ELECTED COUNTY MAYOR SPEAKING POINTS, FACTS

AND FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

INTRODUCTION 

Hillsborough County is unique among all the urban counties. Unlike Dade, Pinellas, Broward, Orange and others, Hillsborough has only 3 cities. Of the total Hillsborough County population of 1,177,060, 67% reside in the unincorporated area and 84% of the land mass is in the unincorporated part of the County. In other words, Hillsborough County is like a large, sprawling city, without a single person to guide its growth and plan for its future.  

Under our current system, we have seven County Commissioners acting as a legislative body, but we have no leader. Currently, the County Commission appoints an administrator who manages the day-to-day business of the County. 

Under the proposed new system the voters would select the county administrator, an Elected County Mayor. This leader would be responsible for guiding policy and managing the business of the county. The elected mayor, chosen by the voters, would be directly responsible to the voters for actions taken by the county. The elected mayor would be accountable to the public. 

The role of the County Commission would not change under an elected mayor system. The commission would continue to make legislative decisions; choose from their members appointees to the various boards and authorities, like the Port and Airport authorities; vote on matters before the Board; and, all other duties given to it by the county charter. 

An elected mayor is a one-for-one replacement for the county administrator for managing the county. However, the elected mayor would also have the political clout to negotiate with our three cities and with the elected county commission.  

Seventy five thousand signatures were collected in Hillsborough County on two  petitions in order to get this issue on the ballot and Let the People Decide.  This is a citizen's initiative and  is not backed by business or special interests.   

TALKING POINTS 

1.         The change to the Charter would not consolidate city and county governments.  The cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City would remain exactly as they are.

The duties of our constitutional officers. Sheriff, Clerk of the Court, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections, and Tax Assessor will remain unchanged.

2.         The problem with an appointed administrator is that he or she is in no position to "speak truth to power," or to disagree with the elected commissioners.  Individual commissioners can, and do, bring pressure to bear on the appointed administrator to hire or fire staff, or to approve or disapprove contracts.  This kind of political pressure is unhealthy in a democracy.  An elected county mayor, with veto power, would be accountable to the people of Hillsborough County, and his or her actions would be open to public scrutiny.   

3.         Our current system of county government worked well when Hillsborough County was largely a rural area.  Today Hillsborough County has over 1.2 million residents and is expected to add another 500,000 residents over the next 25 years. We need a more responsive government body to deal with problems of the present and the future, traffic congestion, for example.  An elected mayor can provide the leadership and vision that is difficult for a body of 7 to generate. 

4.         As issues of transportation, environmental protection, etc. become more vital and more complex, it is important that executives of the three cities and Hillsborough County be able to work together to solve problems.  This kind of cooperation can only occur when you have four equal partners involved in the deliberations.  The county administrator is not authorized to make decisions, and can only say to the others:  “Well, I don’t know. I’ll have to get back to you on that after I poll the commission.”   

5.         An elected executive officer will be in a position to propose solutions to the problems of growth management, affordable housing, indigent health care, school needs, mass transit and disaster preparedness.  We are all in  this together: Tampa, Plant City, Temple Terrace and Hillsborough County.  We need to find a unified voice to seek solutions and work out a consensus for our common problems. 

6.         Hillsborough County is today located in an urbanized area called Tampa Bay.  We have issues that require regional cooperation and leadership to be able to resolve.  Transportation, environment, water are some of the more pressing issues that cross county lines.  An Elected County Mayor would have the authority to reach across regional lines to respond quickly to resolve common issues for all of Hillsborough County.

7.         The voters have a vital stake in the actions of the County Commission, yet they can affect its composition only in a limited way.  The voters deserve to have an administrator who is elected directly by them, and who is accountable to them.             

8.         Under the County Mayor system, county government will work as city, state and national governments do, and as our founding fathers envisioned.  The County Commission will be the legislative branch, setting policy and enacting ordinances.  The county mayor will be the executive branch, proposing legislation and providing vision and direction.   

9.         The problem with the current “government by committee” is that some commissioners are torn between the narrow parochial interests of their particular district and the overall needs of the entire county.  The county has grown too large and too complex to be headed by a committee. 

10.       Our very charter, which states that the county administrator cannot hold public office or engage in any political activity other than voting, ensures that the appointed administrator is not the equal of any of the commissioners and makes the position subservient to the BOCC.  But elsewhere the charter states that “the power of the government shall be divided between legislative and executive branches.  No person belonging to one branch shall exercise any powers appertaining to the other branch.” 

11.       Good government always includes a system of checks and balances to prevent the abuse of power.  Our current system has no checks and balances. 

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. Opponents say that the change to the Charter would add another level of bureaucracy.  Not so.  We have a County Administrator in county government today.  This person is hired by the Board of County Commissioners and serves at their pleasure.  This person is not accountable to the people of Hillsborough County.  The change to the Charter would simply replace the non-elected county administrator with an elected one, giving the people a stronger voice in county government.

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

Answer:  No.  Choosing to elect, rather than appoint, a county administrator, in no way discriminates against minorities.  The argument that an African-American or Hispanic could not be elected mayor flies in the face of the fact that minorities have been elected in countywide  races. 

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

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

4.         Explain the veto provision or what does the veto provision do? 

Answer:  The Elected County Mayor will have the ability to veto measures passed by County Commission . The Commission could over-ride the veto by a super majority vote.   Giving the mayor the power of the veto allows for important issues to be debated and receive the attention they deserve.  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:    If the voters approve the change to the Charter, the first election for County Mayor will not take place until November 2010.  Speculation about possible candidates is obviously premature.  So much can change before that election.  We assume that there will be good candidates.  Our task right now is to effect the change to the charter.  There will be plenty of time in the next two years to vet candidates.

6.         Is there currently one person with authority who 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 if Hillsborough County will be led by and if there will be an Elected County Mayor rather than an appointed administrator. 

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 committee form of government, known as the commission, discourages leadership; does not allow for accountability to the people; and, there is no system of checks and balances between the executive and legislative branches. 

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:  What is different about running county government than running a city, a state or a nation?  No where else will you hear the argument that government requires a professional to run government.  It is a weak argument being used by the opponents to convince the people that it is not capable of electing a person qualified to be administrator of Hillsborough County.  

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.”.   

12.       Will an elected county mayor result in back room deals and corruption? 

Answer:  No.  Allowing the citizens to choose an Elected County mayor rather than an appointed administrator certainly does not open the door for corruption or inappropriate deal making.. 

13.       Will an elected county mayor cater to developers and other special interest groups? 

Answer:  No.  A mayor, elected by the people, will have to consider the needs and interests of all the constituent groups and seek a balance for the county. 

Go to www.countymayor.com for additional information.

Paid political advertisement paid for and sponsored by ELECTED COUNTY MAYOR POLITICAL COMMITTEE, INC. 315 Plant Avenue, Tampa, Florida,  33606