Pam Bondi featured speaker for Tampa young Republicans

She's not an official candidate for state attorney general, but Pam Bondi gave a sense of what she might be like on the campaign trail at a meeting of the Tampa Bay Young Republicans Tuesday night. She spoke to about  20 people -- including state house candidates Irene Guy and Rich Reidy -- in a meeting room at the Quorum Hotel on Westshore Boulevard.

Bondi arrived at the meeting after the sentencing for Jordan Valdez, the Davis Islands teen who killed a homeless woman in a hit-and-run accident. Bondi talked about her 18 years as an assistant state attorney, and said she had job offers that would have paid more. But she felt the call to public service. Her job, she said, is not about locking people up, but justice.

"You make very, very tough decisions every day," she said. And those decisions have to be based on what you believe is  right, not politics, she said. "We need more of that in government today."

One audience member prefaced a question about felon rights restoration with: "Theoretically, if you were attorney general..."  Bondi said it's important to restore those civil rights, but it takes vigilance to make sure the process works properly.

Bondi said the group invited her to speak, and it was the first time a political organiation had extended the offer to her. But lately, those offers have been coming fast and furious.

Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer

Tampa police chief will be guest speaker at GLBTA meeting

Tampa police chief Jane Castor will be the featured speaker at the Hillsborough County GLBTA Democratic Caucus meeting on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. at Perkins Restaurant, 612 N. Dale Mabry Highway. When Mayor Pam Iorio tapped Castor to lead the police department in September, she became the city's first female -- and gay -- police chief.

Marilyn Cappiello, vice president of the GLBTA Democratic caucus, said Castor's rise in stature is one more indication that gay people can become community leaders with little fuss. "She represents our community and she shows what our community can do," Cappiello said. "But we also admire because she is a woman in a traditionally male-held position."

Castor has generally declined to speak to the mainstream media about her sexual orientation. But she was featured in a recent issue of Watermark, a Florida publication geared to the gay community. Castor talked to Watermark about raising her two children with her former partner.

“My kids don’t really see having two moms as any different than their friends who have a mom and a dad,” Castor told the magazine. “The big adjustment for them has been when people recognize me or stop to talk to me in a Publix. Now they’re to the point where they just say, ‘Mom, we’ll be over in the toys; find us when you’re done talking.’ ”

Update: After reading this item, police department spokeswoman Laura McElroy called BayBuzz to make it clear that Castor is NOT the featured speaker at the GLBTA Democratic caucus meeting. She will just be stopping by the event for a meet-and-greet around 8 p.m. after another engagement.

Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer

Odd stationery choice for Hospital Authority member

TAMPA -- Republican Congressional candidate Eddie Adams Jr. recently earned an appointment to the Hillsborough County Hospital Authority and has quickly asserted himself.

As a member of the authority, which oversees Tampa General Hospital's lease of government land on Davis Islands, he's been asking questions about the hospital's hiring of minority contractors. Leadership at the previously public hospital has faced criticism through the years of having a weak record of rewarding minority owned firms, particularly black-owned firms, with contract work.

Adams presented his questions in writing Monday during the quarterly meeting of the government agency. It appeared on stationary for his Eddie Adams Jr. for U.S. Congress stationery, which raised a few eyebrows of the other board members.

Asking about the appropriateness of effectively campaigning during a meeting of a governmental agency on which he serves, Adams said it was the only stationery he had available. He said it wouldn't happen again.

An interesting side note: Adams' campaign stationery makes no mention of his Republican party affiliation. He is making his third bid for the Democrat-leaning 11th Congressional district, a seat held by Kathy Castor, who has handily defeated Adams during the last two elections.

-- Bill Varian, Times Staff Writer 

At least Hayden's co-workers want her in Florida Senate

She can't get her boss, Public Defender Bob Dillinger, to back her, but Democrat Nina Hayden has announced that 40 assistant public defenders want her to be a state senator.

“As an Assistant Public Defender working in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, these are the professionals I work with every day,” said Hayden, a Pinellas School Board member, in her news release of supporters (list on the jump). “It means a great deal to have those who know me best supporting my candidacy.”

Hayden faces Republican Jack Latvala, a former senator, in the 2010 race. Dillinger supports Latvala.

David DeCamp, Times staff writer

Sen. Crist holds workshop on criminal justice

Florida Sen. Victor Crist, chairman of the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee, hosted a workshop in Tampa today to gather information on how to cut costs in the criminal justice system. The emphasis was on programs to keep people out of prison or keep them from going back. "Criminal justice is an expensive process. If we can prevent people from coming into the system, we can save millions of dollars that could be redirected to education, health services and economic development," Crist said. "To simply throw them in a cell and throw away the key is not the right way to go."

Among those on the panel: Senators Arthenia Joyner and Alex Villalobos; state Representatives Kevin Ambler and Will Weatherford; Department of Corrections secretary Walt McNeil; and Rod Love from the Department of Juvenile Justice.

One by one, more than 40 speakers went to the podium to tout their educational, vocational mental health and other programs. Crist said he was particularly pleased to have Weatherford on the panel to glean information about diversion and preventive programs since Weatherford will be the speaker of the Florida House in a few years. "He's the future," said Crist, who is term-limited out of his Senate seat in 2010. He's a candidate for the Hillsborough County Commission.

Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer

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Transgender issue fills Tampa City Council in-boxes

With the Tampa City Council set to take a final vote tomorrow on expanding its human rights ordinance to protect "gender identity and expression," opponents of the move are sending a barrage of e-mails to council members. Council member Mary Mulhern has received more than 1,891 e-mails blasting the measure since the board preliminarily approved the new language on Nov. 5, according to Mulhern's aide. She has received only 354 in support of the change. Other council members have received a similar number of e-mails. Council member Joseph Caetano, though, has received fewer than 500 e-mails. Caetano initially cast the lone vote against the expanded protections, but later changed his vote.

Many of the e-mails are coming from outside the city and even Hillsborough County, with a handful coming from other states. And many are form e-mails distributed by David Caton, executive director of the Florida Family Association, to his supporters. The vote is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.

Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer

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Charlie Justice pushing for campaign finance reform

During the Hillsborough County Democratic Party meeting last night, Florida Sen. Charlie Justice outlined bills he's introducing. One would cap contributions to committees of continuing existence at $500, the same cap for donations to candidates. Another would stop corporations from giving to candidates. That would prevent one person from getting around campaign finance limits by making donations through different businesses.

Also on hand were Florida Reps. Michael Scionti and Betty Reed, who said it isn't easy being a Democrat in Tallahassee. "We don't control anything," said Scionti, noting that bills proposed by Democrat lawmakers don't even get discussed if House Speaker Larry Cretul, a Republican, doesn't put them on the agenda. "There is a lot of politicization of issues," Scionti said. Democratic proposals for a sales tax to fund education and tax credits for the film industry went nowhere, he said.

Still, Scionti and Reed said they continue to fight the good fight. "More bad legislation gets stopped than good legislation gets filed and passed," Scionti said.

Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer

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High-speed rail group says special session should focus on matching funds

As Florida lawmakers spar about whether to hold a special session on transportation to increase the state's chances of winning stimulus funding for high-speed rail, one of the most vocal advocates of the project says they misunderstand what would really help the state's chances. Ed Turanchik, co-founder of ConnectUs, a grass roots organization pushing for funding for high-speed rail, says the session should include a discussion of state matching funds for the bullet train.

“First and foremost, the special session should provide and make it clear that Florida will match between 10 and 20 percent of the capital costs for the high-speed rail connecting Orlando to Miami and extensions to Jacksonville," said Turanchik, a former Hillsborough County commissioner. “That’s what the federal government wants to know.”

The discussion so far has focused on approving the SunRail commuter line in Central Florida and funding for Tri-Rail in South Florida as a way to get a piece of the $8 billion of federal stimulus money earmarked for high-speed rail lines throughout the country. Florida has applied for a $2.6 billion piece of that pie to build a line connecting Tampa to Orlando. The stimulus money doesn't require any state matching funds. But Turanchik said the feds are looking at Florida's entire proposed system and need to know if the first leg is built that the state will help pay for the remainder.

“The SunRail people are grabbing on this to get SunRail done. The Tri-Rail people are grabbing on this to get Tri-Rail done. And the core of the issue is a match to go build Orlando to Miami," Turanchik said. The commuter rail issues are largely "tangential," he said.

So far, Turanchik said he doesn't have a state lawmaker ready to push the high-speed rail match concept. "We'll see where it goes," he said.

Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer

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Tampa council candidate Gloster hosts first fundraiser

Newcomer Stanley Gloster last week hosted his first fundraiser for the District 5 City Council seat in 2011. The seat is being vacated by Tom Scott, who is running for mayor in 2011. Many of the folks who turned out for Gloster's event said they first became familiar with him when he helped defeat a planned tent city for homeless people in the East Lake neighborhood.

Also on hand at the event: fellow black Republicans Eddie Adams, who is running for Congress, and Al McCray, a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Republican party regular Mark Proctor was there, as was community activist Michelle Williams.

Williams, a Democrat, said she likes Gloster because he's "a young fresh face" who wants to help the East Tampa neighborhood.  Williams said she plans to support Valerie Goddard in the race against Les Miller and Kevin White for the District 3 Hillsborough County Commission seat. Williams, who describes herself as a troublemaker with a big mouth, said she met with Goddard recently and "challenged her." And Goddard challenged right back.

"She had my heart," Williams said.

Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer

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Glenn Beck headed to Tampa

Glenn Beck is scheduled to be in Tampa for a book-signing from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Borders Bookstore, 909 N Dale Mabry Highway. After that, he's headed to the Villages for a book-signing and rally where he reportedly is going to make "an announcement about his plans for 2010," according the local Facebook page promoting the appearances.

Members of the Tampa 9-12 Project, a movement spawned by Beck, are way stoked about the visit and will charter buses to take people from Tampa to the Villages for the rally. Karen Jarosch, co-founder of the Tampa 9-12 project, said she expects huge crowds at both events. Personally, though, she said she's less interested in having a book signed than hearing Beck speak at the rally.

"He's a visionary," Jarosch said. "We respect him as someone who is not afraid to ask the tough questions and be bold. We respect him for his courage and his foresight."

Andrew Dorsey, president of the Tampa Bay Young Republicans, said he's eager to hear what Beck will have to say at the Villages rally. "There's something big that's going to happen at that rally," Dorsey said. "The question is what." Dorsey said he sees Beck as the ultimate antiestablishment voice. "Glenn is viewed not necessarily as the leader of the Republicans or conservatives, but as someone who's dedicated as a patriot to making America better."

For information about the events, go to www.tampa912.org.

Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer

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