In desperate move for relevance, disgraced former party leader says she will run

By Chris Ingram

A couple of years ago, Carol Carter was on minute fourteen of her fifteen minutes of fame, serving as Hillsborough County’s Republican Party State Committeewoman. Then the clock started ticking on the fifteenth minute when Ms. Carter sent the following e-mail:

From: Carol Carter

Friday, January 30, 9:30 AM

Subject: FW: Amazing!

I’m confused.

How can 2,000,000 blacks get into Washington, DC in 1 day in sub zero temps when 200,000 couldn’t get out of New Orleans in 85 degree temps with four days notice?

Carol Carter

Local media got a hold of the e-mail and before Carol could repaint her lawn jockey the heat was on for her to resign, which she begrudgingly did. (See local press story here).

"I've got to go paint my lawn jockey!"

Fast forward to 2011, (more…)

Art “Bob Dole” Wood expected to run for chairman. REC members should demand better.

By Chris Ingram

Earlier today Hillsborough County Republican Party Chairwoman Deborah Cox-Roush announced she is resigning to take a staff position with the Herman Cain for President campaign.

Cox-Roush’s departure means the Hillsborough Republican Executive Committee will have to hold a special election to replace her.

Art Wood: Hillsborough's own Bob Dole

The expectation is that Vice-Chairman Art Wood will run to replace Cox-Roush.

Let’s hope someone else steps forward.

In just (more…)

By Chris Ingram

Special correspondent, the Tampa Tribune

Published June 27, 2011

On a recent Friday night I was a guest of Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee as he patrolled Plant City and surrounding areas of Hillsborough County. The sheriff told me he tries to keep active with “real law enforcement” at least twice a week by participating in such patrols.

On the back roads heading toward Johnson’s BBQ in Plant City for a bite to eat, we passed a bar called Kelly’s Hideaway. The sheriff mentioned the place used to be very popular with the locals — and that on the weekends it kept deputies busy.

“Old-timers used to joke that if you came into Kelly’s without a gun or a knife they’d issue you one at the door,” Gee said.

Real-world police work

As counties go, Hillsborough is a vast geographic place with diverse neighborhoods of people — yet most of us fail miserably at getting beyond the shadows of our own friends, neighborhoods and other comfort zones, much less visiting places like Kelly’s Hideaway, or even knowing they exist.

Law enforcement officers, on the other hand, see those realities of the “real world” every day.

“We’ve got the best crop of deputies we’ve ever had,” Gee told me with his trademark low-key demeanor.

New recruits of the department are sent to two weeks of military-style boot camp. If they make it through, they get a conditional offer of employment and are sent to the police academy.

“It’s not just about doing push-ups and the physical conditioning; it’s about building camaraderie,” he says.

That solidarity is important in the difficult situations deputies face on the job.

But shootouts (more…)

By Chris Ingram

I’m not passing judgement on the Hillsborough County Commission, but I’ve got to tell you, if the bozos on this commission don’t step up to the plate and demand the resignation of county attorney Renee Lee (or fire her), they need to head to Tampa General and ask for a spine and brain implant. Mark Sharpe excluded of course…

I mean seriously folks, how ugly and costly does it have to get before the commissioners recognize it’s bad, gotten worse, and ain’t getting any better? Over the last year, Renee Lee, Pat Bean and Kevin White have made Hillsborough County the laughing stock of Florida with their antics.

The tail is definetly wagging the dog.

Here we are, one of the largest counties in the state with a $2.5+ BILLION dollar budget and we can’t muster up enough support to fire people who have demonstrated a lack of ethics, who appear to have flat-out lied, and have certainly (more…)

WTSP 10 reporter Mike Deeson reports: County Attorney Renee Lee in hot water after lunch, text messages with former Commissioner Kevin White

Tampa, Florida — Hillsborough Attorney Renee Lee is in hot water over a lunch with former Commissioner Kevin White and the text messages she sent to him. (more…)

Will he or won’t he campaign for Obama next year?

By Chris Ingram

Irreverent View spent an hour with Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn over omelets and coffee this morning – Buckhorn ordered the meat lovers with hot sauce – a man after my own heart. The following excerpts are from our conversation.

Irreverent View: Like most local governments the city is facing a budget crisis, what are you going to do to balance the budget?

Photo: Bob Buckhorn with his girls in background (campaign photo).

Buckhorn: We have General Revenue funds coming in at $350 million and then we have self sufficient funds – things like parking and solid waste that are way under. The solid waste department for example is generating less revenue due to a shrinking customer base as a result of the economy. The city’s parking department is $7 million in the red due in large part because of the two parking garages in Ybor City that are just bleeding red ink. There are other inefficiencies in our parking system as well. (more…)

Okay, not really but since she’s playing loose with the facts, we are too

By Chris Ingram

She’s short on vision, possesses a hot-headed temperament, and apparently has an inability to tell the truth (my kid’s call that lying). Running out of steam, Rose Ferlita’s campaign is now running desperate ads that lie about opponent Bob Buckhorn’s involvement in a matter in which he had no involvement.

The ad claims Buckhorn was responsible for an old Tampa Police Department policy requiring officers keep their shotguns locked in their vehicle’s trunk. In its report today, The St. Petersburg Times noted the policy was in effect during Sandy Freedman’s term as mayor. Buckhorn served as an aid to Freedman. However, the Times said that the policy was (more…)

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Wide Receiver Michael Clayton (who now plays for the NY Giants) expressed his support for Tampa Mayoral candidate Bob Buckhorn when the two met yesterday.

Photo caption: Michael Clayton meets with Bob Buckhorn.

(more…)

These critical times require someone with Buckhorn’s skills and understanding

By Chris Ingram

In the race for Tampa Mayor, both of the candidates have resumes of experienced public servants, and quite frankly, neither of them would likely harm or embarrass the city if elected. Only one of the candidates has the experience and the vision and temperment to be a successful mayor.

That candidate is Bob Buckhorn.

Photo: Bob Buckhorn and his girls.

Bob is a (more…)

Photo: Bob Buckhorn

Buckhorn has vision and temperment to be a great mayor

By Chris Ingram

The first round of balloting in the Tampa mayoral race is over. Much to everyone’s surprise, Dick Greco the presumed frontrunner not only didn’t finish first, he didn’t finish second either. Note to future candidates for any public office: leave Greg Truax off the payroll if you want to win.

The run-off is now between Rose Ferlita and Bob Buckhorn. Fortunately, Tampa will be in good hands regardless of who wins. But Buckhorn is the better of the two candidates.

Why? (more…)