Inaction stalls roads proposal

The future of the $1-billion plan appears in doubt as commissioners avoid a vote.

By DAVID KARP

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 10, 2000

TAMPA -- During another drawn-out discussion, after another presentation about Hillsborough's congested roads, County Commissioner Jan Platt pleaded with her colleagues to do something -- anything.

"I want this board to take a stand one way or another," Platt said. "You have to take a stand."

But on Wednesday, with television cameras and residents watching, the commission refused to vote on a $1-billion transportation plan that has been debated for months.

Platt asked the commission to pass the plan, which would raise taxes, but no one would even second Platt's motion to vote on it. She said the decision effectively killed the plan.

"I think they are scared of their shadows," Platt said later. "Our community is going to pay a high price down the line for inaction."

Platt also blasted County Administrator Dan Kleman, who recommended Monday that the county postpone the biggest part of the plan -- a proposed referendum on a new sales tax -- for a year. Kleman also reintroduced the idea of supporting light rail transit, which had been debated and defeated months ago.

"He has thrown it all into chaos," Platt said. "I think he did it because it gets the board off the hook."

"It's a low turn in his career as administrator," she added.

A room full of residents, who had been invited to speak at the hearing, left after 31/2 hours without getting to utter a word. Many had spent months last summer meeting as members of the Committee of 99, the largest citizens panel in Hillsborough's history, which Kleman assembled to tackle transportation issues.

The panel, whose members were appointed by state legislators, businesses and neighborhood groups, did something no one anticipated:

They decided Hillsborough's roads needed at least $1-billion in work and proposed new taxes to pay for it. Their plan would raise impact fees on new homes, increase the gas tax by 5 cents a gallon and put a referendum on the ballot to increase the sales tax.

A coalition that included builders, environmentalists and businesses came to the meeting Wednesday wearing "Support 99" buttons.

But before anyone could vote on the plan, Kleman pronounced it dead. A sales tax referendum would require approval from the Legislature, but the county's lobbyist privately polled legislators and told the board Wednesday the legislators won't back it.

The odds that commissioners will pass any part of the tax plan appear long.

Commissioner Thomas Scott, whose district in east Tampa includes many residents who depend on county buses, said he liked the transportation plan, which would dramatically expand bus service. But Scott said he would not vote for it without broad support by his fellow commissioners.

"I don't sense it is going to happen," Scott said.

Commissioner Chris Hart said he wants to improve Hillsborough's roads -- even if it means new taxes. But Hart said he wouldn't vote on taxes until the county's staff provided him with more data about the condition of Hillsborough's roads, which might take until September to gather.

During an hourlong staff presentation, Hart lashed out at employees. "You need to be specific!" he demanded to one staffer, leaving her speechless.

After the staff's presentation, he asked, "Is that as good as it gets?"

"Maybe I care too much, maybe I care too much -- because this is my home," Hart said, his face red. "This can't be as good as it gets."

At least Commissioner Ronda Storms left no doubts about her stance. Holding up her campaign literature, Storms pledged to keep her election year promise to oppose new taxes, no matter who lobbied her. "I will be who I said I was," she said.

Of course, Storms could have killed the plan Wednesday by agreeing with Platt to put it to a vote. But forcing a vote would have put Storms' Republican colleagues such as Hart on the spot.

"Frankly, I need to keep a working relationship with those folks who vote with me," Storms explained later.

"I'm all for death by delay," she said.

-- David Karp can be reached at (813) 226-3376 or karp@sptimes.com.

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