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Tampa Monitor

@tampamonitor.com
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A blog dedicated to the inner workings of Tampa government, focused on the weekly activities of City Council. tampamonitor.com Operated by @michaelbishop.me

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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 20h
Grateful for the contribution from Bobby Creighton, the second in a series, this one taking a look at the updated proposal for a Charter amendment to add an inspector general for Tampa. He spoke with the Chief Inspector General for the State of Florida on the importance of independence.
tampamonitor.com
City Council Strengthens Inspector General Proposal
Council Chair Alan Clendenin’s rewrite gives Tampa’s proposed inspector general subpoena power and its own initiative. Florida’s chief IG explains why that matters.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 26/09/2026
Didn't wrap a traditional wrap up on the budget, but did write a couple of pieces related. First, a look at unassigned fund balances and rounding errors and how that can affect a struggling non-profit.
tampamonitor.com
Two Percent of What?
Council was told the extra reserve held for Amendment 3 is 2%, or $13.5 million. The city’s own numbers put it at 1.8 points. Two points would be $15.4 million.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 26/09/2026
Didn't wrap a traditional wrap up on the budget, but did write a couple of pieces related. First, a look at unassigned fund balances and rounding errors and how that can affect a struggling non-profit.
tampamonitor.com
Two Percent of What?
Council was told the extra reserve held for Amendment 3 is 2%, or $13.5 million. The city’s own numbers put it at 1.8 points. Two points would be $15.4 million.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 23/09/2026
Got confirmation this afternoon that indeed technically, council approved the mayor’s budget as proposed.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 23/09/2026
Best I can tell, Tampa City Council approved the mayor's proposed budget as presented. There was a lot of last minute discussion about funding some capital projects with reserved CIT funds and and a couple of other projects with reserve general funds. However, I did not hear anything formal.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 21/09/2026
mentioned in this week's preview I was working on Variance Review Board archives and adding their agenda items to the keyword notifications. First step done meetings.tampamonitor.com/boards/
meetings.tampamonitor.com
Land Use Boards — Tampa Meetings
Variance Review Board hearings in Tampa: every case by address and request, with the City's agenda and an archived copy.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 21/09/2026
The Charter Review Advisory Commission wrapped up last month and their recommendations will be heard at this week's workshop. One of its members explains the commission's recommendation of instituting an office of Inspector General.
tampamonitor.com
New Government Watchdog for Tampa?
Charter Review Advisory Commission member Bobby Creighton lays out the proposal for a Tampa Inspector General and how it compares to IG offices elsewhere in Florida.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 21/09/2026
my weekly preview/newsletter went out this morning
tampamonitor.com
9/22/26 – Final Budget Adoption Hearing w/Thursday workshops and land use applications
Council will be holding presumably the final hearing to adopt Mayor Castor’s proposed FY27 Budget Tuesday evening. Thursday, workshop items include discussion of the Charter Review Advisory Commission...
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 20/09/2026
This has been updated with a response from CFO Dennis Rogero.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 17/09/2026
This item was continued until the contract is scheduled to come back for council members to get more details.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 17/09/2026
South Howard flood relief project passes 4-3 with Carlson, Maniscalco & Young voting no.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 15/09/2026
Look out, I found where the city has been stashing variance review board agendas.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 14/09/2026
Among the items on this week's agenda is a request from TPD to accept a grant through the State Attorney's Office for Peregrine, a platform from a Palantir alum’s company that Florida agencies elsewhere are buying for immigration enforcement.
tampamonitor.com
What the state’s Ybor ‘community engagement’ money is buying
After the 2023 Ybor shooting, the Legislature funded a “crime prevention initiative … through community engagement.” So far it has bought TPD three drones and, on Thursday’s consent agenda, a $595,000...
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 14/09/2026
Among the items on this week's agenda is a request from TPD to accept a grant through the State Attorney's Office for Peregrine, a platform from a Palantir alum’s company that Florida agencies elsewhere are buying for immigration enforcement.
tampamonitor.com
What the state’s Ybor ‘community engagement’ money is buying
After the 2023 Ybor shooting, the Legislature funded a “crime prevention initiative … through community engagement.” So far it has bought TPD three drones and, on Thursday’s consent agenda, a $595,000...
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 11/09/2026
I debated posting this but it really stuck in my craw. I've defended the CFO and admin in past for playing games, word games, but this is was a line too far.
tampamonitor.com
The CIT Reserve Was for the Rays. Council Was Told Amendment 3.
Council asked twice why $22 million in Community Investment Tax projects were on hold. The CFO gave one reason. His deputy and his own memo gave another.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 11/09/2026
The Community Benefits Agreement discussion the CRA continued yesterday had nothing to do with the Rays. All CRA grants over $1M require a CBA (the city has a similar ordinance) & they were debating why we would give money & ask for something extra in return. The project should be the benefit.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 10/09/2026
This is being discussed right now & it’s unfathomable a city council member has paid so little attention to this discussion they didn’t know the facts.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 09/09/2026
And if you thought I was done writing about Rays funding, check back Friday morning.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 09/09/2026
No details on CRA changes in Rays deal this week. Memo from CRS Director McCray asks for continuance for “additional time to prepare requested documents and report once the necessary items are received.”
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 08/09/2026
There's going to be a lot of talk about the Jackson House again this week with news more of the building collapsed and what 99% of people are getting wrong is that the plan has always been to take down the existing building and build new, not try and repair the existing building.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 07/09/2026
A few thoughts about the upcoming week at City Hall. First budget hearing, possible details coming about Rays/CRA and talking Planned Developments and land use.
tampamonitor.com
9/8/26 – First budget hearing kicks off the week
This week Council will be holding the first hearing for the adoption of the $2 billion FY27 budget Tuesday evening. They will sit as the CRA Board Thursday morning covering among other things, the Ray...
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 04/09/2026
Little Friday news - Pallet, the company that manufactured the Tampa Hope cottages shut down this week. h/t @ericacbarnett.bsky.social & PubliCola
tampamonitor.com
Pallet, the company behind Tampa Hope's cottages, shuts down
The Washington manufacturer of roughly 215 Hope Cottages closed this week, leaving customers a warranty page and a parts guide. No city document has ever named the vendor — and council already has a T...
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 01/09/2026
In a statement from Acting Chief Brett Owen, TPD confirms it will remove 17 license plate readers after FDOT revokes permit. Statement also touts their effectiveness but never mentions Flock. tampamonitor.com/news/tpd-to-...
tampamonitor.com
TPD to remove 17 license plate readers after FDOT revokes permits
FDOT revoked general use permits for license plate readers in state rights-of-way, citing 'concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns and surveillance schemes.' TPD's release commits to full ...
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 02/09/2026
Still waiting for the city to provide a copy of the Rays funding agreement council actually approved.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 01/09/2026
In a statement from Acting Chief Brett Owen, TPD confirms it will remove 17 license plate readers after FDOT revokes permit. Statement also touts their effectiveness but never mentions Flock. tampamonitor.com/news/tpd-to-...
tampamonitor.com
TPD to remove 17 license plate readers after FDOT revokes permits
FDOT revoked general use permits for license plate readers in state rights-of-way, citing 'concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns and surveillance schemes.' TPD's release commits to full ...
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 01/09/2026
My summer community sponsorship has ended so booking sponsorships now. I've added the option to sponsor a specific tool in the toolshed in addition to the newsletter and site.
tampamonitor.com
Community Sponsorship
Put your business in front of the slice of Tampa that follows City Hall closely. One sponsor at a time.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 01/09/2026
“Once the mixed use development is built”. In the pro forma provided by the Rays and used by the county, they don’t have any mixed-use development on tax rolls until 2034 and the bulk built in 2040+
tampabay.com
Rays a top-15 payroll team? A Tampa home should deliver, Zalupski says
Projections are for the Rays to move into the top half of MLB teams in terms of revenue and payroll once the multiuse district and stadium are built.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 31/08/2026
Forgot to share my wrap up, read it at CL.
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Field of Schemes @fieldofschemes.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
It appears the central players in getting $2B in subsidies for the Rays owner outsourced their "this one will be different" reasoning to ChatGPT. Stadium documents may be supplied only days before votes now, but at least we have robots to read them for us.
fieldofschemes.com
County officials cite AI, “The Giving Tree” as reasons for approving Rays’ $2B stadium subsidy
The Hillsborough County Commission voted 5-2 on Friday to approve a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium development on the current campus of Hillsborough College, making the team's long-running saga all over b...
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 31/08/2026
Whether or not there’s a vote this week, I dedicated my preview to walking through the South Howard project one last time
tampamonitor.com
9/3/26 – All Eyes Again on South Howard
Thursday's discussion will be dominated by the presentation and potential vote on the $92 million construction contract for the South Howard Flood Relief project.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 30/08/2026
This week's agenda is out, the headline item is South Howard Flood Relief project GMP ($92 million). Normally projects > $20M require them to be previewed 2 weeks prior to a vote, however it's unclear if that's the case with this item. It was previewed and discussed at stormwater budget workshop.
tampamonitor.com
9/3/26 - Regular Meeting
A reimagined version of the Tampa City Council agenda including mirrored supporting documents.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 29/08/2026
The big vote is over, but I hadn't exorcised this issue, so one final look at the city's piece of the funding and what the Rays say they are building besides a stadium.
tampamonitor.com
Follow Up on a Follow Up: CDD Revenue Models
Two revenue scenarios from the Rays, one the county would stand behind. Neither is the one I'd bet on.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 29/08/2026
The big vote is over, but I hadn't exorcised this issue, so one final look at the city's piece of the funding and what the Rays say they are building besides a stadium.
tampamonitor.com
Follow Up on a Follow Up: CDD Revenue Models
Two revenue scenarios from the Rays, one the county would stand behind. Neither is the one I'd bet on.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 28/08/2026
Got a copy of the 2 pro forma scenarios used to calculate the CDD revenue split. The county said today they used a feasibility study of what could be built - 3.6 million square feet, 3.1 apartments. The "target" scenario from the Rays would have 70% of that built by FY34.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 28/08/2026
Commissioner Boles made a comment about the city milage vs the county and claiming to be more fiscally disciplined. He's leaving out the Municipal Services Tax which is 4.6 mills on top of the general revenue millage for unincorporated Hillsborough County. Funds used for public safety, parks, etc.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 28/08/2026
These county commissioners are making $32.5 million in "Community Benefits" go a lot further than reality. You *might* be able to build 50 <80% AMI apartments for that much. Which cool, but they have a laundry list of things they think this money is going to fund. Same on city side.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 28/08/2026
I’m holding off on writing a wrap up because I’m not even sure what was approved. I’ve requested a copy of the agreement they voted on. It was definitively not the one posted on Wednesday. And especially not the previous Friday as their condition.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 28/08/2026
One of my favorite things about the people comparing the Rays stadium proposal to Atlanta's The Battery is no one mentions that the county is proposing spending almost 3x what Cobb County invested 10 years ago.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 28/08/2026
County just confirmed the development numbers used to build the CDD revenue model are based off what the Rays said they will build. Not an independent study of what realistically could be built and how fast.
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Lynn Hurtak @lynnhurtak.com · 28/08/2026
Some personal news:
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Creative Loafing Tampa Bay @cltampabay.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Tampa City Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak says she has breast cancer www.cltampa.com/news/tampa-c...
cltampa.com
Tampa City Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak says she has breast cancer
It was another long day at Tampa City Hall today, as the community came together to discuss another proposal that uses public money to help build a stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays. District 3 Councilwo...
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 27/08/2026
Council Member @lynnhurtak.com shared at the end of today’s meeting she was diagnosed with breast cancer and will begin treatment August 31.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 27/08/2026
Rays funding agreement passes with Maniscalco, Miranda & Hurtak voting no.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 27/08/2026
Found this quote from Carlson: "Philosophically, i'm against tax abatements…Sometimes folks come to us and say, well, our project is going to be generating $10 million in tax revenue, so we'll take that back, but the thousands of other property owners out there don't get that."
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 27/08/2026
The detail that the city wants to borrow at least the first $20 million payment is new information today. They're proposing the full $80M for now, but that could change with a future mayor/council in how they would/could fund the agreement. The agreement doesn't specify how the Rays get paid.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 27/08/2026
For those not following along at home, council currently are on a 15 minute break after hearing public comment. Unclear if more public speakers or if they will go back to Q&A with staff before making their statements/voting. There's been a lot of public comment suggesting delaying a vote.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 27/08/2026
So the county wouldn’t contribute to the East Tampa CRA extension, per the Chair of the East Tampa Citizen Advisory Council. That must have been one of the changes since the original document.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 27/08/2026
AI is going to replace your job so vote yes on a baseball stadium to give those people jobs?
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 27/08/2026
First person who gets Bingo gets a free subscription to Tampa Monitor j/k the site is free to all tampamonitor.com/toolshed/sta...
tampamonitor.com
Stadium Booster Talking Point Bingo
Mark a square every time you hear one at a council meeting, a press conference, or in a sponsored op-ed. Five in a row wins. You will win.
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Tampa Monitor @tampamonitor.com · 27/08/2026
The status of the college should have nothing to do with a baseball stadium.
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