Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Joe HendersonMay 23, 2017

Transportation issues in the Tampa Bay area have been well-documented and they will get worse before they get better — assuming, of course, “better” ever comes. The Florida Department of Transportation wanted to attack the problem with a plan called Tampa Bay Express, or TBX. I’ll simplify: It called for building more roads, including 90 […]

Mitch PerryDecember 13, 2016

Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jim Boxold told a Senate Committee Tuesday that it’s time to hit the reset button on the controversial Tampa Bay Express Project. “We have had some challenges with getting that project to a point where the local communities that are affected are pleased with where it is, and so we have the benefit of […]

Joe HendersonNovember 8, 2016

Incumbent Sandra Murman cruised to victory Tuesday over Democrat Jeff Zampitella in the Hillsborough County Commission District 1 race. With 69 of 86 precincts reporting, Murman held a 57-43 percent lead over Zampitella. “I knew this was going to be a tough cycle, so we ran a whole campaign all the way,” she said. “A […]

Anne LindbergSeptember 26, 2016

State Sen. Jack Latvala on Monday wrote to the Florida Department of Transportation objecting to any plan to start charging tolls on current lanes of the Howard Frankland bridge. Latvala was reacting to recent news that state officials plan to take one of the four existing lanes in each direction on the bridge and charge […]

Tom JacksonSeptember 7, 2016

As someone who lives near a thoroughfare in a constant state of construction, I sympathize with anyone who looks upon the approach of road expansion with dread. It’s noisy. It’s dirty. It’s inconvenient. It’s hard on tires and suspensions. It impedes traffic in ways that seem to outweigh any eventual benefit. And all but the […]

Joe HendersonJune 23, 2016

An essential part of the libertarian ideal is a belief that for public services, consumers should pay as they go. The preference is user fees instead of taxes. As we well know, Gov. Rick Scott has strong libertarian leanings. Keep that in mind while considering the 12-4 vote by the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization to […]

Mitch PerryJune 16, 2016

Although Lisa Montelione announced last fall that she would challenge fellow Democrat Mike Reedy in the House District 63 primary election this August, she didn’t officially submit her resign-to-run letter announcing her departure from the Tampa City Council until last Friday. She wrote she was submitting her resignation with “a heavy heart,” and jokingly said Wednesday night that putting […]

Mitch PerryJune 15, 2016

Speaking with FloridaPolitics.com last week, Democratic Senate District 18 candidate Bob Buesing said he was maintaining an open mind regarding the Tampa Bay Express project, but said he wanted the Florida Department of Transportation to show more flexibility in working with the local neighborhoods in Tampa that will be directly affected by its implementation. The controversial $3.3 billion toll lanes […]

Mitch PerryMay 18, 2016

House District 60 Republicans Jackie Toledo and Rebecca Smith both have a background in transportation, so it was natural that they be asked to weigh in on the Tampa Bay Express project (TBX), the controversial Florida Department of Transportation billion-dollar project that would add all-express toll lanes on I-275. Speaking at the Hillsborough County Republican Executive Committee’s monthly meeting on […]

Mitch PerryMarch 16, 2016

Like may people in the Tampa Heights community that he represents, House District 61 Democrat Ed Narain was holding his breath when news broke on Tuesday that Gov. Rick Scott had vetoed $256 million in projects from the just concluded legislative session. The good news is that Narain’s request for $1.2 million to move what has become a […]

Tag: Tampa Bay Express

Joe Henderson: FDOT’s Tampa Bay transit plan has new name, but really needs new ideas

FDOT Secretary says it’s time to hit reset button on TBX project

Sandy Murman cruises to victory over Jeff Zampitella in Hillsborough County Commission

Jack Latvala to FDOT: Don’t turn lanes on Howard Frankland into toll roads

Tom Jackson: TBX meets the Star Trek test

Joe Henderson: Rick Scott, libertarians love TBX; everyone else can suck exhaust

Lisa Montelione anticipates ‘increasing’ public service by running for state Legislature

Bob Buesing clarifies his stance on TBX

Jackie Toledo all in on TBX, while her HD GOP 60 opponent Rebecca Smith isn’t so enthusiastic

Ed Narain proud of accomplishments in House, ready for Senate