Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryMay 4, 2015

Plant City Republican Josh Burgin, who been on the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) since February 2012, said Monday that he will leave the agency on July 1 to pursue a degree at the Harvard School of Government. “Three years ago, you gave me a specific charge to ‘protect the taxpayer,'” Burgin wrote last […]

Mitch PerryApril 21, 2015

A week ago I spoke with someone close to David Jolly about the Pinellas County congressman taking time to consider a candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2016. The still-newbie Republican U.S. Representative has a number of pros and cons to contemplate before making such a momentous career decision. The biggest downside is the real […]

Mitch PerryApril 20, 2015

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Before the 2015 Legislative Session commenced last month, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) Board Chairman Mike Suarez wrote to Pasco County area legislator Richard Corcoran, chairman of the Tampa Bay area legislative delegation, with a list of priorities that the transit agency hoped the state could fund this year. But with just two weeks to […]

Mitch PerryMarch 19, 2015

The Tampa City Council has an election every year to choose a new chair. The majority has chosen the status quo in recent years, continuing to choose longtime member Charlie Miranda as their leader, with nary a vote for the board’s other six members. That lack of leadership diversity has bothered a few members of […]

Mitch PerryMarch 2, 2015

Last week the Tampa Bay Business Journal reported that HART is seeking more than $50 million from the Florida Legislature this year, an amount that apparently surprised some members of the Hillsborough County transit agency. “I don’t remember $50 million,” board member Bryan Crino confessed at the agency’s monthly board meeting on Monday. That’s because most of […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 11, 2015

Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez is feeling confident in his bid for re-election to his District 1 seat next month. Unlike four years ago, where he was competing against four other candidates in his first bid for elected office, Suarez is in solid shape with less than three weeks to go in his primary contest, […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 3, 2015

Showing once again that she’s determined to make a mark on the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit board, member Kathleen Shanahan expressed frustration today that she wasn’t aware of any financial requests that the transit agency had made of its local legislative delegation, a month before the 2015 legislative session in Tallahassee. “I feel like we’re going […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 3, 2015

Showing once again that she’s determined to make a mark on the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit board, member Kathleen Shanahan expressed frustration today that she wasn’t aware of any financial requests that the transit agency had made of its local legislative delegation, a month before the 2015 legislative session in Tallahassee. “I feel like we’re going […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 23, 2015

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Unlike four years ago, there isn’t that much buzz about the upcoming Tampa City Council elections scheduled to take place in March. The lack of a competitive mayoral contest is the main culprit for the lack of interest, which trickled down to two City Council contests last week, where incumbents Frank Reddick (in District 5) […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 5, 2015

Being the Secretary of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority doesn’t come with many frills. The main job of this particular position is that he or she will preside over all board meeting in the absence of both the chair and vice chair. In other words, it’s heavily symbolic. But the question of who was […]

Tag: HART
(L-R) Palm Beach Sheriff's Office Cpl. Luis Paez and Deputy Ralph "Butch" Waller died Thursday after being struck by an SUV on Southern Boulevard in Loxahatchee. Deputy Ignacio "Dan" Diaz was struck as well and remained in critical condition Friday. Images via Palm Beach Sheriff's Office.

Josh Burgin leaves HART board to attend Harvard

Mitch Perry Report for 4.21.15 — Senate in ’16 odds looking better for David Jolly?

HART still hopes for funding from Tallahassee

Tampa Council argues diversity vs. status quo in who will lead

Hillsborough County transit agency has $50 million in needs from Tallahassee this session

Mike Suarez goes on air in re-election bid for Tampa City Council

Some HART board members fret they'll miss out on state funding

Some HART board members fret they’ll miss out on state funding

Tiger Bay forum kicks off 2015 Tampa City Council debate season

HART board member Kathleen Shanahan makes her presence felt