A good week at PSTA: Dissing Deeson, Dismissing and Insulting Haselden

I was at the PSTA Board Meeting Wednesday and it was a spectacle to behold.

First there was Brad Miller calling out long time WTSP Channel ten investigative reporter Mike Deeson for an interview that Mr. Miller handled so badly the only conclusion you could come to was he had no answer to Deeson’s questions.

You can see the interview here: PSTA uses security grant to back Green Light Tax.

I watched Mr. Miller, PSTA CEO, do one of the better political tap dances as he tried to weasel word his way past the fact his administration at best skirted the intent of a Federal grant.

The perception is he misused federal funds to promote the Greenlight sales tax initiative. In politics we always say perception is reality.

Dr. David McKalip, publisher of the blog SUNBEAM TIMES, was so outraged he called Mr. Miller a liar. PSTA’s Brad Miller and Commissioner Ken Welch Lie on Terrorism Grant Abuse

Not be out done, the venerable Chair of the PSTA Board also had a few choice words for Mr. Deeson.

Since after watching Mr. Deeson dissect politicians and administrative types for years, I figured he could handle the criticism just fine.

Did PSTA Waste $5 Million?

Last November we reported PSTA  announced their Real Time Bus app. PSTA spent over $5 MILLION of stimulus tax (debt) dollars to implement the app and their announcement stated "this may be the biggest improvement in PSTA history".

...PSTA announced recently they spent $5.1 million of federal stimulus tax dollars aka your debt dollars for an App that provides real time bus information.  If you want to use this App, it costs you 99 cents to download.  It took a three year project to get this App - sounds hauntingly familiar to our federal government (HHS) spending $687 Million for a website that now has to be redone!

We also reported that HART in Hillsborough County took a different cost-effective approach to implement their successful One Bus Away:

HART diligently got a similar App (One Bus Away), that was developed by University of Washington students in 2008 and refined to be used locally by USF's Center for Urban Transportation Research and Georgia Tech University, virtually free. And you can download HART's App for free. 

We cannot locate PSTA's Real Time Bus app on iTunes or Google Play. The Introduction to Real Time Bus Information website looks outdated.  It does not appear to be a true functioning mobile app, but in fact is a website with a poor mobile user experience and a text messaging interface. 

PSTA's Real Time Bus App?

Apparently PSTA is not satisfied with Real Time Bus. PSTA is now working to implement the One Bus Away App, that HART implemented for about $75K, and can be downloaded free from iTunes or Google Play.

HART's One Bus Away App 

Did PSTA waste $5 million taxpayer dollars? You can be the judge, but we suggest you watch this 30 second video clip below from the Emerge Tampa Bay event held June 25th where HART Interim CEO Katherine Eagan states that PSTA will be adopting HART's One Bus Away app by the end of the year.



PSTA CEO Brad Miller needs to focus on managing PSTA not running all over Pinellas County campaigning for a tax increase that will benefit them.  Leave the campaigning to the county commissioners who are responsible for the referendum and the official private sector funded campaigns.

PSTA lawyered up to legally skirt our electioneering laws. However, their tactics and actions are at the least, ethically challenged, as they use taxpayer funds and resources on an election issue to support Greenlight that directly benefits them.

• PSTA is spending almost a million taxpayer dollars on a Greenlight Pinellas advocacy campaign, including hiring a PR firm and doling out campaign trinkets and yard signs
• PSTA spent federal Transit Security Grant dollars (our tax dollars) on ads in support of Greenlight as we posted here. 

It now appears that PSTA has wasted millions on an ineffective, costly real time bus app and PSTA wants more of your tax dollars. Greenlight Pinellas will hand PSTA a $100 million a year tax increase into perpetuity. 

What else is PSTA wasting?  Should taxpayers trust them with billions more of taxpayer dollars to build a train?  Can't Pinellas improve their bus service at a fraction of the cost of a high cost rail boondoggle?

The real issue is that PSTA is being mismanaged and they want a bailout in November. Taxpayers should not give it to them.  Vote NO on Greenlight Pinellas.

More Details on PSTA's Misuse of Federal Grant Money

PSTA keeps getting more black eyes. What PSTA is doing with our tax dollars does not pass the "smell" test of ethical fiscal responsibility.

Mike Deeson, reporter for Channel 10, reported Tuesday:

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is running "feel good ads" residents are paying for as part of a half-million dollar Department of Homeland Security grant to PSTA.

How does Brad Miller, CEO of PSTA, respond to Deeson's inquiry about this abusive use of our tax dollars?

PSTA Executive Director Brad Miller said, "It's about this general idea of making the transportation system feel more safe and secure."

No it's not.  Here are the commercials.  


According to the PSTA Board meeting packet of December 14, 2011 the Transit Security Grants were awarded to PSTA years ago:

Background DHS Grant Received – A year ago, PSTA was successful in receiving two Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grants for security and emergency awareness marketing:

o Phase I ($96,000) – To develop a public awareness/education program that willincorporate the basics of the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA’s) existing“Transit Watch Program” which encourages transit patrons to alert authorities ifthey see anything suspicious. Approximately $12,000 of the grant is programmed for PSTA printing and material preparation costs and the remaining $84,000 is for consultant costs.

o Phase II ($439,500) – This phase develops and implements a mass media campaign to further promote public awareness of security issues related to public transportation and to enhance coordination with safety and security partners within the community (emphasis mine).

The Phase II money is what was used by PSTA to pay for these puff piece commercials that have nothing to do about promoting public safety when using transit. These ads are simply promoting transit and their Greenlight Pinellas plan.

The end of each ad conveniently refers viewers to go to the Greenlight Pinellas website to learn more. These commercials are not informing viewers how to protect against a terrorist attack or other disaster or even how to protect themselves when using transit infrastructure. It's to encourage voters to vote for Greenlight in November and for a sales tax increase that will benefit them.

At end of each commercial

Exactly when the transit security grants were awarded or how long the agency had to use the funds is not yet known. However, it is now years later when PSTA conveniently decides to use their Transit Security Grant money on commercials promoting Greenlight.

PSTA has refused to provide any specific information and documentation requested through our Public Records Request regarding the grants awarded by FEMA through the Department of Homeland Security. PSTA claims they are exempt from providing the public such information for security reasons, citing a section of the Freedom of Information Act. This was their response to a Public Records Request for information:

All documentation between PSTA and Department of Homeland Security/FEMA contain Sensitive Security Information and therefore are protected from disclosure pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 49 CFR Parts 15 and 1520.

FEMA has not indicated information regarding Transit Security Grants cannot be provided, though they can redact information.  For general information regarding the Transit Security Grant, FEMA directed me to their website.ain Content

The Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) is one of five grant programs that constitute the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 focus on transportation infrastructure security activities. These grant programs are part of a comprehensive set of measures implemented by the Administration to help strengthen the Nation’s critical infrastructure against risks associated with potential terrorist attacks (emphasis mine). The TSGP is an important component of the Department’s effort to enhance the security of the Nation’s critical infrastructure. The program provides funds to owners and operators of transit systems (which include intracity bus, commuter bus, ferries, and all forms of passenger rail) to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism, major disasters, and other emergencies (emphasis mine).

An overview of the Transit Security Grant Program and information regarding program priorities and objectives can be found here.

 

Overview of Transit Security Grant Program

Transit Security Grants can fund these activities 

24 month performance period for Transit Security Grants

Is there appropriate oversight at the federal level for how these funds are spent? It not, why? Should FEMA, DHS or GAO Inspector Generals be investigating this misuse?

It appears the grant funds are supposed to be used within 24 months but PSTA was awarded these grants years ago. Did PSTA get an extension? If so, when and what was the reason for the extension?

When PSTA and it's CEO Brad Miller start to feel heat, they go on the defensive. Wednesday, June 25th, the day after Deeson's report, PSTA publishes this blog post Transit Safety and Security is Serious Business:

It is important to recognize that the message in the series of ads is public awareness of security issues related to public transportation.

Anyone watching the commercials knows that statement is absurd. Even those who know nothing about PSTA or the Greenlight referendum saw issues with using DHS grant money for these commercials. Blogger Dan Cadman posted in January here:

What I do know is that this is the kind of specious expenditure of taxpayer funds that makes people like me raise our eyebrows. 

At a time of fiscal austerity, and considering that not every locale deserving of counterterrorist funds gets anything at all, it seems unfair to me that monies provided by DHS should be spent in a fashion designed to generate revenues for PSTA.and here.

And Cadman posted in May here:

What is clear to me, however, is how completely inappropriate, perhaps bordering on the criminal, it is to use federal counterterrorism grant monies to attempt to sway voters on a county tax initiative, however discreetly it is done. I cannot imagine what PSTA officials can have been thinking if they believe that such a use of funds is anywhere within the bounds of acceptable or proper. Has anybody over there at PSTA got a moral compass?

It does not appear PSTA has a moral or ethical compass when it comes to spending taxpayer dollars. Why should they get more?

PSTA needs reform and new management not more tax dollars.

Vote NO on Greenlight Pinellas!

Vote No on Greenlight in November

Tampa Liberty School

The Eye had the pleasure of covering the Liberty School last week that was held at the Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon.  

The Liberty School is held twice a year.  It provides an opportunity to teach our children about our history, our Founding Values and about our Constitution in a fun, interactive way.

Below is our video we hope you will enjoy and share.    



I was reminded there are more verses to our National Anthem.  Along with the first verse always sung, the children also sang this verse, often forgotten:

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Thanks to Jeff Lukens, the Director of the Liberty School, and all the volunteers for continuing to host the Liberty School, now in its fourth year, and taking the time to talk with us.  

Volunteer Chris Shalosky teaching at the Liberty School

The Eye will let you when the next Liberty School is scheduled and we look forward to covering it again next year.

PTC Cronyism Exposed

Why is Uber, Lyft and other ridesharing services having problems with the PTC?  Because the taxi cab cartel continues to be alive and well in Hillsborough County.  Because the Public Transportation Commission (PTC) is a poster child of regulatory capture as we posted previously. 

The article below about a fund raising event for Yolie Capin was published in the La Gaceta newspaper.  Capin is currently a Tampa City Council representative for District 3 at Large district running for re-election in March 2015. It's never too soon to start the campaign donations flowing.

 Fundraiser for Democrat Tampa City Councilwoman Yolie Capin
 announced in La Gaceta newspaper

The municipal races are non-partisan. Capin is a Democrat and a number of prominent Democrats are shown on her fundraising host committee:  County Commissioners Kevin Beckner and Les Miller (previously on the PTC), Betty Castor, Property Appraiser Bob Henrique, Linda Saul-Sena and Alex Sink.

What else do we know about Capin?  She is the Vice-Chair of the PTC. Who else is on Capin's host committee? Republican County Commissioner Victor Crist who is the Chair of the PTC. Also on the host committee are Lou Minardi and Nancy Costellano.  Who are they? Minardi is the President of Yellow Cab. Nancy Costellano was a former executive with United Cab for many years and she now owns ABC Taxi.

ABC Taxi's address is 2003 W. Kennedy, Suite B, Tampa, FL according to sunbiz.org. Who else shares that address? From our December 10, 2013 post:

At the local Delegation meeting, a John Madiedo spoke opposing the proposed bill to abolish the PTC. According the PTC's November 13 minutes, Madiedo is an insurance agent for Professional Insurance Center who states that he insures 70% of the public transportation vehicles in Hillsborough County. In addition, his business is located at 2003 W. Kennedy Blvd. Tampa, FL 33606. Guess where the PTC is physically located? According to the PTC website they are located at 2007 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL 33606. 

I found it interesting that they are located basically next to each other so searching for some additional information I found this article The Public Transportation Commission is under fire following indictment of former Commissioner Kevin White reported by WTSP's Mike Deeson in 2011

"The PTC rents its building from John Madiedo, who provides and does the insurance for the almost all of the taxicab companies the PTC regulates. 

When Kevin White had his security firm, he rented the office next door from the PTC and Madiedo. However, since White left the space, it is being rented by Michael Moses. Michael Moses is the owner of the taxicab company that caused some controversy by loaning White the money to buy his new Riverview home."

We all remember Kevin White, the chairman of the PTC who was arrested and convicted on bribery and corruption charges related to his position on the PTC and he went to prison. According to this TBT article back in May 2011 which was before White was arrested in June 2011, White was upside down on property loans yet secured another loan for a house in Riverview.  How did that happen?  The TBT reported that White got a mortgage provided by Moses Investment Holdings.

The only listed officer for the company is Michael J. Moses. Moses is part owner of two cab companies, a limousine operator and van service, all regulated by the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission, which decides who gets permits to operate cars for hire.The loan to White is the only mortgage Moses Investment Holdings has ever recorded in Hillsborough County. 

Agency records show Moses formed taxi, van and limo services, all under the name Bay and Beach, in 2009 with Nancy Castellano, a former longtime executive with United Cab. 

The next year he became an officer with ABC Taxi, which Castellano owned. 

Together they hold permits to operate 21 cabs, three vans and seven limousines.

This is how the taxi cab cartel operates. The SPT reported in September 2000 when a cab driver for United Cab inquired about how much taxi cab meters cost to a salesman he was fired.  Who fired him?  Nancy Costellano, then General Manager for United Cab.  SPT's article states:

...the Hillsborough Public Transportation Commission limits who can run a taxi cab business. Drivers must have a permit to operate, and in Hillsborough, nearly all the permits are held by United Cab, Yellow Cab or affiliates or subsidiaries of those companies. 

The Transportation Commission has awarded almost all of the 472 existing permits to the two cab giants. Drivers say the commission's regulations, which require 24-hour operation, make it hard for small businesses to break in.

This was back in 2000 and the taxi cab cartel anti-competitive attitude and behavior is still in play today.  Why hasn't the PTC eliminated the burdensome $50 minimum charge for limousine service?  

How does this taxi cab protectionism continue and why? Because the circle of money keeps flowing. Campaign donations flow from the taxi companies to the elected officials sitting on the PTC Board and the Board continues to protect the taxi companies by stifling competition and keeping burdensome regulations inhibiting free market competition.

The coziness of these relationships are exposed by this fundraiser for Yolie Chapin, Vice-Chair of the PTC and her host committee that consists of the Chairman of the PTC Victor Crist, two other Democrat County Commissioners and the two largest cab companies in the county. 

Were there any violations of our Sunshine Laws at this fundraising event?

Uber is now worth $18 BILLION today. The market says these are services we want and Uber and others such as Lyft, SideCar, etc. want to provide.  That's how free markets work.

Uber becomes most valuable startup

We will note that United Cab, Yellow Cab or ABC Taxi are NOT Better Business Bureau accredited companies.

This is why the taxi cartel is fighting so hard against Uber, Lyft and ride-sharing services: the taxi medallions which in today's technological age may seem archaic. 

“At the heart of our economic system is the idea of change, and that government can’t be in the business of protecting old models,” says Lee McGrath, an attorney with the libertarian-leaning Institute for Justice that has jumped into the lawsuit, representing drivers like Burgess. “If there were medallions associated with the buggy whip, we probably would still have them today.”

Here's the transcript from the PTC meeting in May. The taxi cab companies brought up the issue of insurance with regards to the ridesharing services. Those issues can be resolved. No wonder Mr. Madiedo opposes getting rid of the PTC. He's got a monopoly providing insurance to the taxi cab companies the PTC regulates.  

After public comments were made PTC Chairman Commissioner Crist decided to launch into what sounded more like a campaign stump speech. He meandered through his political bio starting with "my first elected position was student treasurer in seventh grade" and he won the candy bar contest and ended with a plea for his credibility. Crist is running for re-election in November. 

To make sure Crist makes clear who's in charge at the PTC:

I WANT TO BE CLEAR RIGHT UP FRONT.WE, THIS BOARD, THIS AGENCY, IS THE REGULATORY BODY, NOT THE INDUSTRY.IF THERE'S ANY NEGOTIATION, IT WILL NOT BE BETWEEN THEM AND YOU, IT WILL BE BETWEEN THEM AND US AND YOU AND US.WE WILL MAKE THE FINAL DECISION, AND EVERYBODY WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT.END OF THE DAY, WE'RE THE REGULATOR 

Is the PTC the Regulator or Protector of the taxi cartel?  

As this Washington Times Editorial states

Prosperity for all comes from encouraging innovation, not coddling greedy cartels.

We've connected the dots. The PTC cronyism has been exposed. 

Actions speak louder than words. The PTC cannot reform itself. 

Time for the PTC circus, it's circle of money, protectionism and cronyism be eliminated!

North Pinellas Regional Chamber of Commerce: Against Greenlight Pinellas

The North Pinellas Regional Chamber of Commerce held a town hall meeting on June 12, 2014 at their offices, located at 3150 Curlew Rd, Oldsmar. Representatives from Friends of Greenlight and No Tax For Tracks were invited to advocate for their respective positions. Each had an opportunity to speak to a packed house and used graphics and supportive materials to present their respective positions. The presentations were followed by questions from those in attendance. Both sides were represented by supportive constituents.

The North Pinellas Regional Chamber of Commerce, having heard from both sides, has made a decision not to support Greenlight Pinellas.

“It is the opinion of our Board, based on a consensus of our members, those present at the Town Hall meeting, a polling of our local small business owners and our Board of Directors that Greenlight Pinellas is not in the best interests of the small businesses in the communities that we serve” states, Tory Perfetti, Chairman of the NPRCC Governmental Affairs committee.

 The North Pinellas Regional Chamber of Commerce is a regional Chamber serving the Clearwater, Safety Harbor, Dunedin, Tarpon Springs, Oldsmar and Palm Harbor communities.

“Many of our citizens have expressed that an increase in the local sales tax to pay for the light rail system is not in their best interests”, says Steve Fiske, Chairman of the Board of the NPRCC, adding, “that while m GREENLIGHT Pinellas, TBARTA,PSTA,No Tax For Tracks,Brad Miller,Light Rail,TBARTA,Pinellas County,Pinellas County Commission,buses,ferry,intermodal,sales tax,Pinellas Sales Tax Referendum

any of the people we spoke with feel the PSTA is in dire need of improving their various routes, frequency and services, the net sum gain to our area businesses as it is presented is not significant enough to warrant an increase in our local sales tax.

There were other concerns about the validity of the proposed Greenlight Pinellas budget and implementation of the plan as well as a host of questions about how North Pinellas businesses could benefit from the rail and bus improvements as presented”.

For any further questions regarding the North Pinellas Regional Chamber of Commerce please contact Steve Fiske, Chairman of The Board, NPRCC at stevefiske13@gmail.com

Posted by:      

E-mail Doc at: dr.webb@verizon.net. Or send me a Facebook (Gene Webb) Friend request. Please comment below, and be sure to share on Facebook and Twitter.
Disclosures: Contributor to No Tax for Tracks

Readying for a Referendum?

This is Part 2 covering the HART Board Strategic Planning Workshop held Monday, June 9, reporting on the update from the County Administrator on the Hillsborough County Transportation and Economic Development Policy Leadership Group.  

Below are some slides from County Administrator Mike Merrill's presentation: (click slides to enlarge) with my takeaways. When Merrill showed slide 1 (below), I thought I was looking at a stack and pack city out of the movie Bladerunner not any rendition of downtown Tampa.

• Goal is to move people and goods with cost-effective, convenient, reliable and safe interconnected mobility
• Merrill said reducing or mitigating congestion was not called out but inferred

Here's a closer view of Merrill's pic:

And here's a scene from the 1982 movie Bladerunner set in the year 2019:

At least Bladerunner had flying cars.

Make you wonder why our elected officials want to tie our transportation solutions so closely to land use?  Do they want to coerce (force) densification and stack and pack us to pursue their agenda, including more public transit?

More slides from Merrill's presentation follow:

• Some of the success factors were defined as walkable streets and denser development in certain areas
• The plan needs to be consumer driven and multi-modal to force/coerce a cultural change to "get us out of our cars"

What is the Livable Centers Initiative?  
It was started in Atlanta in 1999.  Livable Centers Initiative encourages local jurisdictions to plan and implement strategies that link transportation improvements with land use development strategies to create sustainable, livable communities consistent with regional development policies.

Reason Foundation found issues with this initiative in 2012:

• LCIs use federal gas tax funds to support local projects. Funding for this program comes specifically from the L-230 funds in the highway section of the state’s transportation bill, not the transit section or the intermodal section 
• ...non-motorized transport (sidewalks and bike paths) receives most of the resources from LCI grants. 
• ...most of the projects have little to do with transportation. Transportation funds should not support economic development projects.
• LCI often fails to spur any development.

When our politicians complain that roads don't pay for themselves, well, neither, apparently, do "livable centers".

• What Are We Agreed On? The Policy Leadership Group or who? 
• Who says we "must" attract choice riders and taxpayers must highly subsidize choice riders? 
• Why wouldn't choice riders pay market price?
• Agree we must optimize our existing infrastructure - biggest bang for the buck

Transportation doesn't pay for itself......but transit is much more highly subsidized than roads.  According to this Heritage Foundation article published last year highway user fees supported each transit passenger mile 17 times more than each highway passenger mile ($0.1130 for transit; $0.0067 for highways). 

Federal Gas Tax User Fee Expenditures roads vs transit 2010

• According to Merrill, this plan is "something for everyone" 
• BRT would be the foundation and the plan would not exclude rail  
• As transit ridership grew over time and we became more transit-centered, we would grow into rail and into a fully functioning multi-modal system. 

Where's Ride-sharing services like Uber & Lyft, Jitneys, De-regulated Super Shuttle?

We will note that roads are multi-modal as vehicles, buses, bikes, pedestrians and even sometimes golf carts use them.

• A one cent sales tax increase would generate $200 million/year, a half cent sales tax increase would generate $100 million/year and there is an assumption of a 3% growth rate per year
• The bedrock of the funding plan is federal (which is ever dwindling) and state grant money and local sales tax

• Social Impact Bonds aka Pay for Success is a new financing mechanism for private and philanthropic organizations to finance projects that provide a specific social outcome with a modest return on investment

Merrill mentioned another long term 30 year tax. (HART can bond and borrow and go into debt like the county commission did with our 30 year CIT tax)

• Good to see Public Safety at the top as highest priority
• Good to see next highest priority is preserving our existing infrastructure

Economic Development has totally different drivers; there are numerous other agencies and organizations, some whom get our tax dollars, responsible for Economic Development 

Transportation solutions must be for mobility

Merrill mentioned that the CIT tax "worked well". That was a bit disturbing because the CIT did not deliver what was promised the voters and it was all spent less than halfway through the 30 year life of the tax. There are at least $127-$130 million of projects Merrill stated should have been paid for through the CIT tax but were shelved due to no funding.

Merrill stated there will be a comprehensive list of proposed projects at the next Policy Leadership Group meeting on June 26 that will include a BRT demo project, people movers, etc.  When asked by a Board member what the BRT demo project was, Merrill didn't answer the question. We'll have to find out more at the June 26 meeting because no details were provided by Merrill about the list of proposed projects.

Merrill stated "there is no more capacity in our budget and we cannot move forward without a tax increase". Really? Did he say that on behalf of himself, the County Commissioners or the Policy Leadership Group? The proposed FY 2015 Hillsborough County budget is almost $4 Billion. Are our spending priorities in the right place?  Do we have existing assets that could be repurposed to a higher priority like roads?  

Commissioner Sharpe voiced concern about "the plan" being "road-centric". What plan? There's been no official plan made public but Merrill stated the sales tax increase would probably be a 50/50 split between roads and transit.  We already spend more money in Hillsborough County for transit than we do on our roads.

If 50% of the transportation dollars are spent to serve 2% of traveler’s ‘passenger miles’, the remaining 98% of travelers that use roads will suffer increasing gridlock and congestion. HART does not have this critical funding shortage today that our roads do: 

It is estimated that the county needs approximately $160 million per year to add 200 lane miles of roads every 5 years to keep county roads up with current population growth.

The plan must be road-centric!

Regarding the hostile takeover vote by the Policy Leadership Group we reported here, there were a number of concerns raised by the existing Board members about the proposed restructuring and re-purposing of HART. Below, with a few edits I added, is the chart Merrill presented that reflects this new Governance entity.

Proposed Restructured Politicized HART

This new entity would oversee a huge bucket of money. How will this work considering our strict Sunshine Laws? The biggest risk is our transportation solutions will be politicized which then enables wasteful spending, cronyism and corruption. The money starts flowing but where is it going?  

In addition, why is money going to TBARTA?  That's the same as handing our tax dollars off to part of the rail cartel Tampa Bay Partnership.

We did find out that the hostile takeover vote by the Policy Leadership Group was non-binding. Maybe that was why they voted without allowing any opportunity for public comment. The vote didn't actually do anything except provide a perception that it did or serve as a trial balloon.

It also appears that the existing HART board would have to vote to make the changes the Transportation Policy Leadership Group is proposing. That would basically mean the existing Board would have to vote to kick most of themselves off the board. Would they?

The restructuring and repurposing of HART still remains murky and there are questions that will need answering. 

Was this the start of a push for a referendum?  Was Merrill's presentation a sales pitch that seemed to conveniently coalesce with the new Super Sized expensive HART plan revealed at the beginning of this workshop that we posted about here?

But before any referendum is pursued to increase taxes, the county must put our "checkbook online". Then when money starts flowing, taxpayers know where it's going!

UPDATE:  The June 26th meeting that was going to be about transit and provide a list of transportation projects has been postponed to August 21st.