Iorio: One Tough Act To Follow

Mayor Pam Iorio is, by nature, an optimist. If she had been mayor during the Great Depression, she would have noted that the soup business had never been better. OK, that’s bad pundit hyperbole, but the reality is she is a leader who can see the forest of opportunity and progress beyond the trees of economic challenge.

It was a major theme of her final “State of the City” address last week in front of about 1,500 spectators–from family members and close friends to city workers and political luminaries. Here a Bob Buckhorn, there a Rose Ferlita. Her second term was blindsided by a recession that was worse here than most other places. “During down economic times,” she stressed, “that’s when you really have to step on the gas pedal.”

She then cited what is certain to be her signature accomplishment: all that came on line along the still-expanding Riverwalk. Two museums, a history center and the “instantly transformative” Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park that has, she pointed out, “opened up the waterfront to the people in a significant way.”

“I hope this city never stops progressing,” she underscored with a rhetorical nod to her successor. “Remember its history. It has always thought big. … It has never allowed any setback to stop progress.”

Iorio then chronicled a short list of prime, historic examples: the railroad, (Depression era) Bayshore Boulevard, the reincarnation of the Tampa Bay Hotel into the University of Tampa, Tampa International Airport, USF, a National Football League franchise.

“We’ve always made investments for the future,” she said. And in a less than subtle reference that also targeted Gov. Rick Scott: “Every decision involves some risk.”

And, yes, she’s still a true believer in modern mass transit that includes regional light rail and its high-speed counterpart between Orlando and Tampa. And, no, nary a regret for using her bully pulpit to make the cases.

“It is not optional,” she said of the role of rail. “For us to maintain our status as a great city in the United States, we must have a modern transportation system. … The one thing we can’t afford is to do nothing. There is risk in doing nothing. … I think we learned from that (transit-referendum campaign). Much ground work was laid. We must find a solution that’s acceptable to the people.”

Iorio also pointedly noted that progress during tough times was hardly limited to the high-profile re-energizing around the Riverwalk.                                                                                                            *Major crime is down more than 60 per cent from 2003 to 2011.                                                     *The city’s reserve funds tripled–to $150 million–from 2003 to 2011.                                        *City bonds were consequently refinanced at lower rates.                                                                           *The widening of 40th Street has been completed.                                                                       *The investment in neighborhood infrastructure projects was nearly tripled.

The outgoing mayor also sprinkled in shout-outs–ranging from an emotional paean to a police department that suffered four officer deaths during her tenure to City Council, MacDill Air Force Base, her family and Tampa’s “can-do” spirit.

Iorio will be remembered for Riverwalk synergy, some key capital projects and for pragmatic fiscal moves. As Tampa’s tax base eroded, she cut jobs and consolidated departments to meet operating expenses.

“While many cities across the nation are looking at near bankruptcy and all kinds of fiscal trouble, we stand strong financially,” she stated. “That is possibly the best gift I can give the city.” Even political competitors and those who have perceived a micro-manager, concede a leaner city hall machine is a legitimate legacy credit.

The Iorio Presence

But Iorio will also be recalled fondly for style. Beyond the hair, glasses and sensible shoes. Killer podium skills, wonkish detail recall, sense of humor, aura of class, feel for inclusiveness.  She wasn’t known as a big deal “closer” the way her iconic predecessor, Dick Greco, was, but anyone present during her Super Bowl pitch can tell you how effectively she represented Tampa.

“I exit the stage today one last time, and I must say, my heart is full,” said Iorio in near-poetic cadence. “What a wonderful eight years.”

And then a final, parting piece of advice for the next mayor. “I ask only that you take care of the city that we love,” she said to Buckhorn and Ferlita, both seated in the Convention Center ballroom’s front row. “I wish you the best.”

Arguably, they will need it.

The times remain a formidable challenge–“strategically” shrinking the budget while providing necessary services and growing jobs–to her successor, whose identity we will know on Tuesday. But both Buckhorn and Ferlita also know this–after personally witnessing Iorio’s final, formal, podium tour de force. For one of them, this will be a very tough act to follow. For the other, a seemingly impossible act to follow.

Signs of Political Support

*There are endorsements, and there are endorsements. Ed Turanchik and Tom Scott, for example, should matter in a simpatico way to Bob Buckhorn. Mark Ober and Pam Bondi could help Rose Ferlita in a more politically partisan way. But nobody’s seal of approval is more meaningful than Pam Iorio’s endorsement of Buckhorn. Iorio–seen as an increasingly good mayor through progressively bad times–has never been more popular. All mayoral candidates lavished her with praise. And she had seemed averse to taking sides. Until it changed.

The lesson: Some campaign weapons should stay locked in the rhetorical trunk.

*There are political lawn signs, and there are political lawn signs. Some bespeak of ideological kinship, others of friendship or name recognition or political peer pressure. But few carry the political savvy that two in Hyde Park do.  Both are Buckhorn signs, and both are in front of Adam Goodman’s house.

THAT Adam Goodman. The well-regarded, Republican political consultant whose client list has ranged from Rudy Giuliani and Charlie Crist to Pam Bondi, Jeff Atwater, Dana Young and Dick Greco. One of those ubiquitous orange-hand Greco signs was formerly in front of Goodman’s residence.

Hearing Not A Witch Hunt

There’s got to be a better way. A better way to assess where America is in integrating its Muslim population and to what degree home-grown radicalization is–from mosques to prisons–a legitimate national issue.

Unfortunately, the point man for this issue is Rep. Peter King of New York, the Republican Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. The same blustery King who was a staunch supporter of the IRA back in the day. The same nigh-on-to-accusatory King who is now presiding over hearings on “The Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and That Community’s Response.” Even sounds like King was allowed to come up with his own wording.

There are, as we know, American-soil precedents in the aftermath of 9/11 that are cause for  concern and a reminder that infidel-targeting jihadists–whether at Fort Hood or Times Square–aren’t all in the Middle East. And if Times Square had been successful or a certain pair of combustible underwear had taken down an airliner, this point would now be moot.

But what we don’t need is a witch hunt. Or an exercise in demonizing Islam or scapegoating all Muslims. If anything, the times call for an earnest, honest conversation about a world rife with religious extremism and to what degree the United States is vulnerable from within as well as from without.

It’s no time for political correctness. Nor is it helpful to characterize an inquiry about radical Islam as an example of McCarthyism or analogous to a Japanese interment-camp mentality.

Granted, it’s too bad Rep. King is asking a lot of the questions, but that doesn’t invalidate them.

Iorio’s Farewell Message(s)

Among those with front-row seats for Mayor Pam Iorio’s recent farewell “State of the City” speech were the two candidates vying to be her successor: Bob Buckhorn and Rose Ferlita. Iorio addressed them directly at times with a mix of good will, good stewardship and good luck. As in: “I ask only that you take care of the city that we love” and “I wish you the best.”

But Iorio’s indirect nods to her successor-in-waiting were more telling.

Around here, Iorio has morphed from a leader known for her speaking ability, ethics, progressive agenda and micro-managing bent to one with charisma, empathy, infrastructure priorities, budgetary discipline and commitment to major projects in the context of a down economy. She is more popular than ever — and those vying to replace her have been lavish in their praise. It’s as warranted as it is politically expedient.  

And here is what she wanted Buckhorn and Ferlita to hear — before advice is proffered to the run-off winner by designated experts, in-house assistants, like-minded cronies and political insiders: In short, “think big.” And don’t be deterred by can’t-do proponents, parochial thinkers or a recessionary economy.

“During down economic times, that’s when you really have to step on the gas pedal,” she underscored.

In Iorio’s case that has meant full-speed ahead on what will be her signature accomplishment: all that came to fruition along the Riverwalk despite the recession. To wit: two museums, a history center and a “transformative” Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park.

Anyone who witnessed “Lights on Tampa” last month gets it. Anyone who misses Rafael Vinoly’s aesthetics-challenged carport doesn’t.

The soon-to-be ex-mayor buttressed her theme by referencing the past as well. Tampa’s growth was historically stagnant until the railroad arrived, pointedly noted Iorio, a literal student of history. She also listed (Depression-era “stimulus” project) Bayshore Boulevard, the conversion of the Tampa Bay Hotel into the University of Tampa, Tampa International Airport, USF and a National Football League franchise.

“We’ve always made investments in our future,” she emphasized. And for good measure: “Every decision involves risk.”

And, yes, she wants her successor to give more than lip service to another attempt at 21st century mass transit featuring light rail.

“It is not optional,” she stressed. “For us to maintain our status as a great city in the United States, we must have a modern transportation system. The one thing we can’t afford is to do nothing. There is risk in doing nothing.”

Iorio went out even better than she came in. In the midst of economic upheaval that featured the incredibly shrinking tax base, she forged an unlikely legacy: stability and progress. She shrunk the budget, tripled the city’s reserves and kept her foot on the “gas pedal” of waterfront momentum and synergy. All while presiding over a city where crime dropped more than 60 per cent during her tenure.

It’s a tough act to follow–and a de facto case against term limits. And every member of that audience, successor-in-waiting included, knew it.

Utility Rate Cut Could Loom — For Some

Gov. Rick Scott has made it clear that he’s all about scissoring red tape and trimming taxes. The resulting focus has understandably been on education, prisons and growth-management oversight. Then throw in Scott’s trashing of “Obamacare,” “Obamarail,” a prescription drug monitoring program, beach renourishment, unemployment benefits and a scrutinizing media.

No wonder it’s easy to overlook another Scott Administration sub-plot associated with business incentives and job creation. Scott has been seriously suggesting “an economic development” electricity rate for companies that agree to move to Florida or expand within it. Reduced utility costs would be linked to job creation.

But it would be ironic–if not disingenuous–if this state’s investor-owned utilities would have to absorb the lost revenue and become de facto subsidizers of the business-recruitment push. Well, word is they wouldn’t. Any corporate reductions would be offset by higher rates to other customers, mostly the residential sector.

Look for the retiree sector (read: AARP) to add its activist voice to the protest babel if this “suggestion” gets traction. And look for further criticism of the already maligned Public Service Commission.

Quoteworthy

* “The Egyptian crowds watched and learned from the Tunisian crowds. But the Libyan government watched and learned from the fate of the Tunisian and Egyptian governments. It has decided to fight.”–George Will, Washington Post.

* “Anytime Obama seems insufficiently militant overseas–his current reluctance to use force in Libya, for example–he is accused of tepid semi-Americanism. The fact that he has more than doubled troop levels in Afghanistan and used Predator drones against the al-Qaeda leadership in Pakistan far more aggressively than George W. Bush ever did apparently counts for nothing.”–Joe Klein, Time magazine.

* “I think people are going to see that the Republican governors’ tea party has a lot more to do with Alice in Wonderland than it does with Sam Adams. Some of them are much more Mad Hatter than they are James Madison.”–Maryland Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley.

* “Concealed Carry on Campus is a national organization of students dedicated to opening up schools to more weaponry. Every spring it holds a national Empty Holster Protest ‘symbolizing that disarming all law-abiding citizens creates defense-free zones, which are attractive targets for criminals.’ And you thought the youth of America had lost its idealism.”–Gail Collins, New York Times.

* “If you want to compete with other countries, and chip away at poverty across America, then we need to pay teachers more so as to attract better people into the profession.”–Nicholas Kristof,  New York Times.

* “This idea of selling Florida as the cheapest state–well, that’s what we’ve got now. To drive it (costs) down at the expense of young people’s education is wrong. Florida is a beautiful place to live. But it is a fragile place, and we have to keep investing in the things that will retain that high quality of life.”–Former Gov. Bob Graham.

* “No one can comprehend why you’re (Florida) not moving rapidly forward with a prescription monitoring program. Given the deaths, given the threat to safety, it makes no sense.”–John Eadie, director of Brandeis University’s PMP (Prescription Monitoring Program) Center of Excellence. 

* “I’ve always deplored negative campaigning. I just can’t stay neutral in the face of that.”–Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio explaining her endorsement of Bob Buckhorn for mayor.

* “We have this reputation, and the NCAA knows that when it brings events to Tampa, it’s going to be a success.  We’re not known as a big basketball city, but we are known as a big sports town.”–Travis Claytor, spokesman for Tampa Bay & Company, on this week’s opening rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Sports Shorts

*The St. Pete Times Forum is host to the opening rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament this week, and the draw couldn’t have been better for Tampa. Besides getting crowd favorite Florida, the field will also include heavyweights UCLA, Michigan State, West Virginia and Kentucky–plus quintessential Goliath-slayer prospect Princeton. The TV ratings should be good, and the local-color, network TV shots will provide a gratis marketing boost. Plus,  programs such as Kentucky travel especially well and fill up hotel rooms. Even USF’s sports-economics iconoclast Phil Porter might see real economic impact from this two-day, six-game event.

*Two sides–the merely wealthy and the obscenely wealthy–are still haggling over how to divide at least $9 billion in annual NFL revenues. In the context of earthquakes, tsunamis, grinding recession, polarizing politics, concerns about terrorism, worries about health care and anxieties about Rick Scott-induced “Floriduh” subplots, so what? Besides, there’s USF, Florida, Florida State, Jefferson High, Plant High and Armwood High for those who like their football without a sense of entitlement, socialized show business and threats of antitrust lawsuits.

Having The Legal Right To Be Wrong

It was the judicial week that was. From hell. From Washington to Tallahassee.

First the U.S. Supreme Court.

While we all properly applaud a ringing endorsement of free speech, this was no celebratory moment. Not with the Supremes ruling 8-1 that the (Snyder v. Phelps) Westboro Baptist Church was well within its constitutional rights to picket the funerals of U.S. soldiers with its loathsome, anti-gay, anti-military signage, the most notorious of which is the revolting: “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.”

According to Chief Justice John Roberts, the Topeka, Kan. church’s targeted protest of a private funeral (that of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder who was killed in Iraq) did, indeed, “address matters of public import on public property (at least 200 feet from the procession).” Moreover, the protest, which also included the odious “God Hates Fags” and “Thank God for IEDs” signs, was done in a “peaceful manner,” explained Roberts.

In effect, Roberts–and seven associate justices–saw Westboro’s rhetorical bludgeoning of the father of the dead marine–a non-public figure–as yet another extension of ample First Amendment precedent that routinely protects robust, often decorum-challenged debate on public issues and free expression. No matter how distasteful. The exercise of rude, boorish, obnoxious, disgusting, insulting, even hateful speech is protected–and the concept historically ingrained. Thus, reasoned Roberts, the protesters’ speech “cannot be restricted simply because it is upsetting or arouses contempt.” The familiar words and sentiments are constitutional mantra to freedom-revering Americans.

But there’s another principle at play. It is that principles always work perfectly in the abstract, where they can be insulated from common sense and, in this case, common decency as well.  

Just as no Founding Father could have anticipated citizen assault weapons and monster magazines as sane Second Amendment applications, no one could have foreseen a targeted, perverted-agenda, mean-spirited assault on a private memorial service as an extension of sacrosanct, First Amendment rights.  An adult club lap dance has more First Amendment credibility.

Justice Samuel Alito, the lone dissenter in Snyder v. Phelps, put it in proper context: “It does not follow, however, that they may intentionally inflict severe emotional injury on private persons at a time of intense emotional sensitivity by launching vicious verbal attacks that make no contribution to public debate,” he stated. “Our profound national commitment to free and open debate is not a license for the vicious verbal assault that occurred in this case.”

And no other justice thought Alito had a sufficiently compelling point? That no mourning father should have to bear such cost for others’ “free speech”? Not the Supine Court’s finest hour.

Ideological Railroading

On the other hand, the Florida Supreme Court decision involved no such parsing of good, civil sense.

It was an exercise in judicial restraint and an understandable response to a last-minute, legal Hail Mary to try to save high-speed rail in Florida. The Florida Court–and House Speaker Dean Cannon notwithstanding, we only need the one–ruled that Gov. Rick Scott did not overstep his executive authority by rejecting the federal dollars that had been accepted last year by the Florida Legislature and then-Gov. Charlie Crist.

The result, however legally defensible, was, nonetheless, devastating. The governor was, indeed, Scott free to repeal a part of the 21st century. The part that undercut Florida’s economic future. Short and long term. Direct jobs, re-development jobs. Realization of the Orlando-Tampa megalopolis. At a time when oil was gushing well past the $100-a-barrel mark.

Scott thus stayed true to his ideology–and his base of tea partiers and the generically clueless.   Those who didn’t mind that he was either a woefully incompetent or a brazenly fraudulent CEO, that he bought the governor’s race, and that he never did his promised due diligence on high-speed rail. He never let facts and un-cherry-picked data deter him. He never wavered from his ideological “boondoggle” and “on the hook” script.

Recall that a request for proposals from vendors never went out, and an updated ridership study has yet to be released. And assurances of no state liability for construction-cost overruns, shortfalls in operating revenue and potential repayment of grant funds in case of project discontinuation were proffered in writing.

Sure, Scott had the right to refuse the $2.7 billion in federal funds. He’s not legally obligated to be smart, visionary–or even fair to Florida and its future.

TIA Flights To Cuba: Another Inevitable Step

Let’s give credit where credit is due–but let’s not overdo it yet.

Thanks to an eminently sensible decision by the Obama Administration via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Tampa International Airport has now been designated “gateway” status (along with Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, New Orleans, Pittsburgh and San Juan) for direct flights to Cuba. The incumbent “gateways” are in Miami, New York and Los Angeles. Given that the Tampa Bay area, home to more than 80,000 Cuban-Americans, is the third largest such demographic in the country, it just makes sense. Especially in the aftermath of the Administration’s 2009 move to lift many of the travel restrictions to Cuba.

Locals should not have to travel to Miami to fly to Cuba. Now, starting this summer or fall, they won’t.

Good for all those directly impacted, and good for this area and international flight-challenged TIA. And it will only grow. South Florida has been averaging more than 300,000 travelers flying to Cuba through Miami International. It is estimated that nearly a third are from the Tampa Bay region. “Once people know we are an international community, we can build off that,” underscored TIA Director Joe Lopiano.

This ruling applies largely to Cuban-Americans (who have had money-transfer as well as family-visit curbs lifted) plus those traveling to Cuba for educational, cultural or religious activities–as well as those traveling for medical or agricultural business.

The bottom line: This largely undoes what the Bush Administration had done. But surely the goal is beyond hurdling a geopolitical bar set that low.

Now what about everybody else? Uncategorized Americans can travel to, say, Iran but not Cuba. This makes as much sense as including Cuba (circa Cold War) on this country’s official State Sponsors of Terrorism list. The other SST members: Sudan, Syria and — Iran. Obviously a lot more Administration work remains in restoring a basic American right to travel beyond our own shores, including to a non-threatening destination 90 miles away.

And notice the stark contrast in responses to the TIA announcement from U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Little Havana, who actually tried to prevent this common-sense change, and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, who worked to implement it.

Clinging to the SST cover, Rubio disingenuously sniffed that “Increasing direct or charter aircraft flights with state sponsors of terrorism is totally irresponsible.” (Note the operative verb “increasing.” Direct flights from Miami would have remained had Rubio prevailed with his recent FAA funding-bill amendment.) Reportedly, no members of the Ros-Lehtinen or Diaz-Balart families were disappointed with either his FAA effort or his TIA-inclusion characterization.

And ironically, any person-to-person increase between those stuck on the Castros’ island and those coming from its ideological opposite on the American mainland would be helpful for inroads of change. It’s what increased contact with the outside world always induces, including a freer flow of information. All but the chauvinistic, South Florida family-feuders see the connection.

As for Castor, she saw this as a win-win for Tampa Bay. “This is great news for our community, our economy and the Cuban-American families who for years had to endure the burden and cost of traveling through Miami,” she noted.

State Role

But while so much of Cuban policy necessarily emanates out of Washington, some of it is actually home grown. For example, the Florida Legislature’s passage of the law that bars academics at Florida’s public universities and colleges from going to Cuba, even if they use private funds. That was in 2006 — three years before the Obama Administration began liberalizing Bush-era travel restrictions.

While the 2011 Legislature is charged with cost-cutting and budget-balancing to square a $3.6-billion deficit, here’s hoping that it can find the time and priorities necessary to repeal the ban on academics visiting Cuba. How “Floriduh” to have the Obama Administration allowing more Floridians to visit Cuba and fly out of TIA even as this state restricts is academics from doing so.

But it won’t, obviously, be easy in this Legislature. Recall who sponsored the academic travel ban in 2006. Florida Senate President — and, more importantly, 2012 GOP U.S. Senate candidate — Mike Haridopolos. Yeah, THAT Mike Whoreadopolis, who has been on a Rick Scott and tea party pander-bender since changing his mind on high-speed rail.

Perfect Storm

For two generations too many Florida politicians have considered Cuban issues as a political third rail.  That meant letting Little Havana continue to dictate U.S. foreign policy and not making waves unless they wanted to incur unnecessary political wrath. If playing it politically compliant and safe meant being complicit in counter-productive geopolitical and humanitarian policies, so be it.

But with real civilizational enemies, more political clout along I-4 than in South Florida and a recession that has hammered Florida, there’s even less reason to still maintain a Cold War policy vis-a-vis Cuba.

More America-to-Cuba travel means more interaction means more hope. It also accelerates the inevitable end of the economic embargo. History beckons whether the Rubios and Haridopoloses heed it or not. Call it the approaching perfect storm. Imagine, doing the right thing for humanitarian reasons is also the right geopolitical, economic and democracy-advancing thing to do as well.

You Go, Davis

When it comes to race relations in St. Petersburg, it often seems that time stands still. TyRon Lewis is still an unconscionably unlikely martyr; Omali Yeshitela still deigns to speak for more than himself; and the police force is still under the gun in minority neighborhoods.

And until last week, Goliath Davis was still a token fixture around City Hall. The pensioned former police chief had been the senior administrator of community enrichment, whatever that meant. To most folks, it meant being the city’s highest ranking, highest profile African-American.

As such, the least he could have done was to attend the official funerals of the three police officers killed in the line of duty over the last six weeks. Davis, who did manage to attend the service for cop-killer Hydra Lacy, managed to do less than the least. Even though he was ordered by Mayor Bill Foster to make sure he attended the service for the third slain officer, David Crawford.

So Foster fired him from his $153,000-a-year job. It was likely a final-straw rationale, but it was a direct, zero-sum order, the defiance of which forced Foster’s hand. And it begs two questions: You’re a former police chief and the city’s racial tinderbox is heating up again and you don’t go to Ofc. Crawford’s funeral? Even more noteworthy: You have to be ordered by the mayor to attend? Doesn’t the embrace of diversity go both ways?

Then you call a press conference on the way out. It’s a veritable going-away salute and racial pep rally, but Goliath is no David the underdog. Especially when Yeshitela is one of your speakers calling for “power to the people.”

Talk about a time warp.