I would like to comment on your article “County Mayor Initiative Under Fire”.  As an African American it is my view that African American’s will not be hurt by an elected county Mayor.  I’m not sure that I follow the rationale of how African American’s in Hillsborough County will lose political power.  While I am sensitive to the concerns emanating from the African American community, I don’t agree with the assumption that the District 3 representative will have less power.

 

The assumption on which the argument is built seems to convey the belief that the newly elected County Mayor will not be a Mayor with the interest of all its’ citizenry in mind-to represent the whole of the community.  The strength of any Mayor or elected representative is that they are seen to represent a wide range of community views and interests.    While local Government has been and still is dominated by white middle-age and older males, communities and society changes and with that demographics change.

 

Hillsborough County is slowly changing to become more diverse, and so too in time that awareness will be translated into a diverse mix of elected officials; thus holding out the possibility that the county mayor may one day be a woman, African-American, Hispanic or other person(s) of color.

 

It is my opinion that Hillsborough County lacks county-wide leadership under the current system.  An elected County Mayor is more accountable.  An elected Mayor form of government would foster a relationship in which the county commission and mayor challenge each other, which can be healthy.  It is the best form of government to ensure checks and balances.  We need a reasonable and orderly reform of county government!

 

Jerry Green