Michael Hinman

Business Digest 01-29-14

January 30, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Tucker Carlson headlines Saint Leo conference
Television commentator Tucker Carlson will deliver the keynote address at Saint Leo University’s Fifth International Business Conference, taking place Feb. 19-21 at the university.

Carlson will appear Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Student Community Center’s Greenfelder-Denlinger Boardrooms. Admission to the talk is free and open to the public, but tickets are required to reserve seating. That is available by calling (352) 588-8837, or emailing .

Carlson is host of “Fox & Friends Weekend,” and is a former anchor with CNN’s “Crossfire.”

The Donald R. Tapia School of Business at Saint Leo is organizing the event, with the theme of “innovation and internationalization.” It will include attendees from 14 countries, with some programs geared toward academic audiences and business researchers, and others focused on the experience of professionals and executives in the business world.

Registration is available at SaintLeo.edu/ibc2014. The school is located at 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo.

HR meeting at SmartStart
Dade City’s business incubator SmartStart will host a session addressing human resources Feb. 11 beginning at noon at the facility, located at 15000 Citrus Country Drive in Dade City.

Speaker will be Kelley Rexroad, chief executive of Krex Consulting.

Participants are asked to bring their own lunch.

To RSVP, email Krista Covey at , or call (352) 437-4861.

Gulf Coast Medical gets boost from Fifth Third
Fifth Third Bank has extended more than $10.6 billion in new and renewed credit to business customers late last year, locally benefitting Gulf Coast Medical Center and Florida Institute for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging.

The facility is a multi-specialty outpatient diagnostic medical center with locations in Spring Hill and Port Richey.

Gulf Coast received two commercial mortgages and a line of credit from the bank to realign debt and improve access to working capital for future capital expenditures, according to a release.

Lawmakers try to raise state minimum wage
Two Democrats in the Florida Legislature have introduced a bill that would eliminate the tip credit and raise the minimum wage to $10.10 for tipped and non-tipped workers in the state.

The current minimum wage for tipped workers is $4.91, with the expectation the remaining income would come from tips. However, State Sen. Dwight Bullard, D-Cutler Bay, and State Rep. Cynthia Stafford, D-Miami, say they have research that indicates servers use food stamps at double the rate of the rest of the U.S. work force, and are three times as likely to live in poverty.

There is a federal effort underway to raise the minimum wage, but even if that were to be successful, tipped workers would only be required to get a base pay of 70 percent of the new minimum wage.

Both the senate and house bills have been referred to committees, but it’s not clear how strong the chances are they would be passed in the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Upcoming SCORE seminars
The Pasco-Hernando Chapter of SCORE, which historically stands for Service Corps of Retired Executives, will host the following upcoming free seminars:

• E-Marketing Concepts at Centennial Park Branch Library, 5730 Moog Road, Holiday, Feb. 4 at 5:15 p.m. Attendees will learn about e-marketing technologies and how they may help to enhance the ability of small business to reach customers and communicate their brand, products and services.

Cell phones donated to domestic violence victims
The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections has donated 1,100 cell phones used during the last election by employees of the department to the domestic violence shelter program The Spring of Tampa Bay.

The cell phones were used by nearly 4,000 poll workers at 340 precincts. They are being replaced through a new contract that includes new phones at no additional charge.

“The period between elections is all about planning and making sure we’ll have everything we need to run an election cost-effectively and efficiently,” said Craig Latimer, Hillsborough County’s supervisor of elections, in a release. “In this case, we could get new cell phones at no cost to taxpayers, and be able to donate the older ones to those who need some help. It’s good for our voters, and good for our community.”

The county’s next elections are set for the primaries Aug. 26, with the mid-term general elections set for Nov. 4.

Political Agenda 01-29-14

January 30, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Littlefield joins commission race
The race to see who will replace Pat Mulieri on the Pasco County Commission just got a little wider after former State Rep. Ken Littlefield decided to jump into the race.

Littlefield’s run comes four years after losing a primary to Mulieri, who will retire this year after two decades in office.

Littlefield first came to political prominence in 1999 when he won a special election for the Florida House seat formerly occupied by his brother, Carl Littlefield. He left office in 2006, planning to join Florida’s Public Service Commission, as appointed by then-Gov. Jeb. Bush. However, once Gov. Charlie Crist took office, he rescinded the nomination, and appointed Philip Nowicki and Jeremy Susac instead.

In his last two years in Tallahassee, Littlefield had four bills he wrote passed into law, including a 2004 law that transferred the responsibility of handling state and federal funds for domestic violence shelters from the state Department of Children and Families to a statewide association.

In the 2010 election, Littlefield raised $21,000, but that was dwarfed by Mulieri’s $88,000 war chest.

This time around, fellow Republicans Mike Moore and Bob Robertson have already combined to raise $50,000 for the August primary.

Brodeur endorses Burgess for House
State Rep. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, endorsed Zephyrhills mayor Danny Burgess in his quest to win the District 38 House seat currently held by Will Weatherford.

“Danny is a committed conservative who will bring new life to timeless principles,” Brodeur said, in a release. “In addition, Danny brings a wealth of experience, service and leadership abilities to the task ahead, and will be a welcome new face in the House.”

Brodeur represents parts of Seminole County, and was first elected to the Legislature in 2010.

Burgess potentially faces Minerva Diaz in the August Republican primary, with the winner facing Democrat Beverly Anne Ledbetter in November, if no one else files.

Wilson at Republican club
The Republican Club of Central Pasco will host Pasco County Commissioner Henry Wilson on Jan. 29 at 6 p.m., at Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. The topic will be the proposed elevated highway over State Road 54, and the delay in constructing Ridge Road. For information, call Steve Graves at (813) 996-3011.

Corcoran raising lots of money
He doesn’t have an opponent at this point, but State Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, is ready just in case.

So far, the District 37 legislator has raised a little more than $102,000, more than any other local candidate for the state house this year.

Both Dan Raulerson, R-Plant City, and Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, have raised a little more than half of that each — just under $60,000 and $58,400 respectively — in races where each have yet to draw a challenger as well. James Grant, R-Tampa, has raised just under $31,000 for his District 64 seat, and has yet to be opposed.

Zephyrhills mayor Daniel Burgess jumped into a state house race in District 38 for Will Weatherford’s seat with built-in challengers. So far, Burgess has raised a little less than $17,000, outpacing his Republican primary opponent Minerva Diaz ($4,072), and substantially more than his possible Democratic challenger, Beverly Anne Ledbetter, who has raised $2,158.

In District 63, incumbent Mark Danish, D-Tampa, will have a real fight on his hands to stay in Tallahassee. Right now former Tampa City Councilman Shawn Harrison has raised $50,810 compared to Danish’s $40,147. Harrison’s Republican primary challenger, Bret Wedding, has raised $10,750.

Crooked Creek Ranch holds fundraiser
Republican candidates for the state House — Danny Burgess, Shawn Harrison, Chris Latvala and Chris Sprowls — will raise money through a Wild Game Dinner at Crooked Creek Ranch, 29325 Darby Road, Dade City, Jan. 31 beginning at 5 p.m.

Donations will be accepted up to the state maximum of $1,000 per individual to support each campaign.

Burgess, the current mayor of Zephyrhills, is facing a primary against Minerva Diaz in District 38, the seat currently held by Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel. Harrison also has a Republican primary challenger for District 63, Bret Wedding, for a seat currently held by Mark Danish, D-Tampa.

Latvala has filed to run in District 67 in a seat currently held by Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater. He’s facing Christopher Shepard and Frederick Thomson so far in the primary.

Sprowls is a candidate for District 65, in a seat currently held by Carl Zimmerman, D-Palm Harbor. He is expected to face off with Debbie Faulkner in his primary.

For details about the dinner, visit VoteDannyBurgess.com.

Published Jan. 29, 2014

Paving public streets: Some homeowners left in the dust

January 22, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Years of dirt roads will soon end for residents of the Pasco Lake Estates subdivision after Pasco County Commissioners approved a paving project of just under $800,000. But it won’t be cheap as landowners in the neighborhood fork over thousands of dollars over the next 15 years to pay for the project.

Officials estimate that there are some 500 miles of unpaved roads in Pasco County, and the only way to pave them is to charge a special assessment to those who live on them. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

That’s business as usual for anyone wanting to pave any of the more than 500 miles of dirt road in the county, said Michael Garrett, director of the county’s Public Works Department. Many of those roads were part of subdivisions, or are used only by those living in those neighborhoods. But others are part of what are described as rural neighborhoods, where dirt roads have been grandfathered into the county’s overall street plans.

“The problem is that when you have very large lots, the road becomes very expensive to build,” Garrett said. “There is not a lot of interest in getting them done.”

All but about 20 miles of the dirt roads are located in the central and eastern parts of the county, Garrett said. Neighborhood residents come to the county quite regularly asking for roads to be paved, but typically only one or two neighborhoods are done each year — and only after landowners agree to pay a special assessment.

In Pasco Lake Estates, that averages out to about $7,600 for each lot. If that cost is spread out over 15 years, the county will add interest of about $2,100.

That’s along the lines of what Bonnie Rupe and her neighbors were told a couple years back when they asked the county to pave their Zephyrhills neighborhood. Rupe and her family moved to Miller Avenue a decade ago from Wesley Chapel, and expected the dirt roads just outside of city limits would be paved in just a couple years.

“We have three vehicles, and we’re constantly washing our cars because of the dust that flies up from the road,” Rupe said. “There are a lot of people on our street here with asthma problems, and other health conditions, and I’m convinced it’s because of the dirt road.”

Several streets in Rupe’s neighborhood are dirt, including 20th Street, which borders to the west. But unlike Pasco Lake Estates, none of the roads are part of a subdivision. And many of Rupe’s neighbors would be hard-pressed to call the area “rural,” as it’s literally blocks from the strip malls of County Road 54, and a short jaunt from Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.

A vote to pave the roads throughout that particular area, where there are at least 60 lots lining less than 1.5 miles of road, failed. Not because people didn’t want paved roads, but because the $6,000 price tag to pave was just too high.

“There’s no way I could afford that right now,” Rupe said. “I don’t think a lot of us here can afford that.”

The problem, Garrett said, is there’s just no money to do it. The county is working on ways to fund current road maintenance and construction needs, and even with an expanded gas tax in coming years, that could still prove to be tricky.

Instead, costs for those wanting to convert to paved roads are passed on to the owners of lots lining those roads. A dozen owners in Pasco Lake Estates will shoulder a third of the overall cost.

One owner, Ollie Williams, would be responsible for $38,620, plus an additional $11,500 in interest if he pays over 15 years. Habitat for Humanity, which maintains four lots in the neighborhood designed to give people an interest-free shot at owning a home, will be on the hook for just under $27,000, along with $8,000 in interest.

“I feel that it’s not fair that they have to charge us,” Rupe said. “They are paving streets in the county all the time, and we pay taxes to the county. We should have paved roads as well.”

This little library downtown never closes

January 22, 2014 By Michael Hinman

When Amanda Lakes opened her hair salon, Charm Hair Studio, on the corner of Seventh Street and Fifth Avenue, she added something downtown Zephyrhills had never seen before.

Amanda Lakes sorts through some of the books stored outside her shop on Seventh Street and Fifth Avenue. People are encouraged to take a book or leave a book, and many return books they’ve borrowed with notes in the margins. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

It was a small box, with a little door. And inside, it was filled with books. A small wood-carved sign on top advertised it as a Little Free Library, and encouraged anyone to “take a book” or “return a book.”

“There is no real system to it; you just take a book or leave a book,” Lakes said. “People ask me if anyone ever steals the books. But you can’t steal them, they’re already free.”

Lakes opened Charm at the former Main Street Zephyrhills office last August. Deciding to add a free library was an afterthought, but she spent a day building the stand. For the door, she “cheated” and was able to adapt an old picture frame.

But the Little Free Library is not just something Lakes developed on a whim. In fact, the national movement started a few years ago in Wisconsin when Todd Bol built a small wooden box in the shape of a one-room schoolhouse to honor his mother. He placed it in his front yard and filled it with books.

It was a hit in his neighborhood, and a movement was born. There are now hundreds of them all over the country, and a handful on nearly every continent. Florida alone boasts more than 50 of them, with the closest one outside of Zephyrhills in Lakeland.

“It is a topic of conversation a lot,” Lakes said. “It would be nice if more business owners would do it, too, but I don’t know if they see the value in it. I am not doing it to promote the salon business. I do it because I like working downtown, and it’s a way to do something fun and helpful for the community.”

But other businesses could do the same thing, and maybe even stock it with books that relate to their business. A travel agency, for example, could keep their library filled with travel books, Lakes said.

People are stopping in her shop so often to donate books for the library, Lakes stores many of them in a work closet until there’s room. People will come and take books from her outside stand, and some will even bring them back later on, complete with notes in the margins, or even messages to future readers.

“People will review the books, writing what they thought of it,” Lakes said. “I’ve even had people go back and forth with conversation, almost like it’s a mobile book club. There is this kind of attraction to the whole thing, especially now in a world where everything is so technology-driven.”

The Little Free Library sits outside Charm at 5224 Seventh St., and never closes.

“It’s always open, and anyone who just happens to be walking by is free to explore,” Lakes said.

County waiting on feds to start Overpass Road expansion

January 22, 2014 By Michael Hinman

In just a matter of weeks or even days, federal officials are expected to give the final green light to an Interstate 75 interchange project that will forever change one rural country road in Pasco County.

Big changes could soon come to Overpass Road, especially with the point where it crosses Interstate 75. Plans are to expand the road to four lanes, and build an interchange, connecting it to the interstate. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Despite its proximity to Wesley Chapel District Park and the future site of a high school, Overpass Road is typically a quiet one, connecting Old Pasco and Boyette roads over the interstate. But work could begin as early as next year to turn it into an important Pasco County traffic corridor, alleviating some of the congestion at State Road 52 to the north and State Road 54 to the south.

“Over time, you’re going to see more access points coming into this portion of the county,” said James Edwards, transportation planning manager for Pasco County. “Overpass Road is a $50 million project, and the county is going to have to come up with a funding plan to make it work.”

Once the county receives approval from the Federal Highway Administration through the Florida Department of Transportation, it has just eight years to construct the interchange. If it fails, then the entire planning process would have to start again.

“When we get approval is when the clock starts ticking,” Edwards said. “You don’t want to miss that window, because basically you’d be starting from scratch with your planning studies. And that could put you back two or three more years.”

Immediate plans are to widen Overpass Road to four lanes, with the ability to expand to six in the future. Eventually, the county is interested in using an expanded Overpass Road to connect Old Pasco Road and U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.

The area might be quiet and rural now, but it’s not expected to look that way over the next 20 years, Edwards said. Studies show that the population will explode 400 percent to 218,000 people in 2035. Right now, just fewer than 60,000 people live in that area.

Capacity on I-75 also will increase through that area from the current 51,000 vehicles daily between State Roads 52 and 54, to 165,800 in 2040. That volume will completely clog up the existing interchanges in San Antonio to the north and Wesley Chapel to the south, and could even back up State Road 56 just north of the Hillsborough County line.

Some officials already have speculated that the State Road 54/56 corridor could some day be forced to expand to 20 lanes, which has prompted one private group to propose an elevated toll road to create express lanes between Zephyrhills and New Port Richey. While the expansion of Overpass Road would be just nine miles compared to the 33 miles of the elevated road, traffic going back and forth between the interstate and east Pasco could at least have another road alternative, Edwards said.

The county has a chance to have state and federal highway construction dollars offset the Overpass Road project, but first officials have to show they can fund it on their own, Edwards said. County officials use money primarily from gas taxes, Penny for Pasco and mobility fees to fund construction. But those funds have not necessarily been plentiful in recent years, especially after county commissioners rejected an expansion of the gas tax last year.

Raising money through bonds is another possibility, Edwards said. That could be more costly in the long run because the county would have to pay interest on the bonds.

Pasco County has already started to earmark funds for this particular project, however, with $15 million, Edwards said. And there’s a chance the new Penny for Pasco that starts in 2015 could generate some money for this project.

“Whether the state or federal government will put in any money, you can’t depend on that,” Edwards said.

World War II history lands at Zephyrhills Airport

January 22, 2014 By Michael Hinman

It’s one thing to go to a classroom to learn about history. But this weekend, history is coming to Zephyrhills. In fact, it’s landing at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport Wednesday afternoon.

The B-17 Flying Fortress is one of the most recognized aircraft of World War II, and this plane — the Nine-O-Nine — will make a stop in Zephyrhills this week as part of the Wings of Freedom Tour. (Courtesy of the Collings Foundation)

Touching ground are three planes straight out of World War II: The B-24 Liberator, the P-51 Mustang, and the B-17 Flying Fortress.

“It’s one thing to see a plane behind a rope collecting dust, but to be able to physically crawl through one and have a close look at all the various compartments — it’s hard to imagine how these young men were able to do any of this to start with,” said Hunter Chaney, the director of marketing for the Collings Foundation, which hosts the annual Wings of Freedom Tour. “These are bare bone minimalist aircraft made to carry and drop bombs, and spread a lot of lead all over anyone trying to stop them. Crews would have to sit in these planes for hours at a time, and if you lost a glove, you’re automatically facing frostbite.”

The tours at Zephyrhills Airport are much different than a trip to the Smithsonian. These are fully restored — and operational — planes, some of only the few remaining from World War II. Visitors can crawl right through the plane, sit in the cockpit, and for a little more money, actually ride on the plane. Tour tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children (free for World War II veterans), while flights start at $450 for the B-24 or B-17, and $2,200 for the P-51.

Chaney acknowledges the cost to fly is steep, but it’s not cheap to fly planes that were built decades ago. The B-17 itself costs about $4,500 per hour in flight, and requires about 10 hours of maintenance work for every hour it’s in the air.

Every dollar raised goes back into the continued maintenance of the planes, all operated by the nonprofit Collings Foundation. The organization started in 1979 in Stow, Mass., with a focus on preserving history. While Collings began with antique cars, in the 1980s, it really began to focus on airplanes, and have been touring these restored planes around the country for the last 25 years.

Zephyrhills will be the 2,831st stop of the tour, which usually hits more than 100 cities each year, connecting with up to 3.5 million people.

“It really appeals to the curiosity of people from all walks of life,” Chaney said. “It’s such a rare opportunity to touch and experience and interact with this history, particularly when we come into areas like Zephyrhills.”

This is the second time the Wings of Freedom Tour has made a stop in Zephyrhills, and it might not have happened this time if it weren’t for airport manager Mike Handrahan, Chaney said.

“He has been in aviation for years now, and he’s helped us bring the tour into all the various airports he’s worked at,” Chaney said.

The B-24 coming to Zephyrhills was built in 1944 for the U.S. Army, and saw combat in the Pacific Theater with the Royal Air Force. The Liberator is the last of its kind still flying, which is surprising considering it also was the most mass-produced plane in history.

The B-17, known as “Nine-O-Nine,” was finished too late to see actual combat, but it was subjected to the effects of three nuclear bomb detonations. Soon after it was restored in the mid-1980s, the “Nine-O-Nine” had an accident in western Pennsylvania. No one was killed, but the plane was not expected to fly again. It took thousands of volunteer hours and thousands of dollars in donations, but the plane was fully restored and has flown without incident now in nearly 2,400 stops.

The P-51 was designed as a one-seater, but it was Collings that not only restored the plane, but added additional seating so that even passengers without a pilot license could experience the Mustang in flight.

The planes will be open to the public Jan. 22 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Jan. 23 at 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Jan. 24 from 9 a.m. to noon. Flights usually take place before and after ground tour times.

For more information, call (800) 568-8924.

“We call these guys part of the Greatest Generation,” Chaney said. “What they did and what they endured is incredible. However awful World War II was, we would not have been able to win it without them.”

If you go
WHAT: Wings of Freedom Tour with the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator and P-51 Mustang
WHERE: Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, 39450 South Ave., Zephyrhills
WHEN: Jan. 22 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Jan. 23 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Jan. 24 from 9 a.m. to noon
COST: $12 for adults, $6 for children under 12; World War II veterans free
INFO: (800) 568-8924

Dale Mabry Shell station sold

January 22, 2014 By Michael Hinman

A gas station near the busy intersection of North Dale Mabry Highway and Van Dyke Road was sold last month, saving it from foreclosure.

AJA Properties of Clearwater LLC bought the Shell gas station located at 17803 N. Dale Mabry Highway on Dec. 23 for $1.5 million, according to Hillsborough County property records. The station was built in 1999, and is a little more than 3,000 square feet, including a car wash.

The station was previously owned by Jennifer & Mary Kaye Inc., which had purchased the location in 2002 for $2.2 million. Mills 2011 LLC, which held the mortgage on the property, began foreclosure proceedings last September, according to records.

The sale was secured after Risser Oil, a Clearwater gasoline distributor, released its rights of first refusal to buy the gas station.

The new owner is associated with Adams Tank & Lift, a construction and installation company in Clearwater. The two companies — Adams Tank and AJA Properties —share the same principal, Andrew J. Adams, as well as its primary address, according to state corporation records.

Business Digest 01-22-14

January 22, 2014 By Michael Hinman

New hours for urgent care
Centra Care, the urgent care facility for Florida Hospital, now has new hours for its Wesley Chapel location.
The facility, located at 5504 Gateway Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed weekends.

For more information, call (813) 948-5400.

Open house for Royal Oak Nursing Center
Royal Oak Nursing Center, 37300 Royal Oak Lane in Dade City, will host an open house Jan. 30 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information, or to RSVP, call (352) 567-3122, or email .

New women networking group
Working Women of Tampa Bay is now hosting monthly networking meetings in Land O’ Lakes, with the next meeting set for Jan. 30 at 9 a.m., at Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/WorkingWomenTampa.

Grand opening for Pro Martial Arts
Pro Martial Arts, 30024 County Line Road in Wesley Chapel, will host a grand opening Jan. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The martial arts facility is a franchise of an international company that boasts locations across the United States and Canada. It offers free bully prevention and predator prevention seminars to the community, and has even conducted free women’s self-defense seminars in coordination with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, according to a release.
For more information, call (813) 991-0462, or visit ProMartialArts.com/WesleyChapel.

Official opening for resource center
Restored Hope Resource and Outreach Center, 13703 17th St., Dade City, will host an official opening and dedication ceremony Jan. 23 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with the dedication itself at 5 p.m., at its new location.

Clay shoot sponsors sought
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce is looking for sponsors for its fourth annual Sporting Clay Shoot Feb. 15 at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays.

Various sponsorships are available, ranging from $25 table branding to $2,500 presenting sponsor opportunities. The chamber also is looking for door prizes from businesses willing to donate.
The clay shoot itself will take place at 10514 Ehren Cutoff in Land O’ Lakes with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. Cost is $90 per shooter, and $325 per team.

For more information, call (813) 909-2722, or visit CentralPascoChamber.com.

February meeting for Women-n-Charge
Women-n-Charge will meet Feb. 7 beginning at 11:30 a.m. at Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in Tampa.

The meeting includes lunch, a featured speaker and networking. The speaker for this meeting is Alishia Willardson, creator of “The Money Making Success Formula.”

Cost is $15 for members by the Tuesday before the meeting, and $18 for all guests and those paying after advance registration.

To register, visit Women-n-Charge.com, or call (813) 600-9848.

Business Link available monthly
Business Link, a monthly small business gathering hosted by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, meets the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 7:30 a.m.

The meeting is designed to provide a networking and information-sharing platform for the business community.
For locations, details and to reserve a seat, email , or call (352) 588-2732, ext. 1237.

NetFest seeks sponsors
With NetFest set to return April 3, the Pasco Economic Development Council is looking for sponsors willing to spend between $500 and $2,000.

Opportunities for sponsorship include the chili cook-off, and others.

NetFest takes place between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Starkey Ranch, located on State Road 54 in Odessa.
For more information on how to sponsor, call (813) 926-0827, ext. 226. Deadline is Feb. 14.

Suarez new chair of HART
Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez has been elected chairman of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit board.
Suarez has been a board member since April 2011, and became the board secretary in 2012.

The HART board is responsible for setting policy and making decisions for the authority on matters ranging from system operations, service planning, fare structure, finance and customer service. It is made up of 13 volunteers who are appointed to represent Hillsborough County, Tampa, Florida and Temple Terrace.

Free tax help available
The Hillsborough County Extension Office is offering free tax preparation assistance for individuals and families with incomes of $58,000 or less in 2013.

Tax filers will be able to access a self-guided tax preparation program and receive assistance, as needed, from an IRS-trained and certified volunteer.

The service is offered as part of the United Way Suncoast Prosperity Campaign. Appointments are required, and will be available Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., between Feb. 4 and April 8.
For a list of tax preparation sites, visit MyFreeTaxes.com/tampa.

Website community critique
SmartStart will host a website community critique Jan. 27 at 2 p.m., at the SmartStart facility, 15000 Citrus Country Drive, Suite 103, in Dade City.

For more information, call (352) 437-4861.

Political Agenda 01-22-14

January 22, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Moore leads commission fundraising
Michael Moore has picked up a fast fundraising start in the race to replace Pat Mulieri on the Pasco County Commission.

Through the end of the year, Moore — a Wesley Chapel resident who founded CareFirst Home Care in 2004 — has raised $40,715, which is four times as much as his opponent, Bob Robertson. Both are running as Republicans.

Moore’s biggest boost came just after Thanksgiving from Tarpon Springs businessman Lew Friedland, who contributed $8,000 through various corporations.

Robertson, a self-employed asset manager from Zephyrhills, loaned his campaign $3,000 right at the start. In his first few months campaigning, he raised more than $3,500 additional cash donations from outside Florida, primarily in Maryland and Pennsylvania.

At the beginning of November, he picked up $1,500 more from companies controlled by Jeffrey Greenacre on Gunn Highway.

Commissioner Henry Wilson, who looks to hold on to his District 4 seat, is the only candidate to have filed so far. He’s raised $5,750 through the end of December.

Donations will be accepted up to the state maximum of $1,000 per individual to support each campaign.

Latvala has filed to run in District 67 in a seat currently held by Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater. He’s facing Christopher Shepard and Frederick Thomson so far in the primary.

Sprowls is a candidate for District 65, in a seat currently held by Carl Zimmerman, D-Palm Harbor. He is expected to face off with Debbie Faulkner in his primary.

For details about the dinner, visit VoteDannyBurgess.com.

Bilirakis endorses Moore for commission
Mike Moore’s run to replace Pat Mulieri on the Pasco County Commission got a boost from U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, who endorsed the Wesley Chapel businessman for the seat.

Bilirakis had presented Moore with a North Tampa Chamber of Commerce leadership award in 2006, and has been following his career ever since, according to a release.

“Mike has the required character traits to help take Pasco County to the next level,” Bilirakis said in a statement. “Mike understands that small businesses are the engine that drive our economy. He knows that cutting red tape and lowering taxes is what it takes to allow businesses to thrive.”

Moore’s previous endorsements include State Sen. Wilton Simpson, Sen. John Legg, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, U.S. Rep. Will Weatherford and Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning, among others.

So far, Moore is running against another Republican, Bob Robertson, for Pasco County Commission District 2.

Ross holds first town hall
U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, hosted his first telephone town hall meeting of 2014 on Jan. 14, with nearly 5,000 constituents participating.

The call addressed a number of questions, from the country’s debt, the Affordable Care Act, immigration, the IRS, foreign aid, balancing the budget, Social Security and unemployment benefits.

Anyone with a question, or who might be interested in joining a future town hall meeting, should email Ross through DennisRoss.House.gov/contact, or call his district office at (863) 644-8215.

Ross so far is facing former WFTS-Channel 28 investigative reporter Alan Cohn, a Democrat, for his Congressional seat in November.

Two elections offices reopening
The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections recently hosted a grand reopening of its regional offices, located at 12022 Anderson Road in Tampa, and 10439 Gibsonton Drive in Riverview.

These are the same offices that were added during the 2012 election cycle, and will be open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They join two permanent offices, one in downtown Tampa, and the other in Brandon.

Hillsborough County’s next countywide elections are the primaries on Aug. 26, followed by the general election Nov. 4.

For more information, visit VoteHillsborough.org, or call (813) 744-5900.

Elevated road could bring 1,000 construction jobs

January 15, 2014 By Michael Hinman

If everything goes as planned, a team of international developers could break ground on a 33-mile elevated toll road along the State Road 54/56 corridor by the end of next year. And it could mean a nearly $100 million windfall for the Florida Department of Transportation as well through a “confidential” stipend.

The front page of Florida 54 Express’ 83-page proposal includes the development group’s new logo. Efforts to build an elevated expressway along the State Road 54/56 corridor are a joint effort between International Infrastructure Partners LLC and OHL Infrastructure Inc.

A proposal from a development group that includes Gerald H. Stanley’s International Infrastructure Partners LLC was unsealed by the FDOT last week, asking for control of rights of way between Zephyrhills and New Port Richey to build a privately funded toll road. The FDOT sought out proposals after IIP made an unsolicited proposal last June to build such a road, creating mixed reaction from those who travel the corridor and those owning businesses along it.

The proposal provided no details about how much such a project would cost, although some rough estimates put that figure at more than $2 billion. However, the developers say it will create 1,000 direct jobs for the construction of the road.

On top of that, the partnership — officially known as Florida 54 Express LLC — has offered the FDOT a stipend of slightly more than $1 million a year over the course of the agreement to “offset any costs incurred by FDOT in its management of the agreement.” It’s not clear what that figure is based on or how much the state agency would have to spend each year to manage the agreement, but a citation in the proposal indicated this stipend offer was a “trade secret” by Florida 54 Express, and should remain confidential.

Kris Carson, a spokeswoman for the FDOT, told The Laker/Lutz News the offer was not redacted from the public proposal because the FDOT doesn’t do confidential stipends. She also added that while the agreement still needs to be negotiated, the FDOT does not require $1 million a year to manage the agreement.

The development group also is asking for a 99-year lease through an initial 45-year agreement with built-in conditions that would allow them to extend it another 54 years.

A 99-year lease is exactly what one group that has studied privately constructed roadways in-depth has recommended against. The U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund shared a report in 2009 authored by Phineas Baxandall that any agreements between the government and a private entity should clearly spell out expectations and not last more than 30 years.

That way, if the road struggles or fails, it won’t get caught in limbo for years while the legal and financial aspects are worked out, a lot of it at taxpayers’ expense.

Once again, even that aspect of the agreement would have to be negotiated, Carson said.

Joining IIP on the project is OHL Infrastructure Inc., an American subsidiary of Spain’s OHL Group. The century-old company boasts 25,000 employees in 20 countries, with total revenue in 2012 topping $5 billion, according to the road proposal.

OHL’s Brazilian operations controlled nearly 2,000 miles of toll roads in that country before selling a substantial portion of that subsidiary in 2012 to a group led by Brookfield Infrastructure of Toronto. It also operates toll roads in other countries, including Mexico and Spain, with some of them being similar in scope to what is proposed for Pasco County.

Financing for the project could come from a variety of sources, including banks and private activity bonds. The group also could explore using the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program, which provides loans and lines of credit to road projects. There are, however, limited funds available through that program, expected to reach $1 billion in 2014.

If constructed as planned, the finished toll road would not only provide an express route across the county, but also interconnect with other major arteries, including the Suncoast Parkway and Interstate 75, although the latter would require federal approval.

Although Florida 54 Express hopes to finish negotiations on the overall agreement by summer, the FDOT has not provided a timeline for its completion. The road developer also did not say when the first legs of the new system, if approved, would open.