemption for some voters. If passed, homeowners will be able to use their existing 3 percent cap on the appraised value of their home, on a new house they might buy. There are also benefits for businesses along with a 10 percent cap on annual assessment increases for non-homestead properties, although average increases in taxable value of such homes have been less than 10 percent. ...more

January 14, 2008