Tampa's Turf Wars Continue

As the availability of information keeps exploding, it is always a delight to find a copy of the Weekly Planet and TBT waiting for me at one of my usual beer stops. Ok, you might not always agree with them and the ads and subjects are sometimes a little more over the edge than you might like, but, isn't that what an "alternative" paper is supposed to be all about ?

The financially affluent (as in rich) St. Petersburg Times has decided to launch their TBT (Tampa Bay Times) on a Monday through Friday basis. While the Weekly Planet is their main target, Media General's Tampa Tribune is in their sights as well.

Information is everywhere: thousands of radio stations are now within your reach courtesy of satellites and webcasts; bloggers are cropping up everywhere, and of course, websites that can specifically target your interests, and even newspapers that are publishing online editions. All of these have been contributing to the continued decline in newspaper circulation and job layoffs in the industry.

When you are at your next beer stop and the alternative paper racks are brimming with new issues, pick up TBT and the Weekly Planet and compare the LOCAL content and reporting. There are very noticeable differences. As your read this blog and other news online, it seeems that maybe they are just fighting over deck chairs on the Titanic. What do you think ? We would like to know.

President Bush - Credibility Shot to Hell

"No need to worry about security" about US ports is what President Bush had to say about the potential deal to change the mangement of some of our largest ports.

"Brownie, your doing a heck of a job" is what the President said about the former FEMA director while touring Hurricane Katrina damaged areas.

We are making progress in Iraq, we will get Osama Bin Laden, Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, we are not involved in torture, we are not violating the constitution in eavesdropping on Americans, leaking the name of a covert agent will not be tolerated. These have been the meaningless rhetoric coming from the Bush Administration.

Tax cuts for the higher income brackets are being extended, while the budget deficit continues to reach record levels.

The picture on this post was taken just a few days ago. It shows the rows and rows of still occupied trailers in what is called FEMA City - near Punta Gorda, Florida. ALMOST TWO YEARS after Hurricane Charley swept through they are still occupied. While the damage was severe, it is pale in comparison to Hurricane Katrina last year.

Today it was reported that 25 million Americans relied on food kitchens last year. And the number has been rising. I think there are many things we need to be worrying about Mr. President, and yes, Port security is one among many. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear you are worrying about any of these any more. It is time for a change.

"Necessity is the mother of invention".

That seems to sum up the newly touted deal on the Tampa Museum of Art. Mayor Iorio had come under a lot of heat from Museum supporters after the skirmish over funding and location. Talk of active recruitment of a mayor candidate kept vibrating through the community. She needs the museum to be a significant part of her downtown re-development plans.

The Museum has been on a course of elimination. With the planned demolition of the current location and the elimination of the grand new building as a viable alternative, time was of the essence. They needed to do something.

The Beer Can Building and Adjacent Cubes have set significantly empty for years. This property needs activity and I am sure the rent to keep everyone happy. They needed a significant tenant.

The Mayor, the Museum, and even the Tampa Tribune have expressed their enthusiasm for this new plan. But the reality is that the size of the museum will be cut by about one third with this move until an additonal building can be built. That will not occur until the Museum has raised a significant amount of funds to do so.

Who won in this new location ?

First of course, is the landlord. He is going to have a significant tenant for a previously vacant location.

Second, the museum wins. They now have a place to move to instead of being out on the street. While their current space will decrease significantly, at least they will have a space.

Third, Mayor Iorio wins. She is going to be able to remove the current building to further her plans for Riverwalk Park. Under the proposed deal, the museum will be held more accountable for their funding.

Fourth, the Public Wins ! An enhanced waterfront park, more accountability of the spending of public funds, and a continuing art museum with a long term plan in place.

And maybe, just maybe, Kiley Park won too.

In a recent press release, the Friends of Kiley supported the new museum location and said they anticipate "The Honorable Pam Iorio’s signature to the application for inclusion of Kiley Gardens into the National Trust, a program that will ensure the preservation of the Gardens through the allowance of solicitation of public and private grant monies to be used towards the renovation of the Gardens without undue cost to the citizens of City of Tampa while preserving the pleasure of its beauty." The New York Times featured the Park in an article last year.

We have asked the Mayor about this designation on two occasions, she has not indicated her intent to sign the application. We think it is time for her to do so.

The World Can't Wait

1. A Republican lead congressional committee has called the handling of the impact of Hurricane Katrina "a national failure."

2. The National Forest Service has announced the proposed selling of a significant amount of national property in an effort to raise funds.

3. Our Budget Deficits continue to explode while tax cuts for the highest of income individuals are cut.

4. Funding of education is continuing to be cut dramatically. College tuitions are rising dramatically.

5. Americans are now being eavesdropped on by our government without supervision by the Courts that were created in order to stop the potential for abuse.

6. A close confidant of the Vice President has been indicted on charges of leaking the name of a CIA operative in what could be a breach of national security and in what might have been done so for political retaliation.

7. A high ranking Republican leader has been indicted for misuse of funds in what maybe an effort to effect local elections in an effort to control the drawing of Congressional district lines.

8. A new medicare system has been implemented that is leaving seniors without access to required prescription drugs.

9. One of Washington's top Republican lobbyists is indicted on corruption charges.

10. We are engaged in a war that was not sanctioned by the United Nations and as we have learned, was justified to the American public based on false information resulting in the death of over 2,000 Americans and thousands of others.

11. The master mind of the largest terrorist attack in our Country's history is still at large.

A group called The World Can't Wait has been formed calling for the immediate resignation of "President Bush and his regime." Not very suprising is it.

I Don't Want the Money !

The State of Florida's Governor Jeb Bush has found himself in the unique position of a significant budget surplus. It sure doesn't happen often and let's hope his brother doesn't hear about it. Brother George took the Federal budget surplus and turned it into record deficits so fast it was spooky, but we will save that for another post.

The cost of collecting tax money is not cheap. Bureaucrats with benefits and state cars have every method available from fees like license plates to just plain tax bills that were processed and mailed. The cost to collect taxes is significant.

Governor Bush now wants to refund $100 to each resident homeowner for a total of about $500 million. Of course that will require bureaucrats with benefits and state cars and all the is required to process and mail the checks. The cost to refund taxes is significant.

I could use the $100, but so can Florida's roads and schools. Why not split the money between the two projects ? You have already got it, and the schools and roads are in need due to Florida's rapid growth. Or put some of the money aside in preparation for tha major hurricane that will hit Florida some day. We just ask you to plan better for next time so that you are not collecting too much to begin with. That is our suggestion, what do you think ?