Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJune 23, 2016

A court has rejected a request by a coalition of taxi cab companies to have Victor Crist removed as chair of the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission. The Second District Court of Appeal in Lakeland issued an order dismissing the request Thursday. “This was a malicious intent by the taxi coalition and their representatives to discredit me,” Crist said, […]

Joe HendersonJune 10, 2016

So, the Hillsborough County Commission decided, again, to take an important decision out of the hands of those most affected. The public is once again denied the chance to decide if wants to tax itself to pay for things like roads, buses and other transportation necessities. Undeterred by traffic jams and studies showing a quarter-million […]

Mitch PerryJune 9, 2016

Bernie Sanders is scheduled to meet with Barack Obama at the White House today, and one can only imagine how that might go down. Obama: Bernie, what an amazing run you’ve had. The right have had a field day accusing me of being a socialist, and then you come along – Sanders: Please, Mr. President, […]

Mitch PerryMay 12, 2016

So, Go Hillsborough is somehow still alive? Though they haven’t set a date yet, apparently there will be another public hearing on putting a sales tax referendum on the ballot this November. On Wednesday, the Hillsborough County Commission voted to support a half-cent sales tax for 15 years, and not the 30-year plan shot down […]

Peter SchorschMay 8, 2016

google-to-offer-ride-sharing-service-to-compete-with-uber-1102870-TwoByOne-1024x1024.jpg

If all forms of innovation were stifled, this website wouldn’t exist (and yes, there are probably some folks who are thinking “if only …”). The latest target for these head-in-the-sand luddites is ridesharing, in the form of companies like Uber and Lyft. Ridesharing is not just inevitable – it’s real, and it’s here to stay. Yet like […]

Mitch PerryApril 28, 2016

It came down to, as we all knew it would, to the enigmatic Victor Crist. After more than four hours of discussion and debate, the decision about whether to place the Go Hillsborough half-cent sales tax on the November ballot was deadlocked between the Board of County Commissioners 3-3, which is what we had known […]

Mitch PerryApril 27, 2016

Hillsborough County Commissioners unanimously approved increasing what used to be call impact fees but are now dubbed mobility fees. It’s actually a pretty big deal by itself, considering that they hadn’t done so since Ronald Reagan was still president. The fees are designed to have developers pay for the increase in construction to roads needed […]

Mitch PerryApril 13, 2016

Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission executive director Kyle Cockream says his final day on the job will be July 11. Cockream announced he was stepping down on Monday after serving two years on the job, but said at Wednesday’s PTC meeting that he began “having communications” with agency chair Victor Crist about leaving the post back on […]

Staff ReportsApril 11, 2016

Miami-based attorney Ivette Arango O’Doski, who also lives in Tallahassee (she’s married to Advantage Consulting Team’s co-founder Rhett O’Doski), became part of the Buchanan Ingersoll Rooney team April 1. She will staff the Miami office. Her hire opens the door for the firm’s entry into the lucrative South Florida governmental relations market. In 2014, Gov. Rick Scott appointed her as a “consumer […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 22, 2016

A concept of “deal” implies that each side gets “something.” Not so with Uber and the taxi industry. So far, in all negotiations, Uber has stuck to everything they want, yet offering little (or nothing) in return. From the onset, Uber’s arrival in Florida quickly became a matter of ignoring the existing rules, beginning with […]

Tag: Victor Crist

Court rejects taxi companies request to remove Victor Crist from Hillsborough PTC

Joe Henderson: Why not give voters say on Hillsborough County transportation tax?

Mitch Perry Report for 6.9.16 -When Bernie meets Barry

Mitch Perry Report for 5.12.16 — The proposed tax that will not go away

Why are so many people trying to stand in the way of innovation?

Mitch Perry Report for 4.28.16 – Go Hillsborough goes down. Now what?

Mitch Perry Report for 4.27.16 – Time for Hillsborough BOCC to make a decision

Kyle Cockream’s last day as Hillsborough PTC head is July 11

Personnel notes: Ivette Arango O’doski, Karen Skyers and Jennifer Wilson making moves

The case for the taxis not making a legislative deal with Uber & Lyft