FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1)  Does this proposal add another layer of government?

Answer:  No… this is a direct replacement of an appointed official for an Elected County Mayor.

2)  Will this weaken minority leadership as some say a minority can't be elected to this position?

Answer:  No… this will not in any way diminish minority leadership.   Actually there is no reason a minority could not become the Elected County Mayor.  African Americans and Hispanics have been elected to county-wide offices, therefore they could prevail as an Elected County Mayor.

3) Will this give one person the ability to raise taxes?

Answer:  No… the Elected County Mayor would have no legislative ability to raise taxes or enact any ordinance.  That is a power left to the Board of County Commissioners.

4)  What does the Veto thing mean?

Answer:  The Elected County Mayor will have the ability to veto measures passed by County Commission if they are not in the best interest of the citizens. The Commission could over-ride the veto by a super majority vote.   This will cause certain measures to receive the attention they need.   This is the way our State government, our National government and every other large county in Florida works today.  This system would create an atmosphere embracing checks and balances necessary for efficient government operation.

5) I hear rumors that this person or that person will win if this amendment passes?

Answer:  The vote for a county mayor is two years away. Much can change as to who will or will not be the county mayor.  A number of highly qualified viable candidates have been talked about for the County Mayor but that is not the issue during this election.  What is being asked of the voters is to decided if we should have an appointed County Administrator appointed by the Board of County Commissioners OR an Elected County Mayor, elected by the people.

6)  Is there currently one person with authority that can speak on behalf of the County?

Answer:  No.

7)  Why do we have two questions on the ballot relating to an Elected County Mayor?

Answer:  The first question you will be asked to vote on is:

Replacing the Current Appointed Administrator with a Nonpartisan Elected County Mayor  -- yes or no.

This is the actual language that will appear on the voter's ballot.   This is the item that gives the power to the people to decide who will lead Hillsborough County as an Elected County Mayor.

The second part is

Providing County Mayor with Veto Powers; Providing Board Power to Override with Two-Thirds Vote – yes or no.

This language will also appear on the ballot.  This part of the change gives the Elected County Mayor the power needed to institute checks and balances and send certain items back to the commission for further consideration.

The two ballot items are necessary for constitutional reasons to insure there is no confusion as to the power given to the county mayor. It is very important to vote yes for both items.

8) What is wrong with the system we have today?   

Answer:  The system we have today was chosen over 25 years ago and is obsolete.  We are seeking to change the structure.  This is not personal as to anyone currently serving in public office.

9) Does the power to elect a county mayor exist in the laws today?

Answer:  Yes Florida State law currently allows counties to choose one of two types of government, either the form currently used by Hillsborough County, which is a seven member elected commission or a form of government with an elected county mayor and an elected county commission.  Though Hillsborough utilizes the seven member commission, this commission appoints a county administrator.   This ballot measure would give the citizens of Hillsborough County the opportunity to Elect a County Mayor.

10)  The person elected as Mayor may not have the knowledge to run county government and therefore additional people will have to be hired to carry out the duties.

Answer:  Trust the People.  They will choose a person who is capable of performing these duties and if the mayor does not, the people have the power to vote against the mayor at the next election.  Today, the people have no such power. The county administrator is appointed and works for the County Commission – not the people. 

11) Does the current county administrator appoint assistant county administrators to assist him in carrying out the duties of county administrator?

Answer.  Yes.  The appointed county administrator today has several assistants hired for the sole purpose to assist in carrying out the duties of the administrator.  The County Charter itself provides  “One or more assistant county administrators may be appointed by the County Executive to carry out its duties.”.  It may be that an Elected County Mayor could utilize even less assistants than the current administrator. 

12) The elected county mayor will result in corrupt politics with increased back room deals and therefore take us back in time when county commissioners were led off in handcuffs. That instead of bribing 7 people – would this make it possible to bribe only one person?

Answer:  No. This argument overlooks the fact that the 7 county commissioners will still be serving on the Board and be responsible for enacting our laws. Further, the county mayor cannot pass any ordinance and has no voting power on the Commission.  The job of the County Commission is to pass our laws and that will not change.  Instead of 7 people serving the people, it will be 8.  The major difference is that the elected county mayor will be elected by the people and will have veto power over the Commission.

Hillsborough County faced the embarrassment of having several of its county commissioners hauled off to jail in the early 1980's. Government in the Sunshine, which prohibits commissioners from discussing any issue that will come up for a vote between each other outside the commission meetings was in its infancy and seldom enforced as it is today.  Had that law had been in force at the time the bribes took place, this part of our history would most likely have not occurred. It is that law rather than the obsolete structure of government we have today that has prevented a repeat of the bribery scandal.

Most importantly, the position of elected county mayor will replace the position of appointed county administrator with the same duties and responsibilities that the appointed county administrator has today.  Simply allowing the citizens to choose an Elected County mayor rather than an appointed administrator certainly does not open the door for inappropriate deal making.

13) Does the elected county mayor benefit Developers or other special interest groups?

Answer:  No.  The Elected County Mayor does not benefit developers or any other group, other than the citizens of Hillsborough County. The elected county mayor will have no veto authority over any zoning, master plan or land use plan enacted by the Board of County Commissioners.  Since the mayor can not enact any ordinance, changing the way in which the county administrator gets the job, i.e. from being appointed to elected by the people does not in any way create favoritism of one group over another.

 

Paid political advertisement paid for and sponsored by Elected County Mayor Political Committee, Inc.,

315 Plant Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606

 

Confidential Work Product Strategic Solutions of Florida  041508