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Political Junkie

Choosing sides in city race

By Times staff
Published March 13, 2007

Supporters are lining up behind rivals in the race for the District 1 at-large City Council seat Gwen Miller and Joe Redner, who will face each other in a runoff March 27.

Neighborhood activist Julie Jenkins and restaurant owner Rick Barcena say they support Miller, who has served on the City Council for 12 years.

"She's the better candidate of the two on the moral and integrity issues," Barcena said. "She's a better polished person for the job."

Redner has become rich from his strip club empire. Miller is a former schoolteacher.

Randy Baron said he's not supporting anyone until he gets approval from the Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association. Baron is the association's president.

Restaurant owner Denise Chavez, though, said she supports Redner.

"Joe Redner represents more of what I stood for in the election, which was lowering taxes, making growth pay for itself, affordable housing. He's a major conservationist," she said. "We know what we're going to get with Gwen Miller. It's time for a change."

Last week, interim City Council member Chip Fletcher said he supports Miller. And Councilmember-elect Tom Scott, a former Hillsborough County commissioner, is also endorsing Miller.

Perkins backs Caetano

The spoiler in last week's race for a north Tampa City Council seat endorsed the frontrunner on Monday.

Before doing so, Charlie Perkins asked each of the two remaining candidates to pledge his full $40,000 City Council salary to Crime Watch programs in the blue-collar neighborhoods where Perkins led the balloting last week. Neither agreed, but Joseph Caetano said he will personally pay reasonable expenses of the programs.

"These people voted for me because of crime," Perkins said. "Joe, to his credit, sat down with me and said, 'You know what, Charlie? You're right.' "

Caetano, 73 owns a coffee shop and two hair salons in New Tampa. In the March 27 runoff, Caetano faces Frank Margarella, a commercial real estate agent who finished second last week.

Caetano said he would push for improved police protection in the neighborhoods, generally south and southwest of the University of South Florida. And on Monday, Caetano donated a pair of surplus Crime Watch signs from New Tampa to replace signs stolen from 109th Street.

Margarella said he was disappointed Perkins backed Caetano. Margarella said he offered to set a fundraising target of $40,000 or higher for the Crime Watch programs, but not to donate his council salary.

"This was all about money," Margarella said.

Obama in April

Supporters of Barack Obama are organizing a fundraising stop in Tampa in mid April for the presidential hopeful.

Onetime Tampa mayoral candidate Frank Sanchez is leading the effort. He said he's pushing for a public appearance as well. "I don't know if we're going to get it," Sanchez said. Obama tapped Sanchez as his policy adviser on Latin America, a role Sanchez played for former President Bill Clinton.

Among those helping Sanchez on the local Obama campaign: Hinks and Elaine Shimberg, Sue and David Scher, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Michael Clayton, and attorneys Tom Scarritt and Scott Farrell.

Times staff writers Janet Zink and Bill Coats contributed to this report.

[Last modified March 13, 2007, 06:35:28]