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Iorio, officials discuss status of east Tampa with residents

By KEVIN GRAHAM
Published August 10, 2005

TAMPA - East Tampa residents got immediate answers from Mayor Pam Iorio Tuesday night to a handful of questions that ranged from garbage pickup to getting rid of drug activity.

Iorio attended the monthly East Tampa Community Revitalization Partnership meeting to give her annual update on the neighborhood.

She briefly addressed the crowd of about 60 people then she and city employees accompanying her spent 45 minutes answering questions.

Iorio emphasized the five strategic goals she brought with her when she became mayor a little more than two years ago: invest in neighborhoods; make downtown Tampa a residential, 24/7 community; make east Tampa a vibrant, economically alive community; make city government efficient; and make Tampa a city of the arts.

"This is the road map. It's not going to change," Iorio said. "It's not like east Tampa is going to be en vogue today and gone tomorrow."

Iorio said the base property tax in east Tampa has increased 22 percent in the last year, due in large part to private investors. Crime has dropped 8 percent this year. Prostitution, she said, is down 41 percent compared to last year.

Some residents had questions about day-to-day living issues in east Tampa. One woman wanted to know when the city would come to collect large household items for the dump. A city employee took her name and number and promised to call her this morning with an answer. Another resident had concerns that drug activity that used to center around E Lake Avenue and N 29th Street had moved to Lindell Avenue.

Maj. George McNamara, is in charge of that police district, apologized to the resident. He said that some drug dealers had taken "refuge" at the Jackson Heights apartments, but police are working to get rid of them.

"We have an operation going. That's all I'm going to say," McNamara said.

[Last modified August 10, 2005, 00:53:47]