Friday, March 29, 2013
Hillsborough County Commissioner Al Higginbotham told the Tampa Bay Times his recent fundraiser at a gun shop and firing range wasn’t a statement about firearms, rather one in support of local business. What do you think, Brandon?
With the race still a year away, Hillsborough County Commissioner Al Higginbotham already faces some stiff competition for his move to an at-large seat. The Republican, who faces term limits for his Eastern Hillsborough County seat, is being challenged by School Board chairwoman April Griffin and Tampa City Councilwoman Mary Mulhern, both Democrats, according to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office. Higginbotham is working to get a jump on the competition, according to an article in the Tampa Bay Times. He was the beneficiary of a recent fundraiser staged at Shooters World, a new gun shop and firing range that opened up in northern Hillsborough at 116 E. Fletcher Ave. When questioned by the Times about the venue, …
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Hillsborough County Commissioners determined that a marsh's destruction should not impede the proposed development, reports TBO.com.
A wetland may be destroyed to develop a Racetrac gas station and store at the southeast corner of Kings Avenue and Lumsden Road, according to TBO.com. The Hillsborough County Commission directed zoning hearing master Steve Luce not to let the marsh's destruction impede the proposed development, according to TBO.com. Luce then reveresed his own earlier ruling against the development, because it would destroy the wetland. Instead he agreed that the plan should go before the county commmission and and the Environmental Protection Commission for a vote in April. The EPC is composed of county commissioners. According to TBO.com, environmental activists are stunned by the move: "This case has been handled in a way we have never witnessed before…
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The County Commissioner from East Hillsborough is running for a countywide seat in 2014, but some are saying his stand on two recent controversial issues will hurt him in the long run. We’d like to get your thoughts!
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 overcome two recent decisions it says have cast the commissioner in a less-than-positive light with those who don’t share his conservative views. They …
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The Hillsborough County Commission has agreed to set aside $6.25 million to repay developers for road construction projects that will ultimately serve customers of Bass Pro’s new location. We’d like to get your thoughts on the issue.
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 development. Commissioner Kevin Beckner opposed using county dollars to help pay for the road project. He said he fears the county is turning into a “…
The county has agreed to help pay for road improvements to pave the way for the development that will ultimately house Bass Pro.
Hillsborough County’s decision to approve a $6.5 million agreement to help fund road work in the Brandon area opens the door for Bass Pro Shops to build a new location here. Commissioners voted 6-1 during their Feb. 20 meeting to reimburse the developer for roadwork related to the mixed-use project that will ultimately house Bass Pro. Commissioner Kevin Beckner cast the lone opposition vote. Commission Chairman Ken Hagan has spearheaded the effort to bring Brass Pro to the county. He’s touted the county will spend $6.25 million to help the project and end up with nearly $3 million a year in property and sales taxes in return. The property where the development will be located currently generates about $800 a year in property taxes, Hagan …
Friday, February 8, 2013
Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan addressed allegations that backdoor meetings have been held in an attempt to lure the national sporting goods retailer to Brandon.
After hearing a stream of complaints from residents about Hillsborough County’s proposed $8.25 million incentive package for the Brandon area development that might ultimately house a new Bass Pro Shops location, Commission Chairman Ken Hagan had to set the record straight. “There have been no secret meetings with Bass Pro,” Hagan said during the Hillsborough Commission’s Feb. 6 meeting. Residents and small business owners opposed to the incentive package came out in droves to Wednesday’s meeting, some driving from as far away as Lutz. They spoke during an open comment period in the morning and again during a public hearing on a proposed amendment to the developer’s land use agreement that would move up construction of several road …
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Backers of a plan to allow same-sex couples to enjoy more of the freedoms afforded to married couples aren’t taking no for an answer. Do you agree with them?
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 event, which was sponsored by Equality Florida, say they will continue to push for the county to enact a registry. "Hillsborough County is so out of …
Hillsborough County Commissioners are expected to act today, Feb. 6, on an ordinance that would strengthen the effort to fight the sale and use of bath salts and synthetic marijuana, also known as "K2" and "Spice."
Hillsborough County Commissioners plan to take a step forward in their efforts to ban the possession, sale and manufacture of synthetic drugs in the county when they meet today, Feb. 6. The Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office seeks the board's approval of an ordinance to that effect that would go before the public for a hearing Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. “This ordinance will assist the county and municipalities to combat the rise in the sale and use of dangerous substances commonly known as synthetic drugs,” the agenda item states. It would levy a fine on anyone caught selling, manufacturing, distributing or possessing synthetic drugs in Hillsborough County. With synthetic drugs, such as bath salts, K2 and Spice, becoming a major concern …
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Higginbotham attributed his win to grassroots campaigning and hard-working volunteers.
Only an hour and 45 minutes after the polls closed, District 4 Hillsborough County Commission candidate Mark Nash, D-Lithia, knew he'd lost the race. At a gathering with supporters at the Hilton Garden Inn in Riverview, Nash intently watched the computer as the Supervisor of Elections Office released the precinct totals. Carrying just 38 percent of the vote, Nash conceded to incumbent County Commissioner Al Higginbotham, R-Plant City. "I congratulate Al," said Nash. "It's obvious I don't have the votes." However, Nash stopped short of calling his bid for office a failure. "A lot of good things came out of it. I reconnected with a lot of friends and even relatives," said Nash. Among those supporting Nash was a cousin he didn't know he had …
The incumbent Democrat will serve another four years.
The results are in and incumbent Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner will serve another four years. The Democrat was first elected to the countywide District 6 seat in 2008. Beckner is the county’s first openly gay commissioner, according to TBO. Beckner’s Republican challenger in the race, Margaret Iuculano, is a foster child advocate. Here’s how the county voted: During his election watch party earlier tonight, it was evident to Beckner and supporters that he would win the race. Even so, Beckner was humble about the victory. “I never take any single vote for granted,” he said. “You always run like you're 20 points behind and never take a single vote for granted." So what’s the incumbent going to focus on in his new term? "I'll…
George
3:55 pm on Thursday, April 4, 2013
Just for the record (in answer to George Newman's comment), I don't have it in for Commissioner Higginbotham. However, I found him to be less than truthful on a whole host of issues which I cited examples of in an earlier comment. The items I cited are a matter of record. I realize that Higginbotham supporters may not want to acknowledge these inadequacies and may want to turn a blind eye to them… more ›