Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Bay Times article on budget:

Hillsborough freezes hiring, considers new taxes after lawmakers okay tax cut referendum

• Steve Contorno, Times Staff Writer

Tuesday, May 9, 2017 6:52pm

TAMPA — The same day Florida lawmakers agreed to put a property tax cut on the 2018 ballot, Hillsborough County administrator Mike Merrill told staff to freeze all hiring immediately.

In a May 2 memo obtained by the Tampa Bay Times, Merrill told his top lieutenants not to fill openings or promote internally “to allow greater flexibility and options” in upcoming budgets.

The fast fallout in Hillsborough from the property tax decision could be a sign of things to come statewide as cities and counties grapple with the prospect of losing millions every year in property tax revenue.

Hillsborough, for example, would have to cut or make up $30.6 million a year if voters approve an additional $25,000 homestead exemption.

“We’re anticipating it will pass,” Merrill said. “And we need to start taking action.”

Under the referendum, the value of a home between $100,000 and $125,000 would be exempt from property taxes, saving Hillsborough homeowners about $270 a year.

Pinellas County faces a first-year loss of $33.8 million, according to the Florida Association of Counties, which included the impact on other Pinellas taxing authorities. Pasco County would feel a $13 million hit, the association said, while Hernando County would have to make up $2.8 million.

So far, Hillsborough — which has 4,800 full- and part-time employees — is the only government in the region to take concrete steps to address future budget shortfalls.

At a Pinellas County Commission meeting Tuesday, administrator Mark Woodard said it would be premature to act as though the property tax referendum’s outcome is certain. In 2008, a similar $25,000 extension passed with two-thirds of the vote.

In any case, Woodard said, it would be unfair to start taking away services now.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore said last week the county needed to carefully review any new spending proposals that would affect budgets beyond 2018. But county officials have not discussed a hiring freeze, retiring County administrator Michele Baker said Tuesday.

To the contrary, county staff members asked commissioners last week to consider hiring new firefighter/emergency medical technicians and other fire department employees, and additional librarians and bus drivers in the fiscal year starting Oct. 1. Likewise, Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco requested 14 new employees as part of his $118 million budget proposal to the commission.

Hillsborough was already facing difficult decisions in the coming years.

The county needs $334 million by 2022 to pay for upgrades to its stormwater system and to fully fund master plans for the parks and fire rescue departments, county staff told commissioners during a budget workshop Tuesday.

A growing portion of the county’s future revenue — more than $800 million over the next decade — has already been set aside for transportation needs.

“Not to be an alarmist,” said Commissioner Ken Hagan, “but it certainly seems a perfect storm is brewing.”

Commissioners said they are open to considering a menu of targeted tax increases and fee hikes to make up the budget gap.

A property or sales tax surcharge seems unlikely for now, but there was appetite to consider a 1 cent increase in the gas tax. Unlike many large local governments, Hillsborough does not tax utilities. Commissioners said that they may consider implementing a charge of up to 10 percent.

Cuts are on the table as well, but Commissioner Sandy Murman said county departments are still emerging from the recession.

“I don’t know how much more we can cut, quite frankly,” Murman said. “We’re already at the bone.”

Commissioner Victor Crist warned against raising rates too much, fearing retaliation from lawmakers who clearly want to see local taxes lowered.

“If they see local governments circumvent that by readjusting the tax rates on everything else,” Crist said, “they’re going to bite us.”

Times staff writers Mark Puente and C.T. Bowens contributed to this report. Contact Steve Contorno at scontorno@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3433.

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Bay Times article on foster care:

While kids slept in offices, foster beds went empty

• ByChristopher O’Donnell and Steve Contorno, Times Staff Writers

Monday, May 8, 2017 11:10am

TAMPA — The plight of foster children forced to sleep on air mattresses in offices last summer led to outrage and the state ordering additional oversight of Eckerd Kids, the agency that runs child welfare in Hillsborough County.

But even as social workers were preparing the make-do accommodation, records show that between 10 and 21 foster beds went unused at the Lake Magdalene group foster home, a county-owned facility in Carrollwood.

And the foster home remains a thorny issue between Eckerd and county officials who in August agreed to let the non-profit use two of Lake Magdalene’s cottages for hard-to-place foster children aged 10 and up.

Almost one year later, the cottages still sit empty after Eckerd balked at paying the $1.6 million or more it would cost to staff and run the program each year.

That has frustrated county officials who hoped the extra accommodation would ease the strain on the county’s existing foster care system.

“We gave them a lifeline to help take care of a serious problem,” said Commissioner Sandy Murman, who serves on the county’s Blue Ribbon Commission for Child Safety. “I think it’s all going down to the bottom line of many providers.”

Eckerd officials said that some of the children who slept in offices last summer were coming out of Department of Juvenile Justice centers or had documented behavioral issues or other problems not compatible with the care programs at the group home.

“Lake Magdalene screened all youth presented and accepted those who they believed to be appropriate for the level of service offered through their program,” said Eckerd spokeswoman Adrienne Drew.

Still, county records show the group home had an average of 21 empty beds per night in April, 12 in May and 10 in June, when the agency was struggling to find enough foster beds. Almost 40 foster children slept for one or two nights in unlicensed facilities, including an office and a teen recreation center over that period.

Located on 23 acres, Lake Magdalene provides temporary housing for 10- to 17-year-old children who were abused, abandoned and neglected, many of whom have failed multiple placements. First opened in the 1940s, the campus has grown to include cottages for boys and girls with 42 beds, a dining hall, learning center, rec space, job training and administrative offices.

A review of the facility in 2009 found persistent problems with runaways, arrests, drug use and sexual assault, and a state investigation said staff worried for the safety of the children. Reports also showed many beds often were empty.

The report lead to staff shakeups and new leaders there say they have addressed problems head-on with less focus on confinement and more on improving outcomes.

However, vacancies remain.

JoAnn Rollins, the director of Hillsborough County Children’s Services, said children are screened before they are placed at Lake Magdalene. If a child presents a risk to other foster children or if the county lacks services that fit the child’s needs, the child can be turned away.

“We won’t house them like they’re sardines and we won’t bring in anybody and just warehouse them,” Rollins said.

Eckerd, which is paid $70 million per year by the state to place and care for children in foster and group homes in Hillsborough, pays the county $140 per day for every child it places at Lake Magdalene. The county makes up the bulk of the $529 daily cost per child.

The plan to make two cottages available for Eckerd to run was drawn up by county officials along with the agency and the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County.

Eckerd planned a residential center that would be the first in the state to accept all foster children regardless of any concerns about past delinquency or mental and behavioral health concerns. Violent teens would be required to be assessed by a therapist within 24 hours of their admittance.

Eckerd approached Children’s Home Network, a Tampa non-profit group, to run the facility.

County commissioners approved the plan in August. The contract with Eckerd gave it sole use of the two cottages rent free. It would have to pay the county $350 per month to cover utilities.

“We did our part; they’re prepared for use,” said Rollins,

The contract states that Eckerd would pay the cost of the new program. A business plan included in the county agenda in August includes a cost breakdown that shows it would cost $1.7 million per year.

Yet some six months after the agreement was signed, Children’s Home told Eckerd it was still hiring staff, according to Eckerd.

Shortly after, Eckerd told Children’s Home that it could not afford to run the program and planned to contact the Florida Department of Children and Families to seek additional funding.

Eckerd is now working with another not-for-profit agency, Youth and Family Alternatives, to work out a more “cost effective” plan for the cottages.

Rollins said only Eckerd can explain why the cottages still sit empty. More children are taken into foster care in Hillsborough than any other county. In 2016, child protection investigators at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office received more than 16,700 reports of abuse or neglect. They resulted in 1,592 children being taken into care.

“Everything is a work in progress,” Rollins said. “Hillsborough County as a whole is going to have to look at how it is coordinating care.”

Contact Christopher O’Donnell at codonnell@tampabay.c

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Bay Times article on budget:

Hillsborough freezes hiring, considers new taxes after lawmakers okay tax cut referendum

• Steve Contorno, Times Staff Writer

Tuesday, May 9, 2017 6:52pm

TAMPA — The same day Florida lawmakers agreed to put a property tax cut on the 2018 ballot, Hillsborough County administrator Mike Merrill told staff to freeze all hiring immediately.

In a May 2 memo obtained by the Tampa Bay Times, Merrill told his top lieutenants not to fill openings or promote internally “to allow greater flexibility and options” in upcoming budgets.

The fast fallout in Hillsborough from the property tax decision could be a sign of things to come statewide as cities and counties grapple with the prospect of losing millions every year in property tax revenue.

Hillsborough, for example, would have to cut or make up $30.6 million a year if voters approve an additional $25,000 homestead exemption.

“We’re anticipating it will pass,” Merrill said. “And we need to start taking action.”

Under the referendum, the value of a home between $100,000 and $125,000 would be exempt from property taxes, saving Hillsborough homeowners about $270 a year.

Pinellas County faces a first-year loss of $33.8 million, according to the Florida Association of Counties, which included the impact on other Pinellas taxing authorities. Pasco County would feel a $13 million hit, the association said, while Hernando County would have to make up $2.8 million.

So far, Hillsborough — which has 4,800 full- and part-time employees — is the only government in the region to take concrete steps to address future budget shortfalls.

At a Pinellas County Commission meeting Tuesday, administrator Mark Woodard said it would be premature to act as though the property tax referendum’s outcome is certain. In 2008, a similar $25,000 extension passed with two-thirds of the vote.

In any case, Woodard said, it would be unfair to start taking away services now.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore said last week the county needed to carefully review any new spending proposals that would affect budgets beyond 2018. But county officials have not discussed a hiring freeze, retiring County administrator Michele Baker said Tuesday.

To the contrary, county staff members asked commissioners last week to consider hiring new firefighter/emergency medical technicians and other fire department employees, and additional librarians and bus drivers in the fiscal year starting Oct. 1. Likewise, Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco requested 14 new employees as part of his $118 million budget proposal to the commission.

Hillsborough was already facing difficult decisions in the coming years.

The county needs $334 million by 2022 to pay for upgrades to its stormwater system and to fully fund master plans for the parks and fire rescue departments, county staff told commissioners during a budget workshop Tuesday.

A growing portion of the county’s future revenue — more than $800 million over the next decade — has already been set aside for transportation needs.

“Not to be an alarmist,” said Commissioner Ken Hagan, “but it certainly seems a perfect storm is brewing.”

Commissioners said they are open to considering a menu of targeted tax increases and fee hikes to make up the budget gap.

A property or sales tax surcharge seems unlikely for now, but there was appetite to consider a 1 cent increase in the gas tax. Unlike many large local governments, Hillsborough does not tax utilities. Commissioners said that they may consider implementing a charge of up to 10 percent.

Cuts are on the table as well, but Commissioner Sandy Murman said county departments are still emerging from the recession.

“I don’t know how much more we can cut, quite frankly,” Murman said. “We’re already at the bone.”

Commissioner Victor Crist warned against raising rates too much, fearing retaliation from lawmakers who clearly want to see local taxes lowered.

“If they see local governments circumvent that by readjusting the tax rates on everything else,” Crist said, “they’re going to bite us.”

Times staff writers Mark Puente and C.T. Bowens contributed to this report. Contact Steve Contorno at scontorno@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3433.

Commissioner Murman mentioned in this ABC News article on dog barking:

Hillsborough Co. one step closer to regulating excessive dog barking

Commissioners expected to pass measure Weds.

Lauren Rozyla

9:41 AM, May 1, 2017

5:56 PM, May 1, 2017

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – Hillsborough County is now looking to hold pet owners accountable by regulating excessive dog barking.

County commissioners will hold a public hearing on the item Wednesday. Staff determined that the best avenue to amend this existing ordinance was include enforcement against the owners of nuisance animals, according to county documents.

The amended noise ordinance says excessive dog noise is anything that is considered “unreasonably loud, raucous, jarring, disturbing or a nuisance to a reasonable person” and  “disturbs the peace, quiet and comfort of the neighborhood.” The ordinance also covers injuries or endangers human or animal health or property.

Excessive noise is considered constant animal noise for 20 minutes or more, the new ordinance states.

This not only includes barking, but meowing, howling, and other animal noises.

Commissioners say this is enacted to protect, promote, and preserve the health, safety, welfare, peace and quiet of the citizens of Hillsborough County through the reduction, control, and prevention of noise disturbance.

Those who are caught violating the new noise ordinance will face up to $500 in fines and/or up to three months in jail, said Commissioner Sandra Murman, who spearheaded the changes.

If you would like to report excessive animal noise, call Hillsborough County Animal Control at 813-744-5660. Either a sheriff’s deputy or animal control officer will come out to investigate, commissioners said.

Murman said the language is very similar to a noise ordinance in Jacksonville, where it’s already proven very effective.

Commissioner Murman quoted in this 83Degrees article on Cross-bay Ferry:

development news

Cross-Bay Ferry initial run exceeds expectations, likely to return in fall

PATRICK KELLY | TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

PHOTO BY JULIE BRANAMAN

As a sixth-month test period comes to a close, the Cross-Bay Ferry is scheduled to stop making runs on April 30.

But action taken by the Hillsborough County Commission indicates it will likely be back.

The commissioners directed county staff to find funds in the 2018 budget that could be invested in a seasonal ferry linking the downtowns of Tampa and St. Petersburg. Last year, Hillsborough allocated $350,000 to the pilot program, along with Pinellas County, Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman says the county received somewhere between $40,000 and $50,000 back on its initial investment and the ferry project is headed in the right direction.

“We’re knee deep in transportation issues right now and we’ve build a great case for a successful project,” she says.
Proponents of the ferry say it performed beyond expectations during the trial run, proving itself as a viable transportation option.

“It’s had good revenues, strong ridership and very strong corporate sponsorship,” says Ed Turanchik, project adviser.
According to Turanchik, ridership for April is on track to reach 10,000 people. In total, more than 36,000 passengers have boarded the ferry for a trip across the bay.

The 149-seat catamaran runs from downtown St. Pete’s waterfront to downtown Tampa near the convention center seven days a week with the heaviest ridership on weekends. The pilot program served as a demonstration of the non-commuter market, which accounts for the majority of travel.

“This really shows us there’s a strong market for non-work-based transit,” Turanchik says.

Now that it has some momentum, Turanchick is looking at the next phase for the ferry.

“Now it’s not a question of a pilot,” he says. “It’s using seasonal service to transition into permanent service and build the market.”

With public-private partnerships to fund the initial investment and operating costs of the new transportation system in the works, big things are possible ferries in the future of Tampa Bay. Champions include Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman.

“I can readily envision there being a dozen to 16 ferries operating in the bay area when all these things finally are deployed,” Turanchik says. “There’s a market for this and it’s only going to grow.”

Commissioner Murman quoted in this PR Newswire report on NewSouth Window Solutions:

Florida Governor Rick Scott Breaks Ground with Window Manufacturer, NewSouth Window Solutions

SOURCE NewSouth Window Solutions

TAMPA, Fla., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Governor Rick Scott showed his support and celebrated the growth of window manufacturer and installer, NewSouth Window Solutions, at the site of their new manufacturing facility and headquarters on Thursday. NewSouth Window’s success and expansion to the new 234,500 square foot building, is a signal that local manufacturing is bringing jobs to Tampa and to the state of Florida.

Standing with the group of NewSouth Window employees, Governor Scott spoke of job creation, and strategies to attract people to the state to continue to build the economy.

He acknowledged co-founders Dan Ochstein CEO, and Earl Rahn, President as he addressed the crowd:

“I’d like to recognize everyone at NewSouth Window. NewSouth started here in Tampa with one location the year I was elected, 2010, and since then they’ve opened in Orlando, Sarasota, West Palm Beach and soon be Ft. Lauderdale.”

NewSouth Window Solutions set up their Tampa manufacturing facility when the economic downturn was in full force in Florida, particularly for the building and construction business. Since that time, they have added 165 jobs in Florida, with a plan to add 50 more with this expansion.

As Scott looked over the impressive 13 acre portion of the 73 acre development, he commented on the scale of the concrete building footprint, stating,

“There’s not many places this big, this is outstanding! You better sell a lot of windows.”

NewSouth has made and sold hundreds of thousands of high performance window and door units, and plans to continue to climb as a leading provider of energy efficient windows in a state where the inefficiencies of the single pane aluminum still dominate. Ochstein spoke of his vision of the factory direct window company and the decision to build out of need for more space to accommodate the growth.

NewSouth products are designed specifically for the Florida climate, with a special focus on blending energy efficiency with impact resistant strength to defend against the unrelenting Florida sun and storms. NewSouth calls this the Ultimate Florida Window. Rahn stated, “Our products are made in Florida, for Florida homes, by Florida workers…and we are supported by the Florida Governor”.

Ochstein and Rahn received the Governor’s Business Ambassador’s Award to recognize their accomplishment and job creation for the state. Pro-business officials, Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Sandra Murman, Hillsborough County Commissioner, addressed the crowd in support of NewSouth Window and job creation.

Murman has been an advocate for the NewSouth expansion, and her support has been key for NewSouth Window in Hillsborough County. Murman states, “We are proud to be celebrating the expansion of NewSouth Windows, which is a testament to our strong manufacturing sector and workforce in Hillsborough County.”

Howard Bayless and Austin Jones of Marcobay Construction hosted the event as construction briefly halted on the site. Marcobay is the builder and developer of the 73 acre Crossroads Commerce Center in Tampa. NewSouth is planning on moving into the new facility in January of 2018.

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Bay Times article on Children’s Museum:

Navy vet, 83, fashions cheap solution to save children’s museum exhibit

• Howard Altman, Times Staff Writer

Friday, April 21, 2017 3:27pm

• Next

TAMPA — KidsPort was in bad shape.

The popular Glazer Children’s Museum exhibit was about to be closed two to three months for a repair job estimated at $100,000 or more — a lot of money for a nonprofit with an annual budget of $2.8 million.

Some 60,000 visitors would miss a chance to frolic in the waters of the kiddy-style Port Tampa Bay mockup.

Then along came Bob Stanley, an 83-year-old Navy veteran who served as a welder during the Korean War.

Stanley would save the day.

• • •

KidsPort, visited by 1.4 million people during the museum’s six years in operation, is all about water.

Some 1,800 gallons of it course through a 3,500-square-foot elevated pool, complete with toy boats, sea life, bridges and other fun features.

Kids delight in splashing around in it. But with all that commotion, water leaked out and ran down to the supports — 165 square metal tubes held up by rods made of ferrous metal, prone to rust.

And rust they did, forcing the museum to contemplate repairs it didn’t want to make in an exhibit scheduled for replacement in another two years anyway.

• ••

For the past six years, three days a week, Stanley has driven 28 miles from his home in Gulfport to arrive by 4 a.m. outside the berth of the SS American Victory Ship Mariners Museum on Channelside Drive. He walks up into a space formerly called “Cargo Hold 4,” turns on the lights, brews the coffee and dons his welder’s mask.

The mask is adorned with the image of a flaming skull, chains in its mouth.

“Not my style,” Stanley said with a gruff laugh. “But it was cheap. And it works. So I bought it.”

That’s Stanley’s outlook on life in a nutshell, shaped by an upbringing in Toledo, Ohio, and honed by five years in the Navy followed by a stint with the Piledrivers union, welding all manner of things.

This outlook is how he saved the day.

• ••

The Glazer Children’s Museum is near and dear to the hearts of the Propeller Club — a group created to boost Port Tampa Bay.

“We were having problems with leaks and rusting and mildew and different things and we were going to have to take the whole exhibit out,” said club member Sandra Murman, a Hillsborough County commissioner. “And this wonderful man found this very simple fix for a very small amount of money.”

• ••

After Stanley showed up at the SS American Victory, Cargo Hold 4 got a new name — Stanleyville. He has filled the once-empty space with tools and equipment from his personal collection, like a drill press, band saw, belt sander, pipe bender and hydraulic press.

During a visit with his son Ryan in 2011, he was asked if he’d like to help fix up the American Victory — a restored cargo ship that saw action in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, and is similar to a ship Stanley served aboard.

“All they had was this little bitty welding table set up,” he recalled.

Stanley jumped at the chance to help and now dedicates hours of his time to the task.

Said Tom Procopio, the ship’s operations manager: “This guy is amazing.”

• ••

When he first heard about the plight of the children’s museum, Bill Kuzmic, president of the SS American Victory museum and a member of the Propeller Club, offered help from seasoned volunteers like Stanley.

So a few months ago, Stanley visited the children’s museum. He put on his knee pads, spent half an hour checking out the exhibit, went to lunch at Wendy’s, then returned to Stanleyville.

He grabbed some tubing and other scraps around the shop, and in less than an hour, fashioned a solution — an adjustable stainless steel device that would fit into the KidsPort footings and replace the rusting stands. The replacements would not rust.

The museum provided a welder and an argon tank to cut the stainless steel to Stanley’s specifications, shelling out just $3,000.

Then Stanley went to work, welding together all the pieces. Each morning, after making the coffee back in his shop, he would fashion more assemblies.

“They needed 165,” he said, pointing to boxes full of the new supports. “I got them all made.”

• ••

The KidsPort repair was a win-win for Stanley. He loves working with metal and he loves helping kids.

“I’m glad we could save it and keep it going,” he said. “I’m just glad I was able to help out. We have to do everything we can for the kids nowadays.”

KidsPort never posed a safety threat, said officials at the children’s museum, but now it can stay open as long as they had planned.

“KidsPort is a well-loved exhibit,” said museum president and chief executive Jennifer Stancil, “so we are thrilled with the out-of-the-box thinking that will increase its longevity.”

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Bay Times article on transit study:

Long-awaited Tampa Bay transit study identifies five corridors for future transportation systems

By Caitlin Johnston, Times staff writer

Published: April 22, 2017

The firm assembling a highly anticipated study has identified five potential routes for a future transit system in Tampa Bay.

This is the first big update in the regional premium transit feasibility plan, a cumbersome term for a process that will identify whether rail, express bus or other types of transit will best serve the region.

A team from Jacobs Engineering expects to narrow that list and recommend three specific projects — including the exact routes and the type of transit that will operate on them — by November, said Jacobs executive Scott Pringle.

Politicians and transit advocates alike have placed a lot of weight on this 2½-year study, which the Florida Department of Transportation paid $1.5 million for and the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority is overseeing. They hope it can provide some sort of blueprint for one day solving the bay area’s transportation woes.

“I am depending on this study a lot to be a real, unbiased analysis of what this region needs to solve its transportation challenges,” said Tampa City Council member Harry Cohen. “My hope is that they’re evaluating every conceivable option.”

Politicians, business leaders and residents have discussed building transit options for decades, but have failed to garner enough support or political will to fund or build most of them.

The five corridors Jacobs selected are a mix of routes between Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties, connecting the area’s densest regions and busiest road corridors:

• West Shore to Brandon through downtown Tampa
• Downtown Tampa to the University of South Florida
• Wesley Chapel to USF, then to Tampa and St. Petersburg
• Clearwater to the St. Petersburg Gateway area to downtown
• South Tampa to downtown Tampa.

The potential routes were evaluated based on how many popular destinations and activity centers they served, along with the number of jobs, amenities and population per mile. The next step is to evaluate what type of transit would operate best in each area. Those modes could include a streetcar, express bus, light rail or other options.

All these routes have already been evaluated by several of the nearly 60 different transportation studies that have been conducted over the past three decades in Tampa Bay. The goal of this study is to draw on those previous findings, identify the best projects, put together an actual plan and draft state and federal grant applications to help fund them.

“We’re not trying to do just another study,” Pringle said. “We’re trying to pull together a plan from all those studies. … Let’s build on those lessons learned and move this thing forward.”

The initiative, though originally called the premium transit study when the DOT first announced it in late 2015, has since been rebranded as a feasibility plan to highlight the fact that it will produce an actual proposal for local leaders to act on.

Jacobs will ultimately identify three specific projects to build in Tampa Bay, Pringle said, and rank them in the order they should be built. Once the projects are selected, the next phases of the study will decide how to pay for them and who will maintain and operate them.

Hillsborough County Commissioner and HART board member Sandy Murman was disappointed that none of the corridors connect to South Hillsborough, the district she represents. She also complained that the firm was using out-of-date population numbers. She encouraged them to look at parts of the region, such as her district, that are experiencing more growth.

“There’s a balancing act between the suburban area versus the urban area,” Murman said. “I didn’t see a lot out in the unincorporated areas.”

Her concerns highlight one of the biggest obstacles facing transit in Tampa Bay: how to build support for a project that may not serve everybody. Ultimately, the plan is to build an expansive, integrated system with main corridors connected to other parts of the region by buses, circulators and other transit options. But creating an entire network takes time and money, and it can’t all be built at once.

“To develop a transit system for a very sprawled-out community like we have is going to be very, very difficult,” Murman said. “We have to work with HART to build connections to those main routes and make sure the taxpayers know we’re not just going to do one area.”

Murman, however, voted against the most recent attempt to raise money for transit. The Hillsborough County Commission decided in April 2016 not to put a 30-year, half-cent sales tax referendum to fund transportation on the November ballot.

Hillsborough has since found more than $800 million in the county budget to spend on road projects. But by its own estimates, the county has more than $8 billion worth of transportation needs in the coming decade.

Previous attempts to pass a sales tax for transportation failed in Hillsborough in 2010 and in Pinellas in 2014, largely because of a lack of support from voters outside the downtown areas. Many suburban residents see transit as something that benefits only the urban cores, and thus don’t want to pay for something they won’t use.

Trying to plan a regional system further complicates this. There is no regional transit agency that would oversee such a project. An attempt by state Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, to create such an agency recently died in the Florida Senate.

There’s also the issue of regional competition: If a corridor based largely in one county is chosen as the first project, leaders and citizens in other counties might feel slighted or wonder why they should support it.

“That’s a very, very, very hard thing for elected officials to do,” Cohen said. “But so far, I do think people understand that there are going to have to be concessions all over the place for a truly regional approach to work.”

Commissioner Murman quoted in this SPB article on the Ferry project:

Hillsborough Commission expresses caution about fully investing in Cross-Bay Ferry for second year

MITCH PERRY

April 19, 2017

Hillsborough County Commissioners sounded impressed by the relative success of the Cross-Bay Ferry pilot project between Tampa and St. Petersburg that concludes at the end of this month, but whether they are prepared to spend another $350,000 to fund a repeat performance later this year remains uncertain.

After hearing a presentation from St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, whose leadership led to the project happening, the board passed a motion to have County Administrator Mike Merrill review whether the board can find the funds to subsidize its portion of the four-government pilot project later this year.

Curbing his enthusiasm somewhat, Kriseman began his address to the Board by acknowledging that the ferry is hardly the solution to the Tampa Bay area’s vexing transportation issues. “It is simply an additional tool in our toolbox that works toward those solutions that I think all of us seek and know that we’ve got those challenges that we’ve got to address if we’re going to grow out counties and our region,” he said.

The St. Petersburg mayor, who is running for re-election this year, unveiled a PowerPoint presentation filled with statistics to measure who has actually taken the ferry over the past five-and-a-half months. At the end of March, more than 31,000 people had ridden on the ferry, with organizers hoping the total number could hit 40,000 before it ends in 12 days.

Kriseman said that expectations were low for people to commute to work on the ferry, especially with the project using only one boat. During weekdays the service offers only two full round trips, with three on the weekends.

The visit to the Hillsborough Commissioners was the mayor’s second appearance before one of the four local governments who contributed the $350,000 to get the project with HMS Global Maritime rolling last fall. He will visit the Tampa City Council next week.

The survey shows that 90 percent of passengers were Tampa Bay residents, but Board Chairman Stacy White said he wanted those numbers broken down further by zip code, questioning how many people living in the outlying parts of both counties were using the service, vs. those living in Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Nearly everyone – 95 percent – said they enjoyed the experience.

The ferry has had a farebox recovery rate of 35 percent. That’s higher, Kriseman noted, than the standard farebox recovery for bus systems, which is around 20 percent.  (Farebox recovery is the proportion of the amount of revenue generated through fares by its paying customers as a fraction of the cost of its total operating expenses).

One of the biggest disappointments was that the ferry was inoperable during high profile events like Gasparilla and the Saturday before the national college football playoff game. Kriseman said that the lack of a permanent docking station was the culprit. The ferry has been taking off the Vinoy Basin in St. Petersburg, and dropping off passengers next to the Tampa Convention Center.

Commissioner Les Miller noted that the passenger loads were less than filled to capacity in the opening weeks of the ferry service, but grew noticeably in recent months. What changed, he asked Kriseman.

The mayor acknowledged that the reduction of the fare had a considerable influence on ridership, dropping one-way tickets from $10 to $5 on weekdays, but he said he thought the number one factor was the awareness and word of mouth factor.

The local governments will not get their $350,000 back, but they will collect some funds to reduce the subsidy when it ends later this month. As of the end of March, more than $111,000 was scheduled to be returned to Tampa, St. Pete, Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, with the mayor predicting they will receive a check back for approximately $30,000. “It rarely pays for itself,” he said of transportation outlays, a comment frequently invoked by local officials advocating for light-rail in recent years.

An optimistic Kriseman said in addition to ferry service in Hillsborough County and from downtown Tampa to downtown St. Petersburg, he also mused about ferries running from St. Pete to the Westshore area of Tampa. “Not only giving people the opportunity to go to work in Westshore, but also to take a shuttle to Tampa International Airport and not have to rent a car.”

“This was one of the best reports that have come back to us that we’ve made,” enthused Commissioner Sandy Murman after Kriseman’s presentation.  Murman reminded the public that the board did approve a proposal two weeks ago to move forward on a much delayed public-private partnership ferry plan to take passengers from South County to MacDill Air Force Base, then to St. Petersburg.

“I don’t know if we can go up to $350,000 the next round,” she admitted about a similar Tampa-St. Pete Cross-Bay Ferry project for 2017-2018. “I think we’re building a very solid case for continuing this.”

“The wife and daughter and I enjoy our moments crossing the bay on the ferry, ” said Commissioner Victor Crist. ” They’re memorable moments.”

Merrill said that “there are enormous needs and enormous opportunities,” regarding the upcoming budget discussions, but said that the Cross-Bay Ferry project would fit into the “return on investment category” in the budget, where it could hopefully recoup all of their investment next year.

“It’s probably a little bit early to judge how this would fit with all the others (budgetary issues) because we haven’t really finalized all of the work that we plan to bring back on May 9th,” Merrill said, adding that his staff will seriously look at the funding request.