Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Politics

Iorio proud of drop in crime rate

The newly re-elected mayor says she'll address her future plans after April 1.

By JANET ZINK
Published March 13, 2007

TAMPA - With city elections behind her, Mayor Pam Iorio on Monday highlighted what she sees as her biggest accomplishments over the past year during her annual state of city address.

A lower crime rate, drainage improvements, downtown development and redevelopment of struggling neighborhoods were at the top of her list.

"I am particularly proud of our drop in the crime rate," Iorio said, noting that figures show an overall 9.4 percent decrease last year, bringing the four-year drop to 36 percent.

"This is a remarkable accomplishment and is the most significant factor in our quality of life measurement," she said.

According to the Tampa Police Department's annual crime report released Monday, there were 2,351 fewer crimes in 2006 than 2005. Violent crimes were down 18.5 percent; nonviolent crimes were down 7.3 percent.

Iorio easily won re-election last Tuesday to a second term as mayor. But on Monday she refrained from talking about what to expect in the next four years. She said she will address such issues as mass transit and the Riverwalk in a presentation after being sworn in April 1.

Iorio did talk about development, citing condominium construction downtown, and the approval last year of two major redevelopment projects - The Heights, which is slated to bring nearly 2,000 condos and townhomes to the edge of downtown, and the planned remaking of the Central Park Village public housing complex.

Iorio mentioned some specific downtown projects, including the SkyPoint condo tower opening this year, and the Element, a tower under construction. Iorio did not mention the many projects planned for downtown that have not moved forward.

After her speech, Iorio said she's confident that "quality" projects will eventually fill with people.

Tampa is on the brink of a "new kind of urban lifestyle," she said.

Other topics that made it into Iorio's speech: improvements to 40th Street, the groundbreaking of a new community center in New Tampa, ongoing replacement of old water and sewer pipes, and a new location for the Tampa Museum of Art.

"There is a new home, a new architect and a plan for a new museum that will be under construction by the end of this year," Iorio said.

After a protracted fight with museum leaders, Iorio scuttled the previous administration's plan to build a high-priced museum. A scaled-down, riverfront museum is in the works.

Iorio ended her speech by reading from a promotional pamphlet written in the 1930s that extolled Tampa as a gateway to the Panama Canal.

The excerpt described Tampa as a place where "the frigid tale of winter becomes a sparkling poem of spring," and people are overcome by the "irresistible and joyous impulse to dance and sing and play."

"Maybe that should be our vision statement," Iorio said.

Janet Zink can be reached at jzink@sptimes.com or 813 226-3401.

[Last modified March 13, 2007, 06:34:53]