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By Penny Fletcher
penny@observernews.net
GIBSONTON - Despite obstacles created behind the scenes for supporters of the Elected County Mayor Political Committee, Inc., the group has gathered enough signatures for its amendments to appear on the November ballot.
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| Penny Fletcher Photo
Cathy Parsons, treasurer of Concerned Citizens of Gibsonton Area Inc., left, helped host a program July 10 where former State Rep. Mary Figg explained two citizen-initiated amendments that will be on the ballot in November. |
Because petitions initiated by the people can only address a single subject, it was necessary to have two separate amendments for one idea. The first would create the position of an elected county mayor and the second would grant the mayor veto power over legislative acts of the County Commission.
There would be certain decisions – such as zoning– the mayor could not override.
“Governance by committee isn’t working,” said Mary Figg, a former state representative. Speaking in support of the amendments at the monthly meeting of Concerned Citizens of Gibsonton Area Inc. July 10, Figg told those who attended that she believed it is always a better idea to have an elected person rather than an appointed one.
“We aren’t talking about adding a layer of government,” she said. “The mayor would replace the county administrator, who is appointed. We need a single elected person we can go to if we want to appeal decisions and ask that person to represent us to the county.”
Florida Statutes allow for the position and some counties already have one, she added.
Figg and another committee member, Tampa attorney Mary Ann Stiles, have been speaking to groups around the county to explain the ballot initiative so they won’t be surprised when they see it on their voting screen in November.
But everyone isn’t happy with the idea of a county mayor.
“There are people working against this,” Figg said. “The Supervisor of Elections Office went out of its way to make it hard for us during the signature-gathering period.”
Then, two weeks ago, a lawsuit was filed “on behalf” of county resident James Shirk.
The suit was filed in Hillsborough Circuit Court against Elections Supervisor Buddy Johnson, over a technicality with the date.
Figg suggests the lawsuit is a smoke-screen.
“The lawsuit is really not about this technicality,” Figg said. “And it’s probably not just some citizen who wants to do his civic duty. There are other people behind it.”
The basis for the suit is that when residents signed the petition to place the issue on the ballot, the petition called for ballot placement in 2006, not 2008. So it was dated for 2006 and placed in 2008 because the committee did not have enough signatures until then.
Shirk was not available for comment for this story.
One person who has come out openly against the idea is County Commissioner Jan Platt. In a recent debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters, the long-time commissioner stated that the current power structure was created in the early 1980s to spread the decision-making power after several commissioners were arrested for corruption.
“This (the current structure) was to save us from ourselves,” was Platt’s quote.
But Gibsonton residents who attended this month’s meeting seemed supportive of the election of a mayor who would represent the unincorporated area. “Those in power would be expected to like the status quo,” some residents in the audience said.
Figg showed a map of the county that marked where each of the seven County Commissioners live. “Four are single-district commissioners,” she pointed out. “While three are ‘at large’ seats. But just look where they all live.”
Concerned Citizens members pointed out that none live in South County. In fact, there have only been two commissioners from South County seated on the commission; none since the late 1980s when Riverview Republican Jim Selvey’s term ended.
“The County Commission has been less than responsive to South County’s needs for some time,” said Bob Minthorn, who has lived in the area since 1967. “I would like to see an elected mayor given even more powers than are on this ballot initiative. The way it is now, the county administrator has seven bosses and the system is very inefficient.”
Minthorn, who is acting vice president of Concerned Citizens, has been an area activist for many years.
If passed, the first time a mayor could run for office would be 2010, Figg said.
To find out more about the proposal, or to study the amendments, voters may log onto http://www.takingbackhillsboroughcountypoliticalcommittee.com.
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