Sunshine and the Regent Center

I attended the open public meeting at the Regent Center.  I had previously attended another Regent Board meeting.  At both meetings, the Regent’s Board again kept repeating their mantra of “Brandon deserves a nice place.”

Yes, Brandon deserves a nice place, but so does Lutz, Keystone, Seffner, Dover, Balm, etc.  Nor does a “nice place” mean that the Regent Board has an open checkbook to spend as they wish at the expense of all the taxpayers of Hillsborough County.

Adding insult to injury, the Regent Center building was built totally on the taxpayer’s dime without any private funding yet they are now running a private business at the Regent Center and refusing to address what they will do with the profits generated other than saying that they have to have four month of expenses banked.  The board refuses to allow the public to see their operating books and records.

I am involved in a non-profit.  We are proud of what we do and advertise it.  If someone wants to see the records, all they need to do is ask.  When someone refuses to answer questions or provide documents, the feeling is that they are hiding something.

So what is the Regent Center hiding?  If nothing, prove us wrong.  Publish your books and records.  Let the Sun Shine in on operations.