Byrd center splits Tampa Bay area lawmakers

Tampa Bay area lawmakers' spirit of cooperation didn't fare so well Tuesday when it came to the Johnnie Byrd Sr. Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute in Tampa. The center has had a rocky history since Johnnie B. Byrd Jr., the former Florida House speaker, shoved it into existence.

University of South Florida officials offered to oversee it during a regional delegation meeting. But Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Brandon, warned that doing so would hurt researchers' ability to work with others, which Rep. Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City, echoed. (Byrd Jr. opposes it.)

"I don't think putting it with USF will hinder its credibility one iota," said Sen. Charlie Justice, D-St. Petersburg, who suggested involving USF would help the center's "credibility."

Comments

Is it appropriate for Sen. Justice to be taking a position on this or does he have a conflict here? After all, he is a paid employee of the university who accrues pension beneifts. So it is probably not suprising his view reflects that of USF.

Keep fighting over it and Rubio will just give the whole thing to the Universtity of Miami. Go, Canes!

8:17, consolidation with USF Health would reduce overhead costs and could benefit the university and the Byrd Center collectively.

The issue with St. Sen. Justice working for USF is fairly unimportant since he is an academic advisor at USF St. Petersburg, a fairly low key position in the great political scheme of things. It's pretty low class to insinuate that somebody is a shill for USF just because they are one of several thousand employees of the university.

As long as state legislators make so little (approximately $29,000/year), they will need to seek additional employment. Other past and current legislators have worked for state institutions while serving or campaigning. Examples could be:

-Mary Brennan (USF)
-Lars Hafner (SPJC)
-Don Sullivan (SPJC)
-Bill Heller (USF)
-Bruce Cotton (SPC)

It's not pretty and a pay raise and reclassification as a full time employee would never happen, so this is the system in which we operate. I think it might be wise to evaluate an idea on its merit rather than on its source.

9:29, looks like Charlie himself jumped on the blog.

C'mon SPC makes a cottage industry of employing elected officials.

Is this a set up for a Carl Hiassen scene or what---

The Ronda Storms-Johnnie Byrd Alzheimer's Center ???? Is that where Claude Kirk is these days?

9:29 . .Justice is not going to go against the public hand that feeds him -- USF. 8:17 has it right --the conflict is obvious.

8:17, You forgot Dr. Ed Homan, also on the payroll of USF. And, Victor Crist, a USF alum who would love to get in on the same gravy train as Justice and Homan.

The real issue here is the research dollars. Genshaft wants to use them as she sees fit and will not commit to put the allocation soley to research. That is the crux of her disagreement with Johnnie Byrd.

Genshaft actually thinks the Board of Governors will 'give' her the Byrd Institute over the wishes of the legislature. If I were on the Board of Governors, I would be watching my step given the legislature's current disgust with their strong-arm arrogance over other higher ed issues.

So what is the real split of Tampa Bay lawmakers? Is it USF legislator-employees vs. everyone else??

12:39
My money is on Rubio and Pruitt et al vs. the out-of-touch Board of Governors. Anyone catch Sen. Gatez scathing reproach of that pompus winbag Rosenberg? Rosenberg is raking in over half a million in taxpayer money each year! Hey Steve Bosquet, how about a little story on Rosenberg's hypocrisy!! He is trying to stiff the good, hard working students with tuition raises so he can keep his inflated salary to support his inflated opinion of himself.

Board of Governors=DOA

Rosenberg better be looking for a job with Homan and Justice at USF!

Genshaft is the one who better be looking for another job.

Folks in Tampa are not happy with president Judy Genshaft's actions on many issues-not the least of which is the Byrd Institute. She and Rosenberg are typical of the arrogant "academics" in higher ed. Both are paid way too much for far too little and have become little tyrants, ruling their little kingdoms on the taxpayer's dime. The legislature should send them both packing.

Didn't the Byrd Alzheimer's Institute Board of Directors vote to shut down Judy Genshaft's proposal by a huge majority? I thought they voted to kill her devious plan to take over and absorb the research money.

Always follow the money, Genshaft wants her hands on the funds for everything BUT Alzheimer's research.

12:39 - Ed Homan is an orthopedic surgeon - someone who actually does something useful! Don't put him in the catagory as all those "policymakers" aka "fluff" positions. He is one of the few, if not the only orthopedic surgeon in the region that accepts Medicaid.

And no, I'm not he nor do I work for him nor am I related to him. And no, I'm not a staffer.

Dont forget that Victor Crist's wife also works for USF. Byrd is still a megalomaniac!! He's the one that floated the plan after Potter and the board publicly defeated his selfserving power play to reorganize the place. Plan "B" was to move the Center over to USF so he could reconstitute the board of directors and seize control from Potter. OMG!! Put an end to this wasteful earmarking of money!!!!!!

What is it with these leaders that force everyone to vote for their "issue" while they are in power. Then they fall apart after they are gone. Nobody cares or remembers them. Just like Lee's gift ban. Slowllllyyyy pick at it and it will be disassembled! Losers in power. losers out!

Johnny Byrd is the only lawmaker in this state to ever care about Alzheimer's Disease and the terrible toll it takes on the victim's families.

I applaud him for caring enough to actually do something about it.

USF will not agree in writing to spend the money on curing the disease so Johnny Byrd asked the state not to give them the money. It is that simple. I only wish curing AD was that simple.

Thank you Speaker Byrd for your leadership on this issue. My family appreciates you and my Dad would too if he were not a victim of this nightmare.

Rhonda Storms has been carrying Byrd's water ever since she got elected to the Senate.

Thanks Ken Pruitt.

How can anybody seriously consider anything Justice, Homan or Victor Crist say on this while they are PERSONALLY benefiting from the USF payroll?

The Times should be more careful about following the money. What kind of journalism is this supposed to be? Pathetic reporting.

Justice
Homan
V. Crist
Brennan
Heller
Hypocrits All!

NONE of them should be allowed to vote or speak on this issue!

And, I agree with 12:06, what kind of ignorant reporter is writing this garbage as if these USF-paid legislators are giving their unbiased opinions?

why don't we just call the above referenced legislators what they are:
PAID LOBBYISTS

and why don't we just call the St. Petersburg Times what is is:
THE PAID LOBBYISTS'PR FIRM