Federal legislation proposed by Congressman Jolly based on Commissioner Murman’s Gas Pump Assistance Ordinance in Hillsborough County.

Jolly wants help for disabled drivers at all U.S. gas stations

• Charlie Frago, Times Staff Writer

Tuesday, February 16, 2016 1:16pm

1. PETERSBURG — U.S. Rep. David Jolly wants to take a local and state victory for disabled drivers national.

Jolly has filed the Gas Pump Access Act, which requires all gas stations offering self-service to place a decal on each gas pump with the station’s phone number. If disabled drivers need help, they can call for assistance.

The legislation has its origins as a Hillsborough County ordinance and recently became Florida law.

Many gas stations complied with a 1990 federal law, the Americans with Disabilities Act, by installing call boxes on pumps, but those devices often proved too difficult for disabled customers to access since they usually had to exit their car to use them, advocates say.

The problem with the ADA, said Ben Ritter, a member of Paralyzed Veterans of America, “was that it didn’t spell out how to get the gas pumped.”

Disabled drivers were often left to honk, blink their lights and wave to get the attention of gas station attendants, Ritter said.

Jolly’s bill, co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, a Texas Democrat, allows gas stations to bypass expensive call boxes. And it doesn’t apply to stations that have just one attendant on duty.

Mary Twohey, 53, a disabled Dunedin resident, said that before Hillsborough County passed its ordinance in 2011 (quickly followed by Pasco and Pinellas counties), she had to rely on a single gas station that she knew would provide assistance.

She lived in fear of running out of gas, she said, as she traveled the bay area for work.

“It’s a lot safer now,” Twohey said.

Florida passed a law based on the Hillsborough ordinance in 2014.

“It’s appropriate to stake what Florida started and make it national law,” Jolly, R-Indian Shores, said at a news conference held between the pumps at a Rally gas station on Ulmerton Road.

Jolly said activists brought the idea to him during one of his “subject matter councils” he convened on disability rights.

Jolly is now running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Marco Rubio.

Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole has written a letter in support of the legislation, which is also supported by groups such as the Florida Petroleum Marketers, the Convenience Store Association and the J.H. Williams Oil Co. in Tampa.

Michelle Cyr, Tampa Bay field coordinator for AARP, said the legislation would reduce the isolation affecting many disabled people who find it difficult to buy gasoline.

“It would remove barriers and allow people access to their communities,” Cyr said.

Commissioner Murman’s column on transportation appeared in the Tampa Tribune:

COMMENTARY

Sandra L. Murman: An alternative approach to funding transportation needs in Hillsborough County

Published: February 9, 2016

Our community must find funding solutions for our critical transportation needs. The Hillsborough County Commission will soon decide which of the many funding options to pursue to do this. As part of this process, we must also adopt a specific transportation plan. I believe this must be a forward-looking transportation plan that will be valued by our children and grandchildren.

I am pleased that Hillsborough County and its cities have been engaged in a two-year process to get us to this point. However, I believe too much emphasis has been placed on a 30-year, half-cent sales tax referendum at the exclusion of other viable options. I also am concerned that our “plan” is only a list of projects that look more to fix the past instead of building for the future.

I am in favor of an alternative approach that will give our community a significant transportation “win” and provide a substantial increase of transportation funding for Hillsborough County roads. The county commission can achieve this by adopting three specific measures this year that would raise at least $72 million annually, none of which require voter approval of a general tax on themselves.

First, I support prioritizing our existing budgets to fund new transportation investments. This should be the first measure we take before adopting any new fees or taxes. I support creating a transportation trust fund by allocating a percentage of all new property and sales tax revenue each year to fund transportation road work and maintenance. Pasco County has done this, setting aside a portion of new property tax revenues for transportation projects.

This same approach applied in Hillsborough County to new property and sales tax revenues could generate more than $25 million this year, an amount that would grow our recurring base funding each year as our tax base grows. This approach would not take away from any existing programs.

I also support two separate user fees — development fees, commonly referred to as mobility fees, and gas taxes — to help pay for transportation investments. Today, development fees cover less than 10 percent of the costs of new transportation infrastructure required by new growth. While I encourage and support new growth, and appreciate the jobs and tax revenues it generates, I know that it also impacts our transportation infrastructure. Hillsborough needs to levy new development fees so that new growth pays its fair share of such costs. These fees need to be done smartly, so they do not hinder economic development, but still generate the revenue we need to help cover the cost of new transportation capacity. We also should implement smart growth policies that encourage infill development and discourage sprawl.

Reasonable development fees would likely generate more than $20 million or more each year at current growth rates.

I also support adopting a 5-cent local option gas tax as a fair and appropriate way to help fund transportation. Our nation has used gas taxes over the past 70 years to construct one of the finest transportation systems in the world. This investment has fueled much of our national prosperity. In Florida, every coastal county, from Palm Beach to Pasco, with the exception of Hillsborough and Pinellas, has adopted local option gas taxes to help meet their local transportation needs. We need to do the same. As a user fee, this would raise close to $27 million each year.

In advocating for this three-pronged approach, I am heartened that business leaders, transportation experts, tea party and Sierra Club leaders have all voiced support for this broad-based and more certain funding approach. In fact, I find it remarkable that there is so much consensus about pursuing these options.

Still, I know that the revenues from these measures, though historic and robust, cannot fully address our existing transportation deficiencies nor build the 21st century transportation system that people desperately want and that is essential for a dynamic and growing county. So I do understand the policy case for a sales tax referendum. But I believe we need to direct any new, long-term resources to such major emerging mobility options as regional commuter rail using the CSX lines, use of dedicated lanes for transit on our county roads and the interstate, other bus rapid transit corridors, and a regional ferry system on our waterways.

We also need to understand how emerging technologies like Uber and Lyft delivery systems and driverless cars factor into our future, while providing our citizens with a plan that delivers real transportation solutions to their neighborhoods and gives them a feeling that government listens to their wants and needs.

These alternatives have the potential to provide powerful mobility options that can tie our region together, spur economic development and quality jobs and provide big lifestyle dividends for everyone. We need to invest the appropriate time and resources in developing a comprehensive, forward-looking mobility plan that evaluates these options and includes those determined to be feasible and beneficial as part of a foundation for a future transportation referendum. This will take more time and work, require regional cooperation, and build on the work we have done.

I encourage the community and my colleagues to carefully consider these and other funding sources. I want us to secure a major and historic transportation “win” that we need and deserve. I look forward to hearing more from the public about these options and approach, and to working with my colleagues to frame a better future for our community.

Sandra L. Murman represents District 1 on the Hillsborough County Commission.

Commissioner Murman mentioned in this Tampa Tribune article on development:

Port Redwing, wide-open land helping spur region’s rise

By Yvette C. Hammett | Tribune Staff

Published: February 6, 2016

TAMPA — Double-digit population growth is expected south of State Road 60 by 2020, so government and private industry in Hillsborough County are moving to answer the challenge.

Developers have secured entitlements for 35,000 new residential units in addition to the 133,889 homes already located in the county’s fastest-growing area.

And already, groundwork is in place for 26 million square feet of business development — 5.9 million for commercial, 4.5 million for office and 16.3 million for light industrial use.

There are also plans to improve traffic flow, including a flyover on Apollo Beach Boulevard that would allow east-west access between U.S. 41 and U.S. 301 and the widening of a 7-mile stretch of U.S. 41.

Hillsborough County’s overall population — now 1.3 million — is expected to increase 7 percent by 2020, but four county ZIP codes are expected to see about 12 percent growth. Three are in south Hillsborough, widely known as the South Shore area, which accounts for more than one in four Hillsborough County residents. The fourth is in New Tampa. Accommodating all that growth requires laying all the groundwork ahead of time — zoning, roads, water and sewer and other services, said Doug Dieck, president of the southeast region for Ryan Companies, which developed the Amazon distribution center in Ruskin.

When businesses come south in search of large parcels for light industrial, commercial or office space, all arrows point to South Shore. And once those companies come knocking, they are typically ready to start construction and pack their bags in short order, said Lindsey Kimball, Hillsborough County Economic Development director.

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In addition to ready access to an available workforce, there are three major reasons employers want to move to South Shore, Kimball said — large expanses of available real estate, “world class infrastructure,” and Port Redwing, part of Port Tampa Bay and a way manufacturers can connect with rail and ships for exporting goods.

“For probably at least 10 years, the growth spurt has been going on” in southern Hillsborough County, Kimball said. Driving through the area recently, she said she was amazed at all the signs of growth — residential, commercial and industrial.

“We have tremendous benefits there because we have Interstate 75, U.S. 301 and U.S. 41 that connect us to both Manatee and Pasco counties and a quick jog up to I-4 to reach the Polk County workforce,” she said.

Industry is driving most of the growth, and access to port, rail and possible truck transportation helps in attracting companies, said Randy Smith, director of research for the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp.

“One of the great benefits is the railroad infrastructure going down U.S. 41,” Smith said. “Many of the sites we have that we are proposing for development have rail access … .”

Others have direct interstate access, like South Shore Corporate Park, where Ryan built the Amazon distribution center just west of I-75.

“South Shore Corporate Park has been a big leap forward for the entire South Shore area,” Smith said.

And there is still plenty of space for more light industrial development there. The property is approved for 2.6 million square feet of development, and Amazon is using just 1.1 million, Dieck said.

“We are ready to go because the infrastructure is in place,” Dieck said. “It’s very attractive to users.”

One 45,000-square-foot building is ready for lease, and there are a dozen or so others on site, he said.

In addition, Madison Industrial Park has quick access to Port Redwing. Four buildings developed there by EastGroup Properties are ready to go for distribution, light industrial, office and warehousing.

“The majority of our competitive sites are located in South Shore, because that’s where the land is,” Kimball said. “It’s a critical part of our economic development strategy in terms of where we will locate future higher-wage job opportunities.”

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The business growth is providing new opportunities for people who live in the region.

“It’s more office parks and people may have light manufacturing and an employment center where they design and make products and distribute them,” said Alex McLeod, vice president of operations for Newland Communities, which is developing the Waterset residential community off Big Bend Road.

“There are entrepreneurial opportunities. Small business owners are growing into mid-size businesses,” McLeod said. “The port is doing things not from the old days.”

There also are plans for a kind of downtown area so people won’t have far to travel for good restaurants and entertainment.

“Besides the South Shore Corporate Park there are commercial office retail entitlements and opportunities in Waterset,” McLeod said. One is a town center at U.S. 41 and Apollo Beach Boulevard. This won’t be your big-box retail, but quality services and even some employment opportunities for the greater area. Restaurants, shops, medical offices, a wellness center to support the nearby hospital and “definitely some mixed-use opportunities there which the area desperately needs. We’ll be delivering that in the next year or two and looking for commercial office retail partners.”

The vision is to create a concentrated area for residential and lifestyle along with a job base, McLeod said.

The Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp. is working to attract an even greater variety of development to the region, Kimball said — advanced light industrial, tech medicine, bio science, logistics and distribution centers among them.

“Those businesses are in our target industries,” said J.P. DuBuque, interim president and CEO of the development corporation.

They will bring high-wage jobs that will add to the tax base and provide for the greatest kind of economic impact on the community, he said.

The economic group made up of private business partners has landed two events to bring jobs to the area.

One is the Site Selectors Guild Advisory Forum in April, which will bring five companies that find locations for expanding businesses for a whirlwind tour of available sites in eastern and southern Hillsborough County.

“The last time we did this we got a great project,” one still in the works, which would bring 400 new jobs to the area if all goes as planned, said Michelle Bauer, spokeswoman for the economic development corporation.

The other big catch is the Industrial Asset Management Council, coming in April 2017, an event the county’s tourism agency, Visit Tampa Bay, helped coordinate.

“We will have 500 people who look particularly at these kinds of sites for manufacturing and logistics and distribution,” Bauer said.

Kimball called the events “a big coup” for Hillsborough County.

“We are talking 500 in our market for about a week, time to show them all the assets in our community.”

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The population south of State Road 60 grew 74 percent between 2000 and 2010, according to county statistics. It grew another 12 percent between 2010 and 2015 and is expected to go up another 10.3 percent by 2020, putting the South Shore population at 386,000.

Bringing all those jobs and all those new residents to South Shore also means more traffic on the roads. Already, there is a daily jam on I-75 at Big Bend Road.

One way to accommodate all that growth is having businesses and retail in place so people can work closer to home, said McLeod with Newland Communities.

Still, there are several big road projects in the works to smooth the commute for those who don’t work nearby.

One is the Florida Department of Transportation’s plan to widen U.S. 41 from four lanes to six lanes between Causeway Boulevard and Kracker Avenue in Riverview.

“The intent is to reduce traffic stacking up at intersections,” said Rick Adair, project manager for the department of transportation. The project is not yet funded, but it is expected to cost about $164 million. Adair said it is on the department’s five-year work plan.

Another major road project on the books would extend Apollo Beach Boulevard east, with a flyover crossing I-75.

Newland, in renegotiating its obligations for the Waterset development of regional impact, agreed to pay the county $12 million toward the $25 million project.

“They are doing design right now and that comes out of Newland’s $12 million,” said Mike Williams, the county’s director of transportation planning and development.

Once the design is completed and permits obtained, they will be turned over to Hillsborough County with the remainder of the $12 million plus interest, and the county will pursue construction.

The county also received a $5 million grant from the state Department of Transportation for the project.

Newland will build toward the east and the county will build the approaches and the flyover, then continue the road east to U.S. 301, Williams said.

The project is scheduled for 2020, but County Commissioner Sandy Murman said she is working to speed up that time frame.

Newland also kicked in to ease traffic by paying to synchronize all the lights on Big Bend Road from U.S. 41 to U.S. 301, McLeod said.

“What took 10 to 15 minutes has been cut down to under four minutes,” he said.

“Everyone recognizes there are transportation infrastructure needs,” he added.

“It doesn’t solve everything, but Newland is providing some relief.”

yhammett@tampatrib.com

– See more at: http://www.tbo.com/news/business/port-redwing-wide-open-land-helping-spur-regions-rise-20160206/#sthash.DLpp1LpQ.dpuf

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Bay Times article on mobility fees:

Hillsborough commissioners face April deadline to decide on transportation referendum, mobility fees

• Caitlin Johnston, Times Staff Writer

Thursday, February 4, 2016 5:53pm

TAMPA — Hillsborough County commissioners went through their own Groundhog Day on Thursday as they discussed, yet again, how to pay for much-needed transportation improvements.

It’s a conversation they’ve had countless times over the past several years. But now there’s a deadline looming.

County Administrator Mike Merrill told commissioners they have until April 6 to vote on two potential solutions: putting a half-cent sales tax for transportation on the November ballot and requiring developers to pay more for the roads and transit projects needed to support new growth.

“I think it’s really the last date we can practically make a decision about whether there is a sales tax referendum,” Merrill told commissioners. “If there is no sales tax referendum, that has huge implications for the fiscal year ’17 budget and general revenues.”

The decision on the transportation referendum, known as Go Hillsborough, will likely be made in conjunction with the decision on imposing mobility fees. County staffers presented the new mobility fee structure to commissioners Thursday that could ultimately bring in $35 million a year for roads, sidewalks and transit.

Mobility fees are designed to encourage redevelopment and growth in economic corridors where infrastructure is already in place. The fees would replace the current system, which consists of impact fees and proportionate share agreements.

Most notably, mobility fees would be higher — potentially three to 10 times higher — than impact fees.

“Growth management laws make it very clear that new development is only responsible for new capacity growth it creates,” County Commissioner Ken Hagan said. “We can complain all day long about past indiscretions, but there are no mulligans here. New development will pay for itself, but it won’t fix the past.”

Instituting these fees is just one part of the ongoing discussion of how the county will pay for transportation.

For the past year, county commissioners have discussed whether to put a half-cent sales tax for transportation on the November ballot. They’re divided in their support. Many think a decision first needs to be made regarding mobility fees before they vote on whether to ask citizens to approve another tax.

“Whether we do a referendum or not, we’re not going to know until the day after the election what the voter wants to do,” County Commissioner Victor Crist said. “There’s still a huge unknown out there.”

If approved, money earned from mobility fees would have to be spent in the area it was collected in. The county would be divided into five fee districts as opposed to the current 10 impact zones.

Mobility fees would also be greater for those building outside the urban service area.

“We need to structure this so we’re not encouraging sprawl,” County Commissioner Sandy Murman said. “If we can encourage infill development … I think it gets us to more of a smart growth policy as we move forward.”

The new system would also aim to create incentives for certain types of growth and job creation, though the specifics on that are still vague.

Commissioners will have at least three more workshops during February and March to hone the details before reviewing draft ordinances on both mobility fees and the half-cent sales tax during the March 23 commission meeting. If all goes as planned, the board will meet on April 6 and vote on the ordinances.

Contact Caitlin Johnston at cjohnston@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3401. Follow @cljohnst.

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Bay Business Journal article on Zika virus:

Zika cases lead Scott to declare health emergency, including Hillsborough

Feb 3, 2016, 4:50pm EST Updated: Feb 3, 2016, 5:12pm EST

Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday declared a public health emergency in four counties where cases of the Zika virus have been found.

The declaration is for Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Lee and Santa Rosa counties.

Scott’s office said the state has found nine Zika cases in which the mosquito-borne disease was contracted outside Florida. “Although Florida’s current nine Zika cases were travel-related, we have to ensure Florida is prepared and stays ahead of the spread of the Zika virus in our state,” Scott said.

There are two reported cases of Zika virus in Hillsborough County and residents have lots of concerns and questions, Commissioner Sandy Murman said at Wednesday’s meeting of the Board of County Commissioners. She urged county officials to provide information specifically to neighborhood associations and to physicians who see pregnant women.

“Everything is on our website, hillsboroughcounty.org/mosquito,” said Liana Lopez, chief communications administrator. “We are also pushing information out on social and we’re in contact with the Department of Health as the lead agency for everything that we’re doing from a communications standpoint.”

A case of Zika was first confirmed last year in Brazil, and outbreaks are occurring in other countries, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control.

Margie Manning, Tampa Bay Business Journal Finance Editor, contributed to this report.

Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Bay Times article on Zika virus:

As Zika virus reaches Hillsborough County, commissioners request action plan

• Steve Contorno, Times Staff Writer

Wednesday, February 3, 2016 10:43am

TAMPA — A day after state health officials reported two Zika virus cases in Hillsborough County, the county commission on Wednesday directed county staff to assess local preparations to combat the disease.

In both of Hillsborough’s reported cases — two of the six new cases reported in the state — it’s believed the individuals contracted the virus while traveling outside of Florida. Nevertheless, Hillsborough Public Works Director John Lyons said the county will increase the number of mosquito traps and closely monitor those populations to see if any are carrying the virus.

If mosquito populations jump in any areas, Lyons said the county will increase spraying.

Lyons added that residents should be vigilant in removing standing water from their property to help keep mosquitos at bay.

At the request of Commissioner Al Higginbotham and backed by commissioners Wednesday, Lyons and the public health department will come back with a plan of action at a future meeting.

In the meantime, Commissioner Sandy Murman, who represents Hillsborough’s coastal regions, said staff must immediately help spread information about the disease to the public. That’s especially true of neighborhood groups who can help get the word out, Murman said, and obstetricians and gynecologists with pregnant patients.

“I don’t want to wait until the next meeting,” Murman said. “People are having questions right now.”

The World Health Organization on Monday declared a global emergency as the Zika virus quickly spreads. Zika gained international attention after health organizations observed a sharp increase in newborns in South America with brain defects as a result of the virus.

Commissioner Stacy White said health officials should also look into reports that the virus can be spread through sexual contact.

“I would ask that as we engage the department of health and put out a public service announcement that it’s comprehensive in nature and goes beyond (mosquitoes),” White said.

Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday also declared a public health emergency in Hillsborough, Lee, Miami-Dade and Santa Rosa counties because of recent outbreaks of the Zika virus there.

“Although Florida’s current nine Zika cases were travel-related,” the governor said in a statement, “we have to ensure Florida is prepared and stays ahead of the spread of the Zika virus in our state.”

The governor signed executive order 16-29 which orders Surgeon General John Armstrong to declare a public health emergency in those areas. It directed the Commissioner of Agriculture to issue a “mosquito declaration” in Hillsborough, Lee, Miami-Dade and Santa Rosa counties. The governor’s order says “special attention” should be given to spraying residential areas for mosquitoes And it ordered the Florida Department of Health to figure out where in the state it needs to dedicate more resources and provide more information to stop the spread of the Zika virus.

Residents can learn more about the county’s mosquito control efforts at hillsboroughcounty.org/mosquitoes.

Commissioner Murman mentioned in this Tampa Tribune commentary by Luis Viera:

COMMENTARY

Luis Viera: Local leaders avoid mean-spirited partisanship

Published: January 31, 2016

I have always liked to think that in Tampa we are blessed with local leaders — Republicans and Democrats — who buck a nasty growing tide.

I refer to the growing tide of blind partisanship, where one’s political opponent is not only one with whom you disagree, but is evil. And in this process, nothing in one’s background — be it one’s religious faith or even one’s military service (as seen in recent attacks on Sen. John McCain’s service) — is sacred. When the opposition is perceived as evil, the ends in beating that opponent — no matter how shameful — are thought to justify the means.

Thankfully, local politics here in Tampa marches to a different tune.

Take Mayor Bob Buckhorn. Mayor Buckhorn is a proud Kennedy Democrat but gladly works with Republicans in promoting Tampa. Mayor Buckhorn — like his predecessor Pam Iorio — sees Republicans as partners in “giving Tampa its wings.” On the City Council there is Mike Suarez — a middle-of-the-road Democrat who gets Republican and Democratic support and is just as comfortable in a union hall as he is at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. County Commissioner Sandy Murman — a Republican — is heralded by Republicans and Democrats for her work with children and those with developmental disabilities.

But there is one relationship that is particularly telling on our local politics, and where our national future should lie: That of former political adversaries and now friends, former Congressman and Democrat Jim Davis and former Hillsborough County Commissioner and Republican Mark Sharpe.

These two men once knew each other as aggressive adversaries. In 1996, Mark Sharpe was ready to try again for Congress after having just barely lost in 1994 to then-Congressman Sam Gibbons. Sharpe was a proud soldier in Newt Gingrich’s army of idealistic conservatives. And the only thing standing in his way was then-state Rep. Jim Davis. Davis — a respected centrist Democrat — had won a vigorously contested Democratic primary against Pat Frank, Sandy Freeman and the late, great Phyllis Busansky.

In this election, passions inevitably flared. Davis would prevail by 16 points, and went on to serve with distinction for five terms as a consensus builder in Congress. Mark Sharpe would regroup and find a passion on the Hillsborough County Commission as one of its most respected members and an energetic advocate for transportation reform and development in the University of South Florida area.

And in the process, the Tampa Democrat Davis and Tampa Republican Sharpe became political allies: In 2010, the two worked closely in the failed transportation initiative, Moving Hillsborough Forward. Mark Sharpe — a Republican who balances Ronald Reagan’s distrust of Big Government with Dwight Eisenhower’s productive pragmatism — became an energetic partner with Jim Davis in promoting transportation reform. Both saw transportation as the great unfinished challenge and chapter in local government.

And though Moving Hillsborough Forward failed, these two one-time political opponents found that they were not only allies on some critical local issues, but that they could be very good friends too. And they remain friends to this day, as well as political partners in productive pragmatism. And both men view one another through a lens that Republicans and Democrats rarely view one another in politics today: with genuine respect and admiration.

Tampa is blessed with some local leaders who resist the national trend to demonize political opponents.

And we need to work hard at keeping that local bipartisan character. Issues like transportation reform, stormwater investment, standing up for our firefighters and law enforcement personnel, and keeping local government responsive to local neighborhoods is not derived from a partisan ideology. Being a Republican or a Democrat should not be seen as a character enhancement (or a character blemish) but, instead, as a chosen means to the end of strengthening one’s community and country through advocacy.

Let Washington continue with its embarrassing mudslinging. Here in Tampa, we should continue to cling to productive pragmatism.

Luis Viera is a Tampa attorney.

Commissioner Murman’s guest column on Children’s Week appeared in today’s Tampa Tribune:

COMMENTARY

Editorial: Children’s Health is up to us

Published: January 28, 2016

It’s legislative session and Children’s Week — a time to renew our promise to continue improving the children’s health system until all young people can get the care they need. More than 377,000 children are lacking health insurance in Florida. This number should serve as our goal for improvement. Until this number equals zero, there are children and families who need our help.

During my time as a state legislator, and in my current position as Hillsborough County commissioner, I have made it my mission to protect the health and wellbeing of Florida’s children. From the beginning of my career, I felt it was my responsibility to ensure that the health of our state’s youngest residents was treated as a top priority.

I have served on several health care committees, as well as acted as chair of the Florida House Appropriations Committees, and in each setting, I have aimed to give a voice to children. In our county, we’ve recently made great strides with nutrition education campaigns. Today, due to the dedication of organizations like Florida Healthy Kids, which provides affordable health insurance options for children through the Florida KidCare program, the tide is beginning to turn toward a healthy future.

I’m very familiar with the concerns connected with uninsured children. Hillsborough County accounts for 22,677 of the uninsured children in the state of Florida. Though this number seems daunting, I am confident we can change it. Florida Healthy Kids’ mission is to decrease the number of children who are lacking health insurance in the state by providing affordable options to families at all income levels. The organization has contributed greatly to the significant drop in the rate of uninsured children the state has seen over the past decade. This drop improves the health of these children now, but also prevents worsening illnesses and large medical bills for families in the future.

We can’t be complacent. Families can’t afford to wait until there’s an emergency when there’s help for them right now to get peace of mind about their child’s health. On a local level, I encourage county and city leaders to spread the word about this important issue and options available.

Statewide, let’s ask our Florida legislators to renew their support for the programs that bring about affordable access to health care for our children. Now is the time for our leaders to act on behalf of our most vulnerable population and give them the best chance for health care so they can have a healthy future.

For more information about Florida Healthy Kids and Florida KidCare, please visit www .healthykids.org and www.floridakidcare.org.

Sandra Murman is a Hillsborough County Commissioner, a member of the Florida Association of Counties and a Florida Healthy Kids Board Member. She can be reached at murmans@hillsboroughcounty.org.

Commissioner Murman mentioned and quoted in this Tampa Tribune article on lobbying ordinance:

EDITORIALS

Editorial: Bringing the lobbyists out of the shadows in Hillsborough County

Published: January 27, 2016

The Hillsborough County Commission has taken the right course by passing an ordinance aimed at ending the lax oversight of the contact they have with lobbyists trying to influence their decisions.

In a unanimous vote, the commission added some teeth to its lobbying rules by imposing stronger penalties for failing to sign in before meeting with commissioners. Lobbyists will be required to list the topic they intend to discuss, the industry or interests they represent, and the commissioners they plan to meet with. Electronic communications are also addressed in the new rules, and an online registry will make the information public and readily available. The Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office will monitor compliance and investigate reported violations.

That may sound like common sense, but not all governments are willing to impose the rules on themselves. Led by Commissioner Sandy Murman, the commission now has a structure in place that brings more transparency to county government and that carries consequences for those who fail to comply. “It tightens the rules,” she says.

It’s been an open secret for years that the few rules governing contact by lobbyists were pretty much ignored at the County Center in downtown Tampa where the commissioners have their offices. Nobody was checking to make sure the lobbyists were recording their visits on a sign-in sheet. And there was no policing of electronic correspondence.

Then the controversy last year over the awarding of a Go Hillsborough contract raised questions about the county’s lobbying rules. Results of an investigation into the Go Hillsborough contract are expected to be released soon.

In the meantime, the county will move forward with its new lobbying registry, which might be up and running in a few months.

Under the new rules, lobbyists will be required to pay a $50 annual registration fee. Before visiting, they will provide information about the commissioners being visited and the topic being discussed.

The new rules also bring clarity to whether someone is acting as a lobbyist. It defines a lobbyist as someone being paid by an outside interest to discuss an issue with a commissioner or staff member. Lastly, the measure addresses electronic communication, making it clear that texts and emails represent official contact.

A first violation will result in a warning. A second violation will bring a $250 fine, and a third violation will bring a $500 fine and 90-day suspension of lobbying privileges. A fourth will result in a $500 fine and a year’s suspension.

The lobbyist meeting logs are primarily for meetings at the County Center, and that could leave registered lobbyists free to meet with commissioners for lunch or for other activities outside the office without recording that meeting. Murman says she’s aware that could be a problem and intends to address it moving forward.

Commissioners face decisions every week that can affect our quality of life for generations to come. Whether housing developments and retail centers are approved, or a transit referendum will appear on the ballot, are of intense interest to private entities that can profit from the decision.

The public has a right to know who is trying to influence our commissioners, and these new rules mark a welcome step toward bringing the shadowy world of lobbying out into the sunshine.