TAMPA CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOPS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2024, 9:00 A.M.
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9:01:33AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
9:03:53AM I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS TAMPA CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP TO
9:03:55AM ORDER.
9:03:56AM AT THIS TIME, IF WE COULD JUST PLEASE STAND FOR A MOMENT OF
9:03:59AM SILENCE AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
9:04:01AM [MOMENT OF SILENCE]
9:04:03AM THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:04:14AM [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
9:04:25AM ALL RIGHT.
9:04:27AM LET'S HAVE ROLL CALL.
9:04:32AM >>BILL CARLSON: HERE.
9:04:33AM >> HURTAK?
9:04:33AM CLENDENIN?
9:04:34AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN: HERE.
9:04:35AM >>GWEN HENDERSON: PRESENT.
9:04:37AM >>LUIS VIERA: HERE.
9:04:38AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: HERE.
9:04:38AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: HERE.
9:04:39AM >>THE CLERK: WE HAVE A PHYSICAL QUORUM.
9:04:41AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I HAVE A MEMO RECEIVED FROM COUNCIL
9:04:43AM MEMBER HURTAK THAT SHE WILL BE ABSENT FROM TODAY'S WORKSHOP
9:04:46AM AND THIS EVENING'S MEETING.
9:04:47AM I'LL BRING THAT UP LATER AS WELL AT THE 5:00 MEETING.
9:04:50AM AT THIS TIME, LET'S GO THROUGH THE AGENDA.
9:04:52AM WE HAVE QUITE A FEW ITEMS.
9:04:54AM IT'S LIKELY THAT WE WON'T NEED TO BREAK FOR LUNCH, MEANING
9:04:58AM THAT WE'LL GO THROUGH THIS WHOLE AGENDA AND SHOULD BE
9:05:01AM FINISHED.
9:05:01AM WE'LL SEE.
9:05:02AM WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS HERE.
9:05:05AM SO ITEM NUMBER 3, THERE IS A WRITTEN REPORT.
9:05:11AM I DON'T KNOW IF COUNCIL WISHES TO DISCUSS THAT FURTHER.
9:05:13AM >>BILL CARLSON: ITEMS 3, 4, AND 5 ARE SIMILAR.
9:05:17AM AND THERE IS A DRAFT ORDINANCE.
9:05:21AM MY SUGGESTION IS WE DISCUSS ALL THREE BRIEFLY AND THEN TAKE
9:05:24AM PUBLIC INPUT AND UNLESS SOMEBODY HAS EDITS TO THE DRAFT
9:05:29AM ORDINANCE, THEN WE JUST SCHEDULE THE FIRST READING.
9:05:31AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALL RIGHT.
9:05:31AM WE'LL KEEP 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
9:05:35AM ITEM NUMBER 6, THERE IS A REQUEST FROM YOU, COUNCILMAN
9:05:38AM CARLSON, TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM TO JANUARY 30th, IS THAT
9:05:40AM CORRECT?
9:05:41AM >>BILL CARLSON: YES, SO MOVED.
9:05:42AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON.
9:05:44AM SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA.
9:05:45AM ALL IN FAVOR?
9:05:46AM AYE.
9:05:46AM ANY OPPOSED?
9:05:47AM THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER REQUEST FROM COUNCILMAN CARLSON ON ITEM
9:05:50AM 7 TO CONTINUE THE ITEM TO AUGUST 28, 2025.
9:05:53AM >>BILL CARLSON: YES.
9:05:54AM FEBRUARY 22 -- SORRY, YEAH, AUGUST -- AUGUST 28, 2025.
9:06:00AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER
9:06:01AM CARLSON FOR NUMBER 7 TO CONTINUE.
9:06:03AM SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA.
9:06:05AM ALL IN FAVOR?
9:06:05AM AYE.
9:06:06AM ANY OPPOSED?
9:06:06AM AND THEN WE HAVE A MEMO FROM MR. BHIDE REQUESTING THAT ITEM
9:06:10AM NUMBER 8 BE CONTINUED TO JANUARY 30th, 2025.
9:06:14AM WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN.
9:06:15AM SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA.
9:06:16AM ALL IN FAVOR?
9:06:17AM AYE.
9:06:18AM CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA?
9:06:20AM MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA.
9:06:21AM SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN.
9:06:22AM ALL IN FAVOR?
9:06:23AM AYE.
9:06:24AM ANY OPPOSED?
9:06:24AM ALL RIGHT.
9:06:25AM ITEM NUMBER 1, COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON, YOU MADE THIS MOTION.
9:06:29AM DO YOU WANT TO START OFF THE DISCUSSION?
9:06:30AM DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY FROM STAFF HERE?
9:06:34AM >>BILL CARLSON: WE DIDN'T HAVE A STAFF REPORT OR A DRAFT
9:06:38AM ANYTHING.
9:06:38AM I COULD TALK ABOUT IT A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND SEE WHAT YOU
9:06:41AM ALL THINK.
9:06:42AM REMEMBER, WE HAD ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT CREATING AN
9:06:44AM ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND WE DISCUSSED IT TWO OR THREE
9:06:48AM TIMES.
9:06:49AM AS STAFF SAID, THERE IS NO DESIGNATION OF AN ENTERTAINMENT
9:06:53AM DISTRICT.
9:06:53AM YBOR AND SOUTH HOWARD ARE NOT DESIGNATED AS AN ENTERTAINMENT
9:06:57AM DISTRICT.
9:06:57AM IT JUST HAPPENS THAT THERE IS A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF
9:06:59AM ALCOHOL LICENSES.
9:07:04AM AND IN THE CASE OF YBOR, THERE WERE SOME FOLKS AND I THINK
9:07:08AM THE CITY AT THE TIME WAS TRYING TO MAKE IT MORE OF AN
9:07:11AM ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT OFFICIALLY
9:07:13AM DESIGNATED.
9:07:14AM HOWARD AVENUE, IN THE LATE '90s IT CONVERTED FROM BEING
9:07:19AM JUST A RETAIL AREA TO A RESTAURANT DISTRICT, AND THEN THE
9:07:24AM ALCOHOL LICENSE SUDDENLY FOR THE RESTAURANTS WERE FLIPPED TO
9:07:27AM BECOME BARS.
9:07:27AM AND THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME WAIVERS AT THE TIME OF THE
9:07:32AM SETBACK RULES, BUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEVER -- THE
9:07:36AM NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND HOWARD AVENUE NEVER AGREED FOR THAT TO
9:07:39AM BE AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
9:07:40AM THEY WERE OKAY WITH THE RESTAURANTS BUT NEVER OKAY WITH IT
9:07:43AM BEING AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
9:07:44AM AND IT BRINGS NOISE AND TRASH AND CRIME AND ALL KINDS OF
9:07:48AM STUFF WITH IT.
9:07:49AM SO THE THING IS, IF WE DON'T CREATE -- I'M OKAY IF WE CREATE
9:07:54AM A DESIGNATION CALLED AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, ALTHOUGH IT
9:07:56AM SOUNDS LIKE FROM WHAT STAFF SAID NOBODY IN THE CITY WANTS
9:07:59AM ONE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AREAS
9:08:03AM LIKE FLORIDA AVENUE AND NEBRASKA, WE ARE ONE AT A TIME
9:08:07AM APPROVING DISTANCE WAIVERS.
9:08:12AM SO WHAT THAT IS DOING IS IT'S AD HOC ALLOWING AN
9:08:16AM ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT TO DEVELOP.
9:08:18AM AND SO THE QUESTION IS, IS THERE SOME WAY THAT WE CAN,
9:08:24AM ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF NEIGHBORHOODS, STICK STRICTLY TO
9:08:27AM THE DISTANCE RULES?
9:08:30AM AND THEN ARE THERE SOME AREAS WHERE WE MAY WANT TO WAIVE THE
9:08:34AM DISTANCE RULES OR REDUCE THEM?
9:08:35AM IT MAY NOT BE OFFICIALLY CALLING SOMETHING AN ENTERTAINMENT
9:08:40AM DISTRICT, BUT IF WE JUST ONE BY ONE -- I THINK WE APPROVE
9:08:44AM MOST OF THE WAIVERS FOR DISTANCE, IF WE APPROVE THEM ONE BY
9:08:46AM ONE, THEN AN AREA WILL BECOME AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT
9:08:49AM WHETHER ANYBODY PLANNED IT OR NOT.
9:08:51AM AND I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO NEIGHBORS OR ADJACENT
9:08:54AM PROPERTY OWNERS, BUT THERE MAY BE AREAS WHERE WE COULD
9:08:56AM CREATE AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND BY RIGHT TAKE AWAY THE
9:08:59AM DISTANCE REQUIREMENT SO THAT PEOPLE WOULDN'T HAVE TO SPEND A
9:09:02AM LOT OF MONEY AND TIME COMING BEFORE US.
9:09:04AM I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
9:09:05AM I WANTED TO HEAR YOUR OPINIONS.
9:09:07AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA, YOU HAVE YOUR
9:09:08AM MICROPHONE ON.
9:09:09AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU.
9:09:10AM SOME OF THOSE THINGS I UNDERSTAND.
9:09:12AM SOME I'M NOT QUESTIONING THEM AT ALL, BUT IN THE RESTAURANT
9:09:16AM BUSINESS AND THESE LICENSES, NO MATTER WHAT DISTRICT OR WHAT
9:09:19AM AREA YOU'RE IN, YOU HAVE AN R DISTRICT.
9:09:21AM AT THAT TIME IN THE '90s, 51/49 PERCENT.
9:09:25AM SELL 51% OF YOUR GOODS AND 49% COULD NOT BE MORE ALCOHOL
9:09:29AM THAN THE GOODS YOU SOLD.
9:09:31AM I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT IS IN EFFECT NOW.
9:09:34AM HAVEN'T SEEN ONE COME BY 51/49 SINCE THEN.
9:09:38AM THEY WOULD CHECK THESE THINGS EVERY MONTH OR EVERY TWO
9:09:44AM MONTHS, WHATEVER IT WAS.
9:09:45AM THEY WOULD BRING IN THE PEOPLE THAT THEY HAD TO REPORT TO
9:09:47AM THE CITY.
9:09:48AM THOSE THAT DID NOT REPORT TO THE CITY OR THOSE THAT REPORTED
9:09:51AM MORE THAN 49% WOULD HAVE TO COME HERE AND STATE THEIR CASE
9:09:54AM AS TO WHAT HAPPENED.
9:09:55AM THEN FINED OR MAYBE QUESTIONED A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT.
9:10:00AM THAT DID HAPPEN IN THE '90s.
9:10:02AM THEN YOU HAD THE THINGS WHERE YOU SAY, WELL, I HAVE A LOT
9:10:05AM THAT I JUST LEASED BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE SO MUCH PARKING
9:10:10AM SPACE, SO FORTH AND SO ON AND RESTAURANT.
9:10:12AM I RENTED A LOT TWO BLOCKS DOWN.
9:10:14AM WELL, THAT WASN'T WORTH WHAT THE PAPER IS WRITTEN ON.
9:10:18AM I'M NOT QUESTIONING MR. CARLSON AT ALL.
9:10:21AM THE FACTS ARE THOSE THINGS DID HAPPEN.
9:10:24AM GUESS WHAT, THE PARKING BECOMES A PROBLEM.
9:10:31AM THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE STANDS I TAKE -- MOST OF US, ALL OF
9:10:35AM US ONCE IN A WHILE SAY YOU CAN'T BUILD A BUILDING IF YOU
9:10:39AM DON'T HAVE THE PARKING.
9:10:41AM THAT'S WHY YOU CHECK THE VOTES, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A RATIO TO
9:10:47AM THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT YOU NEED, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A
9:10:49AM HARD TIME PASSING.
9:10:50AM THAT'S HOW IT IS.
9:10:51AM I'M NOT QUESTIONING WHAT MR. CARLSON SAID AT ALL.
9:10:55AM I'M SAYING WHAT IT WAS AT THAT ERA IN TIME IN HISTORY.
9:10:58AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:10:59AM COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN.
9:10:59AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES, ESPECIALLY
9:11:03AM BECAUSE THEY AFFECT YOUR DISTRICT SEVERELY.
9:11:05AM I'VE GOTTEN THAT FEEDBACK.
9:11:07AM IT APPEARS BASED ON MY UNDERSTANDING WE HAVE REALLY TWO
9:11:12AM PROBLEMATIC ESTABLISHMENTS THAT CREATE MOST OF THE ISSUES
9:11:15AM THAT COME OUT OF SOUTH HOWARD AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS A
9:11:18AM RELATIVELY GOOD PLAYER.
9:11:20AM I SAY ALL THE TIME, THIS IS A WEIRD LINEAR, ODD-SHAPED CITY
9:11:27AM THAT NOW WE KNOW THAT TRYING TO GET FROM TAMPA PALMS TO
9:11:31AM GANDY CAN TAKE YOU OVER AN HOUR SOME DAYS.
9:11:35AM IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY WE'LL HAVE ONE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT
9:11:37AM BECAUSE IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY SERVE THE GOOD OF THE ENTIRE
9:11:40AM CITY, THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE.
9:11:42AM THIS IS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I THINK WHEN THESE
9:11:45AM ISSUES COME BEFORE US, EVERY ISSUE STANDS ON ITS OWN MERITS.
9:11:49AM SOMETIMES COUNCILS AND COUNCILS BEFORE US GET IT RIGHT AND
9:11:54AM SOMETIMES GET IT WRONG.
9:11:56AM YOU CAN'T GO BACK REALLY AND FIX THE WRONGS OF THE PAST AS
9:12:02AM CLEARLY, SPECIFICALLY ONE ESTABLISHMENT ON HOWARD THAT WAS A
9:12:06AM BAD THING WHEN THEY WET ZONED EXTERIOR AND HAD A VERY BAD
9:12:11AM ADVERSE IMPACT ON THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
9:12:14AM I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT ON US TO TAKE THESE ISSUES ONE AT A
9:12:18AM TIME AND DEAL WITH IT BECAUSE SOME THINGS MAKE SENSE.
9:12:22AM I WAS ON THE OPPOSING SIDE.
9:12:24AM I THINK I MAY HAVE BEEN THE ONLY ONE ABOUT THE WET ZONING OF
9:12:27AM THAT PATIO IN YBOR CITY FOR THE CLUB BECAUSE OF THE
9:12:29AM PROXIMITY TO THE RESIDENTS THAT WERE BUILDING.
9:12:31AM I THINK I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT VOTED AGAINST THAT.
9:12:34AM BUT CLEARLY THE WILL OF THIS COUNCIL WAS TO GO THE OTHER
9:12:38AM DIRECTION.
9:12:39AM I DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN CREATE THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
9:12:47AM I THINK STAFF'S DECISION ON THAT WAS CORRECT.
9:12:50AM I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO BE MORE DILIGENT ABOUT HOW WE
9:12:55AM APPROVE THESE ESTABLISHMENTS AND WHEN WE GRANT A WAIVER
9:12:59AM WHETHER IT MAKES SENSE OR NOT, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY DO.
9:13:02AM I MEAN, I KNOW WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT YBOR.
9:13:05AM YBOR CITY IN THAT DENSE AREA THAT WE BASICALLY HAVE, HAVE
9:13:08AM QUASI, WITHOUT CALLING IT AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT WE DO.
9:13:14AM GRANT WAIVERS ALL THE TIME BECAUSE WE HAVE A BAR RIGHT UP
9:13:17AM AGAINST A BAR.
9:13:18AM IT MAKES SENSE.
9:13:19AM KIND OF COMMON SENSE.
9:13:20AM SOME AREAS IT MAY NOT BE AS COMMON SENSE ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE
9:13:24AM ADVERSELY A NEIGHBORHOOD, ESPECIALLY WITH OUTDOOR NOISE.
9:13:28AM I KIND OF THINK WE HAVE TO BE MORE -- IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THIS
9:13:32AM DISCUSSION BECAUSE I THINK IT BRINGS COUNCIL'S ATTENTION TO
9:13:36AM IT SO AS WE DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES, WE'RE COGNIZANT OF IT
9:13:40AM AND WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE IMPACT IT HAS ON NEIGHBORS AND
9:13:45AM WE'RE MORE AWARE OF IT SO WE HOPEFULLY MINIMIZE MISTAKES
9:13:49AM THAT WE MAKE.
9:13:52AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALL RIGHT.
9:13:52AM ANYTHING ELSE, SIR?
9:13:54AM WAIT, COUNCIL MEMBER HENDERSON.
9:13:58AM >>GWEN HENDERSON: THANK YOU.
9:13:58AM IN MY OPINION, I JUST FEEL IT'S TOO MUCH OVERREACH TO
9:14:03AM CREATE, FOR US TO DECIDE UPON WHAT WOULD BE AN ENTERTAINMENT
9:14:06AM DISTRICT.
9:14:07AM ONE THING I'VE LEARNED FROM SITTING UP HERE IS SOUTH TAMPA
9:14:10AM DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB FIGHTING FOR WHAT THEY WANT AND DON'T
9:14:14AM WANT.
9:14:15AM WE SHOULD TAKE IT ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS AND LET THE PEOPLE
9:14:19AM SPEAK AND WE HAVE OUR DECISION WHERE WE DECIDE AND IT TAKES
9:14:21AM FOUR VOTES.
9:14:22AM IT'S NOT NECESSARY FOR US TO DIVE IN AND CREATE THE
9:14:26AM ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT BECAUSE WE MIGHT GET IT WRONG AND WE
9:14:29AM MIGHT BE IMPACTING A PLACE THAT MAY DEVELOP INTO A LARGER
9:14:34AM COMMUNITY THAT HAS MORE RESIDENTS IN THE FUTURE AND THEN THE
9:14:37AM ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, THEY ARE STUCK WITH IT.
9:14:39AM THAT'S HOW YBOR CITY FEELS.
9:14:41AM THEY MOVE INTO YBOR CITY.
9:14:43AM THEY LOVE IT.
9:14:45AM ONCE THEY ARE THERE, THEY WANT THE NOISE REDUCTION.
9:14:48AM THEY DON'T LIKE IT.
9:14:49AM IT'S TOO MUCH.
9:14:49AM YOU CAN'T MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY TRYING TO MAKE DECISIONS LIKE
9:14:53AM THAT.
9:14:53AM I THINK IT'S TOO MUCH OVERREACH FOR US TO CREATE AN
9:14:56AM ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
9:14:58AM >>BILL CARLSON: SO THE QUESTION IS NOT WHETHER TO CREATE AN
9:15:01AM ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT OR NOT.
9:15:04AM THAT WAS THE QUESTION IN THE OTHER MOTION.
9:15:05AM THE QUESTION IS RIGHT NOW WE'RE ALLOWING ON AN AD HOC BASIS
9:15:11AM WE'RE ALLOWING CONCENTRATIONS OF ALCOHOL.
9:15:13AM SO THAT IS AD HOC CREATING AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
9:15:16AM ACCIDENT CREATING.
9:15:18AM LET'S TAKE PARTS OF FLORIDA AVENUE AND NEBRASKA AVENUE.
9:15:22AM I'LL TRY NOT TO MENTION SPECIFIC RESTAURANTS OR BARS, BUT IF
9:15:26AM THERE ARE TWO OR THREE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER THAT ARE
9:15:29AM WITHIN THE DISTANCE RULES AND THEY HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY
9:15:33AM APPROVED, A FOURTH ONE WILL COME IN AND SAY, WELL, YOU
9:15:37AM APPROVED THOSE, WHY NOT APPROVE THE FOURTH ONE AND FIFTH ONE
9:15:40AM AND SIXTH ONE.
9:15:41AM SUDDENLY THERE ARE 20 BARS RIGHT NEXT TO A THRIVING
9:15:45AM NEIGHBORHOOD.
9:15:46AM WE DIDN'T DECIDE IT WOULD BE AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
9:15:48AM IT HAPPENED AD HOC.
9:15:50AM AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING WE COULD DO IS TO SAY IF THEY ARE
9:15:53AM WITHIN A GIVEN AREA OR WITHIN A NEIGHBORHOOD, IF THERE ARE
9:15:56AM MORE THAN -- JUST MAKING THIS UP OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD --
9:15:59AM IF MORE THAN FOUR ALCOHOL LICENSES THAT ARE ALL WITHIN THE
9:16:04AM DISTANCE REQUIREMENT, THAT THERE IS A SPECIAL PROCESS YOU
9:16:07AM HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO ADD MORE SO WE DON'T END UP WITH
9:16:10AM CONCENTRATIONS OF ALCOHOL.
9:16:11AM THERE MAY BE AREAS WHERE PEOPLE DON'T OBJECT TO IT, LIKE IN
9:16:15AM DOWNTOWN.
9:16:15AM I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE OBJECT TO LATE NIGHT IN DOWNTOWN.
9:16:20AM IN A PLACE LIKE YBOR, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ALCOHOL LICENSES
9:16:23AM THERE ARE, BUT LET'S SAY 20 WITHIN THE SETBACK GUIDELINES
9:16:26AM THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED, SOMEBODY WILL ARGUE, WELL,
9:16:30AM CITY COUNCIL APPROVED ALL THOSE SO THERE SHOULD BE OTHERS
9:16:33AM THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED.
9:16:34AM >>GWEN HENDERSON: BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO.
9:16:36AM >>BILL CARLSON: BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM ONE BY ONE AND IF
9:16:39AM A NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT LOOKING AT THE CONTEXT OF IT, THEY MAY
9:16:42AM NOT KNOW.
9:16:43AM EVEN WITH WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT SOUTH TAMPA, THERE ARE LIKE
9:16:48AM FIVE VERY POWERFUL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ALL AROUND
9:16:51AM HOWARD AVENUE.
9:16:51AM AND THOSE BARS SNUCK UP ON THEM.
9:16:54AM THEY DIDN'T REALIZE THAT'S WHAT IT WAS GOING TO BE.
9:16:56AM I WAS INVOLVED IN NEIGHBORHOODS AT THE TIME.
9:16:57AM AND JUST INDIVIDUAL ALCOHOL LICENSE YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.
9:17:00AM BUT IF YOU SUDDENLY LOOK AT THE CONTEXT OF IT -- LIKE, ONE
9:17:04AM THING WE COULD ASK FOR -- I DON'T THINK WE GET THIS RIGHT
9:17:07AM NOW.
9:17:07AM IF SOMEBODY IS ASKING FOR AN ALCOHOL LICENSE, WE WOULD SEE A
9:17:11AM MAP OF ADJACENT ALCOHOL LICENSES AND HOW MANY ARE WITHIN THE
9:17:14AM DISTANCE REQUIREMENT SO THAT WE COULD SEE WHAT THE
9:17:17AM CONCENTRATIONS ARE AND WHAT THE OVERALL IMPACT IS.
9:17:20AM ANYWAY, I WANTED TO BRING THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION.
9:17:22AM JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES
9:17:25AM OUTSIDE OF THIS CHAMBER.
9:17:26AM THE ONLY WAY WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION IS DISCUSS IT HERE
9:17:30AM AND THAT'S WHAT WORKSHOPS ARE FOR.
9:17:31AM I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC PLAN.
9:17:32AM I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT YOUR IDEAS WERE.
9:17:35AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MR. SHELBY.
9:17:36AM >>MARTIN SHELBY: YES, COUNCIL.
9:17:39AM I DON'T LIKE HAVING MY BACK TO YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON.
9:17:42AM MARTIN SHELBY, CITY COUNCIL ATTORNEY.
9:17:44AM JUST A REMINDER, COUNCIL, THAT WHEN SOMEBODY IS REQUESTING A
9:17:49AM WAIVER FROM A DISTANCE SEPARATION REQUIREMENT, THERE ARE
9:17:56AM CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE GRANTING OF A WAIVER.
9:17:59AM AND THOSE ARE OFTEN, AND IF NOT, I'LL DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE
9:18:03AM SURE, AT LEAST THEY WERE LISTED IN EVERY ALCOHOLIC SPECIAL
9:18:06AM USE APPLICATION STAFF REPORT.
9:18:09AM AND THE CODE STATES THAT THE APPLICANT HAS THE BURDEN OF
9:18:15AM MEETING THAT CRITERIA.
9:18:17AM NOW, IF YOU DON'T ADDRESS THAT DURING THE COURSE OF THE
9:18:20AM HEARING AND THEY DON'T ADDRESS IT DURING THE COURSE OF THE
9:18:22AM HEARING BUT YOU GRANT THE WAIVER, IT HAS THE PRACTICAL
9:18:25AM EFFECT OF GIVING THEM A WAIVER FOR THE DISTANCE SEPARATION.
9:18:29AM JUST LIKE WITH EVERY OTHER KIND OF CASE WHERE A WAIVER IS
9:18:32AM REQUESTED, THE CODE REQUIRES THAT THEY MEET THEIR BURDEN OF
9:18:35AM MEETING THAT REQUIREMENT.
9:18:38AM AS YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DENY A WAIVER ON THE BASIS OF THE FACT
9:18:42AM THERE'S NO COMPETENT SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT IT AND
9:18:45AM THEREFORE THE DISCRETION IS WITH YOU BASED ON THE EVIDENCE
9:18:49AM YOU HEAR AT THE HEARING AND THE BURDEN IS ON THE APPLICANT.
9:18:53AM >>BILL CARLSON: WE CAN CHANGE THE CODE IF WE WANT.
9:18:55AM ONE OTHER THING, FOR HOWARD AVENUE AND YBOR, THE MARKETS
9:19:00AM WILL DECIDE.
9:19:01AM IT'S ALREADY TOO LATE.
9:19:02AM THE DECISIONS WERE MADE.
9:19:04AM IN YBOR WE KNOW THE MARKETS ARE PUSHING BACK AND THAT
9:19:07AM THERE'S MORE EQUILIBRIUM COMING.
9:19:09AM THE AREAS I'M MORE WORRIED ABOUT RIGHT NOW ARE TAMPA
9:19:11AM HEIGHTS.
9:19:12AM WE HAVE ARMATURE WORKS.
9:19:14AM WE'VE GOT THE NORTH-SOUTH ROADS NEXT TO IT, SEMINOLE
9:19:17AM HEIGHTS.
9:19:18AM THERE IS A HIGH CONCENTRATION GOING IN THOSE AREAS.
9:19:21AM I THINK THAT IS GOING TO BECOME -- THE GOOD THING IS IT
9:19:25AM COULD BECOME AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
9:19:27AM PEOPLE LOVE TO GO THERE.
9:19:28AM THE DOWN SIDE IS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS ONLY HAVE INPUT ON
9:19:31AM AD HOC BASIS AS TO WHETHER ALCOHOL LICENSE WOULD GO THERE.
9:19:37AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN: AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD
9:19:39AM DISCUSSION.
9:19:39AM I THINK THIS IS WHAT I APPRECIATE ABOUT WORKSHOPS IS BEING
9:19:42AM ABLE TO HAVE THESE KIND OF DISCUSSIONS.
9:19:44AM ARMATURE WORKS, WHY THESE THINGS HAVE TO STAND ON THEIR OWN
9:19:48AM BECAUSE WE HAVE THE OLD TROLLEY BARN, CONFINED WITH THE HIGH
9:19:53AM CONCENTRATION OF LIQUOR LICENSE IN ONE BUILDING.
9:19:55AM IT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT MAKES SENSE.
9:19:57AM COMMON SENSE TO APPROVE THE THINGS, ISOLATED ISLAND OF
9:20:01AM CONCENTRATION SO IF WE ARE RIGIDLY ENFORCING, MAYBE WE
9:20:06AM WOULDN'T HAVE A COUPLE OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS IN THERE.
9:20:07AM WE WOULDN'T HAVE APPROVED THOSE.
9:20:09AM I THINK IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION SO WHEN THESE
9:20:11AM ISSUES COME BEFORE US IN THE FUTURE, AT LEAST WE KNOW THAT
9:20:15AM WE SHOULD BE WEIGHING THESE THINGS AND AS MARTIN SHELBY
9:20:20AM SAID, THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS ON THE APPLICANT TO ENSURE THEY
9:20:24AM MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE NEIGHBORS AND THAT WE ARE AT
9:20:27AM LEAST SENSITIVE TO ALL THESE ISSUES.
9:20:29AM I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION.
9:20:31AM I THINK IT IS GOOD -- I THINK THE BURDEN IS ON CITY COUNCIL
9:20:35AM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THE BEST DECISION WE CAN BASED ON
9:20:37AM THE INFORMATION PRESENTED BEFORE US.
9:20:39AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:20:40AM SIR.
9:20:41AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING BUT I
9:20:44AM AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN.
9:20:46AM THE BURDEN IS ON US.
9:20:47AM WE CAN SIT HERE ALL DAY, BUT I CAN SAY THAT WHEN A
9:20:55AM RESTAURANT COMES IN TO GET THAT, THEY DON'T MAKE TOO MUCH
9:20:59AM MONEY ON THE MEAL.
9:21:02AM PREVIOUS MANAGING PARTNER OF CAFE PEPE, I CAN TELL YOU
9:21:06AM ALCOHOL, WINE OR BEER OR DRINK, A MEAL, A DESSERT AND A
9:21:12AM COFFEE, YOU MAKE MORE MONEY ON THE COFFEE AND DESSERT AND ON
9:21:15AM THE DRINK THAN YOU DO ON THE TOTAL MEAL.
9:21:17AM THE MEAL MAY COST $30.
9:21:20AM BUT YOU HAVE A 45% COST.
9:21:22AM A DRINK YOU ARE ABOUT 12.5% COST, 13%.
9:21:25AM SO THEY LOOK AT ALL THOSE NUMBERS.
9:21:29AM THIS IS ME SPEAKING FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST, BUT THE
9:21:32AM NUMBERS MAY HAVE CHANGED NOW.
9:21:33AM MARKET FLUCTUATES SO MUCH ON THE COST OF ITEMS.
9:21:36AM WHAT I'M SAYING, IT'S DIFFICULT TO HAVE ONE RESTAURANT HERE,
9:21:39AM ONE RIGHT NEXT TO IT AND ANOTHER ONE.
9:21:42AM I'M NOT A LAWYER.
9:21:43AM I'M NOT DISPUTING WHAT MR. SHELBY SAID, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE
9:21:46AM FOURTH ONE THAT COMES IN LINE AND YOU SAY NO TO HIM.
9:21:50AM HOW DID THE OTHER THREE GET IT?
9:21:51AM THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.
9:21:52AM IT'S UP TO US AND I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION VERY MUCH BUT
9:21:58AM CATCH 22 NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU GO.
9:22:00AM YOU CAN DENY.
9:22:02AM GO TO COURT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
9:22:05AM MAYBE HAVE A TRIAL AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
9:22:09AM THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY.
9:22:10AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:22:10AM IF THERE'S NOTHING FURTHER -- IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WHO
9:22:16AM WISHES TO SPEAK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME
9:22:18AM UP AND STATE YOUR NAME.
9:22:19AM GOOD MORNING, SIR.
9:22:24AM >> MENTESNOT, TAMPA, FLORIDA.
9:22:27AM AS A MATTER OF FACT, THINK THAT ANYTHING COUNCILMAN CARLSON
9:22:31AM BRINGS OR THINK THEY ARE GOING TO SAY JUST THE OPPOSITE.
9:22:34AM EVERYONE WILL SAY JUST THE OPPOSITE.
9:22:36AM I THINK YOU HAVE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITES TO GET ANYTHING DONE
9:22:39AM IN THIS CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE CERTAIN PEOPLE THEY DON'T
9:22:42AM RECOGNIZE AND THEY DON'T RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF
9:22:48AM THEIR SUGGESTIONS.
9:22:50AM HOW MANY LIQUOR LICENSES ARE THERE IN DISTRICT 5?
9:23:03AM >>MARTIN SHELBY: JUST A REMINDER TO COUNCIL, YOU DON'T
9:23:05AM ENGAGE IN ANSWERING QUESTIONS OR DIALOGUE DURING PUBLIC
9:23:07AM COMMENT.
9:23:08AM THAT'S COUNCIL'S --
9:23:10AM >> SIR, I DON'T WANT ANYBODY ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS.
9:23:14AM THEY CAN'T ANSWER ANY OF MY QUESTIONS.
9:23:16AM NO ONE UP THERE IS INTELLIGENT ENOUGH TO ANSWER ANY OF MY
9:23:19AM QUESTIONS.
9:23:20AM AND NO ONE UP THERE IS COMPASSIONATE ENOUGH TO CARE ABOUT
9:23:24AM ANYTHING I HAVE TO SAY.
9:23:24AM YOU MAKE THAT SAME STUPID SPEECH EVERY WEEK, WEEK AFTER
9:23:28AM WEEK.
9:23:29AM IT'S A STUPID SPEECH.
9:23:30AM THEY DON'T ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYWAY.
9:23:33AM SOMEBODY CAME AROUND HERE AND TALKED ABOUT A DOG OR TREE,
9:23:36AM THEY HAVE LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS.
9:23:37AM TALK ABOUT THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY, THEY HAVE NO RESPONSES OR
9:23:40AM NO CONVERSATIONS.
9:23:40AM 824 YEARS OF THAT, AFRICAN PEOPLE EXPECT THAT.
9:23:45AM THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, OUR REPRESENTATIVES FROM DISTRICT
9:23:49AM 5 DON'T KNOW HOW MANY LIQUOR LICENSES THERE ARE IN DISTRICT
9:23:52AM 5.
9:23:52AM THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS FOR 40 YEARS I'VE BEEN COMING DOWN
9:23:55AM HERE, SINCE PERRY HARVEY WAS DOWN HERE, SAYING INUNDATION OF
9:23:59AM LIQUOR, JUST LIQUOR, ALCOHOL, TOBACCO PRODUCTS THAT OUR KIDS
9:24:04AM SEE INSIDE OUR COMMUNITIES AND NONE OF THE PEOPLE UP THERE
9:24:09AM ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IT.
9:24:10AM ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NONE.
9:24:12AM IN ESSENCE YOU HAVE TO SPEAK IN REVERSE WHEN YOU TALK DOWN
9:24:16AM HERE.
9:24:17AM SAY, HEY, DON'T FIX BAYSHORE BOULEVARD BECAUSE THE RESIDENTS
9:24:21AM DOWN THERE, THEY ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT WHEN A LITTLE BIT
9:24:24AM OF RAIN, HIGH FLOODS ON BAYSHORE BOULEVARD.
9:24:27AM DON'T FIX BAYSHORE BOULEVARD FROM GANDY TO MACDILL AIR FORCE
9:24:31AM BASE.
9:24:33AM THE STREETS ARE JUST FINE.
9:24:35AM DON'T FIX THE FLOODING ON BAYSHORE BOULEVARD, EUCLID AVENUE
9:24:39AM OR HENDERSON BOULEVARD.
9:24:41AM DON'T FIX IT.
9:24:42AM IT'S JUST FINE.
9:24:43AM YOU HAVE TO SPEAK IN REVERSE FOR YOU FOOLS TO LISTEN.
9:24:48AM I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING ELSE BUT WE'LL KEEP IT AT FOOLS.
9:24:52AM THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IT'S TOO MANY LIQUOR LICENSES IN
9:24:56AM THE CITY OF TAMPA, PERIOD.
9:24:57AM TOO MUCH ALCOHOL.
9:24:58AM TOO MUCH TOBACCO, TOO MUCH MARIJUANA.
9:25:02AM ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT GOES WITH IT.
9:25:06AM SO WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THESE LIQUOR LICENSES, WHEN YOU LOOK
9:25:09AM UP IN THE COMMUNITIES AND SOME LATE NIGHTS RIDING BEHIND
9:25:12AM LIKE AN ABUNDANCE OF CARS AND YOU'RE LIKE, WHAT THE HELL IS
9:25:18AM GOING ON HERE?
9:25:18AM SOMEPLACE SERVING ALCOHOL RIGHT IN THE HEART OF YOUR
9:25:21AM COMMUNITY AND THAT NEEDS TO STOP.
9:25:23AM THAT'S NO WAY TO RUN A CITY, PERIOD, ESPECIALLY FOR THE
9:25:26AM RESIDENTS WHO HAVE TO STAY THERE 24/7.
9:25:29AM THANK YOU.
9:25:29AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
9:25:31AM NEXT SPEAKER, YES, MA'AM.
9:25:32AM GOOD MORNING.
9:25:32AM PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
9:25:33AM >> GOOD MORNING.
9:25:34AM STEPHANIE POYNOR.
9:25:36AM CAN WE PLACE MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT WITH THE DIFFERENT RULES
9:25:39AM ABOUT WORKSHOPS TODAY?
9:25:39AM WE CHANGED THE RULES.
9:25:42AM THERE'S NO REGULAR PUBLIC COMMENT AND NOBODY ANNOUNCED THAT
9:25:45AM AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING TO TALK ABOUT IT.
9:25:48AM THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE.
9:25:49AM I'M SURE THERE ARE FOLKS HERE THAT HAVE THEIR OWN AGENDA TO
9:25:52AM TALK ABOUT, NOT A PARTICULAR ITEM.
9:25:55AM I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT MY PERSONAL DISPOSITION ON HOW
9:26:00AM MANY BARS, RESTAURANTS, WHATEVER WITHIN A CERTAIN AREA IS
9:26:05AM KIND OF, OH, WHATEVER, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION BUT I DON'T
9:26:10AM LIVE NEXT TO SOHO.
9:26:12AM BUT I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY
9:26:15AM OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THERE NEEDS
9:26:19AM TO BE SOME FUTURE PLANNING.
9:26:21AM THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO SOUTH OF GANDY.
9:26:23AM WE LOOKED UP AND WENT, HOLY CRAP, THERE'S 8,000 APARTMENTS
9:26:27AM COMING DOWN HERE AND NOBODY HAD SEEN IT UNTIL I TOOK YOU
9:26:35AM GUYS ON A TOUR AND YOU WENT, HOLY CRAP, THAT'S A LOT OF
9:26:39AM APARTMENTS.
9:26:40AM THIS IS WHY US NOT HAVING A PLANNING DEPARTMENT, I DON'T
9:26:44AM KNOW WHY BOB BUCKHORN DIDN'T THINK WE NEEDED ONE, I DON'T
9:26:47AM KNOW WHY THERE WASN'T ONE BEFORE, THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE
9:26:51AM OF WHY OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS SO IMPORTANT AND WHY I
9:26:54AM THINK COUNCILMAN CARLSON REALLY HAS A GOOD POINT TO SHOW
9:27:00AM THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAN FOR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE
9:27:05AM TO DO.
9:27:07AM BY WILLY-NILLY APPROVING THINGS WITHOUT SEEING THE BIG
9:27:11AM PICTURE, IT MAKES IT REALLY HARD.
9:27:13AM I THINK STAFF DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB OF COMING UP HERE AND
9:27:16AM TRYING TO SHOW YOU THE BIG PICTURE, BUT SOMETIMES YOU DRIVE
9:27:19AM BY STUFF AND YOU GO, OH, I GET IT.
9:27:22AM JUST LIKE THE SOUTH HOWARD PROJECT.
9:27:24AM UNTIL YOU WENT TO SEE PARKLAND ESTATES, YOU DIDN'T GET WHAT
9:27:28AM THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT.
9:27:29AM YOU WERE LIKE WHY ARE THEY COMPLAINING?
9:27:31AM I DON'T GET IT.
9:27:32AM BUT THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHERE YOU PIECEMEAL ONE PIECE
9:27:36AM AT A TIME, HOW DO YOU EAT AN ELEPHANT?
9:27:39AM ONE BITE AT A TIME AND THAT'S WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THESE
9:27:43AM SITUATIONS.
9:27:43AM I WOULD ALSO OFFER THAT I THINK COUNCILMAN MIRANDA MADE A
9:27:47AM GOOD POINT.
9:27:48AM USED TO BE YOU HAD TO SERVE SO MUCH FOOD ALONG WITH THE
9:27:51AM ALCOHOL AND THE ESTABLISHMENTS THAT REALLY SEEMED TO CAUSE
9:27:55AM THE PROBLEM AREN'T SERVING ENOUGH FOOD TO COUNTERACT THE
9:27:58AM AMOUNT OF POURING THAT'S GOING ON.
9:28:02AM THAT'S WHERE YOU ARE ROLLING OUT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
9:28:04AM IT'S WHERE IT GETS TO THE POINT OF BEING IRRESPONSIBLE AND
9:28:08AM HAVING ADDITIONAL ISSUES.
9:28:11AM AND THAT MAY NEED TO BE CONGREGATED THERE CERTAIN AREAS.
9:28:15AM I'M SORRY.
9:28:16AM I LIVE SOUTH OF GANDY AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLACE TO GO AND
9:28:19AM EAT.
9:28:19AM WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE -- THAT'S WHY I NEVER COMPLAIN ABOUT
9:28:23AM WANTING TO PUT IN A PUB, BAR OR RESTAURANT SOUTH OF GANDY
9:28:27AM BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLACE TO GO AND EAT.
9:28:29AM NOT COMPARED TO THE POPULATION THAT WE HAVE NOW.
9:28:32AM THAT'S JUST WHAT I WANTED TO SAY FOR THIS ONE.
9:28:35AM THANK YOU.
9:28:36AM HAVE A GOOD DAY.
9:28:36AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU.
9:28:38AM YES, SIR, GOOD MORNING.
9:28:39AM GOOD MORNING, SIR.
9:28:44AM PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
9:28:45AM >> GOOD MORNING.
9:28:46AM MY NAME IS PASTOR WILLIAMS, LOCATED 1112 EAST SCOTT STREET.
9:28:50AM YOU KNOW, WE COME DOWN HERE WEEK AFTER WEEK TRYING TO GET
9:28:58AM SOMETHING DONE.
9:28:59AM YOU ALL DON'T HEAR NOTHING WE'RE SAYING AND YOU TELL US.
9:29:03AM COURT HOUSE DOWN THE STREET.
9:29:09AM KU KLUX KLAN COURTHOUSE.
9:29:11AM YOU KNOW, I WENT TO ST. PETERSBURG ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, AND
9:29:16AM THEY WANTED ME TO SPEAK ON JUNETEENTH.
9:29:19AM I SAID WHAT IN THE HELL IS JUNETEENTH?
9:29:22AM I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WAS.
9:29:25AM I WENT OVER THERE AND I SPOKE.
9:29:27AM I SPOKE WHAT I DID KNOW.
9:29:32AM IT RAINED THAT DAY.
9:29:35AM A LADY WHO WAS REAL NICE TO ME CAME OUT WANTING TO GIVE ME A
9:29:40AM DONATION.
9:29:41AM I SAID I AIN'T DONE NOTHING FOR NO DONATION.
9:29:44AM SHE SAID, YEAH, THIS FOR YOU.
9:29:46AM I SAID, NO, DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME.
9:29:49AM I'M ALL RIGHT.
9:29:50AM WE SHOULD NOT CALL IT JUNETEENTH.
9:29:59AM KU KLUX KLAN MURDERED THAT POOR BOY NO REASON AT ALL.
9:30:05AM WHISTLED AT A WHITE GIRL.
9:30:08AM WHO CARES WHISTLE AT A WHITE GIRL.
9:30:11AM SO RIDICULOUS WHAT THEY KILL THE BOY OFF.
9:30:14AM CUT OFF PRIVATE, PUT IN MOUTH.
9:30:16AM DONE SOME EVIL THINGS TO PEOPLE OF COLOR AND STILL IS.
9:30:20AM DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT US BUT WE HAVE TO CARE ABOUT
9:30:26AM OURSELVES.
9:30:27AM PEOPLE CALL US -- WHETHER YOU THANK ME OR NOT, I'LL CONTINUE
9:30:37AM TO LOVE HIM UNTIL I GO TO THE GRAVEYARD.
9:30:39AM WE'VE GOT SO MUCH PROBLEMS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, JUST
9:30:43AM LIKE SPEAKING ON TV.
9:30:49AM TALKING ABOUT PUTTING BRICKS ON THE ROAD.
9:30:51AM WHO GIVES A DAMN ABOUT BRICKS BEING ON THE ROAD.
9:30:54AM SOME HOUSING FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS.
9:30:58AM AND THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT ME OUT OF MY HOUSE NOW.
9:31:01AM AND THEY STILL TRYING.
9:31:02AM AND NOBODY CARES.
9:31:04AM BUT I CARE.
9:31:05AM I'M GOING TO BE THERE UNTIL THE DAY I DIE.
9:31:10AM THAT'S WHY I WANT TO BE.
9:31:11AM WHEN THESE PEOPLE COME UP HERE AND SPEAK, YOU NEED TO HEAR
9:31:14AM THEM.
9:31:14AM LISTEN TO THEM.
9:31:17AM LET THEM KNOW WHICH WAY THEY ARE GOING.
9:31:21AM SINCE WE HEARD YOU, YEAR GOING TO WRITE ABOUT IT NEXT WEEK.
9:31:25AM NO, YOU DON'T CARE.
9:31:26AM WE COME DOWN HERE WEEK AFTER WEEK.
9:31:29AM THE PLACE IS PRACTICALLY EMPTY NOW.
9:31:32AM WHAT YOU ALL GOING TO TALK ABOUT?
9:31:34AM SAY, WELL, TALK ABOUT TWO OR THREE THAT CAME DOWN HERE, BUT
9:31:39AM GOT TO UNDERSTAND, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT THE CITY.
9:31:45AM NOBODY KEEP SAYING NOTHING ABOUT THE CITY.
9:31:47AM IT'S ALL ABOUT THEMSELVES.
9:31:48AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
9:31:50AM >> GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
9:31:51AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: NEXT SPEAKER.
9:31:52AM GOOD MORNING, SIR.
9:32:00AM >> STEVE MICHELINI.
9:32:02AM I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE COUNCIL'S MOTION REGARDING
9:32:05AM ALCOHOL.
9:32:06AM YOU HAVE SAFEGUARDS THAT ARE BUILT IN.
9:32:08AM ONE OF THEM IS CALLED THE DISTANCE WAIVERS.
9:32:10AM RESTAURANTS, I THINK -- I MEAN, I THINK STEPHANIE POYNOR
9:32:16AM POINTED OUT, RESTAURANTS SHOULD BE A DIFFERENT KIND OF
9:32:19AM CATEGORY AND SUPPORTED.
9:32:22AM IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BARS, THAT IS A DIFFERENT WAIVER YOU
9:32:27AM HAVE.
9:32:28AM YOU ALL HAVE ULTIMATE CONTROL OVER WHAT THAT GOES THROUGH OR
9:32:31AM NOT.
9:32:31AM BUT THE RESTAURANTS, IF THEY WERE SITTING SIDE BY SIDE AND
9:32:34AM HOLDING HANDS WITH EACH OTHER, THEY STILL HAVE TO SEEK A
9:32:38AM DISTANCE WAIVER.
9:32:38AM YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT TO ENCOURAGE MORE RESTAURANTS
9:32:41AM AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR THOSE THAT ARE SERVING AT 51%, 49,
9:32:47AM VERSUS THOSE THAT WANT STRAIGHT ALCOHOL.
9:32:50AM SO WHEN WE BRING PETITIONS TO YOU, ESPECIALLY FOR ME, I'M
9:32:54AM VERY CAREFUL ABOUT BRINGING THINGS THAT ARE STRAIGHT ALCOHOL
9:32:57AM TO YOU WITHOUT SOME JUSTIFICATION.
9:33:02AM FOR EXAMPLE, PLACES LIKE BERN'S STEAK HOUSE HAS -- NO ONE
9:33:08AM WOULD CONSIDER THAT A ROWDY PLACE.
9:33:10AM PLACES LIKE THE COLUMBIA HAVE STRAIGHT ALCOHOL.
9:33:13AM BUT THEY ARE SELLING ALCOHOL TO GO.
9:33:15AM THERE IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF CONCEPT THAT'S INVOLVED THERE.
9:33:18AM I WOULD URGE COUNCIL TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT SETTING REGULATIONS
9:33:25AM THAT PROHIBIT CERTAIN TYPES OF ALCOHOL BEING CONSIDERED.
9:33:27AM AGAIN, YOU ALL HAVE ULTIMATE CONTROL OVER WHETHER THAT IS
9:33:31AM APPROVED OR NOT.
9:33:32AM DON'T GRANT THE WAIVER IF YOU DON'T WANT THE BARS IN THERE.
9:33:35AM BUT RESTAURANTS ARE A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY AND THEY DESERVE
9:33:38AM YOUR SUPPORT.
9:33:39AM IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO GET THAT TO HAPPEN IF YOU LOOK AT
9:33:42AM CENTRAL AVENUE OVER IN ST. PETERSBURG, WALL-TO-WALL
9:33:46AM RESTAURANTS UP AND DOWN THE STREET, BUT IT MAKES IT MORE
9:33:50AM DIFFICULT TO TRY TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS, ESPECIALLY WITH
9:33:52AM INFILL FOR PARKING.
9:33:54AM THE CITY HAS APPLIED DIFFERENT LIFE SAFETY STANDARDS FOR
9:34:01AM PARKING THAT AN INFILL RESTAURANT CAN'T MEET.
9:34:04AM THOSE WAIVERS HAVE TO COME TO YOU AND YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER
9:34:07AM THEM FOR APPROVAL OR NOT.
9:34:09AM ANYWAY, I WOULD URGE THE COUNCIL TO LOOK AT THOSE
9:34:12AM REGULATIONS AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR RESTAURANTS.
9:34:15AM MAKE IT EASIER FOR INFILL, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE GOING FROM
9:34:18AM BEER AND WINE ON AN INFILL RESTAURANT TO BEER, WINE, AND
9:34:22AM LIQUOR.
9:34:23AM WHEN YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T MEET THOSE CODES.
9:34:25AM ANYWAY, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
9:34:28AM BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
9:34:30AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
9:34:31AM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
9:34:33AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
9:34:34AM I'M NOT IN DISAGREEMENT WITH WHAT MR. MICHELINI SAID.
9:34:38AM HOWEVER THERE WAS A CAVEAT IF I REMEMBER THAT IF YOU HAD AN
9:34:41AM R AND YOU WANTED TO SELL LIQUOR, YOUR KITCHEN HAD TO BE OPEN
9:34:45AM WITH A CERTIFIED COOK IN THE BACK.
9:34:47AM YOU CAN'T JUST CLOSE THE RESTAURANT AT 10:00 AND SELL LIQUOR
9:34:51AM TILL 1:00 IN THE MORNING.
9:34:53AM THE KITCHEN HAD TO BE OPEN TO THE TIME, IF YOU CLOSE THE
9:34:56AM KITCHEN, YOU HAD TO CLOSE THE BAR.
9:34:58AM AM I CORRECT?
9:34:59AM >> YES, SIR.
9:34:59AM THAT'S STILL THE CASE.
9:35:01AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I'M JUST REMEMBERING FROM THE CASE.
9:35:03AM >> THAT IS STILL THE CASE.
9:35:04AM IF YOU ARE A RESTAURANT --
9:35:05AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: IT IS NOT A TWO-WAY CONVERSATION.
9:35:07AM THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:35:08AM ANYTHING ELSE?
9:35:10AM >>BILL CARLSON: ONE LAST THING.
9:35:12AM ONE OF THE REASONS I WANTED TO BRING THIS UP HERE BECAUSE WE
9:35:15AM CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT DURING EACH CASE BECAUSE IT WOULD HURT
9:35:19AM THE RECORD ON THE CASES.
9:35:20AM IN PRIOR DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD LIKE THIS AND IN SOME OF THE
9:35:24AM CASES WE'VE MANAGED, WE HAVE TENDED TOWARD ESPECIALLY IF AN
9:35:31AM ALCOHOL LICENSE IS NEAR A NEIGHBORHOOD, WE TENDED TOWARD
9:35:34AM ASKING TO LIMIT THEIR OPERATING HOURS, ESPECIALLY AT
9:35:37AM MIDNIGHT.
9:35:38AM AND THEN NOT ALLOWING OUTDOOR AMPLIFIED SOUND.
9:35:42AM THOSE ARE TWO OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN FORMALLY OR
9:35:46AM INFORMALLY MODIFIED SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL.
9:35:49AM THE THING THAT I'M GOING TO DO GOING FORWARD IS I'M GOING TO
9:35:52AM ASK FOR MAPS TO LOOK SPATIALLY AT ALL THE ALCOHOL LICENSES
9:35:57AM AND TO SEE HOW MANY IN AN AREA ARE WITHIN THE DISTANCE
9:36:01AM REQUIREMENT OR HOW MANY GOT WAIVERS.
9:36:03AM IF YOU ALL -- HOPEFULLY YOU ALL WILL LOOK AT THAT
9:36:07AM INFORMATION, TOO.
9:36:08AM I THINK THE CONTEXT IS IMPORTANT.
9:36:10AM WE DON'T OFTEN TALK ABOUT THE CONTEXT WHEN WE GET TO
9:36:12AM INDIVIDUAL CASES.
9:36:13AM WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE DISTANCE REQUIREMENT IS THERE FOR A
9:36:17AM REASON, AND THE MORE WE WAIVE IT, THE MORE CONCENTRATION OF
9:36:20AM ALCOHOL WE GET.
9:36:21AM THANK YOU.
9:36:21AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:36:25AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ONE LAST THING SINCE WE HAVE A LIGHT
9:36:27AM MEETING.
9:36:27AM ONE THING THAT ROSE OUT OF THE CONVERSATION THAT I THINK
9:36:31AM PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE SCHEDULED -- PUT IT ON ANOTHER WORKSHOP
9:36:35AM -- BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE INCONSISTENCY OR LACK OF
9:36:39AM AGREEMENT.
9:36:39AM WE HAVE RULES, BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE A SHIFT IN THE DYNAMIC.
9:36:43AM I KNOW COUNCILMAN MIRANDA IS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THIS
9:36:46AM AND THAT IS PARKING.
9:36:47AM WHAT DIRECTION IS THIS COUNCIL AND CITY GOING WITH HOW WE
9:36:53AM PARK FOR ESTABLISHMENTS?
9:36:54AM I KNOW MY E-MAIL IN-BOX IS FILLED CONSTANTLY WITH FOLKS
9:36:59AM ASKING THAT WE REDUCE PARKING MINIMUMS.
9:37:02AM WITH URBAN PLANNING, THERE IS AN IDEA AROUND BUILD IT AND
9:37:08AM THEY'LL COME.
9:37:09AM DON'T BUILD IT AND IT WILL PROVOKE OTHER FORMS OF
9:37:12AM TRANSPORTATION AND HOW PEOPLE GET AROUND AND REDUCE TRAFFIC
9:37:15AM CONGESTION AND REDUCE COST OF CONSTRUCTION.
9:37:18AM ULTIMATELY WE SEE THAT IN DOWNTOWN.
9:37:19AM PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE COST OF PARKING GARAGES AND WE TALK
9:37:22AM ABOUT, AND THIS IS A SEGUE INTO WHAT WE'RE JUST DISCUSSING
9:37:26AM WITH THESE ESTABLISHMENTS.
9:37:27AM HOW ARE WE PARKING VEHICLES AND BUILDING TAMPA FOR THE
9:37:31AM FUTURE?
9:37:31AM I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT AND AT LEAST
9:37:34AM REACH CONSENSUS ON THIS COUNCIL IF WE'RE GOING TO STICK WITH
9:37:36AM THE CURRENT RULES OR ARE WE GOING TO PIVOT AND CHANGE TO
9:37:42AM MAYBE THE TAMPA OF TOMORROW?
9:37:43AM AT LEAST WE CAN ASK AND ANSWER THAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT'S
9:37:47AM CONSTANTLY BEFORE US AND DEALING WITH THESE PIECEMEAL
9:37:51AM WITHOUT REALLY, I THINK, A GENERAL DIRECTION OF WHICH WAY WE
9:37:54AM WANT TO GO.
9:37:55AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:37:56AM DOES THAT CONCLUDE THE ITEM?
9:38:00AM IF SO, WE'LL GO TO ITEM NUMBER 2.
9:38:02AM THIS IS A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER VIERA, IF YOU WANT TO
9:38:04AM START OFF THE DISCUSSION.
9:38:05AM >>LUIS VIERA: YES, SIR.
9:38:06AM APPRECIATE THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN.
9:38:07AM THIS IS AN ISSUE -- I FIRST, AGAIN, WANTED TO THANK ATTORNEY
9:38:11AM MATT NEWTON AND PROFESSOR ZOLLIE HASHNEL WHO ASSISTED ON
9:38:17AM THIS ISSUE BEFORE.
9:38:18AM THIS IS AN ISSUE IN TERMS OF WHAT I THINK IS PROPER FOR THE
9:38:22AM CITY OF TAMPA.
9:38:22AM I DON'T THINK THAT MY PROPOSAL HAS SUPPORT ON TAMPA CITY
9:38:25AM COUNCIL RIGHT NOW.
9:38:26AM BUT THE ISSUE IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.
9:38:28AM AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO SPEAK ON IT TODAY.
9:38:32AM BECAUSE THE ISSUE IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.
9:38:33AM WHEN YOU HAVE CITY OF TAMPA ELECTIONS WHERE 93%, 92% OF
9:38:38AM FOLKS DON'T BOTHER TO SHOW UP IN 2023 AND 75% OF PEOPLE
9:38:42AM DON'T BOTHER TO SHOW UP IN 2019, YOU HAVE A BIG ISSUE.
9:38:47AM THERE ARE DIFFERENT ARGUMENTS ON THIS.
9:38:49AM I ALWAYS SAY THAT ON A LOT OF ISSUES, THERE IS A LOT OF GRAY
9:38:52AM AND ARGUMENTS ON BOTH SIDES.
9:38:54AM I THINK ON THIS ISSUE, THE EVEN YEAR OPTION, ESPECIALLY FOR
9:38:58AM GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS, FAR OUTWEIGHS THE SYSTEM WE HAVE
9:39:01AM RIGHT NOW.
9:39:01AM THERE ARE A LOT OF ARGUMENTS THAT CAN BE USED AGAINST THIS
9:39:04AM THAT I DON'T THINK HOLD UP WATER, HOLD WATER, SO TO SPEAK.
9:39:07AM THE FACT IS THAT WE SPEND ANYWHERE FROM 500 TO 700 THOUSAND
9:39:12AM DOLLARS EVERY ELECTION CYCLE IN CITY OF TAMPA TAX DOLLARS TO
9:39:17AM HAVE ODD YEAR ELECTIONS THAT AS I'LL DISCUSS MAKE OUR
9:39:21AM ELECTIONS LESS DIVERSE AND WITH LESS PARTICIPATION.
9:39:24AM WE SPENT IN 2023, $543,000 CHECK WE WROTE TO THE SUPERVISOR
9:39:30AM OF ELECTIONS.
9:39:31AM IN 2019, $716,000 CHECK THAT WE WROTE TO THE SUPERVISOR OF
9:39:37AM ELECTIONS.
9:39:38AM AS I'LL DISCUSS BRIEFLY, WE SPEND MORE TO GET LESS AS A CITY
9:39:43AM OF TAMPA.
9:39:45AM NUMBER ONE, AND I DISCUSSED THIS LAST TIME.
9:39:48AM THE MORE DIVERSE AND LOWER INCOME YOUR PRECINCT IS, THE
9:39:52AM BIGGER OF A DROP-OFF THERE IS BETWEEN THE EVEN-YEAR ELECTION
9:39:55AM AND ODD-YEAR ELECTIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE CITY OF
9:39:57AM TAMPA.
9:39:58AM I WENT OVER LAST TIME A FEW PRECINCTS.
9:40:01AM 338 OFF BUSCH BOULEVARD.
9:40:03AM THERE WAS A 70% DROP FROM 2022, 2019.
9:40:08AM 90% DROP FROM 22 TO 23.
9:40:10AM PRECINCTS 308, 309, 321, 325, EAST TAMPA AREA PRECINCT 70 TO
9:40:16AM 75 PERCENT DROP.
9:40:17AM YOU TAKE THOSE ELECTIONS ON BAYSHORE, 111 AND TAMPA PALMS,
9:40:22AM THE DROP-OFF WAS ABOUT 59 TO 60 PERCENT.
9:40:25AM THE MORE AFFLUENT YOUR PRECINCT IS, THE LESS OF A DROP-OFF
9:40:30AM YOU HAVE CITY OF TAMPA ELECTIONS THEREBY MAKING OUR
9:40:33AM ELECTIONS MORE AFFLUENT AND LESS DIVERSE, AND WE PAY, AGAIN,
9:40:37AM HALF A MILLION TO THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR
9:40:40AM THAT.
9:40:41AM THERE ARE FOLKS WHO SAY, LISTEN, WE NEED TO HAVE OUR OWN
9:40:45AM SPECIAL ELECTIONS, RIGHT?
9:40:46AM BECAUSE WE WANT VOTERS WHO ARE MORE ENGAGED.
9:40:50AM AS MY FRIEND MATT NEWTON WROTE IN A COLUMN IN CREATIVE
9:40:53AM LOAFING I BELIEVE IT WAS, THAT'S THE IDEA OF THE GOOD VOTER
9:40:57AM VERSUS THE BAD VOTER.
9:40:58AM TO ME THERE'S NO BAD VOTER.
9:40:59AM I JUST WANT VOTERS.
9:41:00AM THAT'S IT.
9:41:01AM I WANT MORE PEOPLE TO VOTE AND THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE
9:41:04AM THAT WE SHOULD BE STRESSING IN THIS.
9:41:06AM THE ARGUMENT THAT SOMEHOW WE NEED TO PROTECT THE
9:41:09AM FUND-RAISING CAPABILITIES OF PEOPLE RUNNING FOR TAMPA CITY
9:41:11AM COUNCIL TO THE TUNE OF HALF A MILLION TO THREE-QUARTERS OF A
9:41:15AM MILLION DOLLARS IN TAXPAYER FUNDS IS ONE THAT I RESPECTFULLY
9:41:19AM DISAGREE WITH.
9:41:20AM BY THE WAY, RECENT ELECTIONS SHOW THAT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
9:41:24AM THAT YOU SPEND IN LOCAL ELECTIONS HAS NO CAUSAL CONNECTION
9:41:29AM WHATSOEVER TO VICTORY.
9:41:30AM LOOK AT THE RECENT SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS.
9:41:32AM NADIA COMBS SPENT 50% AS MUCH AS HER OPPONENT.
9:41:36AM SHE WON.
9:41:37AM LOOK AT 2023, CITY OF TAMPA ELECTION, COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK
9:41:40AM DOUBLED THE FUND-RAISING AMOUNT OF HER OPPONENT.
9:41:45AM SHE WON THAT.
9:41:46AM COUNCILMAN CARLSON, I WAS SURPRISED, THREE TIMES -- NEVER
9:41:50AM KNEW THAT -- THREE TIMES AS MUCH AS HIS OPPONENT.
9:41:52AM HE WON BY 18 OR SO POINTS.
9:41:54AM THE REVERSE IS TRUE.
9:41:56AM USE MINE.
9:41:57AM 2016, MY FIRST ELECTION.
9:41:59AM I OUTSPENT MY OPPONENT, DR. JIM DAVISON, VERY NICE
9:42:03AM GENTLEMAN, ALMOST 7-1.
9:42:05AM I LIMPED TO VICTORY BY ONE POINT, 65 VOTES IN THIS.
9:42:09AM BY PUTTING ELECTIONS IN EVEN-YEAR NUMBERS, WE DON'T
9:42:14AM NECESSARILY NATIONALIZE ELECTIONS.
9:42:16AM LOOK AT THE ATTEMPT TO NATIONALIZE THE SCHOOL BOARD RACES.
9:42:20AM IN 2022 AND 2024, FAILED MISERABLY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
9:42:25AM ST. PETERSBURG RECENTLY CHANGED THIS AND THE VOTERS
9:42:29AM SUPPORTED IT BY 70%.
9:42:31AM SO, AGAIN, THE FACT IS THAT WE SPEND BETWEEN THREE-QUARTERS
9:42:35AM OF A MILLION DOLLARS TO HALF A MILLION DOLLARS -- MAY I HAVE
9:42:39AM 30 EXTRA SECONDS, SIR?
9:42:41AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YEAH, YEAH.
9:42:42AM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:42:42AM TO MAKE ELECTIONS CHEAPER FOR POLITICIANS.
9:42:47AM THERE ARE DIFFERENT IDEAS ON THIS.
9:42:49AM THEY HAVE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS.
9:42:50AM I MUCH RATHER PREFER GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS.
9:42:54AM YOU HAVE AUGUST PRIMARIES LIKE WE RECENTLY HAD IN 2024 WITH
9:42:57AM A TURNOUT ABOUT 20% OR SO.
9:43:00AM THE TURNOUT IN THE LAST GOVERNOR'S ELECTION WAS 50%.
9:43:04AM ABOUT 60% I BELIEVE IT WAS IN 2018.
9:43:07AM IF I MAY JUST VERY QUICKLY --
9:43:10AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: 30 MORE SECONDS.
9:43:11AM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR.
9:43:12AM AGAIN, I RESPECT THAT THERE'S NOT SUPPORT TO CHANGE THIS ON
9:43:15AM TAMPA CITY COUNCIL RIGHT NOW.
9:43:16AM BUT THIS ISSUE IS NOT GOING AWAY BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE
9:43:20AM ELECTION CYCLE WHERE WE SPEND HALF A MILLION TO
9:43:22AM THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILLION FOR LESS DIVERSE, MORE AFFLUENT
9:43:25AM ELECTIONS, THAT ISSUE WILL NOT GO AWAY.
9:43:28AM THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:43:28AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN WAS FIRST.
9:43:31AM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA, COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON.
9:43:33AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THIS ISSUE SHOULD GO AWAY BECAUSE A COUPLE
9:43:38AM OF POINTS YOU MAKE, COUNCILMAN VIERA, THE COST OF THE
9:43:42AM ELECTION, THAT IS WHAT IT IS, BUT WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE
9:43:44AM TO REIMBURSE THE SUPERVISOR FOR WHATEVER PORTION OF THE
9:43:48AM COST.
9:43:49AM THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO OUR PORTION FOR FREE.
9:43:50AM IT WOULD BE WITH DISINGENUOUS TO COMPARE APPLES AND ORANGES
9:43:55AM WITHOUT FACTORING THAT PART INTO IT AS WELL.
9:43:59AM TURNOUT.
9:43:59AM ALSO DISINGENUOUS TO COMPARE COUNTY TO CITY.
9:44:03AM HAVE TO BREAK IT DOWN AND SEE THE FACTS AND FIGURES,
9:44:06AM ESPECIALLY PRIMARY ON ODD YEAR OR OFF YEAR OR PRESIDENTIAL
9:44:11AM YEAR.
9:44:11AM THERE ARE A LOT OF FACTORS IN THIS.
9:44:14AM THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
9:44:19AM YOUR COUNCIL AND YOUR MAYOR IS CLOSEST TO THE SERVICES AND
9:44:23AM TO THE PEOPLE OF WHAT RUNS THE CITY THAN ANY OTHER FORM OF
9:44:28AM GOVERNMENT.
9:44:28AM I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY UP HERE WHO WOULD ARGUE THAT
9:44:31AM THE DAILY IMPACT THAT THE CITY GOVERNMENT HAS ON FOLKS'
9:44:35AM LIVES FAR EXCEEDS THE IMPACT THAT STATE LEGISLATURE, EVEN
9:44:39AM THE GOVERNOR OR THE PRESIDENCY HAS ON ANYBODY'S DAY-TO-DAY
9:44:44AM LIFE OF HOW THEY DO THEIR BUSINESS AS A CITIZEN OF THE CITY
9:44:49AM OF TAMPA.
9:44:50AM THAT IMPORTANCE, I THINK HAVING AN ELECTION WHERE WE STAND
9:44:54AM BEFORE THE PEOPLE AND THE ONLY ISSUES BEFORE THEM IS THE
9:44:59AM RUNNING OF THE CITY IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
9:45:02AM HAVING AN ELECTION LIKE THAT AND HAVING IT PRIORITIZED SO
9:45:06AM THAT WE CAN SIT THERE -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING MORE
9:45:09AM GRASSROOTS THAN RUNNING, AS YOU DISCUSSED ABOUT THE MONEY.
9:45:13AM THERE'S NOTHING MORE GRASSROOTS THAN RUNNING FOR CITY
9:45:15AM COUNCIL.
9:45:16AM YOU'RE SITTING THERE MEETING WITH SIX PEOPLE OR TWO DOZEN
9:45:20AM PEOPLE, BUT YOU'RE TALKING TO PEOPLE ONE ON ONE.
9:45:23AM TALKING TO SMALL GROUPS OF FOLKS AND MANY OF OUR RACES RUN
9:45:26AM FOR MONTHS.
9:45:27AM SOME PEOPLE'S RACES RUN FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS TO RUN FOR
9:45:30AM CITY COUNCIL OR EVEN MAYOR.
9:45:32AM WHEN YOU'RE COMPETING FOR THAT MESSAGE FOR A STATE OR
9:45:38AM NATIONAL STAGE, BECAUSE OF THE SEXINESS OF ALL THOSE ISSUES
9:45:42AM AND BECAUSE OF THE MONEY INVOLVED IN GUBERNATORIAL RACES OR
9:45:45AM PRESIDENTIAL RACES, WE GET DROWNED OUT.
9:45:48AM THE ISSUES BEFORE THE CITY OF TAMPA WOULD GET COMPLETELY
9:45:51AM WASHED AWAY.
9:45:52AM RIGHT NOW WITH WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH TODAY, IF YOU THINK
9:45:54AM WE WERE STANDING ON THIS NOVEMBER BALLOT THAT ANYBODY WOULD
9:45:56AM BE PAYING ATTENTION TO CITY COUNCIL RACES?
9:45:58AM NO.
9:46:00AM COULD YOU RECRUIT, IF YOU WERE A GRASSROOTS CANDIDATE AND
9:46:04AM WANTED TO RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL, GOOD LUCK TRYING TO FIND ONE
9:46:07AM VOLUNTEER TO PUT YOUR YARD SIGNS IN A YARD THAT ISN'T GOING
9:46:10AM TO VOLUNTEER FOR A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.
9:46:12AM WE WOULD BE DROWNED OUT.
9:46:15AM YOU COULDN'T GET ANYBODY TO VOLUNTEER BECAUSE THE SEXINESS.
9:46:18AM WHETHER IT'S RIGHT OR WRONG, IT IS JUST THE REALITY THAT WE
9:46:21AM WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
9:46:22AM SO WHILE I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT, I THINK THAT THE AMOUNT
9:46:26AM OF TIME AND ATTENTION WE SPEND ON CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS IS
9:46:30AM WELL SPENT.
9:46:34AM I THINK THERE IS A REASON WE'RE HERE WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND
9:46:37AM IT'S NOT BROKE, DON'T TRY TO FIX IT.
9:46:40AM WE HAVE AN INFORMED ELECTORATE.
9:46:41AM WHEN WE GO OUT TO VOTE IN THE CITY ELECTIONS, WE HAVE SPOKEN
9:46:45AM WITH THE PEOPLE.
9:46:45AM MOST PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE US FACE
9:46:48AM TO FACE BEFORE THEY COME TO THE MARCH ELECTIONS TO VOTE FOR
9:46:54AM US.
9:46:54AM AND THAT IS A RARE PRIVILEGE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT MOST
9:46:57AM PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD DON'T ENJOY.
9:47:00AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA, CARLSON.
9:47:01AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU.
9:47:02AM IT'S AGREEABLE ON BOTH SIDES WHAT MR. CLENDENIN SAID, WHAT
9:47:05AM MR. VIERA SAID.
9:47:07AM I FIRST GOT ELECTED IN '74.
9:47:09AM NO, I'M NOT 110, BUT I'M OVER 80.
9:47:13AM SO LET ME SAY THIS.
9:47:14AM I REMEMBER THE SYSTEM THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, WE HAD.
9:47:18AM AND THAT WAS A SYSTEM WHEN YOU WENT ON THE BALLOT THAT YOU
9:47:21AM WERE RUNNING AGAINST THE BIG BOYS AND THE BIG GIRLS.
9:47:24AM HAD TO RUN AGAINST STATE OFFICIALS AND PEOPLE RUNNING FOR
9:47:28AM PRESIDENT.
9:47:29AM YOU WEREN'T ON TOP OF THE BALLOT, YOU WERE ON THE THIRD PAGE
9:47:31AM OF THE BALLOT.
9:47:32AM BY THE TIME THEY GET TO YOU, THEY WERE TIRED OF PUNCHING.
9:47:35AM YOU DIDN'T HAVE EARLY VOTING, YOU DIDN'T HAVE VOTE BY MAIL.
9:47:39AM YOU HAD ONE DAY TO VOTE AND THAT'S A PROBLEM.
9:47:42AM IF WE GOT LAZY, IT WAS TOO SIMPLE AND NOBODY GAVE A DAMN
9:47:46AM ABOUT GOING TO VOTE.
9:47:47AM THAT IS THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY.
9:47:49AM THE MORE SIMPLER YOU MAKE IT, THE HARDER IT IS TO SHOW UP.
9:47:53AM IT IS A SHAME THAT THIS COUNTRY UNDER THE SYSTEM WE HAVE
9:47:56AM WITH EARLY VOTING, BY THE WAY, AT THAT TIME, THEY WOULD PAY
9:48:00AM TO MAIL TO YOUR HOUSE.
9:48:02AM AT THAT TIME, YOU HAD TO PAY BACK TO THE HOUSE.
9:48:04AM SEND IT BACK.
9:48:05AM DIDN'T SEND YOU AN ENVELOPE WITH PREPAID POSTAGE.
9:48:08AM NUMBER TWO, YOU COULD ONLY VOTE EARLY IF YOU WERE OUT OF THE
9:48:15AM COUNTRY OR IN THE HOSPITAL.
9:48:20AM NOW, YOU SEND SOMETHING OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND YOU THINK IT
9:48:24AM WILL GET BACK WITHIN 14 DAYS SIGNED, WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM.
9:48:27AM IT WAS ALL CHANGED TO FIX THE SYSTEM.
9:48:32AM IF YOU GO BACK FROM THEN ON, STARTED GOING DOWN, DOWN, DOWN,
9:48:35AM AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS COUNCIL ASK FOR ANALYTICAL
9:48:39AM STUDIES FROM THE '60s WHEN THERE WAS NOTHING LIKE THAT ON
9:48:43AM WHAT PERCENT VOTED.
9:48:44AM WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR OFFICE, THE VOTE WOULD BE 40% TURNOUT.
9:48:51AM NOW IT'S IN THE TEENS.
9:48:54AM THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MONEY.
9:48:57AM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SYSTEM.
9:48:59AM THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN CHANGED VARIOUS TIMES TO FACILITATE THE
9:49:02AM VOTERS WHO GO OUT.
9:49:03AM AND THEY ARE NOT GOING OUT.
9:49:07AM THIS ELECTION FOR THE PRESIDENCY, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH
9:49:10AM CHANGE IN PHILOSOPHY ON HOW TO RUN A GOVERNMENT, I THINK
9:49:14AM YOU'LL HAVE A FANTASTIC TURNOUT BECAUSE BOTH SIDES ARE ANGRY
9:49:19AM AT EACH OTHER.
9:49:20AM EITHER GOING THIS SIDE OR THAT SIDE AND VERY FEW IN THE
9:49:23AM MIDDLE.
9:49:23AM WHAT I'M SAYING IS, THE TURNOUT, IF YOU DO WHAT WE'RE
9:49:28AM TALKING ABOUT NOW WITHOUT DOING AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF THE
9:49:31AM BIG PICTURE, AFFECTED BIG TURNOUT IN STATE ELECTIONS AND
9:49:35AM FEDERAL ELECTIONS OR JUST THE CITY THAT'S GETTING LITTLE
9:49:39AM VOTERS.
9:49:40AM I GUARANTEE YOU THEY WILL ALMOST -- I HAVEN'T DONE THE STUDY
9:49:44AM -- THAT THEY WOULD LOOK ALMOST TO THE SAME AMOUNT OF IN THE
9:49:47AM FEDERAL, THE STATE, AND THE LOCAL.
9:49:49AM THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, WHEN YOU RUN IN A BIG ELECTION,
9:49:54AM LIKE A FEDERAL ELECTION OR A STATE ELECTION, YOU CAN'T JUST
9:49:57AM HIT 8,000, 9,000, 10,000 VOTERS.
9:50:01AM YOU'LL HAVE TO HIT 200,000 VOTERS.
9:50:03AM YOU'LL NEVER RAISE THE MONEY TO DO THAT BECAUSE IT IS
9:50:09AM IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE THE BIG BOYS AND BIG GIRLS ARE TAKING ALL
9:50:13AM THAT OUT AND RIGHTLY SO, TO DO WHAT THEY DO.
9:50:17AM WHAT MR. CLENDENIN SAID IS CORRECT.
9:50:19AM THERE IS THE SIMPLEST AND MOST TO THE PUBLIC TOP OF VOTERS
9:50:23AM YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE INTERACTION WITH.
9:50:25AM YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND KNOCK ON DOORS AND DO ALL THESE
9:50:28AM THINGS.
9:50:28AM GO TO PUBLIC HEARINGS, WHAT YOU WANT TO DO OR DONE IN THE
9:50:33AM PAST COMPARED TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW.
9:50:35AM ALL THOSE THINGS THE ELECTORATE WANTS TO HEAR.
9:50:37AM YOU'LL NEVER HEAR THAT AGAIN IN A FEDERAL OR STATE ELECTION
9:50:40AM BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME.
9:50:42AM WHAT IS THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE OTHER PARTY OR NONPARTISAN
9:50:48AM PARTY AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT NOWADAYS.
9:50:52AM WHAT WE HAVE HERE, IF THE VOTER DOESN'T TURN OUT WITH EARLY
9:50:57AM MAIL, EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY, SHAME ON THEM.
9:51:03AM WE'VE DONE ALL WE CAN DO TO FACILITATE THE VOTERS WHO COME
9:51:06AM OUT.
9:51:09AM FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY ARE NOT COMING OUT.
9:51:11AM MAYBE THEY ARE FED UP WITH THE SYSTEM.
9:51:13AM I DON'T KNOW.
9:51:14AM BUT I'M TELLING YOU THAT THEY HAVE EVERY AVENUE, MUCH MORE
9:51:18AM HIGHER THAN 40%.
9:51:20AM IT'S A SHAME THAT A DEMOCRACY LIKE THIS COUNTRY STAYS HOME.
9:51:24AM THAT'S THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY.
9:51:26AM THANK YOU.
9:51:26AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON AND MYSELF.
9:51:31AM >>BILL CARLSON: THERE IS NOT, DESPITE ARGUMENTS ON BOTH
9:51:34AM SIDES, THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER ON THIS ISSUE.
9:51:37AM IT'S NOT A CHOICE BETWEEN REPRESENTATION OR NO
9:51:39AM REPRESENTATION OR DISENFRANCHISING PEOPLE OR REPRESENTING
9:51:43AM THEM.
9:51:44AM IT IS A PHILOSOPHICAL DIFFERENCE.
9:51:46AM MY VIEW IS THAT THE CITY OF TAMPA AND VOTERS OF TAMPA
9:51:51AM DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR OWN ELECTION.
9:51:52AM IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE ISSUES OF TAMPA.
9:51:54AM HOW DO WE KNOW IT'S NOT A RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER?
9:51:57AM I WENT TO GRADUATE SCHOOL SO THAT I COULD FIND THE ANSWER.
9:52:00AM I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IS THE MATH I CAN DO TO FIND THE
9:52:03AM ANSWER?
9:52:03AM I SAT IN CLASSES LIKE ONE OF THE ECONOMISTS I SAT IN WAS
9:52:07AM NAMED JEFFREY SACHS.
9:52:09AM I WATCHED HIM DO PAGES AND PAGES AND PAGES AND PAGES OF
9:52:12AM MATH.
9:52:13AM AT THE END OF IT, HE WOULD GET A DIFFERENT ANSWER THAN AN
9:52:18AM EQUALLY TRAINED ECONOMIST WITH A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW.
9:52:21AM AND THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT WE ALL START WITH THE FRAMEWORK,
9:52:26AM OR THE PHILOSOPHICAL FRAMEWORK THAT WE HAVE AND THAT BIASES
9:52:30AM ALL THE MATH WE DO.
9:52:31AM WE CAN PROVIDE ALL KINDS OF MATH AND DATA.
9:52:34AM I FOUND OUT THERE IS NOT A RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER.
9:52:36AM IT IS A PHILOSOPHICAL DIFFERENCE.
9:52:38AM BOTH SIDES CAN SHOW INFORMATION.
9:52:43AM BUT IT'S NOT WHETHER WE WANT TO REPRESENT OR NOT.
9:52:46AM ON POLICY, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN THINGS THAT YOU TRY AND
9:52:51AM YOU SEE WHAT IT ENDS UP BEING.
9:52:55AM THE OTHER ISSUE IS CAMPAIGN MONEY WAS BROUGHT UP.
9:52:58AM I HELPED YOLIE CAPIN WITH HER ELECTION CAMPAIGN.
9:53:03AM I THINK SHE SPENT $40,000.
9:53:06AM I THINK GUIDO SPENDS THAT MUCH.
9:53:09AM LUCKY DOESN'T HAVE TO SPEND THAT MUCH TO GET ELECTED.
9:53:11AM LAST ELECTION COUNCILMAN VIERA MENTIONED MY ELECTION, I
9:53:15AM SPENT ABOUT 120 TO 150 THOUSAND.
9:53:18AM THE OTHER SIDE, COUNTING THE SOFT MONEY WE COULD FIND, I
9:53:21AM THINK MORE WE COULDN'T FIND, PROBABLY 850,000.
9:53:24AM LIKE 7 TO 1.
9:53:27AM AS BEST WE CAN TELL ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS SPENT AGAINST
9:53:30AM LYNN HURTAK AND SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 100 TO 150 THOUSAND TO
9:53:34AM SPEND.
9:53:35AM WE SAW CRAZY AMOUNTS OF MONEY SPENT ON THE CAMPAIGN.
9:53:38AM LIKE YOU SAID, IT DIDN'T WORK.
9:53:41AM THE EXTRA MONEY DIDN'T WORK.
9:53:42AM IMAGINE IF WE WERE ON A CYCLE WHERE WE HAD TO COMPETE WITH
9:53:45AM THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS AND COUNTY COMMISSIONS AND
9:53:48AM OTHERS.
9:53:49AM THE BIG ISSUE NOT JUST WE HAVE TO RAISE MORE MONEY TO GET
9:53:53AM THROUGH THE CLUTTER, NOBODY WOULD HEAR ABOUT THE CITY
9:53:56AM ISSUES, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO SPEND MORE MONEY BECAUSE THEY
9:54:00AM WERE BUYING UP ALL THE MEDIA.
9:54:02AM THE OTHER THING IS, WHY -- WE LOOKED AT DATA PEOPLE
9:54:06AM CIRCULATED ABOUT THE LOW VOTER TURNOUT.
9:54:08AM BUT THE VOTE IS PARTLY DEPENDENT ON THE TOP OF THE TICKET.
9:54:12AM HOW MY MIRANDA MENTIONED THERE IS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT ABOUT
9:54:15AM THE TWO PEOPLE AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET THIS TIME.
9:54:17AM IF THERE'S EXCITEMENT ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, THERE ARE A
9:54:20AM LOT OF PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT IT.
9:54:22AM IN THIS CASE, THE MAYOR DID NOT HAVE AN OPPONENT.
9:54:25AM IF THE MAYOR DOESN'T HAVE AN OPPONENT, PEOPLE AREN'T GOING
9:54:29AM TO SHOW UP.
9:54:30AM THEY ARE NOT AS EXCITED ABOUT IT.
9:54:31AM NOT AS EXCITED ABOUT CITY COUNCIL AS THEY ARE VOTING FOR
9:54:34AM MAYOR.
9:54:34AM DESPITE THE FACT MAYOR HAD NO OPPONENT, 40 PERCENT OF PEOPLE
9:54:40AM WHO VOTED FOR COUNCIL EITHER DID NOT VOTE FOR MAYOR AT ALL.
9:54:44AM THEY CHOSE TO VOTE FOR NO ONE, OR THEY WROTE SOMEBODY ELSE'S
9:54:48AM NAME IN.
9:54:49AM THAT'S ALSO A SIGNAL THAT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE SMART.
9:54:54AM THEY ARE MAKING CHOICES.
9:54:55AM IF THEY DON'T LIKE THE CHOICES, THEY'LL SKIP VOTES AND VOTE
9:54:58AM ON THE ONES THEY WANT.
9:54:59AM WE KNOW PEOPLE SKIP VOTES DOWN BALLOT, ANOTHER ISSUE.
9:55:03AM DOWN BALLOT FATIGUE.
9:55:05AM THE MORE YOU HAVE ON A BALLOT, THE LESS PEOPLE MIGHT BE ABLE
9:55:08AM TO PAY ATTENTION TO IT.
9:55:10AM I THINK OF MYSELF AS BEING PRETTY INVOLVED, BUT KNOWING ALL
9:55:14AM THE JUDGES THAT ARE RUNNING, ALL THE AMENDMENTS, ALL THE
9:55:17AM CHARTER AMENDMENTS, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO KNOW ALL OF
9:55:20AM THAT.
9:55:20AM I THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO SPLIT IT AMONG A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT
9:55:24AM ELECTIONS.
9:55:24AM THE OTHER THING IS WE FIND WE ARE A NONPARTISAN RACE BUT
9:55:27AM STILL OUR RACES BECAME SOMEWHAT PARTISAN, SHOULDN'T HAVE BUT
9:55:31AM THEY DID.
9:55:32AM AND IF WE WERE RUNNING NOW, WE WOULD BE RUNNING IN A HIGHLY
9:55:36AM PARTISAN ENVIRONMENT.
9:55:37AM WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, PEOPLE WOULD GO DOWN THE TICKET AND THE
9:55:40AM PARTIES WOULD BE IDENTIFYING PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR PARTY
9:55:45AM AFFILIATION AND PEOPLE WOULD VOTE BY PARTY.
9:55:47AM IF YOU ARE A DIFFERENT PARTY THAN ANY OF THE FOLKS HERE, YOU
9:55:51AM MIGHT LIKE ELECTION DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL, GUBERNATORIAL
9:55:55AM RACE BECAUSE IT WOULD HELP WITH PEOPLE VOTING BIPARTISAN.
9:55:58AM THE OTHER THING IS I THINK CITY ISSUES DESERVE TO BE
9:56:01AM DISCUSSED.
9:56:01AM TOILET TO TAP WAS THE BIGGEST ISSUE OF OUR ELECTION.
9:56:04AM IT WOULDN'T BE NOW.
9:56:05AM BIKING WHILE BLACK WAS AN ISSUE.
9:56:07AM THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE.
9:56:09AM LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS THAT I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING
9:56:12AM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA SAID ABOUT OUR RIGHT AND
9:56:15AM RESPONSIBILITY TO VOTE.
9:56:17AM ONE OF THE REASONS WHY VOTING IS SO LOW IS BECAUSE IN THE
9:56:21AM UNITED STATES YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO VOTE OR NOT VOTE.
9:56:24AM IN THE UNITED STATES YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO VOTE OR NOT
9:56:27AM VOTE.
9:56:27AM THE COUNTRIES THAT HAVE VERY HIGH VOTING IT'S BECAUSE THEY
9:56:30AM FORCE TO YOU VOTE.
9:56:31AM THEY'LL FINE YOU OR THROW YOU IN JAIL IF YOU DON'T VOTE.
9:56:34AM IN THE UNITED STATES, WE DON'T REQUIRE THAT.
9:56:35AM THE PUBLIC IS SMART.
9:56:37AM THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND THEY ARE CHOOSING NOT TO VOTE
9:56:40AM DESPITE ALL THE MONEY THAT THE PARTIES SPEND, ALL THE MONEY
9:56:44AM SPENT, THEY ARE CHOOSING NOT TO VOTE.
9:56:46AM THAT'S NOT THE FAULT OF WHEN IT IS.
9:56:48AM THE FOLKS AREN'T MOTIVATED.
9:56:50AM WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF GETTING THEM ENGAGED.
9:56:53AM THANK YOU.
9:56:53AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:56:53AM I'VE DONE MY OWN ANALYSIS OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS.
9:56:58AM WHAT I LOOKED AT WAS, I FIRST RAN IN 2011 AND I LOST.
9:57:03AM I LOOKED AT WHY I LOST.
9:57:04AM I LOOKED AT VOTER TURNOUT AND THAT WAS A BIG MAYOR'S RACE.
9:57:08AM YOU HAD A FORMER MAYOR COMING BACK AND A LOT OF NEW
9:57:11AM CANDIDATES.
9:57:12AM ESTABLISHED ELECTED OFFICIALS.
9:57:13AM SO THERE WAS A LOT OF ENERGY BEHIND IT.
9:57:16AM BUT WHAT I NOTICED WAS MORE PEOPLE VOTED FOR MAYOR THAN THEY
9:57:20AM DID FOR THE THREE CITYWIDE CITY COUNCIL SEATS.
9:57:25AM IF IT WAS 10,000 VOTES FOR MAYOR, IT WAS 7500 -- I'M JUST
9:57:28AM THROWING NUMBERS OUT.
9:57:30AM BUT I GO WHY WOULDN'T THEY FINISH THE BALLOT?
9:57:32AM I REMEMBER HEARING PEOPLE SAYING I VOTED FOR GRECO, VOTED
9:57:36AM FOR THIS.
9:57:37AM AND THAT WAS IT.
9:57:38AM THEY DIDN'T FINISH THE BALLOT.
9:57:39AM THAT WAS ONE THING.
9:57:40AM NUMBER TWO, VOTER TURNOUT IN THIS LAST PRIMARY ELECTION, I
9:57:46AM TOOK MY WIFE TO THE WEST TAMPA LIBRARY TO VOTE EARLY AND I
9:57:49AM HAD OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.
9:57:51AM LET'S GO VOTE.
9:57:53AM I'M DRIVING.
9:57:54AM LITERALLY DOWN THE STREET.
9:57:55AM NO, NOT GOING TO VOTE.
9:57:57AM TWO FAMILY MEMBERS, NOT GOING TO VOTE.
9:57:59AM WON'T NAME THEM.
9:57:59AM YOU COMPLAIN.
9:58:00AM YOU LOOK AT THE NEWS.
9:58:01AM YOU WANT YOUR VOICE TO BE HEARD AND AT THE END OF THE DAY
9:58:04AM YOU DON'T EVEN VOTE.
9:58:05AM SO THERE'S THAT.
9:58:06AM GETTING BACK TO A COUPLE OF THINGS I HEARD OVER THE YEARS,
9:58:12AM MAYBE COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA, YOU GOT ELECTED IN 1974, AND
9:58:15AM SOMETHING MAYOR GRECO SAID WHEN HE GOT ELECTED IN 1967, HE
9:58:18AM SAID VOTER TURNOUT IN THE CITY OF TAMPA WAS AROUND 60%.
9:58:22AM DIDN'T HAVE EARLY VOTE, VOTE BY MAIL.
9:58:25AM YOU HAD TO GO ELECTION DAY AND STAND IN LINE.
9:58:27AM HE WAS RUNNING AGAINST AN INCUMBENT AND BEAT THE INCUMBENT
9:58:31AM IN 1967.
9:58:33AM YOU'VE SEEN A GRADUAL DECREASE.
9:58:35AM THE MORE CONVENIENT WE MAKE IT, THE LESS PEOPLE VOTE, WHICH
9:58:39AM I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
9:58:39AM THEN VOTE BY MAIL.
9:58:42AM DON'T TRUST THE PROCESS.
9:58:43AM THEN TAKE YOUR BALLOT TO THE POLLING PLACE.
9:58:45AM NO, DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO THAT.
9:58:47AM IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING.
9:58:50AM IT FEELS LIKE THE MORE RESTRICTIVE WAS MEANING YOU HAD TO
9:58:53AM VOTE ON ELECTION DAY, PEOPLE CAME OUT TO VOTE.
9:58:55AM TAMPA WAS DIFFERENT.
9:58:56AM TAMPA WAS SMALLER.
9:58:57AM I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REASON IS.
9:58:58AM NOW WE HAVE SUCH QUICK ACCESS TO INFORMATION, NOT JUST THE
9:59:03AM MAILERS IN THE MAILBOX, BUT INUNDATED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
9:59:06AM WE TALK ABOUT GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT THERE, SO MANY
9:59:08AM AVENUES.
9:59:09AM KNOCK ON DOORS, SEND MAILERS, COLLECT PETITIONS TO GET ON
9:59:13AM THE BALLOT.
9:59:13AM YOU PAY FOR A Facebook AD.
9:59:16AM SO MANY THINGS YET PEOPLE DON'T COME OUT TO VOTE.
9:59:19AM COUNCILMAN CARLSON BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT, THE LAST CITY
9:59:22AM ELECTION WAS NOT COMPETITIVE FROM THE MAYORAL STANDPOINT
9:59:25AM BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OPPOSITION EXCEPT THE OPPORTUNITY TO
9:59:28AM WRITE IN SOMEBODY, SO THE ENERGY IS NOT THERE.
9:59:31AM LIKE I LIKE TO SAY, 90% OF THE PEOPLE COMPLAIN, 12% OF THE
9:59:34AM PEOPLE COME OUT TO VOTE.
9:59:35AM WE GET E-MAILS FROM PEOPLE.
9:59:37AM PEOPLE AT PUBLIC COMMENT, WE GET SO MANY THINGS BUT THEN AT
9:59:40AM THE BALLOT BOX, THE NUMBERS ARE DISMAL.
9:59:44AM AND NOT EVEN TO SAY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING TO
9:59:48AM HAVE THEIR RIGHTS RESTORED TO VOTE.
9:59:50AM THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO VOTE THAT CAN'T VOTE BECAUSE
9:59:52AM OF STATE LAW, BECAUSE OF SO MANY OTHER THINGS.
9:59:55AM THE FOLKS THAT ARE ABLE TO VOTE I THINK THEY TAKE IT FOR
9:59:59AM GRANTED.
10:00:00AM THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT PEOPLE THE MOST, PEOPLE ASK ME, WHY
10:00:02AM DO YOU RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL AND NOT ANY OTHER OFFICE?
10:00:05AM BECAUSE IF YOUR STREET FLOODS, IF THE TRASH IS NOT PICKED
10:00:08AM UP, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT YOU TODAY.
10:00:10AM IF THE PRESIDENT SAYS SOMETHING, NOT GOING TO BE AS
10:00:12AM EFFECTIVE.
10:00:13AM GOVERNOR SAYS SOMETHING, NOT AS EFFECTIVE AT WHAT HAPPENS AT
10:00:17AM THE LOCAL MUNICIPAL LEVEL.
10:00:19AM YET YOU WOULD THINK SINCE IT AFFECTS PEOPLE THE MOST, MORE
10:00:22AM PROMINENTLY, THAT MORE PEOPLE WOULD VOTE.
10:00:24AM THINK 60, 70, 80 PERCENT VOTER TURNOUT, BUT YOU DON'T.
10:00:27AM IN REGARDS TO THE MONEY THING AND BEING ON A LONGER BALLOT
10:00:30AM AND COMPETING WITH OTHER FUND-RAISING, I'VE NEVER RAISED A
10:00:33AM LOT OF MONEY.
10:00:34AM IN THE LAST CAMPAIGN, I TRIED NOT TO SPEND ANYTHING EXTRA.
10:00:39AM I DIDN'T HIRE CONSULTANTS.
10:00:40AM I THINK I PAID ONE PERSON TO VOLUNTEER -- PAID THEM TO GO
10:00:45AM DOOR TO DOOR, BUT I HAD MONEY LEFT OVER AND GAVE IT TO
10:00:47AM CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS.
10:00:48AM IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY BECAUSE I'VE NEVER RAISED MONEY
10:00:52AM LIKE OTHER PEOPLE.
10:00:53AM THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, RUNNING FOR OTHER OFFICE I'VE NEVER
10:00:57AM RAISED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
10:00:58AM I THINK THE MOST WAS THIS LAST ELECTION CYCLE WHEN I GAVE A
10:01:02AM THIRD OF THAT TO CHARITY.
10:01:03AM I DON'T KNOW.
10:01:05AM THE THING IS, WHY DON'T PEOPLE VOTE?
10:01:07AM WHY DON'T PEOPLE VOTE?
10:01:09AM IT'S EXCITING TO ME.
10:01:10AM I'M NOT A BIG SPORTS PERSON.
10:01:12AM MY SUPER BOWL IS ELECTION DAY.
10:01:14AM I LOVE WATCHING THE DATA.
10:01:15AM I LOVE LISTENING TO SEE HOW THE TURNOUT IS.
10:01:19AM BECAUSE, AGAIN, THESE ARE ISSUES THAT AFFECT US.
10:01:22AM CITY OF TAMPA, I MEAN, I COULD -- I KNOW I HAVE FIVE
10:01:26AM MINUTES, BUT I COULD GO ON AND ON AS TO THE THINGS THAT
10:01:30AM AFFECT PEOPLE THE MOST AND WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT AT THE
10:01:33AM MUNICIPAL LEVEL.
10:01:34AM I'LL STOP THERE.
10:01:37AM COUNCIL MEMBER HENDERSON?
10:01:38AM NO.
10:01:39AM VIERA.
10:01:39AM >>GWEN HENDERSON: I'LL SAY A LITTLE BIT.
10:01:41AM LISTENING TO YOU ALL, JUST THINKING BACK TO THE $20,000, I
10:01:48AM THINK $24,000 I RAISED, WHICH WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND I FELT
10:01:53AM LIKE THAT WAS A LOT OF MONEY.
10:01:54AM I DIDN'T REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE TO GIVE A LOT OF MONEY.
10:01:57AM SO I HAD TO USE IT WISELY.
10:02:00AM I THINK THAT ALSO ELIMINATES PEOPLE FROM WANTING TO RUN FOR
10:02:03AM OFFICE IS THAT IT DOES COST MONEY TO CAMPAIGN AND TO PUT
10:02:08AM PEOPLE OUT THERE.
10:02:09AM MY SMALL SEVEN MEMBER TEAM AND $24,000 GOT THE JOB DONE FOR
10:02:15AM ME AND I FEEL FORTUNATE.
10:02:17AM IF IT WAS A LARGER RACE, I THINK IT WOULD ALL BE LOST IN
10:02:21AM TRANSLATION TO ALL THE OTHER ELECTIONS THAT ARE BIGGER THAN
10:02:25AM LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
10:02:26AM SO I'D LIKE THE PROCESS THE WAY IT IS.
10:02:29AM ALSO, ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKED WAS IT WAS A SHORT ELECTION
10:02:33AM CYCLE.
10:02:34AM IT DOESN'T TAKE RUNNING FOR OFFICE FOR A YEAR OR TWO YEARS,
10:02:38AM EVEN THOUGH SOME PEOPLE SAID I SHOULD GET STARTED ON THE
10:02:41AM SECOND ELECTION.
10:02:42AM I JUST THINK IT'S OKAY THE WAY THAT IT IS.
10:02:46AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN VIERA.
10:02:47AM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR YOUR THOUGHTS.
10:02:49AM IN CLOSING FOR ME, AGAIN, OUR ELECTION AS WE SET UP RIGHT
10:02:53AM NOW, WE DON'T HEAR FROM TAMPA.
10:02:56AM WE DO NOT HEAR FROM OUR CITY OF TAMPA WHEN IT COMES TO
10:02:59AM RACES.
10:03:00AM A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS, IF I MAY.
10:03:02AM IN 2019, WE HAD I THINK IT WAS A 24% MAYORAL TURNOUT.
10:03:07AM THE TURNOUT FOR THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION THE YEAR BEFORE
10:03:11AM THAT WAS ABOUT 61%.
10:03:12AM THE TURNOUT FOUR YEARS LATER WAS ABOUT 51% I BELIEVE IT WAS
10:03:16AM IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
10:03:17AM I RAN AGAIN IN 2019 IN A PRESIDENTIAL RACE.
10:03:21AM WE HAD SIX PEOPLE IN DISTRICT 7, THE SLEEPY DISTRICT, A LOT
10:03:26AM OF PEOPLE GO OUT AND WE GOT A LOT OF PROMOTION.
10:03:28AM WE HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT CAMPAIGN EVENTS, ET CETERA.
10:03:32AM I DON'T WANT THIS, IF I HAD MY WAY, TO BE ON PRESIDENTIAL
10:03:34AM ELECTIONS.
10:03:35AM I WOULD RATHER HAVE IT ON GUBERNATORIAL.
10:03:37AM I THINK THAT IS A VERY GOOD BALANCE.
10:03:39AM ONE THING I DO WANT TO MAKE CLEAR, BY THE WAY, WE ARE
10:03:42AM CHARGED BETWEEN 500 AND $700,000 FOR THESE ELECTIONS.
10:03:46AM YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WE WOULD GET CHARGED IF WE DID IT IN
10:03:50AM EVEN-YEAR ELECTIONS?
10:03:51AM ZERO.
10:03:53AM ZERO.
10:03:53AM ZERO DOLLARS.
10:03:54AM WE'VE CONFIRMED THAT WITH THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS.
10:03:57AM WE WOULD GET CHARGED NOTHING FOR THAT.
10:04:00AM AGAIN, WE SPEND BETWEEN HALF A MILLION TO THREE-QUARTERS OF
10:04:03AM A MILLION DOLLARS EVERY ELECTION CYCLE FOR AN ELECTION WHERE
10:04:08AM FEWER PEOPLE TURN OUT.
10:04:09AM I DISAGREE, TOO, THAT THIS WOULD BENEFIT ONE PARTY OR THE
10:04:13AM OTHER.
10:04:13AM IN FACT, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, TAKE A LOOK AT PRECINCTS 338,
10:04:18AM 308, 309, 321, 325 WHERE THE CUTOFF WAS ABOUT 20 POINTS
10:04:23AM HIGHER THAN BAYSHORE AND TAMPA PALMS AND SEE WHO THEY VOTED
10:04:26AM FOR PRESIDENT.
10:04:27AM OKAY.
10:04:28AM THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY.
10:04:30AM I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE OUR
10:04:31AM ELECTIONS MORE DIVERSE AND MORE LOOK LIKE TAMPA BECAUSE
10:04:34AM AGAIN, RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HEAR FROM TAMPA.
10:04:37AM AGAIN, I RESPECT FOLKS' OPINIONS ON THIS, ET CETERA.
10:04:40AM SO WHAT I SUGGEST THAT WE DO IS I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO
10:04:43AM MAKE A MOTION FOR IT.
10:04:45AM BUT IS TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA TO SEE 2027 IS A LONG
10:04:51AM TIME AWAY, TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO IN 2027 TO BETTER PROMOTE
10:04:55AM OUR CITY ELECTIONS.
10:04:57AM I BELIEVE THAT ALL WE DO IS SOME Facebook ADS, I THINK,
10:05:02AM AND THAT'S IT.
10:05:02AM JUST A Facebook POST.
10:05:04AM THERE SHOULD BE MORE TO GET PEOPLE OUT THERE.
10:05:06AM IF COUNCIL ISN'T GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THIS, THAT'S FINE.
10:05:10AM 110%.
10:05:11AM PEOPLE CAN DISAGREE.
10:05:12AM WE SHOULD LOOK AT OTHER THINGS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, WE
10:05:15AM DON'T HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE OF TAMPA.
10:05:18AM BY THE WAY, CHAIRMAN MANISCALCO, ON THE VOTING THING, I
10:05:22AM AGREE WITH YOU.
10:05:23AM THAT'S MY SUPER BOWL.
10:05:24AM I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE SPORT SINCE 1990 BASEBALL.
10:05:27AM GOT OUT OF IT DURING THE STRIKE, UNFORTUNATELY.
10:05:29AM I REGRET THAT ACTUALLY.
10:05:30AM BUT THE DAY I TURNED 18, I WENT TO REGISTER TO VOTE AND IT
10:05:34AM WAS A PATRIOTIC THING FOR ME TO DO.
10:05:36AM I KNOW WE ALL AGREE THAT'S WHY WE'RE IN OFFICE.
10:05:38AM AGAIN, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OTHER ALTERNATIVES BECAUSE RIGHT
10:05:41AM NOW WE DON'T HEAR FROM TAMPA.
10:05:42AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA AND CLENDENIN.
10:05:44AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD
10:05:47AM DISCUSSION ON EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
10:05:50AM IN FACT, THE AMOUNT OF CANDIDATES THAT COME OUT TO SEEK
10:05:56AM OFFICE HAS GONE DOWN.
10:05:58AM I REMEMBER BACK IN THOSE DAYS, IT WASN'T FOUR OR FIVE
10:06:01AM CANDIDATES OR TWO CANDIDATES IN ONE RACE.
10:06:03AM THE LAST RACE I RAN IN THE COUNTY THERE WAS EIGHT OR NINE OF
10:06:08AM US.
10:06:09AM IN FACT, THE 1972, THAT'S WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
10:06:12AM I WENT TO REGISTER TO VOTE -- I MEAN, REGISTER TO SEEK
10:06:15AM OFFICE AND THE QUALIFYING FEE WAS $900.
10:06:19AM AND I HAD THE CHECK MADE OUT FOR $900 AND ASKED THE
10:06:23AM GENTLEMAN, I SAID LET ME ASK YOU THIS.
10:06:26AM IF -- CAN I RUN FOR OFFICE WITHOUT PAYING QUALIFYING FEE?
10:06:32AM NO, SORRY.
10:06:33AM I CAN -- I CAN VOTE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE THAT QUALIFIES BUT IF
10:06:36AM I WANT TO BE THE CANDIDATE, I HAVE TO PAY $900 TO VOTE FOR
10:06:40AM MYSELF.
10:06:41AM YEAH, THAT'S THE LAW.
10:06:42AM I SAID, OKAY, THANK YOU.
10:06:45AM NOT BECAUSE OF ME.
10:06:46AM IT WAS BECAUSE OF MY WIFE, THE FEDERAL JUDGE GAVE ME FOUR
10:06:51AM DAYS TO GET 3,000 SIGNATURES OF REGISTERED VOTERS AND PUT ME
10:06:54AM ON THE BALLOT FOR NOTHING.
10:06:56AM 4200 IN TWO DAYS WITH HER FRIENDS.
10:07:02AM IN FACT, BETTY CASTOR WON THE RACE.
10:07:05AM CHARLIE MIRANDA WAS THIRD.
10:07:09AM ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE OTHERS IN THE RACE.
10:07:11AM SO THERE'S WHY I LEARNED A LOT.
10:07:14AM IF YOU REALLY WANT TO LEARN ABOUT POLITICS, YOU LEARN WHEN
10:07:17AM YOU LOSE, NOT WHEN YOU WIN.
10:07:19AM YOU LEARN WHERE THE VOTE COMES FROM.
10:07:21AM LEARN IN THE COUNTY I GOT MY BUTT KICKED FROM HERE TO
10:07:25AM ARIZONA AND BACK BUT IN THE CITY I DID QUITE WELL.
10:07:29AM '74 I RAN FOR OFFICE.
10:07:31AM YOU HAVE TO LEARN IT IS A PROCESS.
10:07:32AM YOU CAN'T GO FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO THE MAJORS, MAYBE ONE OR
10:07:35AM TWO INDIVIDUALS HAVE DONE THAT, IN ANY SPORT.
10:07:38AM BUT YOU CAN DO THAT IN POLITICS OR SEEK AN OFFICE IF YOU
10:07:42AM HAVE ENOUGH FRIENDS AND ENOUGH FAMILY WITH YOUR SUPPORT.
10:07:46AM THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY.
10:07:47AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YOU LEARN WHEN YOU LOSE.
10:07:49AM I LOST IN 2011 AND I STUDIED THE NUMBERS AND I SAID, BECAUSE
10:07:53AM I RAN IN '15 FOR YOUR SEAT, IT WAS VACANT.
10:07:57AM I SAID THIS IS HOW MANY VOTES I NEED.
10:07:59AM I CAME WITHIN 60 VOTES OF MY GUESSTIMATE.
10:08:06AM YEAH, STUDY THE DATA.
10:08:08AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS AND THAT IS JUST
10:08:11AM PONTIFICATION, PART OF THE REASON WHY OUR ELECTION TURNOUT
10:08:14AM IS SO LOW IS, ONE, THINGS ARE PRETTY GOOD IN THE CITY OF
10:08:16AM TAMPA.
10:08:17AM WE LIVE IN A GREAT CITY.
10:08:19AM LIVE IN A GREAT PLACE.
10:08:20AM PEOPLE ARE GENERALLY HAPPY.
10:08:21AM IF PEOPLE ARE UNHAPPY, THEY WOULD BE BEATING THE DOORS DOWN
10:08:26AM TO BOOT US ALL OUT.
10:08:28AM I THINK GENERALLY WE LIVE IN A GREAT CITY.
10:08:30AM THESE ARE THE GOOD TIMES.
10:08:32AM THESE ARE GOING TO BE THE GOOD OL' DAYS ONE OF THESE DAYS.
10:08:35AM SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE THING.
10:08:37AM COUNCILMAN VIERA, ONE THING I WOULD CAUTION ABOUT, THE CITY
10:08:42AM GETTING INVOLVED TOO MUCH IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS IS THUMB
10:08:48AM ON THE SCALE.
10:08:49AM YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THAT.
10:08:54AM REALLY IT IS THE CANDIDATE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MOTIVATE THE
10:08:56AM VOTERS AND GET THEM OUT TO VOTE AND THE MESSAGE WE BRING.
10:08:59AM YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN DEALING WITH THE BIG POCKETS OF
10:09:01AM GOVERNMENT THAT THEY DON'T PUT THE THUMB ON THE SCALE OF
10:09:04AM ELECTIONS.
10:09:06AM >>LUIS VIERA: THAT'S WELL TAKEN IN THE SENSE THAT I DON'T
10:09:10AM KNOW WHAT IF ANYTHING THE COUNTY DOES FOR THAT.
10:09:13AM THAT'S WHY I'M NOT MAKING A MOTION BECAUSE I WANT TO LOOK
10:09:16AM BEHIND.
10:09:16AM NO, OBVIOUSLY, WHEN ANY PUBLIC ENTITY GETS INVOLVED IN
10:09:20AM ENCOURAGING ELECTIONS, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS AS
10:09:23AM OBJECTIVE AND TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE.
10:09:25AM THAT'S WHY I'M NOT MAKING ANY MOTION.
10:09:27AM YEAH, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT.
10:09:29AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:09:29AM AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, IF THERE'S NOTHING
10:09:33AM FURTHER.
10:09:34AM WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 2?
10:09:43AM >> HUMAIRA AFZAL.
10:09:46AM SORRY, VERY DIFFICULT TO SIT AND LISTEN TO THIS.
10:09:50AM FIRST OF ALL, I'M GOING TO SAY I DO SPEAK.
10:09:52AM I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN I SPEAK.
10:09:54AM I HAVE MANY YEARS OF GRASSROOTS ACTIVISM AND ADVOCACY.
10:09:58AM MANY YEARS OF GET OUT THE VOTE WORK.
10:10:00AM Ph.D. IN POLITICAL SCIENCE.
10:10:02AM I TAUGHT ABOUT THIS.
10:10:03AM I FOLLOW THE RESEARCH.
10:10:05AM I ACTUALLY STUDIED ELECTIONS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
10:10:08AM I HAVE A COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE.
10:10:11AM WHAT I SEE IN FRONT OF ME TODAY IS AN ELECTED BODY WHO IS
10:10:14AM PERFECTLY CONTENT TO BE AT THE TOP OF THE BALLOT WHEN 10% OF
10:10:19AM PEOPLE VOTE THAN BE AT THE BOTTOM WHEN 70% OF PEOPLE VOTE.
10:10:26AM SOME OF THE REASONS, THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE DON'T VOTE BECAUSE
10:10:31AM EVERYONE IS HAPPY, LET ME TELL YOU SOME OF THE REASONS YOU
10:10:34AM TALK ABOUT THE '70s, A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE THE '70s.
10:10:39AM BACK IN THE '70s, THE DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN WHAT PEOPLE
10:10:44AM MAKE AND WHAT IT COSTS TO LIVE IS A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT THAN
10:10:47AM WHAT IT IS TODAY.
10:10:48AM TODAY, MANY PEOPLE, MAYBE THEY DON'T VOTE BECAUSE THEY ARE
10:10:51AM BUSY PAYING THE BILLS, BECAUSE RENT SKYROCKETS.
10:10:56AM THEY DON'T VOTE BECAUSE THEY SPEND AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF
10:11:00AM TIME SITTING IN TRAFFIC BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE MASS TRANSIT.
10:11:04AM THE REASON WHY I CARE IS BECAUSE WHO IS ELECTED AND WHO THEY
10:11:09AM ARE ELECTED BY HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON POLICY OUTCOMES.
10:11:15AM THE CURRENT SYSTEM WE HAVE TODAY PROTECTS THE STATUS QUO.
10:11:22AM AND WHO VOTES.
10:11:23AM IT IS DISPROPORTIONATELY WHITE.
10:11:25AM IT IS DISPROPORTIONATELY OLDER.
10:11:29AM HERE'S WHAT MANY OF YOU ARE PROBABLY NOT AWARE OF.
10:11:31AM IT IS DISPROPORTIONATELY HOMEOWNERS.
10:11:34AM WHY DO YOU THINK WE DON'T GET THE CHANGES TO MAKE HOUSING
10:11:37AM MORE AFFORDABLE?
10:11:37AM BECAUSE WHETHER YOU REALIZE IT OR NOT, YOU ARE LISTENING
10:11:41AM MORE TO THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE WHO YOU KNOW ARE GOING TO
10:11:44AM VOTE, AND IT IS DISPROPORTIONATELY THE STATUS QUO WHO IS
10:11:49AM WHITE, OLDER HOMEOWNERS.
10:11:51AM THEY WANT TO PROTECT WHAT THEY GOT.
10:11:55AM THEY ARE NOT FOR THE KINDS OF CHANGES THAT WILL MAKE THINGS
10:12:00AM MORE AFFORDABLE FOR OTHERS.
10:12:04AM I HONESTLY DIDN'T PLAN TO COME TODAY BECAUSE I KNOW HOW YOU
10:12:08AM WILL VOTE.
10:12:09AM ONE, MAYBE TWO OF YOU WHO ARE EVEN PONDERING SOME OF THE
10:12:13AM OTHER OPTIONS.
10:12:14AM BUT I JUST IMPLORE YOU, KEEP AN OPEN MIND.
10:12:18AM FEEL FREE TO TALK TO ME.
10:12:20AM I CAN GIVE YOU ALL KINDS OF REASONS.
10:12:22AM I CAN TELL YOU WHY SO MANY OF THE THINGS YOU'VE SAID IS
10:12:26AM ABSOLUTELY WRONG.
10:12:27AM I ALSO KNOW WHO YOU GUYS TARGET WHEN YOU DO WORK ON GET OUT
10:12:31AM THE VOTE.
10:12:32AM WHO DO YOU TARGET?
10:12:32AM YOU APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE WHO YOU KNOW ARE GOING TO VOTE.
10:12:35AM NONE OF YOU DO ANYTHING TO INCREASE THE VOTER POOL.
10:12:39AM ALL YOUR GET OUT THE VOTE EFFORTS, WHICH IS VERY LITTLE DOOR
10:12:42AM KNOCKING IS FOCUSED ON THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED IN THE LAST CITY
10:12:46AM COUNCIL ELECTION.
10:12:47AM NOTHING CHANGES.
10:12:49AM STATUS QUO.
10:12:50AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:12:51AM NEXT SPEAKER.
10:12:52AM YES, MA'AM.
10:12:53AM PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
10:12:56AM >> GOOD MORNING.
10:12:57AM STEPHANIE POYNOR.
10:12:58AM SANDY SANCHEZ SENT ME THIS TEXT.
10:13:01AM PEOPLE DO TELL YOU WHAT THEY THINK AND WHAT THEY WANT.
10:13:04AM AND SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS REFUSE TO LISTEN AND REACT.
10:13:07AM SO THEY FEEL LIKE VOTING IS A WASTE OF TIME.
10:13:11AM I THOUGHT THAT WAS A VERY INTERESTING POINT.
10:13:14AM I HAPPEN TO HAVE THIS WHEN I STUCK MY CALENDAR IN MY BAG
10:13:20AM THIS MORNING, THESE ARE THE VOTING RESULTS FROM THE LAST
10:13:25AM ELECTION A WEEK AGO, TWO WEEKS AGO.
10:13:28AM ANYWAY, WE HAD 190 VOTES AT THE GANDY CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
10:13:32AM I JUST LOOKED IT UP.
10:13:35AM THERE'S 4166 REGISTERED VOTERS FOR THAT PARTICULAR DISTRICT
10:13:40AM FOR OUR DISTRICT.
10:13:41AM THIS IS WHAT THEY PUT ON THE DOOR SO THAT THE NEWS STATIONS
10:13:45AM CAN COUNT THE VOTES.
10:13:46AM YOU KNOW, HERE'S WHAT I FEEL.
10:13:54AM IN THE 2023 ELECTION, I KNOW EXACTLY WHO I VOTED FOR, EVERY
10:13:57AM SINGLE SOLITARY PERSON.
10:13:59AM 2019 ELECTION I HAVE NO CLUE WHO I VOTED FOR.
10:14:02AM I'VE SAID THAT BEFORE.
10:14:03AM IT'S NOT ANYTHING NEW BECAUSE I WAS NOT INVOLVED AT ALL.
10:14:06AM BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THIS, I HANDED OUT 3,000 SLATES
10:14:10AM THIS TIME.
10:14:10AM THAT'S 10% OF THE VOTE.
10:14:12AM I HIT THAT MANY HOUSES.
10:14:13AM NOW, DID I KNOW WHO WAS REGISTERED TO VOTE AND WHO WASN'T?
10:14:16AM NO.
10:14:17AM I WENT UP AND PUT IT ON THEIR DOOR AND GAVE THEM THE
10:14:19AM OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE AND TOLD THEM THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO I
10:14:22AM WANT TO BE ON COUNCIL.
10:14:23AM SO I THINK -- AND I STRUGGLE WITH THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S
10:14:31AM IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE LEARN WHO YOU ARE.
10:14:33AM BUT PART OF THE PROBLEM IS, THE CITY OF TAMPA DOES NOT
10:14:36AM RECOGNIZE THAT YOU EXIST.
10:14:38AM THE PR DEPARTMENT DOES NOTHING WITH YOU GUYS.
10:14:42AM WHEN THEY POST SOMETHING ON Facebook, NONE OF YOU ARE
10:14:48AM TAGGED.
10:14:48AM WHEN THEY POST SOMETHING ON NEXT DOOR, NONE OF YOU ARE
10:14:52AM TAGGED.
10:14:53AM HOW IN THE HELL IS ANYBODY GOING TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE WHEN
10:14:55AM THE CITY OF TAMPA DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE MORE THAN
10:14:58AM ONE ELECTED OFFICIAL?
10:15:00AM IT'S MAYOR CASTOR'S TREE GIVE AWAY.
10:15:04AM SORRY, BUT SHE DIDN'T BUY THE TREES.
10:15:06AM SHOULDN'T HAVE HER NAME ON IT.
10:15:07AM IT SHOULD BE THE CITY OF TAMPA.
10:15:08AM THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE THESE KIND OF THINGS
10:15:13AM INTO CONSIDERATION.
10:15:13AM IF YOU WANT MORE PEOPLE TO VOTE, THEN THE CITY SHOULD BE
10:15:16AM DOING THINGS WITH ALL OF YOU.
10:15:18AM JUST LIKE THE CIT.
10:15:21AM SHE SAT RIGHT HERE BEHIND ME WHEN I SAID IT OUT LOUD THEN.
10:15:24AM NOT ONE VIDEO HAS BEEN MADE WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL TO PROMOTE
10:15:27AM THE CIT BEING PASSED.
10:15:30AM YOU GUYS HAVE GOT TO PUSH IN ON THAT.
10:15:32AM I THINK THIS ELECTION THING, BREAKS MY HEART BECAUSE WHEN
10:15:36AM COUNCIL MEMBER VIERA IS TALKING ABOUT 500 TO 700 THOUSAND
10:15:39AM DOLLARS, YOU KNOW THAT MAKES ME TWITCH BECAUSE I THINK IT'S
10:15:44AM WASTEFUL.
10:15:45AM IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, AS SOMEBODY WHO RECEIVED SIX
10:15:49AM WRITE-IN VOTES FOR MAYOR, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE
10:15:53AM FOCUS ON WHAT'S GOING ON LOCALLY AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE IN
10:15:56AM THE OFF YEARS, MAYBE THAT'S WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR CITY.
10:15:59AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:16:00AM NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
10:16:05AM >> GOOD MORNING.
10:16:06AM STEVE MICHELINI.
10:16:07AM I WAS WITH THE CITY WHEN THEY CHANGED IT FROM NOVEMBER TO
10:16:12AM THE MARCH ELECTIONS.
10:16:14AM AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR GOT TOGETHER AND DECIDED
10:16:18AM THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE ON THE DOWNSIDE OF THE BALLOT.
10:16:22AM IT WAS DIFFICULT RAISING MONEY FOR AN ELECTION AND GETTING
10:16:26AM VOLUNTEERS AND GETTING MATERIALS AND GETTING ON, IF YOU HAD
10:16:29AM MEDIA, WHETHER IT WAS TV OR RADIO.
10:16:31AM IT WAS SO DIFFICULT THAT THEY DECIDED THEY WANTED TO MOVE
10:16:34AM THE DATE.
10:16:35AM AND THAT WAS UNDER BOB MARTINEZ.
10:16:38AM AND THEY VOTED FOR THAT.
10:16:40AM I DON'T THINK THERE WERE ANY DISSENTING VOTES REGARDING
10:16:43AM THAT, BUT PERSONALLY, I CAN TELL YOU, AS MR. VIERA HAD
10:16:46AM POINTED OUT, THAT THE DAY I WAS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE I SIGNED UP
10:16:53AM AND I'VE BEEN VOTING FOR EVERY ELECTION, EVERY SPECIAL
10:16:56AM ELECTION, EVERY PRIMARY SINCE.
10:17:01AM I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT ANYBODY CAN FIND ONE ELECTION
10:17:04AM I DIDN'T VOTE IN.
10:17:06AM SO I GET ON THESE LISTS OF SUPER VOTERS AND THEY SEND ME
10:17:10AM EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD.
10:17:11AM I CONSIDER THAT A PRIVILEGE AND QUITE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT
10:17:16AM I VOTE THE ENTIRE BALLOT, NOT JUST PORTIONS OF THE BALLOT.
10:17:21AM I THINK IT IS CONFUSING.
10:17:23AM IT'S ALSO UP TO THE COMMUNITY TO GET OUT THE VOTE AND IT
10:17:27AM TAKES A LOT OF WORK TO DO THAT.
10:17:29AM IT'S NOT JUST THE COMMUNITY EFFORTS AND GRASSROOTS, WALKING
10:17:33AM THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND TELLING PEOPLE WHAT'S GOING ON.
10:17:35AM I CAN TELL YOU THAT FOR THE MOST PART IN EVERY ELECTION,
10:17:39AM MOST FOLKS DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
10:17:43AM I DON'T HAVE AN EXPLANATION FOR THAT EXCEPT FOR THE FACT
10:17:46AM THAT THEY DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR
10:17:49AM COMMUNITY.
10:17:50AM BUT LATER ON, WHEN AN ISSUE COMES UP, THEY ARE ALL DOWN HERE
10:17:54AM COMPLAINING TO YOU ABOUT SOME ISSUE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND
10:17:58AM YOU DIDN'T REPRESENT ME OR DIDN'T LISTEN TO ME.
10:18:01AM IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ALL YOUR FAULT, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW
10:18:06AM YOU COMMUNICATE TO THE COMMUNITY TO GET OUT AND EXERCISE
10:18:10AM YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE.
10:18:11AM AS MR. CARLSON POINTED OUT, IT'S A PRIVILEGE.
10:18:14AM YOU'RE NOT FORCED TO DO IT.
10:18:16AM YOU HAVE A CHOICE.
10:18:17AM EXERCISE IT.
10:18:18AM I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU EXERCISE FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY WITHOUT
10:18:22AM GETTING OUT AND VOTING.
10:18:23AM AND PEOPLE COME DOWN HERE.
10:18:26AM MAYBE ONE OF THE QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK THEM, ARE YOU
10:18:28AM REGISTERED TO VOTE AND DID YOU VOTE IN THE LAST ELECTION?
10:18:31AM I THINK YOU'LL BE SURPRISED AND SHOCKED AT THE NUMBER OF
10:18:35AM PEOPLE THAT, "OH, I FORGOT" OR "I DIDN'T GET IT DONE."
10:18:40AM OR "I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO WIN ANYWAY SO I DIDN'T
10:18:43AM VOTE."
10:18:44AM THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF EXCUSES.
10:18:46AM I DON'T REALLY HAVE A POSITION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER,
10:18:49AM NOVEMBER VERSUS MARCH.
10:18:51AM AND WE DISCUSSED THIS YESTERDAY AT THE TBBA MEETING.
10:18:55AM EVERYONE IS WATCHING TO SEE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND WE'LL
10:18:58AM FOLLOW IN STEP.
10:18:59AM IT'S DIFFICULT UNDER THE BEST CIRCUMSTANCES TO GET PEOPLE TO
10:19:02AM VOTE.
10:19:03AM I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU SOLVE THAT.
10:19:05AM IT'S A MENTAL ISSUE AND COMMITMENT TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
10:19:11AM SIMPLY DOESN'T HAPPEN.
10:19:13AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU.
10:19:13AM NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
10:19:16AM >> MENTESNOT.
10:19:18AM IT'S A GREAT DISCUSSION.
10:19:20AM BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, CAPITALISM AND COLONIALISM
10:19:27AM DON'T HAVE TO GIVE YOU ANY INCENTIVE, ANY INITIATIVE, ANY
10:19:34AM ENTHUSIASM ABOUT PARTICIPATING IN THAT PROCESS BECAUSE IT
10:19:38AM WORKS JUST FINE.
10:19:40AM LIKE THE LADY SAID PREVIOUSLY, IT WORKS FINE FOR THE STATUS
10:19:44AM QUO.
10:19:45AM ALL THE PEOPLE BENEFITING FROM EXPLOITATION OF THE WORKING
10:19:49AM CLASS.
10:19:51AM IT'S A RULING CLASS SYSTEM.
10:19:53AM THE MARCH IN WASHINGTON IN 1963 HAD 250, 300 THOUSAND
10:20:02AM PEOPLE.
10:20:02AM THE MARCH IN WASHINGTON YESTERDAY HAD, THE ANNIVERSARY MARCH
10:20:08AM HAD, WHO KNOWS.
10:20:12AM WHO EVEN KNEW THERE WAS A MARCH IN WASHINGTON YESTERDAY?
10:20:15AM NOBODY.
10:20:16AM THE DYNAMICS HAVE CHANGED AND THE WHITE RULING CLASS IS
10:20:23AM TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF IT.
10:20:25AM FULL ADVANTAGE OF IT.
10:20:27AM NO ONE IS INSPIRED TO VOTE FOR ANY OF THE CLOWNS THAT THEY
10:20:36AM PUT FORTH BEFORE THEM.
10:20:37AM THEY DON'T TRY TO REGULATE THE MONEY GOING TO THE ELECTIONS.
10:20:46AM IN OUR PARTICULAR DISTRICT, DISTRICT FIVE, LET'S BRING IT
10:20:50AM BACK TO A LOCAL SITUATION, WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S
10:20:53AM REPRESENTING DISTRICT FIVE THAT NOBODY KNOWS.
10:20:57AM NOBODY KNOWS.
10:20:59AM IF YOU WENT TO DISTRICT FIVE RIGHT NOW AND SAY WHO IS YOUR
10:21:03AM REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT 5, 99% OF THE PEOPLE WOULDN'T
10:21:08AM KNOW.
10:21:08AM THEY PROBABLY WOULD SAY PERRY HARVEY OR REVEREND SCOTT.
10:21:13AM THEY WOULDN'T KNOW.
10:21:15AM AND THEY USE YELLOW JOURNALISM, DEROGATORY WORD ASSOCIATED
10:21:26AM TO ASIAN AND ORIENTAL PEOPLE, BUT WHAT IS CALLED YELLOW
10:21:32AM JOURNALISM, TO BRING OUR REPRESENTATIVE TO US AND THEY STUFF
10:21:35AM IT DOWN OUR THROATS.
10:21:37AM NOBODY KNEW WHO CURRENT REPRESENTATIVE WAS OR IS.
10:21:40AM NOBODY.
10:21:40AM ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NOBODY.
10:21:42AM BUT THEY ATTACK AN AFRICAN MAN IN THE MOST HORRIFIC WAY TO
10:21:49AM GET THOSE RESULTS.
10:21:51AM SO PEOPLE AREN'T ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
10:21:58AM AND DO ANYBODY UP THERE KNOW WHO OFFSPRING IS?
10:22:02AM PROBABLY NOT.
10:22:06AM BUT OFFSPRING HAS A SONG SAY I WONDER WHY SHE SLEEPS WITH MY
10:22:11AM FRIENDS.
10:22:11AM AND YOU HAVE TO WONDER THAT.
10:22:14AM YOU DON'T HAVE TO WONDER A LOT WHY PEOPLE DON'T GO OUT AND
10:22:16AM VOTE.
10:22:18AM NO THAT SOME ABOUT IT.
10:22:20AM AS THE LADY SAY, THEY DON'T REACH OUT.
10:22:22AM THERE'S NO OUTREACH TO GET THE PEOPLE.
10:22:25AM THEY DON'T SPEAK OF ANY ISSUES, HOUSING, THE OTHER THINGS
10:22:28AM THAT DEALS WITH THE REAL PEOPLE.
10:22:31AM THEY SPEAK NOTHING OF IT.
10:22:33AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
10:22:34AM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA AND CARLSON.
10:22:36AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I JUST WANT TO SAY, IT CHANGED A LOT AND
10:22:41AM THINGS YOU DO -- PUBLIC WAY BACK.
10:22:46AM BY THE WAY, WHAT MR. MICHELINI WAS SPEAKING ABOUT, THAT WAS
10:22:50AM THE MID '80s I BELIEVE IT WAS WHEN THEY CHANGED FROM GOING
10:22:53AM FULL CIRCLE TO HAVING YOUR OWN ELECTION.
10:22:56AM WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY IS WE USED TO HAVE SPAGHETTI DINNERS,
10:23:03AM FISH FRIES AND 2,000, 1500 PEOPLE WOULD SHOW UP.
10:23:06AM NOW YOU HAVE A FISH FRY TO BRING PEOPLE IN, THE FISH DOESN'T
10:23:11AM EVEN SHOW UP.
10:23:12AM PEOPLE HAVE A LOT MORE THINGS TO DO.
10:23:14AM A LOT MORE FAMILY.
10:23:15AM NEW CARS, THEY WANT TO GO EXPERIENCE A THING, GO TO THE
10:23:19AM BEACH.
10:23:19AM THAT'S FINE.
10:23:20AM ALL THAT IS WONDERFUL.
10:23:22AM BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO VOTING DAY, THEY ARE TOO BUSY WITH
10:23:25AM THE FAMILY OR TOO BUSY FOR SOME OTHER REASON AND THEY ARE
10:23:28AM NOT SHOWING UP.
10:23:29AM MY FIRST ELECTION I WON AND NO ONE ELSE CAN WIN AT THE TIME,
10:23:35AM BECAUSE YOU CAN'T WIN CITYWIDE AT THAT TIME.
10:23:39AM EVERYTHING WAS CITYWIDE.
10:23:40AM DISTRICT 5 WAS CITYWIDE.
10:23:43AM SO THAT WAS CHANGED SO THAT EVERYBODY -- THAT WAS CHANGED
10:23:46AM ALSO TO '70s OR '80s, MID '80s I, I BELIEVE, RUN THREE
10:23:51AM AT-LARGE AND FOUR DISTRICTS.
10:23:53AM THAT WAS ALSO CHANGED.
10:23:55AM WE'RE NOT GOING BACK TO WHAT IT WAS BEFORE BECAUSE IT WAS
10:23:58AM NOT AN EQUAL ELECTION AND EVERYONE DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO
10:24:01AM GET ELECTED THE WAY IT WAS DONE.
10:24:03AM CHANGED FOR THE BETTERMENT.
10:24:04AM IS THIS THE BEST WAY?
10:24:07AM I DON'T KNOW.
10:24:08AM YOU ADVERTISE.
10:24:10AM THE CITY SPENDS MONEY.
10:24:11AM THE CANDIDATES PUT UP THEIR MONEY.
10:24:13AM COST OVER $3,000 JUST TO QUALIFY TO RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL
10:24:18AM UNLESS YOU GO OUT AND GET X AMOUNT OF NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO
10:24:21AM SIGN A BALLOT TO PUT YOU ON THE BALLOT FOR FREE.
10:24:25AM IT TAKES A LOT OF ENERGY FOR ANYONE TO RUN FOR OFFICE.
10:24:29AM MAYBE THAT IS A CRITERIA.
10:24:31AM I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.
10:24:32AM USED TO BE A LOT MORE CITIZENS RUNNING FOR OFFICE AND LOT
10:24:35AM MORE VOTERS TURNING OUT.
10:24:36AM THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY.
10:24:37AM THANK YOU.
10:24:38AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON.
10:24:39AM >>BILL CARLSON: YEAH, ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS REMINDED BY
10:24:42AM ONE OF THE COMMENTS IS THAT THE VOTER TURNOUT NUMBERS THAT
10:24:46AM EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DENOMINATOR
10:24:52AM YOU ALL USED, BUT USUALLY THE VOTER TURNOUT IS MEASURED BY
10:24:56AM THE PERCENTAGE OF REGISTERED VOTERS, NOT THE PERCENTAGE OF
10:25:00AM POPULATION THAT'S ELIGIBLE TO VOTE.
10:25:02AM TYPICALLY, IF YOU INCLUDE THE POPULATION ELIGIBLE, VOTER
10:25:08AM TURNOUT IS INCREDIBLY SMALL.
10:25:12AM HUMAIRA SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT.
10:25:16AM FOLKS WHO COME TO SPEAK FROM THE COMMUNITY, THE FOLKS
10:25:19AM WATCHING ON TV DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT THE BACKGROUND IS.
10:25:22AM HUMAIRA HAS A DEEP BACKGROUND.
10:25:24AM HAS EDUCATION, OUT IN THE FIELD ALL THE TIME.
10:25:27AM SHE KNOWS THE HEART OF WHAT VOTERS ARE SAYING.
10:25:31AM I HAPPEN TO DISAGREE WITH HER ON THIS ISSUE.
10:25:33AM BUT I KNOW SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT AND I RESPECT
10:25:37AM AND LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH HER ABOUT
10:25:40AM IT AND OTHER FOLKS THAT MAY DISAGREE.
10:25:42AM ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO MENTION IS THAT IN THIS
10:25:52AM LAST CAMPAIGN, THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK AFFECTED TURNOUT
10:25:56AM -- LET ME -- IN TERMS OF GETTING PEOPLE TO VOTE, SUPERVISOR
10:26:03AM OF ELECTIONS OFFICE SPENDS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
10:26:05AM A YEAR -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CURRENT BUDGET IS -- YEARS
10:26:09AM AGO, SIX, EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH ELECTION TO
10:26:12AM GET PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE.
10:26:13AM REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC PARTIES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
10:26:15AM SPENT PROBABLY TWO OR THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND IN THE LAST
10:26:18AM YEAR TO GET OUT THE VOTE.
10:26:20AM THEY FIND THOSE EFFORTS DON'T VOTE.
10:26:21AM THEY GO TO, PEOPLE SAY LET'S GET YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED.
10:26:25AM THEY GO TO SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITY.
10:26:26AM AND THE TURNOUT IS TERRIBLE.
10:26:27AM THEY GO AND KNOCK ON DOORS AND TRY TO GET THE TURNOUT IS
10:26:31AM TERRIBLE.
10:26:31AM THE MORE MONEY THEY SPEND, THE RETURN ON IT IS NOT VERY
10:26:34AM GOOD.
10:26:35AM IN MY RACE, MY OPPONENT SENT TO ALL VOTERS, AND IT STILL
10:26:40AM DIDN'T INCREASE THE TURNOUT.
10:26:42AM MORE MONEY WAS SPENT AGAINST ME THAN ANYBODY EVER SPENT AND
10:26:46AM WENT TO ALL VOTERS AND STILL VOTERS DID NOT COME OUT.
10:26:49AM IT'S A COMMUNITYWIDE PROBLEM THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE SOLVED
10:26:56AM BY WHEN THE ELECTION IS.
10:26:58AM IT'S GOING TO BE SOLVED BY TRYING TO GET PEOPLE ENGAGED.
10:27:00AM THE OTHER THING WE KNOW IS PEOPLE ARE TURNED OFF BY NEGATIVE
10:27:04AM ADS.
10:27:04AM THREE OR FOUR OF THE CAMPAIGNS, I THINK AT LEAST A MILLION
10:27:07AM DOLLARS WAS SPENT ON NEGATIVE ADS.
10:27:09AM PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT.
10:27:10AM THEY WON'T SHOW UP TO VOTE IF THEY THINK IT'S ALL NEGATIVE.
10:27:13AM THEY GIVE UP AND SAY THEY DON'T WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN IT.
10:27:17AM WE'VE SEEN THAT NEGATIVE ADS DON'T WORK IN MOST OF THE CASES
10:27:22AM BUT PEOPLE STILL USE THEM.
10:27:24AM THERE'S LOTS OF MONEY BEING SPENT ON THEM.
10:27:27AM I'M HOPEFUL IN FUTURE CAMPAIGNS IT WON'T BE LIKE IT HAS BEEN
10:27:29AM IN THE LAST CAMPAIGN.
10:27:30AM MORE MONEY SPENT ON NEGATIVE ADS IN THE LAST CAMPAIGN THAN
10:27:33AM EVER.
10:27:33AM THE OTHER THING WE FIND IS BRUTE FORCE DOESN'T WORK.
10:27:36AM YOU TRY TO FORCE THE PUBLIC TO DO SOMETHING.
10:27:38AM THE PUBLIC IS SMART.
10:27:39AM THEY LISTEN.
10:27:40AM THEY STUDY ON THEIR OWN AND DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
10:27:43AM AND FOLKS TRY TO FORCE ISSUES.
10:27:47AM WHAT WE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY NOW IS CONSENSUS.
10:27:50AM WE NEED PEOPLE TO STOP FIGHTING EACH OTHER AND STOP TRYING
10:27:53AM TO FORCE ISSUES AND INSTEAD FORM A DIALOGUE.
10:27:57AM EXAMPLE, BETWEEN THE DEVELOPERS AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS,
10:28:00AM THERE'S NO REASON WHY THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND DEVELOPERS CAN'T
10:28:02AM WORK TOGETHER.
10:28:03AM SEEN IT IN THE PAST WITH THE TREE ORDINANCES AND OTHER
10:28:06AM THINGS.
10:28:07AM NEED TO BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER.
10:28:09AM TIME TO HEAL OUR COMMUNITY AND STOP THE NEGATIVE POLITICS,
10:28:13AM THE CONSTANT ATTACKS AND BRUTE FORCE.
10:28:16AM JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY DOESN'T GET THEIR WAY DOESN'T MEAN
10:28:18AM SOMEBODY SHOULD GO ATTACK PEOPLE OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
10:28:23AM PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL SOMEBODY.
10:28:26AM I RAN INTO DICK GRECO MAYBE A YEAR AGO, SAID I WOULD PICK UP
10:28:33AM THE PHONE AND CALL PEOPLE IF I DISAGREE.
10:28:35AM MY DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN.
10:28:37AM WE ALL NEED THAT ATTITUDE TO MAKE SURE WE TALK WITH FOLKS.
10:28:40AM LAST THING, THE MEDIA IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
10:28:42AM UNFORTUNATELY, THE MEDIA IS SHRINKING EVERYWHERE IN THE
10:28:45AM UNITED STATES.
10:28:46AM I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH IT AND DON'T ALWAYS WRITE
10:28:49AM POSITIVELY ABOUT ME, BUT THE MEDIA IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR
10:28:53AM FOLKS TO GET EDUCATED AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE MEDIA.
10:28:56AM I WOULD SAY FOR THE FOLKS AT HOME, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
10:28:58AM THINGS YOU CAN DO IS TO POST LINKS ABOUT CITY COUNCIL
10:29:04AM MEETINGS, POST THEM ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA FEED.
10:29:07AM THE MORE YOU POST THOSE, THE MORE CLICKS THEY GET AND THE
10:29:10AM MORE THE EDITORS WILL ALLOW LOCAL REPORTERS TO WRITE ABOUT
10:29:14AM CITY COUNCIL.
10:29:15AM THE MORE THEY WRITE ABOUT CITY COUNCIL, THE MORE EVERYBODY
10:29:17AM WILL KNOW ABOUT OUR CITY AND HOPEFULLY TURNOUT WILL
10:29:20AM INCREASE.
10:29:20AM THANK YOU.
10:29:21AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:29:24AM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
10:29:25AM I WAS LAUGHING ABOUT SOMETHING, I THINK SOMETHING MR.
10:29:28AM MICHELINI SAID THAT REMINDED.
10:29:30AM GET SOMEBODY LIKE IN SUN CITY CENTER, EAST COUNTY, WHEREVER
10:29:34AM IT IS, THEY GO, HEY, VOTED FOR YOU.
10:29:36AM YOU'RE LIKE, NO, YOU DIDN'T.
10:29:38AM I GET THAT SOMETIMES AND I ALWAYS LAUGH.
10:29:40AM IT'S TOO FUNNY.
10:29:42AM ONE THING I DID WANT TO MENTION.
10:29:43AM I BRING UP MY 2016 RACE BECAUSE, AGAIN, I FAVOR
10:29:49AM GUBERNATORIAL NOT PRESIDENTIAL RACES.
10:29:51AM THAT RACE, TRUMP V. HILLARY IN THE BALLOT, CANDIDATES GOT IN
10:29:56AM A RACE IN JUNE OF 2016 WE RAISED OVER A QUARTER OF A MILLION
10:29:59AM DOLLARS ALL OF US.
10:30:01AM FUND-RAISING WAS NOT AN ISSUE.
10:30:02AM LEAVE YOU ALL WITH THIS.
10:30:03AM IN EVEN-YEAR ELECTIONS WE HAVE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON THE
10:30:06AM BALLOT.
10:30:07AM WE HAVE JUDGES ON THE BALLOT.
10:30:10AM JUDGES.
10:30:11AM WE HAVE THE SCHOOL BOARD ON THE BALLOT.
10:30:13AM MY SON IS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
10:30:15AM THAT IS A BIG DEAL.
10:30:17AM MY QUESTION IS, WHAT MAKES THIS SO SPECIAL TO THE TUNE OF
10:30:20AM HALF A MILLION TO THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS IN
10:30:22AM TAXPAYER MONEY.
10:30:22AM THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.
10:30:24AM AGAIN, I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY MOTIONS ON THIS, BECAUSE I
10:30:28AM PROBABLY WON'T GET A SECOND.
10:30:29AM THERE YOU GO.
10:30:31AM THIS ISSUE IS NOT GOING AWAY BECAUSE OF THE LOW TURNOUT.
10:30:34AM WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO TURN AWAY FROM THIS ISSUE IN CITY OF
10:30:36AM TAMPA ELECTIONS.
10:30:37AM I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S FEEDBACK AND DISCUSSIONS AND
10:30:40AM HONEST DISCUSSIONS.
10:30:41AM I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
10:30:42AM THANK YOU.
10:30:42AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:30:44AM THAT CONCLUDES ITEM NUMBER 2.
10:30:45AM ITEMS 3, 4, 5 ARE CONNECTED.
10:30:48AM THESE ARE MOTIONS BY COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON.
10:30:50AM I DARE TO ASK, CAN WE TAKE THEM ALL TOGETHER AND DO PUBLIC
10:30:54AM COMMENT AT ONCE?
10:30:55AM >> SO MOVED.
10:30:56AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER
10:30:57AM CLENDENIN.
10:30:58AM SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA.
10:30:59AM ALL IN FAVOR?
10:31:00AM AYE.
10:31:01AM ANY OPPOSED?
10:31:01AM COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON, THE CITY ATTORNEY SENT OUT WRITTEN
10:31:08AM REPORTS FOR ALL THREE ITEMS.
10:31:09AM WOULD YOU LIKE TO START OFF THE DISCUSSION, SIR, SINCE IT
10:31:12AM WAS YOUR MOTION?
10:31:13AM >>BILL CARLSON: IS SOMEBODY FROM STAFF GOING TO PRESENT OR
10:31:16AM ARE YOU JUST ANSWERING QUESTIONS?
10:31:17AM LET ME JUST SAY THAT I APPRECIATE YOU ALL PUTTING -- MY
10:31:22AM COLLEAGUES FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA.
10:31:24AM I APPRECIATE THE CHIEF OF STAFF AND LEGAL DEPARTMENT FOR
10:31:31AM WORKING TO TRY TO MAKE THIS A REALITY.
10:31:37AM THEY HAVE COME UP WITH A DRAFT ORDINANCE.
10:31:38AM I CAN TALK ABOUT EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUALLY BUT DO YOU WANT
10:31:41AM TO TALK FIRST?
10:31:44AM >>JOHN BENNETT: JOHN BENNETT, CHIEF OF STAFF.
10:31:46AM THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN CARLSON.
10:31:48AM OF COURSE, COUNCIL, FOR ALIGNING THESE AGENDA ITEMS.
10:31:52AM THEY WERE SPRINKLED INTO OTHER STAFF REPORTS, AND TO BRING
10:31:55AM THEM INTO THE WORKSHOP, STAFF APPRECIATES THAT OPPORTUNITY
10:31:58AM TO WORK WITH LEGAL.
10:32:00AM ALSO APPRECIATE THE ABILITY TO DISCUSS THEM IN SOME SORT OF
10:32:05AM ALIGNMENT.
10:32:06AM A COUPLE OF THEMES I WANT TO THROW OUT AND THEN COUNCIL'S
10:32:09AM PLEASURE WHETHER YOU WANT ADDITIONAL PRESENTATIONS OR JUST
10:32:12AM FEEDBACK FROM THE DRAFT ORDINANCES.
10:32:15AM THERE WERE TWO DRAFTS AND THEN A REQUEST TO DISCUSS, WHICH
10:32:18AM LED TO A THIRD DRAFT AND ACTUALLY A FOURTH DRAFT.
10:32:21AM I BELIEVE YOU HAVE FOUR DRAFTS IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
10:32:25AM I CAN TELL YOU OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN BACK,
10:32:27AM THE THEME OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN PROCUREMENT HAS BEEN
10:32:30AM GOING ON IN SPACES LIKE CAD, EQUAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AND,
10:32:34AM OF COURSE, PURCHASING.
10:32:35AM AND WITH COUNCIL SUPPORT, WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE AND STRIKE
10:32:40AM THE BALANCE BETWEEN MAKING SURE WE HAVE PLENTY OF
10:32:42AM OPPORTUNITY FOR VENDORS AND CONTRACTORS ON GOODS AND
10:32:44AM SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THAT WE
10:32:47AM MEET THAT MANAGEMENT TRIANGLE OF RESOURCES, QUALITY, AND
10:32:51AM TIME WITH READY AND WILLING AND ABLE PARTNERS.
10:32:55AM SO THAT THEME YOU'LL SEE THROUGH THIS.
10:32:57AM THE OTHER THEME THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS THAT SOME OF OUR
10:33:02AM THRESHOLDS BECOME CHALLENGING WITH THE WORKLOAD.
10:33:05AM WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS STRIKE THE BALANCE OF
10:33:08AM RIGHT-SIZING OR UPDATING OR MODERNIZING SOME THRESHOLDS TO
10:33:12AM MEET THE LEVEL OF SERVICE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTS.
10:33:15AM AND THROUGH THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO
10:33:17AM BE EXAMINING OUR SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE BOARD
10:33:20AM BECAUSE WE TEND TO BRING RESOURCES TO COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC
10:33:23AM TO GET TO THE FRONT LINES TO GET THE WORK DONE.
10:33:26AM WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A BIG STRAIN ON THE BEHIND THE SCENE
10:33:30AM OR INTERNAL WORKING DEPARTMENTS.
10:33:32AM SO SOME OF THOSE THEMES WILL COME OUT IN THAT.
10:33:34AM I'LL REST ON THOSE OPENING COMMENTS.
10:33:37AM AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THESE TOGETHER.
10:33:38AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: GO AHEAD, SIR.
10:33:39AM >>BILL CARLSON: THANK YOU, AGAIN, FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
10:33:43AM YOU KNOW BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THIS PUBLICLY.
10:33:45AM WE WENT BACK AND FORTH PUBLICLY.
10:33:47AM WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS PRIVATELY.
10:33:51AM MY ATTITUDE, WHICH I THINK STAFF AGREED WITH OR FINALLY
10:33:57AM AGREED WITH, JUST BECAUSE OTHER CITIES AREN'T DOING
10:33:59AM SOMETHING DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T BE THE INNOVATOR OR LEADER.
10:34:04AM I THINK THE IDEA HERE IS THAT WE WANT TO SHOW TRANSPARENCY
10:34:08AM TO THE PUBLIC.
10:34:09AM WE WANT TO SHOW THAT WE GOT COMPETITIVE BIDS.
10:34:12AM AND THE OUTCOME OF IT IS THAT WE'LL IDEALLY HAVE BETTER
10:34:17AM PRICES FOR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.
10:34:19AM SO THAT WE'LL SAVE TAXPAYER MONEY.
10:34:22AM WE WON'T HAVE TO RAISE TAXES AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE MONEY
10:34:26AM IN OTHER RESOURCE.
10:34:28AM SAVING MONEY IS ONE GOAL.
10:34:30AM ANOTHER GOAL IS WE HEAR FROM VENDORS THEY WANT AN EQUAL
10:34:34AM CHANCE TO HAVE A CONTRACT.
10:34:36AM THEY DON'T WANT TO BE STUCK ON A LIST SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY
10:34:39AM ARE NEVER CALLED ON TO DO WORK OR NEVER GET A CHANCE TO BID
10:34:42AM ON SOMETHING.
10:34:43AM THE IDEA HERE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CONSTANTLY MOVING.
10:34:46AM THE INITIAL FEEDBACK WE GOT WAS THE MORE COMPETITIVE BIDS WE
10:34:50AM GET THE MORE STAFF TIME IT WILL TAKE.
10:34:53AM MY PHILOSOPHY IS THAT THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE WE'RE GIVING MORE
10:34:57AM BUSINESSES OPPORTUNITIES AND HOPEFULLY THE NET IS WE'RE
10:35:02AM SAVING MONEY ACROSS ALL THOSE PRODUCTS.
10:35:03AM BUT THE COMPROMISE WAS, FOR EXAMPLE, ON NUMBER THREE, HAVING
10:35:07AM THREE BIDS INSTEAD OF MAKING IT FOR ALL CONTRACTS, THE
10:35:11AM COMPROMISE WE TALKED ABOUT SETTING AT 5 MILLION ABOVE.
10:35:14AM THAT IS A MINORITY OF CONTRACTS.
10:35:16AM BUT IT'S BIG ENOUGH THAT IT ALLOWS US TO PUT THE STAFF TIME
10:35:19AM IN THAT WHERE WE CAN GET A RETURN, HOPEFULLY, IN FINDING
10:35:23AM BETTER CONTRACTS.
10:35:24AM THE FIRST ONE IS MINIMUM THREE BIDS.
10:35:27AM STAFF PRESENTED THAT OTHER LIGHT GOVERNMENTS IN STATE DON'T
10:35:33AM HAVE A MINIMUM OF THREE BIDS.
10:35:35AM I DID MY OWN RESEARCH.
10:35:37AM I HAD MY OWN RESEARCHER CALL THE TOP TEN COUNTIES AND THE
10:35:40AM TOP TEN CITIES.
10:35:42AM AS I PRESENTED TO YOU LAST TIME, THE ONLY ONE I COULD FIND
10:35:45AM WAS I THINK CITY OF MIAMI.
10:35:47AM THE CITY OF MIAMI IT DOESN'T APPLY TO EVERYTHING.
10:35:51AM APPLIED ONLY TO A SMALL NARROW AREA.
10:35:53AM MY PUSH BACK WAS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY BUSINESS
10:35:58AM DOES.
10:35:58AM EVERYBODY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR DOES.
10:36:00AM NONPROFITS DO IT.
10:36:01AM AND ASK ANYBODY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, DO YOU KNOW THAT
10:36:06AM CITIES AND COUNTIES DO NOT REQUIRE THREE BIDS AND THEY ARE
10:36:10AM APPALLED BY IT.
10:36:11AM WHAT WE'VE COME TO IN ALL THE CONVERSATIONS IS THAT THE
10:36:16AM ADMINISTRATION SAYS, OKAY, $5 MILLION WILL DO IT.
10:36:20AM AGAIN, A MINORITY OF CONTRACTS BUT SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE
10:36:22AM PUBLIC THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT PROTECTING THEIR MONEY AND
10:36:25AM ABOUT GIVING BUSINESSES AN OPPORTUNITY.
10:36:27AM AS FAR AS I KNOW FROM THE RESEARCH I DID AND THE RESEARCH
10:36:30AM YOU ALL DID, WE WILL BE THE FIRST MAJOR CITY OR COUNTY IN
10:36:33AM THE STATE TO HAVE A THREE-BID REQUIREMENT, WHICH ACTUALLY IS
10:36:37AM PRETTY SHOCKING.
10:36:38AM I'M SURPRISED THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED BEFORE.
10:36:40AM THE SECOND ONE IS THAT -- SO PIGGY BACKING.
10:36:51AM FOR ANYBODY WATCHING WHO DOESN'T KNOW, I THINK IT WAS DURING
10:36:54AM THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION THEY PASSED A RULE THAT SAID, WHEN
10:36:58AM JEB BUSH WAS GOVERNOR, THAT IF A GOVERNMENT AGENCY IN
10:37:01AM FLORIDA NEGOTIATES TO AN RFP, PUBLIC PROCESS, NEGOTIATE A
10:37:06AM PRICE TO BUY SOMETHING, THEN OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES CAN
10:37:09AM PIGGYBACK.
10:37:10AM THEY CAN USE THE SAME CONTRACT SO THEY CAN GET THE PRICE
10:37:13AM THAT THE OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY NEGOTIATED. THAT PREVENTS
10:37:16AM -- I THINK THE INTENT WAS TO MAKE SURE GOVERNMENTS DIDN'T
10:37:19AM HAVE DIFFERENCES IN PRICES.
10:37:20AM SO IF A VENDOR PROVIDED ONE LOW PRICE FOR ONE GOVERNMENT,
10:37:24AM THEY WOULD HAVE TO OFFER THE SAME LOW PRICE FOR OTHERS.
10:37:26AM BUT WHAT THAT DOESN'T DO IS SHOW THAT YOU'RE GETTING
10:37:29AM COMPETITIVE INFORMATION.
10:37:30AM AN EXAMPLE HERE, LET'S SAY TPD WANTS TO BUY TRUCKS AND
10:37:35AM HERNANDO SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS A CONTRACT THAT WAS
10:37:37AM PUBLICLY BID AND THEY HAVE A PRICE FOR TRUCKS, WE CAN
10:37:40AM PIGGYBACK ON THEIR CONTRACT AND BUY TRUCKS FROM THE SAME
10:37:42AM VENDOR AT THE SAME PRICE. WHAT THIS RULE WILL DO IS REQUIRE
10:37:48AM PURCHASING TO LOOK AT OTHER PIGGY BACKING CONTRACTS.
10:37:52AM LET'S SAY PINELLAS COUNTY SHERIFF HAS A CONTRACT, WE CAN
10:37:56AM LOOK AT WHAT THEIR PRICE WAS, LOOK AT WHAT POLK COUNTY WAS.
10:37:59AM WE CAN SAY TO THE PUBLIC, LOOK, WE LOOKED AT TWO OR THREE
10:38:02AM MORE PIGGY BACKING CONTRACTS AND CONFIRMED THE ONE WE PICKED
10:38:05AM HAD THE BEST PRICE.
10:38:07AM KIND OF LIKE A THREE BID THING BUT WITH PIGGY BACKING.
10:38:10AM THE LAST ONE IS THE SERVICES CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE.
10:38:13AM WE HAVE A CHUNK OF MONEY LIKE $6 MILLION WITH A LIST OF 50
10:38:17AM CONTRACTORS AND THE STAFF CAN GO IN AND QUICKLY HIRE
10:38:20AM CONSULTANTS FOR SMALL AMOUNTS OF MONEY.
10:38:22AM WHAT THIS DOES IT CLOSES A LOOPHOLE AND I THINK ONLY ONE OR
10:38:26AM TWO YOU SAID THAT WENT OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
10:38:28AM BUT CLOSED A LOOPHOLE TO SAY ANYBODY ABOVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
10:38:31AM HAS TO COME BACK BEFORE COUNCIL.
10:38:34AM ALL THAT DOES IS IT KEEPS SOMEBODY FROM SPENDING $6 MILLION,
10:38:37AM HYPOTHETICALLY.
10:38:39AM THEY ARE NOT DOING THAT, BUT IT CLOSES THE LOOPHOLE.
10:38:41AM I THINK A FOURTH THING YOU ALL BROUGHT UP, WHICH IS MAYBE
10:38:44AM CHANGE THE OVERALL APPROVAL OF THE 200,000.
10:38:46AM MAYBE THAT'S IN THE FOURTH ORDINANCE.
10:38:48AM BUT THESE ARE THE THREE THAT WE HAD PUT ON THE AGENDA.
10:38:51AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: CHIEF?
10:38:54AM >>JOHN BENNETT: THANK YOU FOR THAT FEEDBACK.
10:38:55AM AGAIN, WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS HERE TO ANSWER ANY
10:38:58AM QUESTIONS.
10:38:59AM JUST TO DISCUSS THE THRESHOLD, WE WANT TO KEEP THE
10:39:02AM TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE'VE
10:39:07AM ALREADY BEEN DOING WITH OUR QUARTERLY REPORTS.
10:39:10AM AGAIN, WE THINK THIS IS BUNDLED WELL FOR STAFF.
10:39:12AM WE WORKED ON THIS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
10:39:14AM AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE THE PUSHING OUT OF THE WORKSHOP SO WE
10:39:17AM CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MEET THESE SPECS.
10:39:20AM >>BILL CARLSON: ONE MORE THING.
10:39:21AM AS I UNDERSTAND IT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, CITY OF TAMPA,
10:39:24AM IT'S COMPLICATED, CITY OF TAMPA PURCHASES THINGS IN THREE
10:39:26AM DEPARTMENTS.
10:39:27AM I'LL TELL THE SIMPLE WAY.
10:39:29AM YOU ALL CAN CORRECT THIS.
10:39:31AM WE HAVE PURCHASING.
10:39:32AM THE LADY STANDING UP, PURCHASING IS LIKE BUYING PRODUCTS,
10:39:37AM CHAIRS, TABLES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
10:39:39AM THEN WE HAVE SERVICES, WHICH IS CALLED CONTRACT
10:39:42AM ADMINISTRATION.
10:39:42AM AND THEY NOT ONLY NEGOTIATE BUT ALSO OVERSEE AND IMPLEMENT
10:39:46AM TO MAKE SURE.
10:39:48AM AND YOU HIRED A NEW PERSON A YEAR AGO.
10:39:51AM WE HAVE TWO NEW PEOPLE IN THOSE POSITIONS.
10:39:53AM THE THIRD ONE IS REAL ESTATE.
10:39:54AM WE'VE GOT TO LOOK ACROSS ALL THREE OF THOSE, BUT SERVICES,
10:39:59AM PURCHASING OF SERVICES WHEN RICHARD MUTTERBACK CAME IN A
10:40:02AM YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WE HAD LONG CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE
10:40:07AM SIMILAR TO THIS.
10:40:08AM BASED ON THE FEEDBACK, THE MAYOR SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER
10:40:11AM WHICH WENT WAY BEYOND WHAT A LOT OF OTHER CITIES DO IN
10:40:15AM BUYING SERVICES TO SET A NEW STANDARD FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND
10:40:17AM TRANSPARENCY.
10:40:18AM NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ADDING TO THAT I THINK MAINLY IN THE
10:40:21AM PURCHASING AREA, BUT MAYBE IT ALSO APPLIES IN CONTRACT
10:40:24AM ADMINISTRATION.
10:40:24AM DID I GET THAT RIGHT AT ALL?
10:40:26AM >>JOHN BENNETT: NO, THAT'S FAIR.
10:40:28AM AGAIN, THE DIRECTORS ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY OF THE
10:40:30AM UNDERLYING DATA THAT SUPPORTS WHERE WE'RE HEADING.
10:40:33AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN.
10:40:34AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN: CHIEF, QUESTION.
10:40:36AM SO THE PROPOSED ORDINANCES THAT MS. ZELMAN PRESENTED ON,
10:40:41AM SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE THREE BIDS.
10:40:42AM IS THE CAVEAT IN THERE SUFFICIENT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS CITY
10:40:48AM BUSINESS AND MANAGE THE CITY ALONG WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY
10:40:52AM OF THE TAXPAYERS?
10:40:53AM ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THAT LANGUAGE?
10:40:56AM >>JOHN BENNETT: WELL, AGAIN I THINK THE STAFF APPRECIATES
10:41:00AM COUNCIL PUTTING THAT THRESHOLD IN HERE TO CREATE THAT BRIGHT
10:41:03AM LINE.
10:41:03AM AND STAFF WORKED WITH LEGAL, AND IT IS ACTIONABLE THE WAY
10:41:08AM IT'S BEEN PUT.
10:41:12AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ON THE CAVEAT ON THE OTHER ISSUE ABOUT
10:41:15AM BRINGING THE HUNDRED TO TWO HUNDRED, I GIVE PAUSE, WE SAW IN
10:41:20AM AN ISSUE BEFORE WHERE THINGS COME IN LIKE A PENNY LESS THAN
10:41:24AM THE THRESHOLD.
10:41:25AM I WANT TO MAKE SURE --
10:41:26AM >>JOHN BENNETT: YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT.
10:41:28AM AS A MATTER OF FACT I ASKED PURCHASING TO DO ON THE
10:41:30AM QUARTERLY REPORT, RIGHT NOW THERE IS A STANDING MOTION THAT
10:41:33AM BETWEEN 50,000 AND 100,000 GOES ON A QUARTERLY REPORT TO
10:41:37AM COUNCIL, AGAIN, FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY.
10:41:40AM HOW WE SCALE THAT UP IN THE RECOMMENDATION OF 200,000 CAN BE
10:41:44AM A DISCUSSION.
10:41:45AM BUT I HAD ASKED FOR A SPECIFIC MEMO ON ANYTHING THAT GOES
10:41:49AM FROM 95 TO 100,000 FOR THAT EXACT REASON.
10:41:53AM WE DO HAVE BREAKOUT REPORTING WHEN WE HIT THAT THRESHOLD OF
10:41:55AM 95,000.
10:41:56AM AGAIN, STAFF IS POISED TO SCALE THAT UP IF COUNCIL IS
10:42:02AM WILLING TO MOVE THE THRESHOLD.
10:42:03AM THE THRESHOLD IS OVER 20 YEARS OLD AND, OF COURSE, THE
10:42:07AM ECONOMY.
10:42:07AM AGAIN, STRIKING THAT BALANCE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE
10:42:10AM TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY BASED ON WORKLOAD ANALYSIS IS
10:42:15AM WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO REACH.
10:42:16AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN: SOUNDS WELL THOUGHT OUT.
10:42:19AM THANK YOU.
10:42:19AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:42:19AM WE WILL BRING UP MR. MUTTERBACK.
10:42:22AM DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD?
10:42:23AM ANYTHING FURTHER TO THE PRESENTATION?
10:42:32AM >>RICHARD MUTTERBACK: DIRECTOR OF CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION.
10:42:35AM I'M JUST HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND ADD ANY, PROVIDE
10:42:40AM ANY SPECIFICS OR DETAILS YOU MAY INQUIRE ABOUT.
10:42:42AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE GENTLEMAN?
10:42:44AM IF NOT, WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
10:42:48AM COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON, ARE YOU GOOD TO GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT
10:42:50AM OR ANYTHING MORE?
10:42:51AM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA.
10:42:52AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I WANT TO THANK YOU EVERY TIME I SEE A
10:42:56AM HOLE DUG IN EVERY STREET OF THE CITY OF TAMPA, I SEE A
10:42:59AM CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION CAR REVIEWING THE FACTS THAT THEY
10:43:01AM ARE DOING IT RIGHT.
10:43:02AM I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE I'VE SEEN AT LEAST 15 OF
10:43:05AM THEM IN THE LAST MONTH.
10:43:07AM EVERYWHERE I DRIVE, I SEE A HOLE DUG AND YOUR VEHICLE IS
10:43:10AM THERE AND GENTLEMAN OR LADY IS WATCHING.
10:43:12AM I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE PEOPLE THERE, THAT
10:43:15AM THE PUBLIC CAN ALSO NOTICE WHEN YOU SEE THE CITY TRUCK OR
10:43:19AM VEHICLE THAT'S GOT THE CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION SYMBOL NEXT
10:43:22AM TO IT.
10:43:23AM >>RICHARD MUTTERBACK: THAT'S ACTUALLY MY LARGEST DIVISION.
10:43:25AM KIND OF GOES UNNOTICED.
10:43:27AM WE HAVE 60 IN OUR CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING AND INSPECTION
10:43:30AM TEAM THAT THEY ARE OUT THERE IN THE FIELD EVERY DAY.
10:43:32AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:43:33AM IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, WE'LL GO TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT AT
10:43:39AM THIS TIME.
10:43:40AM IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO SPEAK?
10:43:42AM YES, SIR.
10:43:42AM PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
10:43:45AM >> MENTESNOT.
10:43:46AM ONE THING WE KNOW FOR SURE ABOUT THE BIDDING PROCESS, BEFORE
10:43:51AM THE BIDDING PROCESS GOES INTO EFFECT, THEY NEED TO PUT SOME
10:43:56AM TYPE OF SAFEGUARDS ON IT FOR AFRICAN CONTRACTORS.
10:44:01AM IT'S A TOTAL EMBARRASSMENT.
10:44:05AM THEY NEED TO LOOK AT THIS RETROSPECTIVELY AND SEE EXACTLY
10:44:11AM WHAT AFRICAN CONTRACTORS HAVE BEEN GETTING OUT OF THE CITY
10:44:14AM BUDGET.
10:44:14AM ALMOST ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NOTHING.
10:44:17AM NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE PAPERWORK DISCOURAGEMENT BUT ALSO
10:44:22AM BECAUSE THE CITY ISN'T DOING ANYTHING TO ATTRACT THE AFRICAN
10:44:25AM CONTRACTORS.
10:44:26AM THE PEOPLE ARE SO INTELLIGENT THAT THEY PROACTIVELY, LIKE IN
10:44:30AM THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY LET IT GO DOWN AND DOWN AND DOWN AND
10:44:34AM DOWN.
10:44:35AM THEY SELL IT FOR CHEAP AND THEN THE GENTRIFICATION STARTS.
10:44:40AM NOBODY WANTS TO LIVE THERE ANYMORE.
10:44:42AM IT IS THE SAME THING GOING ON WITH THESE CITY BIDS.
10:44:45AM THE HARASSMENT IS SO GREAT THAT AFRICAN CONTRACTORS AREN'T
10:44:52AM EVEN COMING TO BID ON PROJECTS.
10:44:54AM NO ONE IS DOING ANY OUTREACH FOR THEM AND NO ONE IS DOING
10:45:00AM ANYTHING TO HAVE TRAINING PROGRAMS WHERE THERE WILL EVEN BE
10:45:05AM AFRICAN CONTRACTORS IN THE FUTURE.
10:45:08AM THANK YOU.
10:45:08AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
10:45:12AM NEXT SPEAKER, YES, MA'AM.
10:45:13AM PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
10:45:15AM >> GOOD MORNING.
10:45:16AM STEPHANIE POYNOR.
10:45:17AM YOU KNOW WHAT?
10:45:17AM EVERY TIME I DO THE MATH AND THEY DO BIDS ON STUFF, GUESS
10:45:22AM WHAT, WE SAVE MONEY.
10:45:23AM OH, MY GOODNESS.
10:45:24AM WOW.
10:45:25AM THAT'S CRAZY.
10:45:26AM AND NORMALLY WHEN I DO A CITY COUNCIL REVIEW AND I CALCULATE
10:45:30AM THE DIFFERENCES, IT'S SIGNIFICANT.
10:45:33AM I THINK THAT WHEN THEY DO IT INITIALLY AND THEN THEY COME
10:45:40AM BACK AND THEY RENEW WITH A REASONABLE CPI, THAT'S CONSUMER
10:45:46AM PRICE INDEX INCREASE, I THINK THAT IS A REASONABLE PROCESS
10:45:50AM BECAUSE IF WE ARE DOING A 3.2%, WHICH IS WHAT IT HAS BEEN
10:45:55AM LATELY, IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE IT COSTS MONEY TO HAVE STAFF
10:45:58AM DO ANOTHER BID WHEN THEY ARE THE ORIGINAL BIDDER.
10:46:03AM IF WE DO IT TEN YEARS FROM NOW, NO.
10:46:05AM BUT FOR ADDING ANOTHER YEAR, THAT MAKES REASONABLE SENSE.
10:46:10AM BECAUSE, AS A RULE, THE PROCESS COSTS A LOT OF MONEY TO HAVE
10:46:14AM BIDS DONE, SO WE NEED TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
10:46:21AM BUT THEN AGAIN, THEY MIGHT BE THE CHEAPEST BID AND THEN THEY
10:46:25AM DON'T SHOW UP TO WORK LIKE THE FOLKS IN WEST TAMPA WHO
10:46:29AM AREN'T MOWING THE GRASS AND WE PAID THEM MONEY TO MOW THE
10:46:32AM GRASS.
10:46:33AM I THINK THAT THE BID PROCESS IS A GOOD THING, BUT I ALSO
10:46:36AM THINK THAT ONCE WE GET THE RIGHT PERSON IN PLACE, DOING A
10:46:40AM RENEWAL OF A CONTRACT, WHEN I WAS IN THE GLASS BUSINESS,
10:46:43AM THEY RENEWED OUR CONTRACT IN NASHVILLE, AND I THINK WE HAD
10:46:47AM TO REBID ONCE EVERY TWO OR THREE YEARS WITH METRO HOUSING.
10:46:51AM SO THAT WAS A NORMAL PROCESS.
10:46:54AM IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS RENEWED.
10:46:56AM IT WAS RENEWED ONE YEAR AFTER THE NEXT AND THEN WE HAD TO
10:47:00AM REBID IT.
10:47:01AM SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:47:02AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:47:03AM COUNCILMAN CARLSON.
10:47:06AM >>BILL CARLSON: SORRY, I WAS TALKING TO MARTY ABOUT DATES.
10:47:09AM I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO PUT THE FIRST THREE --
10:47:15AM THERE ARE FOUR PROPOSALS.
10:47:16AM BY THE WAY, I DIDN'T WRITE THESE.
10:47:17AM DIDN'T HAVE ANY INPUT ON THE WRITING.
10:47:20AM ANDREA DID THAT COMPLETELY WITH THE CHIEF OF STAFF.
10:47:22AM I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO PUT THE FIRST THREE ON THE
10:47:25AM AGENDA FOR OCTOBER 3rd FOR FIRST READING CONSIDERATION.
10:47:28AM AND THEN SEPARATE TO THAT MOTION, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A
10:47:32AM DISCUSSION QUICK ABOUT NUMBER FOUR AND SEE HOW YOU ALL VOTE
10:47:35AM FOR THAT.
10:47:35AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE'LL TAKE THE FIRST MOTION, WHICH WILL
10:47:37AM BE TO PUT THE FIRST THREE ORDINANCES FOR FIRST READING
10:47:42AM CONSIDERATION ON THE OCTOBER 3rd REGULAR CITY COUNCIL
10:47:45AM AGENDA.
10:47:45AM >>BILL CARLSON: NUMBERS 3, 4, 5 AND ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED
10:47:48AM A FOURTH ONE.
10:47:49AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: DO WE HAVE A SECOND BEFORE DISCUSSION?
10:47:51AM SECOND FROM --
10:47:52AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: [INAUDIBLE] ASK QUESTIONS OF HER.
10:47:59AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND WE
10:48:00AM HAVE DISCUSSION.
10:48:01AM YES, MA'AM.
10:48:02AM ANY QUESTIONS?
10:48:04AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR APPEARING.
10:48:06AM I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK YOU IN GENERAL TERMS ON ANY ITEM
10:48:10AM THAT YOU HAVE, WHEN YOU HAVE A CONTRACT OUT FOR BID, LET'S
10:48:14AM SAY SOMEONE HAS THE JOB NOW AT X DOLLARS, THAT PERSONS HAS
10:48:19AM THE CONTRACT.
10:48:20AM COMES UP FOR BID AND THEN BIDS COMES IN AND THAT PERSON THAT
10:48:23AM HAD IT IS NOW THIRD OR FOURTH.
10:48:26AM AND THE FIRST ONE IS REAL LOW.
10:48:28AM THE NEXT TWO ARE REAL TIGHT, WITHIN $5,000 OF A $2 MILLION
10:48:32AM CONTRACT.
10:48:33AM DO YOU LOOK AT THAT AS THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS OR
10:48:37AM YOU LOOK AT IT AS THAT'S THE WAY IT GOES OR DO YOU GO OUT
10:48:40AM AND SPECIFY, DO YOU RECHECK ALL THE BIDDERS THAT HAVE TO
10:48:44AM HAVE THE EQUIPMENT ON HAND SO YOU CAN VISUALLY SEE THEM,
10:48:48AM THAT THEY HAVE ALL THE EMPLOYEES LISTED, I THINK THAT'S THE
10:48:51AM WAY IT IS DONE AND THOSE EMPLOYEES ARE NOT THE SAME
10:48:53AM EMPLOYEES FROM B AND C?
10:48:57AM I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU DID THIS, BELIEVE ME, I'M NOT.
10:49:01AM WHEN YOU LOOK AT A $5 MILLION, AT LEAST 3, DO YOU DO ANY OF
10:49:07AM THAT NOW BEFORE THE ORDINANCE GOES INTO EFFECT?
10:49:09AM THE PIGGY BACKING, PIGGY BACKING ON THE SHERIFF, NOT TOO
10:49:15AM LONG AGO IF I RECALL, DO YOU LOOK AT OTHER AREAS THAT WE'RE
10:49:18AM PIGGY BACKING, TO GET THE SAME PRICE ON SAME VEHICLE OR
10:49:22AM CHOOSE THE ONE CLOSEST IN PROXIMITY TO DISTANCE.
10:49:25AM DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO IT.
10:49:26AM ASKING ALL THIS OF YOU.
10:49:28AM QUICK, MAYBE NOT PREPARED FOR THIS.
10:49:31AM DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO PIGGY BACK ON ANY STATE CONTRACT,
10:49:35AM AM I CORRECT?
10:49:36AM >> YEAH.
10:49:37AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: YOU CHECK OTHER CITIES OR JUST THE ONES
10:49:39AM HERE.
10:49:40AM EXPLAIN TO THE COUNCIL AND TO THE TAXPAYERS.
10:49:41AM I DON'T KNOW.
10:49:45AM >> THE FIRST QUESTION --
10:49:46AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: HAVE I TALKED TO YOU AT ALL ABOUT THIS?
10:49:49AM HAVE I EXPRESSED THIS TO YOU PRIOR TO THIS MEETING BEFORE
10:49:53AM THIS?
10:49:54AM >> NO.
10:49:54AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I HAVE NOT.
10:49:56AM THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:49:57AM >> THE FIRST QUESTION YOU ASKED ME WAS ABOUT IF THERE IS A
10:50:00AM DISPARITY, IF THEIR BID IS HIGHER AND SOMEONE ELSE IS
10:50:05AM SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER, IF SOMEONE IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER AND
10:50:09AM THEN THE REST OF THE BIDS COME IN SOMEWHAT HIGHER, WE WILL
10:50:14AM TYPICALLY REACH OUT TO THAT LOW BIDDER.
10:50:16AM FIRST, WE DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
10:50:18AM WE DO A RESPONSIBLE AND RESPONSIVE CHECK.
10:50:21AM WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE SUBMITTED EVERYTHING.
10:50:23AM WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF DOING THE JOB.
10:50:26AM IT MAY BE LICENSES, EQUIPMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT.
10:50:29AM AND THEN IF THEY ARE STILL IN THE RUNNING, WE WILL GO TO
10:50:34AM THEM AND SAY WE WANT YOU TO JUST CONFIRM THAT YOU CAN DO
10:50:37AM THIS JOB AT THIS PRICE.
10:50:38AM DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
10:50:39AM DO YOU WANT TO DO A SITE VISIT?
10:50:41AM IF THEY TELL US THAT THEY CAN DO THAT JOB AND WE HAVE GONE
10:50:44AM THROUGH OUR DUE DILIGENCE, WE AWARD THAT TO THE LOWEST
10:50:48AM BIDDER.
10:50:48AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU.
10:50:51AM >> THE OTHER QUESTION YOU WERE ASKING WAS ABOUT PIGGY
10:50:55AM BACKING, SO WE HAVE ACCESS TO VARIOUS COOPERATIVE
10:51:01AM AGREEMENTS.
10:51:01AM SOME ARE NATIONWIDE.
10:51:03AM THEY ARE THE LEAD AGENCY IS ALWAYS A GOVERNMENT ENTITY.
10:51:07AM OFTENTIMES THEY ARE PUT OUT AS A NATIONWIDE CONTRACT THAT
10:51:13AM CAN BE PIGGY BACKED FOR THE PURPOSE OF GETTING THOSE
10:51:16AM QUANTITY DISCOUNTS AND THINGS THAT VENDORS TAKE INTO
10:51:20AM CONSIDERATION THAT THEY CAN GET BUSINESS FROM ANY GOVERNMENT
10:51:22AM ENTITY.
10:51:23AM BUT WE USE A LOT OF CONTRACTS FROM THE STATE, FROM
10:51:28AM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND LOCAL AREA.
10:51:31AM FLORIDA SHERIFFS IS A BIG ONE.
10:51:33AM THEY PUT THEIRS OUT SPECIFICALLY TO BE A COOPERATIVE
10:51:36AM AGREEMENT SO THAT OTHERS CAN UTILIZE IT BECAUSE WE DO GET
10:51:39AM THAT BENEFIT OF THE PRICE BREAKS THAT THE ENTIRE STATE IS
10:51:44AM BUYING OFF OF THESE CONTRACTS VERSUS JUST OUR USAGE.
10:51:47AM SO WE ALWAYS DO COMPARISON.
10:51:51AM WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE FLEET DEPARTMENT, THE VEHICLE
10:51:55AM BIDS THAT WE USE, TYPICALLY FOR THE SHERIFF AND THOSE.
10:52:00AM WE'RE IN, YOU KNOW, CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THE DEPARTMENTS.
10:52:03AM WE DO A LOT OF RESEARCH.
10:52:05AM WE DO COMPARISONS ALREADY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING
10:52:08AM FAVORABLE PRICING.
10:52:09AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: YOU DO CHECK OTHER AREAS, NOT JUST ONE,
10:52:14AM AND YOU VERIFY THAT THE PRICE YOU'RE GETTING IS THE LOWEST
10:52:17AM COMPARABLE EVEN PIGGY BACKING WITH OTHERS, AM I CORRECT?
10:52:20AM >> YEAH.
10:52:21AM WE MOSTLY USE PIGGY BACKS FOR VEHICLES BECAUSE WE DO GET
10:52:24AM THOSE PRICE DISCOUNTS AND OFTENTIMES FOR SOFTWARE.
10:52:29AM BECAUSE OFF-THE-SHELF SOFTWARE, YOU'LL TYPICALLY GET THE
10:52:33AM SAME PRICE ACROSS THE BOARD ANYWAY.
10:52:35AM YOU'LL NOT GET A BIG DISCOUNT ON THOSE PARTICULAR THINGS.
10:52:38AM THEY ALSO WANT TO YOU SIGN SPECIFIC AGREEMENTS AND THINGS
10:52:41AM THAT SOMETIMES UTILIZING THE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT, THOSE
10:52:46AM THINGS HAVE BEEN HANDLED.
10:52:49AM DEANNA FAGGART, DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING.
10:52:55AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN: IS THERE A REASON WE DON'T INCLUDE THE
10:52:57AM FOURTH ORDINANCE FOR THE INCREASE FROM HUNDRED, TO TWO --
10:53:03AM >>BILL CARLSON: WE DIDN'T DISCUSS IT.
10:53:05AM I THOUGHT IT COULD BE A SEPARATE DISCUSSION.
10:53:07AM I WAS HOPING TO QUICKLY PUT THE OTHERS.
10:53:09AM WE'RE NOT APPROVING THE ORDINANCES TODAY.
10:53:11AM JUST PUTTING THEM ON THE AGENDA.
10:53:13AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I MEAN, IF WE ROLLED IT INTO THIS, SAVE ME
10:53:17AM HAVING TO INTRODUCE ANOTHER MOTION TO GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE
10:53:20AM IT FOR THE SAME DATE FOR THE OCTOBER MEETING.
10:53:23AM WOULD YOU TAKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT --
10:53:25AM >>BILL CARLSON: IF NOBODY IS OPPOSED TO THE FOURTH ONE, I'LL
10:53:28AM MODIFY MY MOTION TO PUT ALL FOUR ON THE AGENDA FOR FIRST
10:53:32AM READING AND CONSIDERATION ON OCTOBER 3rd.
10:53:34AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I SECONDED THE FIRST AND OBVIOUSLY SECOND
10:53:36AM THAT WITH THE AMENDMENT TO ADDRESS ALL FOUR AT THE SAME
10:53:38AM TIME.
10:53:40AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ANY OTHER DISCUSSION?
10:53:41AM IF NOT, I'LL ASK FOR A VOTE.
10:53:43AM THIS IS FOR ALL FOUR TO BE SET FOR FIRST READING AND
10:53:46AM CONSIDERATION AT THE OCTOBER 3rd REGULAR CITY COUNCIL
10:53:48AM MEETING.
10:53:49AM WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND.
10:53:50AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I'M NOT OPPOSED TO ANY OF THAT, BUT ON
10:53:54AM THAT FOURTH ONE, HUNDRED THOUSAND.
10:53:56AM HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TODAY DOESN'T BUY WHAT $50,000
10:53:59AM BOUGHT TWO YEARS AGO.
10:54:03AM I WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THAT, IF YOU DON'T MIND, TO 200,000.
10:54:04AM >> THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
10:54:06AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU.
10:54:06AM ALL IN FAVOR?
10:54:07AM AYE.
10:54:08AM ANY OPPOSED?
10:54:08AM THAT'S IT.
10:54:09AM THANK YOU.
10:54:10AM THAT CONCLUDES THE AGENDA.
10:54:14AM >>BILL CARLSON: THANK YOU TO ALL THE STAFF AND ESPECIALLY
10:54:15AM CHIEF OF STAFF FOR WORKING WITH US ON THAT.
10:54:17AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE GO TO INFORMATION REPORTS AND NEW
10:54:20AM BUSINESS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
10:54:21AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: NO, SIR.
10:54:23AM >>LUIS VIERA: REALLY QUICK, IF I MAY, I SENT A MEMO OUT ON
10:54:26AM THIS.
10:54:27AM I WANT TO ASK OUR CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO COME ON OCTOBER
10:54:30AM 3rd AND IF THAT DATE NEEDS TO BE MOVED, THAT'S FINE.
10:54:34AM TO UPDATE US ON OUR APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE THAT WE PASSED
10:54:38AM A FEW YEARS AGO AND THE STATUS OF IT.
10:54:41AM I'M IN DISCUSSIONS WITH FOLKS RIGHT NOW ON IT.
10:54:45AM IT APPEARS -- I'LL LET THEM GET INTO IT.
10:54:48AM IT APPEARS IT'S BEEN PREEMPTED, AS MANY FOLKS HAVE HEARD.
10:54:52AM AND THAT'S BEYOND UNFORTUNATE.
10:54:55AM OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S TERRIBLE.
10:54:57AM THE ORDINANCE THAT WE PASSED THREE YEARS AGO WAS SOMETHING
10:55:00AM THAT WAS VERY, VERY REASONABLE.
10:55:02AM IT MADE A LOT OF ACCOMMODATIONS, ET CETERA, FOR CONTRACTORS.
10:55:07AM BUT, AGAIN, IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PREEMPTED.
10:55:11AM I WANT CITY STAFF TO COME AND UPDATE US ON THAT ON OCTOBER
10:55:14AM 3rd, IF I MAY.
10:55:16AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: IN-PERSON STAFF REPORT?
10:55:18AM >>LUIS VIERA: PLEASE.
10:55:19AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MOTION.
10:55:20AM DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
10:55:21AM SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA.
10:55:24AM COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON, YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING.
10:55:26AM OKAY.
10:55:30AM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: [INAUDIBLE]
10:55:31AM >>LUIS VIERA: YES, SIR.
10:55:32AM IT WOULD INCLUDE SOMETHING LIKE ST. PETERSBURG DID WHICH WAS
10:55:36AM MUCH MORE I BELIEVE ONEROUS AS OPPOSED TO SOMETHING TAMPA
10:55:39AM DID THAT WAS MORE MODERATE AND REASONABLE, AS THEY WILL GO
10:55:42AM FORWARD.
10:55:43AM WE'RE WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS RIGHT NOW ON THE THINGS THAT
10:55:46AM WE CAN DO TO PROMOTE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND
10:55:49AM APPRENTICESHIPS THROUGH THE CONTRACTING PROCESS.
10:55:51AM BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE RUG HAS BEEN PULLED OUT UNDER US ON
10:55:55AM THAT ISSUE.
10:55:56AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND.
10:55:58AM ALL IN FAVOR?
10:55:58AM AYE.
10:55:59AM ANY OPPOSED?
10:55:59AM ANYTHING ELSE.
10:56:00AM >>LUIS VIERA: THAT'S IT.
10:56:01AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER HENDERSON.
10:56:03AM >>GWEN HENDERSON: NO, SIR.
10:56:05AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN, COUNCIL MEMBER
10:56:07AM CARLSON.
10:56:08AM I HAVE NOTHING.
10:56:11AM OH, WAIT --
10:56:12AM >>BILL CARLSON: HAD TO RECUSE MYSELF -- I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
10:56:16AM A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE MY FORM.
10:56:19AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MOTION AND SECOND.
10:56:20AM ALL IN FAVOR?
10:56:21AM AYE.
10:56:22AM THAT IS A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE.
10:56:24AM MS. ZELMAN.
10:56:25AM >>ANDREA ZELMAN: BEFORE YOU LEAVE, ANDREA ZELMAN, CITY
10:56:28AM ATTORNEY.
10:56:29AM I HEARD MY NAME MENTIONED.
10:56:30AM IT WAS ACTUALLY JUSTIN VASKE AND MARCIE HAMILTON WHO DID ALL
10:56:34AM THE WORK ON THE ORDINANCES IN THAT MEMO THAT WENT TO YOU.
10:56:38AM I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY GOT THE CREDIT SINCE THEY WERE
10:56:40AM THE ONES THAT DID ALL THE WORK, NOT ME.
10:56:42AM >>BILL CARLSON: THANK YOU TO THEM.
10:56:44AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: CAN I GET A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE
10:56:47AM ALL DOCUMENTS?
10:56:49AM >> [INAUDIBLE]
10:56:50AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: HE MADE THE MOTION AND COUNCIL MEMBER
10:56:52AM MIRANDA SECONDED IT.
10:56:55AM >>LUIS VIERA: IS EVERYBODY GOING TO BE HERE LIVE THIS
10:56:57AM EVENING?
10:56:57AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YEAH.
10:56:58AM >>LUIS VIERA: I MAY NEED TO BE VIRTUAL.
10:57:00AM JUST MAKING SURE.
10:57:01AM THANK YOU.
10:57:03AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE'RE MISSING ONE COUNCIL MEMBER.
10:57:05AM WE HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE.
10:57:10AM MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON, SECOND FROM COUNCIL
10:57:12AM MEMBER MIRANDA.
10:57:12AM ALL IN FAVOR?
10:57:13AM AYE.
10:57:14AM WE ARE ADJOURNED.
10:57:14AM [ SOUNDING GAVEL ]
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