Commissioner Murman mentioned in this Tampa Bay Biz Journal article on TBX:
Hillsborough MPO approves wee hour vote on controversial TBX plan — with caveats
Jun 23, 2016, 6:44am EDT
The Tampa Bay Express transportation plan was approved 12-4 by theHillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization, after hours of passionate pleas from supporters and dissent among critics in a meeting that ran more than eight hours and didn’t end until almost 2:30 a.m. Thursday.
The MPO formally added the TBX plan to its Transportation Improvement Plan, which is an annual list of priorities. The inclusion of TBX into those priorities was required to secure all necessary funding to move forward with the plan, costing some $3.3 billion – though other figures for the entire plan put it at $6 billion.
Despite approval, opposition to the plan far outweighed support, with approximately 95 speaking or waiving against it compared to 46 in favor. Those numbers take into account individuals who signed up to speak but gifted their three minutes of comment to another speaker.
As expected, supporters were mostly business owners, leaders and groups, while critics consisted of residents in neighborhoods where homes and businesses are likely to be demolished under the plan, including Seminole and Tampa Heights and V.M. Ybor.
Critics were also mostly supportive of other transportation initiatives that include more emphasis on multimodal transit options like bus rapid transit, bus service expansions or light rail.
The TBX plan includes a footprint for future premium transit options with a right of way secured along Interstate 4 and includes a foundation for future light rail across the Howard Frankland Bridge.
TBX also includes 91 miles of tolled express lanes that would be available for public transportation and school buses to travel at a guaranteed rate of speed.
However, those lanes would also be available on a pay-per-use basis for private drivers at a cost critics argue most wouldn’t pay. During public comment that extended well past midnight, those residents argued the toll lanes would benefit the wealthy at the cost of the poor.
The other sticking point for critics involved claims that toll lanes and highway expansions don’t reduce traffic congestions.
“This is like a monster with about 9,000 heads,” said Tampa resident Adam Metz.
Another anti-TBX speaker referenced a transit study she said suggested toll lanes represent a regressive tax because low-income residents can’t afford it and bus service in their areas may not meet their needs.
“This project is morally flawed on several levels,” said Beverly Ward of Tampa.
Critics used words like “boondoggle,” “chrony capitalism” and even “hornswoggle” to describe the plan.
Despite an apparent defeat, their pleas and warnings did not fall on deaf ears. In what became a confusing mess of motions and amendments, MPO board members took steps to mitigate concerns.
Hillsborough County Commissioners Kevin Beckner and Sandra Murman, who both sit on the MPO board, proposed items that were approved to include transparency and oversight to the Florida Department of Transportation as it moves forward with TBX.
Those items include things like a citizen impact study that would look at how neighborhoods are affected. Some 100 homes and 30 businesses are expected to fall victim to the wrecking ball to make way for TBX transportation improvements. They also would require a series of status updates and citizen input to ensure concerns are being addressed.
Despite his amendment passing the board, Beckner voted against including TBX in the board’s long-range plan along with Tampa City Council members Lisa Montelione and Guido Maniscalco, and board chair and County Commissioner Les Miller.
Despite an outpouring of critics that included several young children, supporters for the TBX plan included powerful business leaders and groups. Rick Homans, CEO of the Tampa Bay Partnership who launched the TBXyes campaign, floated one of the most prominent praises of the project: that it includes a footprint for premium transit and represents traffic congestion relief that can more easily and quickly be obtained.
Bob Rohrlack, head of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, echoed similar praise for the plan.
“A no-vote is telling the Tampa International Airport [a major economic driver] we’re not going to make it easy for people to get to you,” Rohrlack said. “By voting yes, the conversation continues.”
Miller, the MPO chair, had moved to exclude three sections of Tampa from the TBX plan in areas where there was the most controversy — Seminole Heights, Tampa Heights and V.M. Ybor — but his motion failed.
Montelione encouraged critics of TBX to continue fighting, saying even though the vote would likely pass, and it did, their voices were not silenced.
With the early morning vote, the Florida Department of Transportation can now move forward with plans to proceed with its plan as the vote was needed for a majority of the funding tied to TBX.
