Chairman Shelton Quarles

In what is the biggest joke of a political appointment, Charlie Crist appointed recently retired Tampa Bay Bucs player Shelton Quarles as Chairman of the Tampa Bay Regional Transportation Authority. Quarles has been a pro football player his adult life and has no experience with public transportation. Quarles did donate to Crist's last campaign. Which says much about how seriously Crist takes issues like busing and light rail.

Quarles will lead a 15 member board. Mayors Pam Iorio, Rick Baker and the Hillsborough County Commission will serve as members. Quarles will be in charge of setting the agenda for tying public transportation from several bordering counties.

Quarles told the (no link) St. Petersburg Times he is no "dumb jock." The article didn't list how he felt he was qualified for the job.

This appointment reeks of political payback.