Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryApril 30, 2015

A half-hour after Eric Ward was named the new Tampa police chief on Thursday, two city council members joined a coalition of activist groups who again called on the Tampa Police Department to temporarily stop their current bike citation policy. Council Chairman Frank Reddick and District 7 Councilwoman Lisa Montelione joined members of the ACLU, […]

Mitch PerryApril 30, 2015

Newly tapped Tampa Police Chief Eric Ward said Thursday during his introduction to the city that black bicyclists have “absolutely not” been unfairly targeted by the department that he’ll take over next week. Activists have said they want a time-out on the bike citations, but when asked by a reporter about the issue Ward didn’t […]

Mitch PerryApril 30, 2015

Two nights after Baltimore burned in anger at the death of Freddie Gray, the young black man who died in police custody there, mass demonstrations were held in cities like Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; Denver; New York City; and Minneapolis on Wednesday night. No such protests occurred in the Tampa Bay area, but Baltimore was very […]

Mitch PerryApril 20, 2015

Happy 420 Day. There have been some interesting stories being produced by our friends over at the Tampa Bay Times over the past week. The paper returned to their coverage of Doug Hughes yesterday. Hughes is the Ruskin postal worker who hoped to raise awareness about the influence of big money in politics by violating […]

Tag: Eric Ward

2 Tampa City Council members say bike policy will guide votes on new police chief

New Tampa police chief says he’ll keep bike citation policy

Tampa town hall meeting on race reveals raw emotions

Mitch Perry Report for 4.20.15 – Tampa’s Bicycle Blitzkrieg