Saturday, April 27, 2013
Hillsborough County Commissioner Al Higginbotham answered a question about development near the Bloomingdale Regional Library at the April 25 meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon.
At the Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon's meeting April 25, Hillsborough County Commissioner Al Higginbotham fielded questions about a wide range of community issues, including what will become of a 43.5-acre pasture on Bloomingdale Avenue next to the Bloomingdale Regional Library. "Back in 2003 that property was zoned . . . for a big-box store," Higginbotham said. "Somehow a rumor started that a Walmart was going in there. I’ve seen noting in writing, I’ve had no briefings from staff, that a Walmart’s going there. But that doesn’t mean a Walmart is not." Adding that he "can only deal with the facts that I have," Higginbotham said that before any building takes place there would be "concurrency and road improvements to complement the site…
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
A group fighting a proposed gas station at Kings and Lumsden points out that the Greater Brandon area is ripe with gas stations, and especially so on Bloomingdale Avenue. Is that your opinion, too? Or, do you like the choices, and the convenience?
There's lots of gas stations in business and springing up on Bloomingdale Avenue, which begs the question, when is enough, enough? The issue of how many gas stations are enough came up April 5 at the corner of Lumsden Road and South Kings Avenue, where a handful of protestors urged motorists to "Deny 12-0263," referring to the application number for the proposed RaceTrac development there. Activist Edith Stewart, a retired county employee, noted that Bloomingdale Avenue had already become a "gas pan alley." From the newly opened Thorntons on U.S. Highway 301 to the Hess in business on Lithia-Pinecrest Road, there are seven gas stations in business or under construction, with an eighth on its way on a patch of land across the street from …
Hillsborough County Commissioners, at a land-use meeting today, April 9, are set to vote on a RaceTrac Petroleum development at the southeast corner of Kings Avenue and West Lumsden Road.
The zoning hearing master's recommendation is for the Hillsborough County Commissioners, at a land-use meeting today, April 9, to approve, with conditions, a RaceTrac petroleum development at the southeast corner of Kings Avenue and West Lumsden Road. It's a project that is bitterly opposed by a group of community activists, who periodically have been sporting "Deny 12-0263" signs in protest of the development in front of the wetlands they are determined to protect. "Deny 12-0263" refers to the RaceTrac Petroleum Inc. application number. A Brandon Patch report posted April 8 noted one such protest, held April 5 at the site. There in attendance were protestors Vivian Bacca, Sophia Coleman, Irene Rodriguez, Manny and Joni Colver and Edith …
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, …
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Hillsborough County Commissioners and the mayors of Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City have agreed to work together to hammer out solutions for the area’s transportation woes. Mass transit might be part of the solution.
The announcement that a policymaking group would start soon to explore transportation problems, potential solutions and possible funding sources came at the March 20 meeting of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. The group will include all seven Hillsborough County Commissioners, a representative from the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit authority and the mayors of Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City. Rather than start off meetings looking at potential solutions like light rail, which has been done in the past, this particular group of county movers and shakers will instead come to the table prepared to talk about transportation strategies for Hillsborough before ever getting into the nuts and bolts of specific …
Monday, February 25, 2013
Hillsborough County Commissioners approved a larger property tax break for long-established senior homeowners, age 65 and older, who meet certain financial requirements.
Hillsborough County Commissioners agreed Feb. 20 to a heftier property tax break for older senior homeowners. Instead of the $40,000 homestead exemption long-time residents now get, the amount will rise to $50,000 starting in the 2014 tax year. The additional homestead exemption applies to taxpayers age 65 and older who own their homes and have lived in them for at least 25 years. The value of the home must be under $250,000 and there are certain income requirements. Household income limitations are contained in Florida Statute 196.075 and in Amendment 11. Commissioners voted 7-0 to approve the measure. Commissioner Kevin Beckner expressed concerned that residents would not know about the new exemption or how to file for it. Staff …
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Hillsborough County Commissioners approved a measure that paves the way for a Bass Pro Shops in Brandon. Should tax dollars be used to support a private development project? That's the issue raised in passionate, and sometimes heated, debate.
The Hillsborough County Commissioners on Feb. 20 voted 6-1 to spend $6.25 million to secure road improvements necessary to bring Bass Pro Shops to Brandon, but that doesn't end the debate over the issue of using tax dollars to support a big-business development. The issue drew a heated and passionate debate, both at the meeting and in the months leading up to the vote, as articulated in the number of people who attended meetings to voice their concerns. Sporting "Say No to Bass Pro" stickers on their shirts, Vance Tice and Raymond Grace were two such opponents at the Fred B. Karl County Center on Wednesday. "They should pay their way," Raymond Grau, who works with Lee Fisher International, a sport-fishing and net-fishing outfitter, said …
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
"It takes a village" to rid store shelves of synthetic marijuana, says a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office major, in discussing last year's crackdown on K2 and Spice. County Commissioners today, Feb. 20, were to discuss a new law to aid in that effort.
Major Tom Feeney made a fervent plead to parents, neighbors, clergy and community members to help law enforcement rid store shelves of dangerous synthetic marijuana, sold in brightly colored packages aimed toward youth. "I can tell you, it takes a village. Law enforcement can't do it by themselves," Feeney said. "We need neighbors, we need clergy, to get the word out as soon as possible." Feeney made his remarks Dec. 7, at a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office press conference concerning "Operation All Smoked Up." He was standing besides tables loaded with confiscated synthetic marijuana, commonly known as "K2" and "Spice." "Children are going to get more and more attracted to this, just by virtue of what you see on these pacakages, and…
The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to address today, Feb. 20, a deal that would bring Bass Pro Shops to Brandon.
The Hillsborough County Commissioners at their Feb. 20 meeting were to hear again from the public on the proposed deal that would bring Bass Pro Shops to Brandon. The agenda item calls for the commisioners to approve a $6.25 million appropriation to share the costs of improvements to Palm River Road, the Delaney Lake Drive and Falkenburg Road intersection and Falkenburg Road. A group calling itself "Say No to Bass Pro" has been seeking support to sway the commissioners against spending tax funds to fund the road proposal that would pave the way for the Bass Pro Shps store in the complext known as the Estuary, at Falkenburg Road and Causeway Boulevard. ______________ RELATED COVERAGE ______________
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Hillsborough County Commissioners heard from speakers concerned about a deal that would bring Bass Pro Shops to Brandon. If the deal falls through, would Pasco be considered, as one newspaper reported?
At its Feb. 6 meeting, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners heard from speakers concerned that the deal under which a Bass Pro Shops would open in Brandon is too much of a good thing for too big of a national corporation. A report posted by Tampa Bay Times notes that speakers wearing stickers reading, "Say No to Bass Pro" spoke against using tax funds to fund a road proposal that would pave the way for the Bass Pro Shops store in the complex known as the Esturay, at Falkenburg Road and Causeway Boulevard. The Feb. 6 meeting marked the first of two such public hearings concerning a change to a development agreement that would affect the construction of the large retail complex. No action was taken at Wednesday's meeting. …
P.Bassett
1:20 pm on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Al Higgenbotham where is your loyalty to your constituency? You can deny your part in and knowledge of of this proposal, but the facts are known. Please be aware that the very people you are evading in the district you represent are the same people to whom you will look for re-election support. more ›