Only three initiatives in the past 15 years have inspired a broad, united front and pushed Hillsborough County forward. In 1991, after two years' of work, the Hillsborough County Commission raised taxes to fund preventive health care for the poor. That same coalition, in 1996, sold voters on the 30-year Community Investment Tax, which has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into schools, roads, parks, the arts, neighborhood improvements and public safety. In 2000 these leaders came together to save Tampa General Hospital from financial collapse, thereby ensuring the entire west coast of Florida would have access to a Level 1 trauma care center.
The next priority should be to improve Hillsborough's cash-strapped transportation system. The roads are a congested mess, too little is spent on maintenance and the county lacks any plan to reverse the spread of suburban sprawl. Beyond the frustration of sitting in traffic, burning gas at nearly $2 a gallon, the lack of a transit plan makes Hillsborough less attractive to employers looking to relocate. The dangers of a poor roadway system were also evident in the recent deaths of a cyclist, jogger and two children who were killed while trying to cross area streets.
Dan Kleman tried twice in four years to make transportation a major issue, which is one reason why he was forced out last year as county administrator. Antitax commissioners trashed his 20-year, $9-billion estimate as a wish list of pork-barrel spending. The plan, however, was a useful tool, for it spoke to how overburdened the roads are, and it made the practical argument for heavier investment in mass transit. A transportation plan that relies on roads only accelerates suburban sprawl. Kleman's plan called for a smarter approach - one that looked ahead 20 years to shape not only a commuter's experience, but also neighborhood development patterns, urban renewal, the job market, environmental health and the tax base.
No other issue is more important in this year's county commission races. Candidates who have a broad vision for transportation and who would back it up with support for new taxes are the ones thinking seriously about the quality of life in Hillsborough County. Every recent initiative designed to boost the image of Tampa - the bids to host the Olympics and the Republican National Convention - failed largely because the county hasn't figured out how to move people around. A good starting point would be to cut the $9-billion wish list in half, replace the inept county bus director and craft a referendum that would dedicate a stream of new tax money to transportation. Voters will support a good idea.
