Tampa Gold has a Q and A forum with City Council district 7 candidate Frank Margarella. Joseph Caetano was suppose to attend the event, but did not inform moderator and Tampa Gold webmaster Bill Sharpe he was not going to attend. Sharpe called minutes before the start of the event. Caetano told Sharpe he wasn't feeling well.
This is the second candidate forum Tampa Gold has hosted. I sent out several feelers about Bill Sharpe. Even a longtime Tampa Democratic activist who worked on a Senate campaign. He has no idea who Bill Sharpe is and how he is getting the pull to host candidate forums.
The forum itself is a lot of policy wonkery for the new Tampa district. It is fun to see Jim Johnson to restrain himself long enough not to scream "Newt Gingrich in 2008!" The medication is working.
Terry Neal brings up that districts poorer than Tampa can't afford taxing districts" to pay for growth. Margarella mentions affordable housing. That is aal good. How is that going to deal with growth?
Voter apathy is mentioned. This forum isn't going to cure it. Man, this is some boring shit. I'm making myself watching it.
Terry Neal has an interesting history with City Council.
Neal brings up checks and balances. I don't know how he expects to bring a judicial into the mix. Margarella says the charter should be looked into.
Jim asks about limited growth from Save Our Homes. Margarella says we should urge caution before we increase fees and parking tickets. Margarella thinks "fine tuning" should take care of everything. I believe it when I see it.
Neal asks about green space. Margarella says green space is essential. He says developers should be required to make more green space.
MUST. STAY. AWAKE.
David Brickhouse asks about transportation. Margarella is droning on and not saying anything. He mentions hospitals. Can we get back on transportation?
Jim asks about the community investment tax. Personally, I hated it. It's better known as the stadium tax. Margarella mentions the economic impact of Raymond James Stadium. I wrote before that sports arenas have zero economic impact.
Neal brings up taxes spent for the community and not pork. Margarella call the Florida Aquarium a financial waste. No argument from me.
What the hell did Brickhouse just asked? Margarella asked him to repeat the question. Lots of talk of synergy. Margarella talks about taking advantage of the VA and H. Lee Moffit Cancer Center and Research Institute.
We now know that Margarella likes to play golf and is a musician. That is some muckracking, Jim.
Do vacant lots create crime? They bring homeless people.
Margarilla talks about flexibility and justifying budget expenses.
Jim mentions he ran for office. Gee, how that go?
Margarilla is surprised he is given 3 more minutes to talk. The end is near.
Talking points: mass transit, long range planning, crime, awareness, looking into people's eyes.
That's all folks.
I watch this shit so you don't have to.
Is he Mark Sharpe's Dad, Uncle, Brother or one of the new people who assert themselves to be whatever in the world they claim to be.
ReplyDeleteAs in, "hi I'm a graphic artist."
OH ! COOL ! Make me a logo.
Oh, you mean you need to see my work?
I have been wondering the same thing myself.
This town is all about trying to turn things upside down and inside out and there is hardly one house in this city that has not been plowed down and re-done or re-GURGITATED.
It all fits together. I just picked up on the name today so was clearly thrilled to see you picking at it, here. thanks, as usual.
I answered him at sticks but he never came back he wanted me to agree that an apple and an orange were both vegetables and I couldn't do so.
These new people brought enough money to buy justice and seats here and there in power. They think their names alone cause one to sit up and bark. Not saying he's one of em. Don't know the guy. Just stating my observations as a woken up resident of this stop on the road.
Phew thanks for watching that shit so I don't have to.
ReplyDeleteJim is not much the muck-raker.... either he's an ingenue or he just badly wants this next election to go differently ??
I like talking to him but his responsibility is to be honest not just to talk the gloss surface of things.
Like Molly Ivins was a TRUE journalist not just a mouthpiece or someone reporting on how things are going.
Don't feed the questions. Find out what WE want to know.
But when you do that in FL they try to shut you up and Jim probably knows how to play that game and if not he is going to help to further it if he doesn't ask the hard questions at all times.