About this column:
About this column: What's Hillsborough Saying is an occasional column that features countywide news that we want to get your take on. These stories are posted on the various local Patch sites throughout Hillsborough County. That way, you can see what your neighbors think, as well as some of the different opinions that make each part of our county so unique. We'll follow most columns with a roundup of the very best local comments on our individual Patch sites so you can see exactly what readers in your community had to say about a particular topic.Do the rush-hour blues have you down? If you commute in the Tampa metro area, they just might. TomTom, the maker of the GPS device with the funny name, says our area ranks 12th in the country when it comes to congestion on the roadways. The Tampa metro area, in fact, saw its congestion numbers rise significantly over the company’s last congestion report in 2011. It was in the Top 3 areas for seeing numbers jump; trailing only Houston and Seattle. Tampa area drivers who commute 30 minutes face an estimated “69 hours of delays per year,” the study concludes. It also says Tuesdays and Thursdays …
Hillsborough County is mourning the loss of one its longstanding leaders today, March 7. Fred Karl, a former county administrator, county attorney, state legislator and Florida Supreme Court justice, was 88. A Daytona native, Karl served as an Army tank commander in World War II and was present at the Battle of the Bulge, according to The Tampa Tribune. His public service career continued long after the war was over. The Stetson Law graduate served in the Florida House from 1956-64 when he attempted a bid for the governor’s office. After that, he ran for the Florida Senate in 1968 and served …
Hillsborough County Commissioner Al Higginbotham is in for a fight in 2014 – one that some say he’s going to have an increasingly difficult time winning. The District 4 commissioner from East Hillsborough County is running for a countywide seat on the board. While his strong support base of Eastern Hillsborough Republicans has carried him through in the past, skeptics say Higginbotham is going to have a hard time overcoming his own voting record when residents countywide turn out to the polls in 2014. 2 Possible Sticking Points The Tampa Tribune calls into question Higginbotham’s ability to …
Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan says the math is simple. The county pays out up to $6.5 million to help a developer build roads that will benefit not only Bass Pro Shops, but also a number of other businesses. In return, it will get nearly $3 million in combined property and sales taxes collected on the Brandon area parcel each year. The land only generates about $800 a year in property tax revenues now. Based on those figures, the taxpayers will get their money back in only a few years while continuing to see a large increase in property and sales taxes thanks to the …
Less than two weeks after Hillsborough County Commissioners voted against creating a domestic partnership registry, proponents of the measure are holding their ground. The proposed registry, similar to what has already passed in Pinellas County, would have given same-sex partners more freedom to make financial and medical decisions for their significant others. In late January, the Hillsborough Commission voted 4-3 against creating a registry. Supporters of the registry met Tuesday, Feb. 5 to discuss what they are calling a “temporary” setback, according to The Tampa Tribune. Attendees at the…
