Peter Schorsch
Attorney Hoyt L. Prindle officially launched his campaign for Tampa City Council last week in West Tampa, with a launch party at Cigar City Brewing.
About 50 community supporters attended what Prindle’s campaign described as a celebration of “a new day in Tampa and a people-powered message that will tackle our city’s most pressing challenges.”
Prindle is running for the District 6 seat currently held by Guido Maniscalco, who is facing term limits and instead running for re-election to District 2.
“I don’t come onto City Council to be a vote for anybody or any faction,” Prindle said during a speech at the event. “This is not a partisan crowd. When I’m on City Council, I’m not going to focus on partisanship. I’m going to focus on doing the task to get the job done. I am going to go on City Council not to be a show horse, but a workhorse.”
Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp, a District 6 resident and a member of Prindle’s host committee for the kick-off, introduced Prindle.
“We both share a deep interest for transit and transportation in Hillsborough County and Tampa because, as you know, we are the most under-funded transit system in the nation for a metro area of our size, bar none,” Kemp said.
Prindle was Kemp’s appointee to the Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization’s Citizens Advisory Committee.
“I know that Hoyt’s the one that can bring out that message and help us to do more about it,” she added.
During remarks, Prindle said he plans to address affordable housing challenges in the city, noting the city is experiencing “New York or LA prices for real estate without having New York or LA incomes.”
He said he plans to use city tools, such as reforming land use development codes and expanding the city’s Dare to Own the Dream (DARE) program, to increase housing stock and drive market prices down.
The DARE program provides down payment assistance to income-eligible residents.
Prindle so far faces two other candidates for the seat — University of Tampa alumnus Tyler Barrett and Realtor Rick Fifer. Prindle has so far outraised both, with more than $26,000 banked in the race. Fifer has raised just over $6,500 while Barrett has brought in just $4,235, according to the most recent campaign finance data available.
The elephant in the room though, is whether District 2 City Council member Charlie Miranda will jump in the race. Miranda, like Maniscalco, is facing term limits in his district and is widely expected to jump into the District 6 race sometime in the new year, attempting a seat-swap with Maniscalco.
Miranda has been on City Council on and off since 1974 and has served eight terms. If he enters the race, he would likely bring strong institutional support and the ability to raise significant funds to ward off challengers.
In 2019, for example, Miranda raised nearly $95,000 and went on to defeat two challengers with nearly 58% of the vote.
