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District 59 Democrat
By THE TIMES RECOMMENDS
Published October 21, 2006
Betty Reed Community activist Betty Reed is the voice that central and east Tampa need as the district undergoes three major redevelopment projects. Reed, 65, has worked on school, substance abuse and civil rights issues in her three decades of community service. She knows the everyday needs of inner-city and struggling neighborhoods. Her call for expanding home ownership and jobs is balanced with the reality that many residents need government-funded social services. But her greatest asset is as an organizer. Reed's grass roots skills could help unify state and local efforts, and attract more private investment to some of Tampa's oldest neighborhoods. She could instill the confidence businesses need to get behind the 40th Street commercial corridor and new housing and retail in the downtown area. Her opponent, Republican Willis "K.C." Bowick, 55, has a generic agenda but no detailed plan for improving life in the district. His lack of firsthand community experience also makes him less capable than Reed to deliver. She is a known entity with a persistent streak that the long-term job of confronting poverty requires. In Florida House District 59, the Times recommends Betty Reed.
[Last modified October 21, 2006, 02:06:34]
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