Webapps.hillsboroughcounty.org
CAPTIONING
AUGUST 5, 2014
METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate.
>>MARK SHARPE: GOOD MORNING.
IT'S TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 5th.
APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY.
WE HAD A LITTLE [NO AUDIO] ISSUE, BUT WE'RE ALL HERE READY TO START.
WOULD YOU PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE AND PRAYER, BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
>>LES MILLER, JR.: OUR GRACIOUS AND HEAVENLY FATHER, WE'RE SO THANKFUL THAT YOU TOUCHED US WITH YOUR LOVING HANDS TO WAKE US TO SEE ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR BEAUTIFUL DAYS.
WE'RE THANKFUL FOR A REASONABLE PORTION OF HEALTH AND STRENGTH.
FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU LET US COME TOGETHER TODAY TO WORK IN HARMONY, COLLECTIVELY, TO MAKE THIS COUNTY A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF ITS CITIZENS TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
KEEP US ON ONE ACCORD.
LET US UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN DISAGREE BUT MUST COME TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS PLACE A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF ITS CITIZENS.
FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU KEEP OUR KEEP OUR MINDS REGULATED AND OUR HEARTS HUMBLE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
WE ASK THAT WHEN YOU TAKE US BACK TO OUR HOMES, WE FIND EVERYTHING SAFE AND SOUND.
THESE AND ALL BLESSINGS WE ASK IN YOUR NAME.
AMEN.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MILLER.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
DOES ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISH TO SPEAK?
IF SO, COME FORWARD.
WE HAVE NO COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC.
WE'LL GO TO MS. ALDEN AND COMMITTEE REPORTS.
>>BETH ALDEN: GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS.
BETH ALDEN, MPO STAFF.
IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN AFTER OUR SUMMER RECESS.
THE COMMITTEES HAVE MET A COUPLE TIMES OVER THE SUMMER AND HAVE SUPPORTED THE ACTION ITEMS THAT ARE ON YOUR AGENDA FOR TODAY.
THERE IS A TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT; THERE IS AN UPDATE, AN ANNUAL UPDATE OF THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED SERVICE PLAN; AND A PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS REPORT, SO THOSE HAVE ALL BEEN REVIEWED AND SUPPORTED.
A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT CAME UP AT THE COMMITTEES, THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE HEARD A STATUS REPORT ABOUT EAST HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE AND THE DEPARTMENTS AND CITY OF TAMPA'S FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES ON EAST HILLSBOROUGH, AND SO THERE'S SOME NOTES ON THAT IN YOUR PACKET.
THE POLICY COMMITTEE DISCUSSED THE FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION BILL REAUTHORIZATION AND SUPPORTED SENDING A LETTER ADVOCATING FOR SUSTAINABLE FUNDING, AND THAT'S ON YOUR AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION TODAY.
THE POLICY COMMITTEE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT ADDING A SEAT TO THE BOARD FOR A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, AND SO THAT IS GOING TO BE RESEARCHED BY YOUR ATTORNEY.
THE BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE HELD THEIR ANNUAL RETREAT AND STRATEGY SESSION AND WOULD LIKE TO WORK ON CREATING AN CYCLOVIA EVENT SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT WAS HELD IN CLEARWATER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
THEY'D ALSO LIKE TO CREATE A BICYCLE-FRIENDLY BUSINESS AWARD AND BRING THAT TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION OF RECOGNIZING BICYCLE-FRIENDLY BUSINESSES.
AND THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE HAS BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S COMMUNITY TRAFFIC SAFETY TEAM AND HAS SCHEDULED A JOINT MEETING TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY MIGHT WORK TOGETHER.
AND THOSE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS SUMMER.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MS. ALDEN.
I SEE NO QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS.
WONDERFUL.
>>BETH ALDEN: THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MA'AM.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO CONSENT.
WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS OF CONSENT.
CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE THEM?
>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]
>>KEVIN BECKNER: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE IF YOU SUPPORT THE MOTION.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
ROLL CALL FOR CONSENT?
>>THE CLERK: THERE'S ONE OTHER ONE ON THERE, COMMISSIONER, THAT'S A T.I.P. AMENDMENT THAT WAS PUT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT HAS TO BE A ROLL CALL.
>>MARK SHARPE: AH, ITEM "D."
OKAY.
LET'S DO THIS.
LET'S DO ITEMS "A" THROUGH "C," JUST --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: I MOVE "A" THROUGH "C."
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL AND A SECOND.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
ANY OPPOSED?
OKAY.
"A" THROUGH "C" PASSES.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEM "D."
CAN WE HAVE A MOTION OF SUPPORT.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: MOVE APPROVAL.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.
NOW WE'LL DO THE ROLL CALL VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: OKAY.
COULD YOU TURN YOUR MIKES ON, PLEASE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MILLER.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: LOPANO.
>>JOE LOPANO: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: LOTT.
ABSENT.
CHILLURA.
ABSENT.
SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: SUAREZ.
COHEN.
>>HARRY COHEN: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: POLZIN.
>>STEVE POLZIN: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MURMAN.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: WAGGONER.
>>JOE WAGGONER: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MONTELIONE.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: YES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: THANK YOU.
MOTION CARRIES.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO OUR ACTION ITEMS.
THE FIRST ONE UP IS TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED SERVICE PLAN UPDATE.
WELCOME.
>>MICHELE OGILVIE: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS.
THE ANNUAL UPDATE OF THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED SERVICE PLAN IS BEFORE YOU AGAIN TODAY FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THE LOCAL COORDINATING BOARD CALLED THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COORDINATING BOARD, CHAIRED BY MR. COHEN -- COUNCILMAN COHEN, PRESENTS TO YOU AND ADVISES WITH DIRECTION THE WAY WE'D LIKE TO SEE COORDINATION OF SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED GROUP IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ADVISE EVERYONE.
AND WHO ARE THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED?
THEY'RE LOW-INCOME, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, THE ELDERLY, AND CHILDREN AT RISK, AS DEFINED BY LAW.
THE UPDATE FOR 2014 APPROACH CAME OUT OF THE CTC EVALUATION THAT YOU APPROVED IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
IT ADVOCATES FOR SUNSHINE LINE TO MAINTAIN SERVICES AND TO IDENTIFY THE COSTS FOR PROVIDING ADDITIONAL SERVICE FOR A PRIORITY IV GROUP, WHICH IS EMPLOYMENT/WORK-RELATED TRIPS, EDUCATION, SHOPPING, AND RECREATION.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN EXPLORED IN THIS UPDATE AND ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED ARE THAT THE STATE UPDATED ITS METHODOLOGY FOR POPULATION FORECASTS, AND WE USED IT, FIRST COUNTY IN THE STATE TO DO SO.
PROJECT NUMBERS OF TRIPS NEEDED ARE BASED ON POPULATION FROM THAT UPDATE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN UPDATE, WE HAVE PLACED SOME OPERATION AND CAPITAL COSTS IN THAT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION LATER THIS YEAR.
AND MAP-21, AS YOU KNOW, CHANGED THE WAY WE WERE ABLE TO ACCESS JOB ACCESS TRIPS, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AND HAPPILY TO REPORT TO YOU THAT HART HAS REACHED OUT TO US, AND WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING SOME MORE TRIPS FOR PEOPLE TO WORK.
THE METHODOLOGY REPORTS THAT THE TD POPULATION IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS 32%.
THE COORDINATED TRIPS, WHICH INCLUDE HARTPLUS, PROVIDES 24% OF THE NEEDED TRIPS THAT THE METHODOLOGY SAYS WE HAVE.
52% OF THE POPULATION WE DO HAVE HAS ACCESS TO TRANSIT, WHICH IS A 3/4-MILE RADIUS.
I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS, AND IT'S ALWAYS SURPRISING TO ME, BUT WITHIN THE -- THE STATE HAS ADOPTED THIS AS THE OFFICIAL GROWTH PATTERN FOR OUR -- FOR OUR STATE, AND IT DOES SHOW THAT WITHIN A VERY SHORT TIME WE WILL HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED POPULATION.
THAT'S ALL THE PEOPLE ON THE FAR RIGHT.
OTHER PARTS OF THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED SERVICE PLAN INCLUDE A TRICOUNTY ACCESS PLAN UPDATE THAT WAS GIVEN TO YOU EARLIER THIS YEAR, I THINK IN APRIL, WHICH REQUIRES -- WHICH REALLY TALKS ABOUT THE POPULATION'S DESIRE TO HAVE MORE FIXED ROUTES AND MORE FLEX ROUTES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND, OF COURSE, MORE ACCESS TO THE OTHER TWO COUNTIES, PINELLAS AND PASCO.
THE SOLUTIONS THAT THIS PLAN HAS WITHIN IT -- AND WE WILL -- WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON -- IS THAT WE'D LIKE TO -- IS THE GOAL TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY FOR ACCESS TO THE HIGHEST-QUALITY TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, EFFICIENT, RELIABLE, AND SAFE, WHICH IS STRAIGHT OUT OF MAP-21, ACTUALLY; AND STRATEGY 2.4 -- I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE HIGHLIGHTED -- WHICH SAYS THAT WE WILL ALL CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY, EVALUATE, AND PURSUE FUNDING SOURCES AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.
OTHER SOLUTIONS ARE THAT THE CTC, THE SUNSHINE LINE SUPPORTED TWO PARTS OF THE PRIORITIES THAT WE HIGHLIGHTED A FEW MINUTES AGO, AND THOSE ARE EMPLOYMENT FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, AND PRIORITIES ARE NOW REVISED BY CATEGORIES SO THAT THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY ON HOW TO GET PEOPLE TO JOBS AND TRAINING.
SOLUTIONS OUTSIDE THE TDSP HAD TO BE HIGHLIGHTED.
AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, WHICH IS BRINGING FORWARD SOME -- OR EXPLORING SOME IDEAS ON HOW TO GET MORE PEOPLE TRIPS, AND EVEN IN A STATUS-QUO SITUATION, WE WILL HAVE A FEW MORE TRIPS PROVIDED SYSTEMWIDE BY THE -- THE TRANSIT SYSTEM.
THE SUNSHINE LINE NEEDS SOME ADDITIONAL -- 28 VEHICLES TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH OF THE POPULATION, 2.5 MILLION FOR OPERATING, 7.2 MILLION FOR OPERATING, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE -- WE CAN NOW GET FROM 5310, WHICH IS A FUNDING SOURCE FROM THE STATE, AND HART CAN ALSO HELP US GET SOME OF THAT OPERATING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT -- YOU KNOW, WE OVERLAP AS TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED IN CERTAIN PLACES.
OTHER SOLUTIONS OUTSIDE THE TDSP, WE HAVE GOOD NEWS, THAT THERE -- THE FREEDOM RIDERS ARE BACK AND PROVIDING SERVICES FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO SOME OF THE OTHER KINDS OF TRIPS, LIKE SOCIAL TRIPS OR ATTENDING MEETINGS.
WE HAVE -- THE TRICOUNTY ACCESS SUBCOMMITTEE PLANNING GROUP IS MEETING, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO -- TO IMPLEMENT AND ADVOCATE FROM EACH ONE OF THOSE MPO BOARDS, THAT'S PASCO, PINELLAS, AND YOU-ALL, TO GET MORE -- RAISE THE AWARENESS OF THE NEED FOR TRIPS BETWEEN OUR COUNTIES.
REQUIRED ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AND HAVE BEEN UPDATED AS NEEDED.
AND I'D LIKE TO, ONCE MORE, REMIND YOU THAT WITH
$1.6 MILLION IN STATE FUNDING, 2.4 MILLION IN LOCAL FUNDING, WE PROVIDE TODAY 600,000 TRIPS WITH A 99% CLIENT SATISFACTION.
OUR RECOMMENDED ACTION THIS MORNING IS THAT YOU SUPPORT THE REQUEST OF THE TDCB, THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COORDINATING BOARD, TO SUPPORT THE UPDATE OF THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED SERVICE PLAN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
>>MARK SHARPE: COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE, AND THEN COMMISSIONER MURMAN.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT, MICHELE, AND AS ALWAYS, A JOB WELL DONE.
I NOTICED IN THE COMMITTEE REPORTS, ONE OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE WAS TO CEMENT A REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP WITH PASCO AND PINELLAS, AND YOU MENTIONED IT IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
BEING THAT A FEW OF US SIT ON THE TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT AREA BOARD, WHICH ALREADY MEETS WITH PASCO AND PINELLAS REPRESENTATIVES, WOULD IT BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD TAKE UP THERE AND THEN SUGGEST TO PASCO AND PINELLAS REPRESENTATIVES THAT THEY FORM A COALITION?
>>MICHELE OGILVIE: THAT WOULD BE A PRAYER ANSWERED, YES.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: I WILL MAKE A NOTE OF THAT FOR THE NEXT TMA BOARD MEETING.
>>MICHELE OGILVIE: THANK YOU.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: YOU'RE WELCOME.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE.
COMMISSIONER MURMAN.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU.
AND AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO THE DISADVANTAGED AND DISABLED.
I KNOW THERE'S STILL A LOT OF UNMET NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND YOU KNOW THE POPULATION IS EXPANDING.
I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO SEND THIS INFORMATION FOR INCLUSION INTO THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP AS PART OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I WOULDN'T SAY IT WAS PURPOSELY OVERLOOKED, IT WAS NOT.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY REALLY EVEN THOUGHT OF IT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, THE FIXED ROUTES AND THE CORRIDORS AND ALL THAT, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK MONEY FOR EXPANSION, WHETHER IT BE PURCHASING VEHICLES OR SERVICES FOR TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED, SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND I DON'T KNOW, MR. CHAIR, IF I NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE YOU SEND A LETTER OR COMMUNICATE THIS TO THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP AS CHAIR OF THE MPO, BUT I DO THINK WE SHOULD DO THAT.
>>MARK SHARPE: WE CAN -- IF WE CAN MAYBE AMEND THE RECOMMENDED STAFF RECOMMENDATION, WHICH WAS TO ACCEPT THE REPORT, AND THEN WE'LL ACCEPT THE REPORT AND ALSO INCLUDE IN THERE A LETTER WILL BE SENT BY THE CHAIR OF THE MPO TO THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP INDICATING THAT WE WISH TO HAVE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED IN THEIR FINDINGS.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.
>>MICHELE OGILVIE: THANK YOU.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND I'LL MOVE TO ACCEPT THE REPORT WITH THOSE ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
>>HARRY COHEN: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL -- WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN AND IT WAS SECONDED BY MR. COHEN, COUNCILMAN COHEN.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS?
IF NOT, THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
ANY OPPOSED?
MOTION PASSES.
>>MICHELE OGILVIE: THANK YOU SO MUCH, BOARD MEMBERS.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MA'AM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
THEN WE HAVE THE MAP-21 REAUTHORIZATION LETTER OF SUPPORT. MS. ALDEN.
>>BETH ALDEN: GOOD MORNING, AGAIN.
AND THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WAS DISCUSSED LAST WEEK, BROUGHT TO THE POLICY COMMITTEE.
THE MOVING AHEAD FOR PROGRESS IN THE 21st CENTURY ACT AUTHORIZED FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION SPENDING THROUGH
SEPTEMBER 30th OF 2014.
IT HAS NOW BEEN EXTENDED FOR ANOTHER TEN MONTHS BUT WITHOUT A CLEAR SOURCE OF SUSTAINABLE FUNDING IN THE LONG RUN.
IN THE PAST, FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION BILLS HAVE GONE FOR A PERIOD OF SIX YEARS, BUT BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GAS TAX HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FULLY FUND OUR COUNTRY'S TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, THIS HAS -- THE FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION BILL HAS CONTINUED TO BE KIND OF EXTENDED AND EXTENDED PIECEMEAL.
THE FEDERAL GAS TAX WAS LAST RAISED IN THE EARLY 1990s.
AT THIS POINT, IT'S ESTIMATED THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE RAISED ON THE ORDER OF 14 TO 17 CENTS PER GALLON TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH OF OUR TRANSPORTATION'S NEEDS AND KEEP UP WITH INFLATION AND VEHICLE EFFICIENCY RATES, WHICH HAVE REDUCED GASOLINE CONSUMPTION.
OUR -- OUR FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM DOES PROVIDE ABOUT 70 MILLION A YEAR TO THE TAMPA BAY METROPOLITAN AREA, IN ADDITION TO FUNDING THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS, A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS OF FDOT, AND SO LAST WEEK AT THE POLICY COMMITTEE WE DISCUSSED SENDING A LETTER TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION SUPPORTING A MORE LONG-TERM AND SUSTAINABLE REAUTHORIZATION OF FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION SPENDING.
THE POLICY COMMITTEE INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ABOUT THEIR POSITION.
WE DO HAVE A ONE-PAGE STATEMENT FROM FDOT, AND WE HAVE A SPOKESPERSON WHO HAS JOINED US THIS MORNING, COMING DOWN FROM FDOT'S CENTRAL OFFICE IN TALLAHASSEE, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. DAVID LEE, WHO'S THE ADMINISTRATOR FOR STATEWIDE PLANNING AND POLICY ANALYSIS, WHO COULD MAYBE SHARE WITH YOU SOME PERSPECTIVES ON THIS FROM THE STATEWIDE LEVEL AND IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
MR. LEE.
>>MARK SHARPE: MR. LEE, WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE, SIR.
THANK YOU.
>> THAT HELPS.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO COME DOWN AND PARTICIPATE IN YOUR MEETING.
I RECOGNIZE YOU HAVE A VERY FULL AGENDA, SO I WILL TRY AND KEEP MY REMARKS VERY BRIEF AND THEN RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.
>> I THOUGHT MY BACKGROUND MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
I WORKED IN WASHINGTON, D.C., FOR 13 YEARS WITH THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS, FOLLOWING FEDERAL LEGISLATION, AND I'M NOW IN MY 26th YEAR HERE IN FLORIDA FOLLOWING FEDERAL LEGISLATION.
I MUCH PREFER TO FOLLOW IT FROM FLORIDA THAN FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.
>>MARK SHARPE: I WAS GOING TO SAY IS IT ANY CLEARER FROM TALLAHASSEE THAN WASHINGTON?
>> YES.
SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY DURING THAT SPAN OF TIME TOO TO ACTUALLY WORK -- TO GO UP ON -- IF YOU WILL, ON LOAN TO SENATOR BOB GRAHAM AND WORK IN THE SENATE, WHICH WAS KIND OF A HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER, I'LL SAY.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND SUPPORT OF THE POSITIONS THAT WE'VE PUT FORWARD THAT WE'VE ALREADY SHARED WITH THE FLORIDA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, THREE SIMPLE POINTS.
ONE IS THAT MAP-21, AS BETH HAD POINTED OUT -- THE PRIOR -- THE PRIOR ROUNDS OF FEDERAL LEGISLATION HAVE BEEN FIVE- OR SIX-YEAR BILLS.
MAP-21, WE ACTUALLY CONSIDER TO BE A FIVE- OR SIX-YEAR BILL IN TERMS OF THE POLICY CHANGES THAT IT MADE BUT ONLY HAD TWO YEARS OF FUNDING, SO OUR FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS LET'S GIVE MAP-21 TIME TO WORK.
WE REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF THE SIMPLIFICATION OF PROGRAMS.
WE HAD REACHED MORE THAN 100 FEDERAL PROGRAMS IN TRANSPORTATION, SO SIMPLIFYING THAT, GOING THE OTHER DIRECTION, WAS WELCOME NEWS.
THE IDEA OF EMPHASIZING PROJECT DELIVERY, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ABOUT HERE IN FLORIDA, SO WE LIKE THAT EMPHASIS.
AND BASICALLY, WE'RE JUST VERY -- AND SOME OF THE -- WHAT WE REFERRED TO AS SORT OF INNOVATIVE FINANCING TECHNIQUES, SO WE USED ALL THE TOOLS, IF YOU WILL, IN THE FINANCIAL TOOLBOX HERE IN FLORIDA, SO THAT WAS ANOTHER POSITIVE PART ABOUT MAP-21.
SO RATHER THAN GETTING INTO THE LEGISLATION AND CHANGING IT ALL UP AGAIN, WE SAY --
>>MARK SHARPE: MAKE IT WORK.
>> -- LET THOSE POLICY CHANGES WORK.
SECOND RECOMMENDATION IS FIX THE FUNDING PROBLEM, AND THAT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM.
THAT'S AN EASY STATEMENT TO MAKE.
THE LAST LEGISLATION CALLED SAFETEA-LU, A VERY LONG ACRONYM, APPOINTED TWO -- CALLED FOR TWO FEDERAL COMMISSIONS TO STUDY THE FUNDING PROBLEM.
THOSE COMMISSIONS DEVELOPED THEIR REPORTS.
NO EASY ANSWERS OUT THERE.
WE HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF OPTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION, BUT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WE NEED TO KIND OF FIX THE FUNDING PROBLEM.
AND OUR THIRD RECOMMENDATION WAS DON'T START USING PERFORMANCE MEASURES, WHICH IS A NEW FEATURE IN MAP-21, TO DISTRIBUTE FUNDS AMONG THE STATE.
THAT'S PROBABLY BEEN THE MAJOR EMPHASIS IN MY TRACKING FEDERAL LEGISLATION IS TO TRY AND RETURN MORE OF THE MONEY THAT FLORIDA SENDS TO WASHINGTON BACK TO US.
WE MADE SOME PROGRESS ON THAT, BUT I THINK THERE'S A REAL FEAR IF WE START DISTRIBUTING FUNDS AMONG THE STATES BASED ON PERFORMANCE, STATES WITH GOOD PERFORMANCE, LIKE FLORIDA, WILL NOT SEE AN INCREASE BASED ON THAT GOOD PERFORMANCE BUT RATHER A DECREASE, SO THAT'S OUR CONCERN ABOUT THAT.
VERY BRIEFLY, I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN IN THE NEWS THERE WAS SORT OF A COMING-DOWN-TO-THE-WIRE CONSIDERATION BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE LAST WEEK, SO AS FAR AS THE STATUS OF THE FUNDING OF THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY TRUST FUND -- YOU KNOW, GOING BACK OVER THAT SPAN OF TIME, I CAN REMEMBER WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAD AN ISSUE ABOUT THE GROWING BALANCE IN THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND.
IT WAS EXCEEDING $10 BILLION, AND WE, THE STATE DEPARTMENTS OF TRANSPORTATION, WERE SAYING, LET US SPEND THAT MONEY.
THERE WAS A CAP ON THE FUNDS CALLED AN OBLIGATION CEILING.
WE WERE ONLY ALLOWED TO SPEND SO MUCH.
THOSE DAYS ARE -- HAVE -- ARE SORT OF LONG PAST.
THE LONGEST LEGISLATION FROM MAP-21 WENT FROM 2005 TO 2009.
IT WAS EXTENDED TEN TIMES.
THERE WAS $34 BILLION OF GENERAL FUND MONEY PUT IN JUST TO KEEP THAT FUNDING GOING, AND EVEN WHEN WE HAD PASSAGE OF MAP-21, IN ORDER TO FUND TWO YEARS, THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL NEED FOR NEARLY $19 BILLION OF GENERAL FUND MONEY TO BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND.
SO THE ACTION JUST THIS PAST WEEK WAS WHEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE AGREED -- BECAUSE WE WERE RUNNING DOWN TO THE POINT WHERE THE BALANCE IN THE TRUST FUND WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO NECESSITATE A SLOWDOWN IN REIMBURSING STATES FOR THE EXPENDITURES.
THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY PROGRAM OPERATES ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS.
WE -- WE SET THE CONTRACTS, PUT THE WORK IN MOTION, AND THEN WE'RE REIMBURSED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO THE BALANCE IN THE TRUST FUND WAS GETTING SO LOW THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A SLOWDOWN IN THE REIMBURSEMENTS.
FORTUNATELY, FLORIDA'S IN A GOOD POSITION.
WE CAN WEATHER THAT FOR A LITTLE LONGER PERIOD OF TIME THAN MOST STATES.
THOSE STATES THAT ARE ALMOST TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON FEDERAL AID HAVE ACTUALLY -- THERE'S SOME INSTANCES WHERE THEY'VE ACTUALLY CURTAILED THEIR CONSTRUCTION LETTINGS BECAUSE OF THAT SITUATION.
SO ANYWAY, LAST -- LAST WEEK, RIGHT DOWN TO THE WIRE,
JULY 31st, THE HOUSE AND SENATE CAME TOGETHER AND CAME UP WITH $10.8 BILLION, WHICH WILL EXTEND THE TRUST FUND UNTIL NEXT MAY, AND THEN WE'LL BE INTO THIS SITUATION AGAIN.
THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE NOW ESTIMATES THAT WE NEED ABOUT $17 BILLION A YEAR JUST TO SUSTAIN CURRENT PROGRAM LEVELS.
SO I DON'T WANT TO END ON SORT OF THAT PESSIMISTIC NOTE.
THE GOOD NEWS, I'LL SAY, FROM THE FLORIDA STANDPOINT IS WE HAVE OUR LARGEST WORK PROGRAM EVER, SO THROUGH TOLLING, MANAGED LANES, DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES, WE WERE -- WE ACTUALLY HAVE OUR LARGEST PROGRAM EVER.
THE FEDERAL FUNDING AMOUNTS TO NOW ABOUT 1/4 OF OUR TOTAL FUNDING, SO WE'RE NOT AS DEPENDENT AS OTHER STATES ON THAT.
I ALSO JUST WANTED TO MAKE MENTION THAT I GOT AN E-MAIL YESTERDAY SAYING THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A NATIONAL WEBINAR TOMORROW, SO U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY FOXX IS HOLDING A WEBINAR ON LONG-RANGE FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION, SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS.
I HOPE THERE'S A SOLUTION SOMEWHERE.
AND MY VERY LAST THING, I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT I'VE RECEIVED PERSONALLY FROM BETH ALDEN.
SHE'S BEEN A MEMBER OF A TASK FORCE THAT WE'VE BEEN SETTING UP AS WE'RE IMPLEMENTING -- ONE OF THE MAJOR PROVISIONS MAP-21 WAS INTRODUCING PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
THAT'S -- WE'RE VERY -- THERE'S MAJOR FEDERAL RULEMAKING TAKING PLACE.
THAT'S WHY WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO SEE THE PROGRAM CHANGED IN A MAJOR WAY WHILE WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE REGULATIONS THAT GO WITH IT, BUT BETH HAS BEEN A VALUABLE ASSET TO US AS WE'RE WORKING WITH THE MPOs IN FLORIDA TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT ALL OF US.
SO I WOULD BE HAPPY TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>>MARK SHARPE: WELL, FIRST, LET ME SAY THAT'S -- IF ANYONE COULD HAVE EXPLAINED WHAT WAS GOING ON IN WASHINGTON, YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF MAKING IT SOMEWHAT CLEAR, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE AND WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT THE STATE HAS CERTAINLY GIVEN THIS REGION.
DR. POLZIN.
>>STEVE POLZIN: THANKS, MARK.
DAVE, HAS THE STATE TAKEN A POSITION GOING FORWARD -- YOU MENTIONED THAT THIS PROPOSAL THAT THE SENATE AND HOUSE PASSED JUST CONTINUES THE CURRENT LEVEL OF FUNDING.
HAS THE STATE TAKEN A POSITION ON FUTURE FUNDING LEVELS FOR THE TRUST FUND GOING FORWARD?
>> WELL, AS WE BUILD OUR WORK PROGRAM -- IN FACT, WE DO A LONG-RANGE REVENUE FORECAST -- THE BEST WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, IS TO [NO AUDIO] PROJECT FLAT FUNDING FOR FEDERAL.
THERE'S NO BASIS THAT WE HAVE TO PROJECT ANY GROWTH IN THAT.
WE WERE ALWAYS DOING THAT EVEN IN THE PAST TO BE KIND OF CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE WE NEVER KNEW WHERE THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION IS.
WE WOULD CERTAINLY MISS A QUARTER OF OUR FUNDING, YOU KNOW, IF THAT DRIED UP, BUT RIGHT NOW -- I MEAN, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET BACK TO THE DAYS WHERE WE HAVE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE FUNDING SO THAT WE AND YOU CAN DO BETTER PLANS AND PREDICTION ON WHERE THE FUNDING IS, BUT RIGHT NOW, AT BEST, IT'S TO SUSTAIN WHERE WE ARE.
>>MARK SHARPE: YOU SAID IT'S $17 BILLION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO SUSTAIN OUR CURRENT OPERATIONS, THAT'S NOT TO GROW, THAT'S TO SUSTAIN OUR CURRENT OPERATIONS?
>> YEAH.
THE REVENUES COMING IN TO THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY TRUST FUND RIGHT NOW ARE ABOUT $35 BILLION ON THE HIGHWAY SIDE AND ABOUT 5 BILLION FOR THE MASS TRANSIT ACCOUNT, SO THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND HAS TWO ACCOUNTS, HIGHWAY ACCOUNT, TRANSIT ACCOUNT, SO THAT'S ABOUT $40 BILLION, BUT WE'RE NOW SPENDING AT A LEVEL WHERE WE NEED ABOUT 17 BILLION ON TOP OF THAT --
>>MARK SHARPE: OH, OKAY.
>> -- JUST TO KEEP UP WITH THE LEVEL OF FUNDING THAT WE'RE AT.
>>MARK SHARPE: ARE WE DOING A BETTER JOB -- DR. POLZIN HAS TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
IT SEEMS AS THOUGH WE'VE BASED OUR FUNDING FOR ROADS PRIMARILY ON THE GAS TAX, IS THAT --
>> PRIMARILY.
THERE'S -- AND THE DIESEL TAX FOR TRUCKS AND SOME OTHER SMALLER AMOUNTS, YES.
>>MARK SHARPE: MASS TRANSIT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS -- FROM SOME IT'S, WELL, YOU'RE ROBBING FROM THE GAS TAX TO PAY FOR MASS TRANSIT; OTHERS HAVE ARGUED -- AND I'M ONE OF
THEM -- THAT, YOU KNOW, TRANSIT HAS A VALUE THAT PERHAPS EXCEEDS OUR ABILITY TO MEASURE IT, BUT IS THERE ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO, IN THE FUTURE, DO A BETTER JOB OF FUNDING BOTH OF THEM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HERE IN THE COUNTY IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT ROADS, WE LOOK TO THE STATE AND THE FEDS.
IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR A TRANSIT PLAN, THE FIRST THING WE HAVE TO DO IS TURN TO THE PUBLIC AND HAVE A PUBLIC REFERENDUM OF SOME SORT.
IF I ASKED THE PUBLIC IF THEY WANTED TO SPEND A BILLION DOLLARS ON U.S. 19 OR BRUCE B. DOWNS AND WE HAD A REFERENDUM, WE MIGHT -- THE REFERENDUM, WE COULD SEE ROADS NOT BEING SUPPORTED, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, ROADS JUST TEND TO HAVE A FUNNEL OF MONEY THAT COMES ROLLING DOWN.
TRANSIT WE ULTIMATELY HAVE TO TURN AND SAY, WELL, IT'S UP TO THE PUBLIC.
IS THERE ANY -- DO YOU SEE THAT REMAINING THAT WAY OR IS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE THAT MIGHT CHANGE?
AND MAYBE DR. POLZIN WILL LET ME KNOW THAT I'VE SAID IT INCORRECTLY.
[LAUGHTER]
>> I'M ALWAYS VERY PROUD WHEN I GO TO -- I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH COLLEAGUES IN OTHER STATES, AND WE ALWAYS LIKE TO SORT OF SHOW OFF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN FLORIDA, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING IN FLORIDA IS WE'RE NOT -- WE'RE LOOKING MORE AT ALL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION, SO YOU'RE AWARE THAT WE'RE DOING MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN THE PORTS IN FLORIDA AND THE AIRPORTS, AND SO -- AND WE HAVE A STRATEGIC INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
THE FUNDING SIDE HAS TENDED TO BE IN SILOS, AND THE TRANSIT ACCOUNT -- I MEAN, ALL OF IT CAN -- I CAN GET INTO THE WEEDS AND IT GETS COMPLICATED VERY QUICKLY.
THE TRANSIT ACCOUNT, I MENTIONED IT HAS A MASS TRANSIT ACCOUNT IN THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND, BUT THERE'S STILL GENERAL FUND SUPPORT FOR TRANSIT.
THAT'S NOT -- TRANSIT DOESN'T -- ISN'T AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TOTALLY OUT OF THAT MASS TRANSIT ACCOUNT.
AND THEN THERE'S ALWAYS THE OTHER MODES, RAIL, AVIATION, SEAPORTS, WHO ARE LOOKING TO ALSO GET INTO THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND.
I THINK IT'LL BE INTERESTING WITH SECRETARY FOXX TOMORROW. THE ADMINISTRATION HAS A PROPOSAL, AND IT TALKS ABOUT A TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND, I THINK CREATING SOME NEW ACCOUNTS.
I'M NOT REAL CLEAR ON HOW THEY'RE DOING THAT, BUT WE CAN COUNT ON EVERYONE LOOKING FOR A PIECE OF THE PIE, AND IT'S GETTING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT.
I DON'T KNOW THE -- THE -- WE HAVEN'T TAKEN A POSITION YET ABOUT CONVERTING THE FEDERAL SIDE TO A TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND LIKE WE HAVE IN FLORIDA.
>>STEVE POLZIN: JUST A COMMENT ON THAT, MARK.
HISTORICALLY, THERE HAS BEEN SOME SENSITIVITY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF THE -- IF THE GAS TAX IS A -- QUOTE, SOLD TO THE PUBLIC ORIGINALLY AS A USER FEE, AND THEN IF THAT ENDS UP SUPPORTING OTHER MODES, THERE'S SOME SENSITIVITY AND SOME FOLKS THAT THINKS THAT BREAKS TRUST WITH THE ORIGINAL INTENT AND THE COMMITMENT TO USER-BASED REVENUE STREAMS.
OTHER FOLKS ARGUE THAT, YOU KNOW, AROUND THE GLOBE THERE'S A LOT MORE COLLECTED FROM GAS TAXES THAT GO BACK INTO ROADS AND THAT IT'S PART OF A SYSTEM AND THERE'S BENEFITS.
AND SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, TWO COMPETING PERSPECTIVES ON HOW THAT SHOULD BE TREATED.
I THINK OVER TIME WE'VE KIND OF MOVED AWAY FROM THE USER FEE CONCEPT, BUT THERE IS SOME RESISTANCE TO THAT, AND THE TWO COMMISSIONS THAT DAVID REFERENCED EARLIER, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THOSE HAD ACTUALLY PROPOSED A SURCHARGE ON TRANSIT FARES TO HAVE THAT BE, QUOTE, TRANSIT'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE TRUST FUND TO JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, RATIONALIZE THE LOGIC OF THAT.
TO DATE, YOU KNOW, TRANSIT'S TYPICALLY TRIED TO POSITION ITSELF TO GET A SHARE AT BOTH THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, AND IT'S A USER-FEE-BASED FUND FOR THE MOST PART, AND PEOPLE HAVE ACCEPTED THAT, BUT ...
>>MARK SHARPE: YES, SIR.
>> IF I COULD JUST SLIP IN TWO THINGS THAT ARE WORKING AGAINST US ON THE GAS TAX BEING THAT LONG-TERM SOURCE IS THAT WE NOW HAVE A NUMBER OF ALTERNATE-FUELED VEHICLES, AND WE'RE ALSO GETTING MORE AND MORE --
>>MARK SHARPE: EFFICIENT.
>> -- MILEAGE TO THE GALLON, SO THOSE ARE KIND OF WORKING AGAINST THAT BEING THE SOLE SOURCE OF FUTURE FUNDING.
>>MARK SHARPE: EXCELLENT CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU, MR. LEE.
THANK YOU, SIR.
MS. ALDEN.
>>BETH ALDEN: SO WE DO HAVE A DRAFT LETTER IN YOUR PACKETS AND, YOU KNOW, WOULD LIKE YOUR COMMENTS ON THAT IF YOU'D BE WILLING TO CONSIDER SENDING THAT.
WE ALSO HAD A COMMENT FROM MR. WAGGONER DURING THE COURSE OF THIS WEEK ABOUT A SUGGESTED VERY SHORT ADDITION TO THAT LETTER, AND SO THAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR FOLDERS FOR THIS MORNING.
THE ADDITION WOULD BE TO SUGGEST THAT WHEN THERE IS A LONGER-TERM REAUTHORIZATION OF THE FEDERAL BILL THAT BUS TOLL LANE PROJECTS BE FULLY ELIGIBLE FOR THE FEDERAL NEW STARTS PROGRAM.
>>MARK SHARPE: CAN WE GET A MOTION FROM THE BOARD.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: SO MOVE.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND.
>>MARK SHARPE: MOTION OF APPROVAL BY COMMISSIONER MILLER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
ANY OPPOSED?
THANK YOU, MS. ALDEN.
OUR NEXT PRESENTATION IS THE TRANSPORTATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
WE HAVE MR. MERRILL.
WELCOME, SIR.
MS. GARSYS IS WITH HIM.
YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE FINE EDITORIAL IN THE TAMPA BAY TIMES THIS MORNING.
[LAUGHTER]
I WAS -- I WAS SPITTING SPITBALLS THIS MORNING, BUT --
>>MIKE MERRILL: WELL, JOHN HILL AND I HAD AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION.
[LAUGHTER]
ACTUALLY, WE'RE CLOSER THAN YOU THINK.
>>MARK SHARPE: WE ARE.
WE ARE.
WE ARE.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE TO HELP SHINE SOME LIGHT.
>>MIKE MERRILL: I GUESS THE QUESTION IS STARTING OFF HOW MUCH TIME AND DO YOU WANT ME TO SHOW THE VIDEO?
I GUESS IT'S CUED UP.
IT'S UP TO YOU.
IF NOT, THAT'S FINE.
>>MARK SHARPE: I'M GETTING A HEAD --
>>MIKE MERRILL: YEAH.
OKAY.
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHO'S SEEN IT AND HASN'T SEEN IT.
IT KIND OF LAYS --
>>MARK SHARPE: LET'S DO IT.
>>MIKE MERRILL: -- IT LAYS KIND OF THE GROUNDWORK, SO WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
[VIDEO SHOWN]
>> HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, A GREAT PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY, BUILD A CAREER, AND GROW A BUSINESS.
OUR ECONOMY IS THRIVING, AND WE HAVE THE HIGHEST JOB GROWTH IN FLORIDA.
OUR SCHOOLS ARE AMONG THE BEST IN THE NATION, AND OUR ENTERTAINMENT AND LEISURE OPTIONS ARE ENDLESS.
SO WHAT CONNECTS ALL OF THESE PRECIOUS ASSETS?
IT'S OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
OUR CURRENT SYSTEM HAS SERVED US WELL FOR MANY YEARS, BUT IT IS STRUGGLING TO HANDLE THE INCREASING DEMANDS BEING PLACED ON IT TODAY.
IF WE WANT TO MAINTAIN OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND COMPETE WITH OTHER REGIONS IN THE FUTURE, THE SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED.
IN OTHER WORDS, THINGS WILL ONLY GET WORSE IF NOTHING IS DONE NOW.
TRANSPORTATION MATTERS.
THAT'S WHY WE WANT YOU TO CAREFULLY CONSIDER SOME POSSIBLE TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS THAT YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT IN A MOMENT.
FIRST, LET'S HEAR FROM A FEW PEOPLE WHOSE STORIES MAY SOUND FAMILIAR.
MEET JOVANNA, A TYPICAL COLLEGE STUDENT, STRUGGLING WITH THE DECISION TO STAY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OR TO LEAVE FOR BETTER OPPORTUNITIES AFTER GRADUATION.
OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM DIRECTLY AFFECTS THIS DECISION.
WHAT OTHER ISSUES DOES SHE FACE IN THE FUTURE IF TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS AREN'T ADDRESSED?
>> I LOVE THIS SCHOOL, I LOVE MY AREA, AND I'VE MADE GREAT FRIENDS, BUT WHEN I GRADUATE, I MAY HAVE TO MOVE TO A CITY WITH MORE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS AND HIGHER-WAGE JOBS.
>> RETAINING OUR COLLEGE GRADUATES AND ENTICING GRADUATES FROM OTHER AREAS AROUND THE COUNTRY IS WHAT WILL HELP STRENGTHEN OUR ECONOMY IN THE FUTURE.
MEET THE DONOVANS, A TYPICAL FAMILY FACING MULTIPLE MOBILITY CHALLENGES.
DAD WORKS FOR A LOCAL TECH COMPANY, MOM OWNS A SMALL FLOWER SHOP, AND THE CHILDREN ARE ENROLLED IN LOCAL SCHOOLS.
WHAT ISSUES WILL AFFECT THEM IF THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM REMAINS STATUS QUO?
>> I HAVE A GREAT JOB, BUT IT TAKES ME 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR TO GET TO WORK EVERY DAY, AND I HAVE TO BE ON TIME, WHICH MEANS I HAVE TO GET UP EARLIER AND SPEND LESS TIME WITH MY FAMILY.
>> MY BUSINESS IS DEPENDENT ON QUICK LOCAL DELIVERY, AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS CAN RAISE MY VEHICLE AND LABOR COSTS.
>> WHEN ONE OF THE KIDS ARE SICK AND DIANA, SHE CAN'T LEAVE THE SHOP, SO THE ONLY OPTION IS ME, AND I HAVE TO ASK OFF EARLY FROM WORK, AND THAT JUST CAUSES STRESS IN MY LIFE.
>> BUSINESS OWNERS REQUIRE STAFF, AND WITHOUT ENOUGH TRANSIT OPTIONS, THEIR OPTIONS FOR A QUALITY WORKFORCE ARE REDUCED.
FAMILY TIME IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND IF THE TRANSPORTATION GRID CAUSES SUCH DELAYS ON A DAILY BASIS, THEN FAMILIES WILL HAVE MUCH LESS QUALITY TIME TOGETHER.
JOE AND EDITH ARE TYPICAL SENIORS WITH SIMPLE, YET EXTREMELY IMPORTANT NEEDS.
WITHOUT SAFE, RELIABLE, AND AFFORDABLE TRANSIT OPTIONS, THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE WILL BE GREATLY REDUCED.
>> WE DON'T DRIVE, SO WE JUST NEED TO FIND AN EASIER WAY TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.
AS IT STANDS, WE CAN ONLY CARRY ONE BAG PER TRIP IF WE WALK.
>> IT SEEMS LATELY THAT OUR LIVES REVOLVE AROUND ONE DOCTOR APPOINTMENT AFTER ANOTHER AND THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO GET THERE AND THEN GET HOME AGAIN.
IT WOULD BE A LOT EASIER IF WE HAD SAFE, RELIABLE OPTIONS.
>> YES.
AND I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO BE SO DEPENDENT ON OUR DAUGHTER TO TAKE US TO ALL THOSE APPOINTMENTS OR THE SALON OR EVEN THE MALL.
AT TIMES I THINK IT WOULD JUST BE EASIER IF WE NEVER LEFT HOME.
>> WE NEED TO PROVIDE MOBILITY OPTIONS THAT MEET THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF OUR SENIORS SO THAT THEY CAN LIVE THEIR LIVES SAFELY, INDEPENDENTLY, AND WITH A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO HOW DO WE IMPROVE OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE'S NEEDS?
WITH FASTER, MORE CONVENIENT PREMIUM BUS RAPID TRANSIT SERVICE DELIVERED OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS AND WITH RAIL SERVICE IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS ALONG MAJOR TRANSIT CORRIDORS, CONNECTING DOWNTOWN TAMPA, WESTSHORE, THE AIRPORT, BRANDON, USF/NEW TAMPA, AND SOUTH COUNTY.
DEDICATED LANES ALREADY PLANNED AND UNDER CONSTRUCTION BY FDOT ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE TRANSIT TIMES, AND THESE TRANSIT SOLUTIONS WILL BE DESIGNED TO CONNECT WITH SURROUNDING COUNTIES AND LINK TO PRIVATELY DEVELOPED HIGH-SPEED RAIL SERVICE FROM ORLANDO.
INTERMODAL TRANSIT CENTERS IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA AND IN THE WESTSHORE/TIA AREA WILL COMBINE SEAMLESS CONNECTIVITY FOR TRAVELERS WITH COMMERCIAL, RETAIL, AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT TO CREATE A WALKABLE AND LIVABLE CITIES' ENVIRONMENT.
THE PREMIUM FIXED GUIDEWAY BUS AND RAIL SYSTEM WILL BE COMPLEMENTED BY MORE CONVENIENT, EXPANDED METRORAPID SERVICE AND CIRCULATOR BUS SERVICE IN COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTY OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, INCLUDING REVITALIZED AND MORE EXTENSIVE DOWNTOWN TAMPA STREETCAR SERVICE.
RECOGNIZING THAT OUR TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM MUST BE INTEGRATED TO PROVIDE THE BEST CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, NUMEROUS IMPROVEMENTS TO ROADS AND INTERSECTIONS WILL CREATE SPEEDIER CONNECTIVITY TO MOVE TRAVELERS TO AND FROM TRANSIT HUBS.
IMPROVEMENTS TO BASIC ROADWAY INFRASTRUCTURE WILL NOT ONLY EMPHASIZE SPEED, BUT SAFETY IS FIRST AND FOREMOST IN OUR MINDS, ESPECIALLY FOR BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS.
FINALLY, A HOST OF SIDEWALKS, BRIDGES, TRAILS, AND STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS AROUND THE COUNTY WILL ENSURE QUALITY OF LIFE AND SAFE MOBILITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS.
THIS IS TRULY AN EXCITING TIME FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR REGION AS WE DESIGN AND DELIVER MUCH-NEEDED MOBILITY SOLUTIONS THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL RESIDENTS AND INVIGORATES AN ATTRACTIVE CLIMATE FOR JOB CREATION AND RETENTION.
YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES HAVE BEEN HARD AT WORK DEVELOPING PROPOSED SMART TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS.
THIS INCLUDES TAKING THE FIRST STEP TO PROVIDE HART WITH THE LEADERSHIP, AUTHORITY, AND TOOLS TO DELIVER SMART TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS AS SOON AS IT IS FEASIBLE WITH ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND WITH PUBLIC INPUT.
THIS IS THE RECIPE TO ENSURE RENEWED QUALITY OF LIFE AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.
SMART TRANSPORTATION MEANS ACCESS TO MULTIPLE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, RELIABLE AND CONSISTENT SERVICE, AND A FAIR PRICE PAID BY ALL WHO BENEFIT.
IT MEANS PUTTING SAFETY FIRST AND TAKING CARE OF THE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE.
MOST OF ALL, IT MEANS DELIVERING MOBILITY SOLUTIONS THAT WILL MEET DIVERSE COMMUNITY NEEDS NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.
IN THE END, IT'S ENSURING VALUE FOR YOU, YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR FAMILY, AND YOUR COMMUNITY.
STEP TWO IS DETERMINING A FUNDING SOURCE.
THIS WILL PROVE TO BE DIFFICULT, AS CURRENT FUNDING SOURCES, SUCH AS THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX, HAVE BEEN COMMITTED THROUGH ITS EXPIRATION DATE IN 2026, AND GAS TAX REVENUE IS DOWN.
GOVERNMENT SPENDING PER CAPITA HAS DECLINED BY 20% SINCE 2007.
THOUGH THE REDUCTIONS HAVE MADE US MORE EFFICIENT, IT ALSO MEANS THAT THERE ISN'T MUCH LEFT FOR NEW PROJECTS.
FIRST, THERE WILL NEED TO BE GREATER SUPPORT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
IN ADDITION, THERE WILL BE GREATER RELIANCE ON FARES AND TOLLS PAID BY TRANSIT RIDERS AND BY DRIVERS WHO MAY CHOOSE TO PAY FOR PREMIUM SERVICES, SUCH AS DEDICATED HOT LANES.
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WILL PRODUCE REVENUE-SHARING OPPORTUNITIES, GENERATED BY COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT NEAR AND AROUND TRANSIT STOPS.
EVEN WITH ALL THESE CREATIVE FUNDING SOLUTIONS, THIS VISION WILL REQUIRE A DEDICATED, STRONG, AND EQUITABLE FUNDING SOURCE, LIKE A SALES TAX, WHICH MUST BE APPROVED BY VOTERS AT REFERENDUM.
A ONE-CENT SALES TAX WILL PRODUCE AN ESTIMATED $6.1 BILLION OVER 30 YEARS.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE MORE YOU EARN, THE MORE SALES TAXES YOU PAY, AND THE ADDED ADVANTAGE IS THAT VISITORS AND OUT-OF-COUNTY WORKERS WHO USE OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM ALSO PAY THE SALES TAX.
WHAT IS A ONE-CENT SALES TAX LIKELY TO COST YOU?
LESS THAN 50 CENTS A DAY.
THIS WILL PROVIDE ENOUGH FUNDING TO NOT ONLY CREATE THE BRAND-NEW MULTIMODAL TRANSIT OPTIONS IN OUR PLAN, BUT IT WILL ALSO HELP PAY FOR PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN STALLED DUE TO LACK OF FUNDING.
THE LIST OF PROJECTS INCLUDES INTERSECTION AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS AND MASS TRANSIT OPTIONS.
SO FOR US TO HELP OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES, AND OUR SENIORS AS WELL AS RETAIN OUR FUTURE WORKFORCE AND PROVIDE FOR A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE, EVEN AS MORE PEOPLE MOVE TO OUR COMMUNITY IN THE COMING YEARS, WE NEED YOUR HELP.
IMAGINE A FUTURE WHERE HIGH-WAGE JOBS ARE CREATED HERE AT HOME AND OUR LOCAL TALENT AND STUDENTS ARE RETAINED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IMAGINE THOSE STUDENTS YEARS LATER INVENTING PRODUCTS OR CREATING NEW BUSINESSES, BOTH OF WHICH WILL CREATE NEW JOBS AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR AREA.
IMAGINE LIVING IN A PLACE WHERE YOU KNOW YOUR CHILDREN WILL HAVE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES, OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION, FOR JOBS AND CAREERS, AND FOR QUALITY LIVING.
IMAGINE THOSE SAME KIDS GETTING MARRIED AND HAVING CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN AND EVERYONE CONTRIBUTING TO THE ONGOING BETTERMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND FINALLY, IMAGINE YOUR TWILIGHT YEARS, KNOWING YOU WILL HAVE SAFE, RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO LIVE A FULL LIFE LONG AFTER YOU GIVE UP THE WHEEL.
OUR INVESTMENT AND DEDICATION TO IMPROVING OUR COMMUNITY TODAY WILL PROVIDE US WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHOICES WE NEED FOR A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE.
WHERE TRANSPORTATION GOES, COMMUNITIES GROW.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE PLAN OR TO SEE POTENTIAL PROJECTS, VISIT TED.
WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK AND INPUT, AND WE WANT YOU TO BE WELL INFORMED.
THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS YOU MOST NEED, SAFER, FASTER, AND MORE EFFICIENT CHOICES, AND SOLUTIONS TO ENSURE OUR CONTINUED ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.
[END OF VIDEO]
>>MIKE MERRILL: SO THE -- THIS IS THE BASIC VIDEO.
THERE'S ANOTHER THAT DRILLS DOWN FURTHER INTO PROJECTS, BUT WE WON'T SHOW THAT.
SO I GUESS THERE'S A COUPLE OF MAIN THEMES THAT COME OUT OF THIS.
ONE IS, I THINK, NO MATTER HOW EVERYONE -- HOW INDIVIDUALS FEEL ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS, I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY PRETTY WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FOR THE NOTION THAT OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM NEEDS HELP.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S MUCH DISAGREEMENT ABOUT THAT.
HOW WE GET THERE IS REALLY WHAT THIS PROCESS IS ABOUT.
SO THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP, WHICH IS MADE UP OF SOME OF THE FOLKS HERE, WHICH IS THE SEVEN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THE THREE MAYORS, AND THE CHAIR OF HART, HAVE BEEN HARD AT WORK NOW SINCE MAY OF 2013 LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS, LOOKING AT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AREAS.
THE NAME OF THIS, THE TRANSPORTATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IS REALLY THE SIGNATURE PIECE TO THIS.
IT'S ABOUT HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO COMPETE IN A WORLD ECONOMY, NOT MENTIONING JUST THE LOCAL ECONOMY, AND WE CAN ONLY DO THAT BY HAVING A ROBUST TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
SO IN THE 25 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE AND IN THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT I SPENT DOING FINANCING FOR THE COUNTY, THE ONE PERSISTENT THEME THAT CREDIT RATING AGENCIES AND INSTITUTIONAL BOND INVESTORS HAVE CRITICIZED IS OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OR THE LACK OF SOLUTIONS, AND YOU CAN SORT OF READ THROUGH A HISTORY OF CREDIT REPORTS, AND WE HIT THE MARK OR WE EXCEED THE MARK ON EVERYTHING, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS A COMMENT ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO FUND TRANSPORTATION.
AND WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT TO CREDIT RATING AGENCIES?
BECAUSE OTHER THAN WATER, I WOULD ARGUE, WITHOUT A GOOD TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, THE REST OF THE ORGANS IN THE BODY BEGIN TO FAIL, AND WHEN BOND INVESTORS, WHEN CORPORATIONS ARE LOOKING AT OUR COMMUNITY, THEY WANT TO KNOW THEY CAN MOVE GOODS AND SERVICES.
WITHOUT THAT, WE CAN'T RETAIN JOBS.
WITHOUT RETAINING JOBS, WE HAVE NO ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.
SO THE CIT WAS A BIG HELP, AND THERE WAS AN EFFORT CALLED THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE, I GUESS, IN THE EARLY 2000s OR LATE '90s.
THAT HELPED.
IN FACT, HELPED US GET A AAA RATING.
WE WERE KIND OF SKIMMING ALONG AT ABOUT A AA RATING, AND THE INFUSION OF THE CIT MONEY AND THE COMMITMENT BY THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE FOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS GOT US UP TO A AAA RATING, AS WE MAINTAINED.
BUT AS THE VIDEO INDICATED, THAT'S BEEN COMMITTED.
THE CIT WAS NOT JUST FOR TRANSPORTATION, IT WAS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, FOR JAILS, FOR SCHOOLS, FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
EVEN THOUGH A GOOD CHUNK OF IT WAS SPENT ON TRANSPORTATION, IT'S BEEN COMMITTED NOW THROUGH THE EXPIRATION DATE IN 2026.
GAS TAXES, WE ALL KNOW, ARE NOT A RELIABLE SOURCE, AND FOR THOSE WHO THINK THAT, GEE, IF WE JUST TOOK OUR OTHER GOVERNMENT REVENUE AND JUST SPENT IT MORE WISELY, WE COULD PAY FOR ALL THIS, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF PERSPECTIVE ON THAT.
THE COUNTY -- I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE CITIES NOW, JUST THE COUNTY.
THE COUNTY'S OPERATING BUDGET, WHAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY PAY FOR IN TAX IS ABOUT 1.8 BILLION.
OKAY.
OF THAT, ABOUT HALF OF IT GOES TO PUBLIC SAFETY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE RESCUE, MEDICAL EXAMINER, ALL THAT STUFF THAT WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST GOTTA HAVE.
ANOTHER CHUNK OF IT GOES TO OUR WATER AND WASTEWATER UTILITY AND OUR SOLID WASTE UTILITY.
THOSE ARE LIKE TECO.
THOSE ARE UTILITIES.
THEY'RE PRIVATE UTILITIES.
THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH FUNDING OF TRANSPORTATION.
YOU TAKE THOSE OUT, WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT A HALF A BILLION, $500 MILLION IN AVAILABLE REVENUE THAT IS USED TO PAY FOR OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES, HUMAN SERVICES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO TO GIVE YOU A PERSPECTIVE, THE BACKLOG OF REPAVING IN THIS COUNTY PLUS PUBLIC SAFETY BACKLOG PROJECTS EXCEED A BILLION DOLLARS, EXCEEDS A BILLION DOLLARS OF BACKLOG JUST TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT WE HAVE AND TO IMPROVE SAFETY.
COMPARE THAT TO A HALF A BILLION DOLLARS, $500 MILLION, TO RUN THE GOVERNMENT.
YOU KNOW, EVEN IF WE SAVED -- LET'S TAKE 10% OF THAT HALF A BILLION.
IT'S NOT GOING TO PUT A DENT IN THE ESSENTIAL STUFF THAT WE NEED TO DO.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CRITICAL NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
WHETHER IT'S A SALES TAX, WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S GOING TO BE A COMBINATION OF THINGS.
SO WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO IN THIS PLACE THAT WE'RE AT NOW -- AND WHERE WE ARE IS THAT AFTER ALL THE WORK, WE HAVE A PROPOSAL, AND IT'S NOT A PLAN BECAUSE A PLAN CONNOTES THAT YOU HAVE SPECIFIC OUTCOMES, THAT YOU HAVE PRESCRIBED OUTCOMES, THAT YOU HAVE EVERYTHING LAID OUT.
THAT'S NOT WHERE THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP WANTED TO BE, IT'S NOT WHERE WE SHOULD BE, BECAUSE THERE'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE, AND THAT'S GOING OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND GETTING THEIR REACTION, GETTING THEIR INPUT BEFORE THE ELECTED LEADERS GET BACK TOGETHER AND DEVELOP A PLAN.
SO I'LL USE A TORTURED METAPHOR HERE, BUT I'LL GIVE IT A TRY ANYWAY.
SO I THINK IF WE LOOK AT IT AS A MENU OF CHOICES, A MENU OF FUNDING OPTIONS THAT ARE BALANCED BECAUSE BALANCE IS IMPORTANT -- TRANSIT'S IMPORTANT, BUT SO IS TAKING CARE OF NONTRANSIT PROJECTS, THE BACKLOG OF REPAVING, THE BACKLOG OF PUBLIC SAFETY, DOING SOME WORK ON ROADS.
YES, WE DO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN OUR ROADS.
SO WHAT WE HAVE, REALLY, IS A BALANCED MENU OF CHOICES TO TAKE OUT TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE IS A MALNOURISHED TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
IT'S NOT A STARVING SYSTEM, IT'S JUST MALNOURISHED.
SO WHEN YOU GO TO A RESTAURANT, THEY DON'T HAND YOU A BLANK PIECE OF PAPER AND TELL YOU TO FILL IN YOUR MENU, THEY GIVE YOU MENU CHOICES.
SO WHAT WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW IS A PLACE WHERE THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP WILL MEET NEXT TUESDAY, WE'LL REVIEW THE PROPOSAL, THE MENU, AND TELL US WHETHER THEY THINK WE'RE READY TO GO OUT TO THE PUBLIC FOR AN EXTENSIVE SIX- TO EIGHT-WEEK PUBLIC OUTREACH.
THAT'S THE FULL CHICAGO.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, SURVEYS, IT'S POLLING, IT'S TOWN HALLS, IT'S FOCUS GROUPS, TRYING TO SEE IF THERE'S A SENSE OF -- OR CONSENSUS OR A SENSE OF AGREEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, BUT WHILE IT'S A MENU OF CHOICES, THERE'S A FRAMEWORK.
THERE'S -- I'LL CALL IT THE FOUR FOOD GROUPS, OKAY.
IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, WE, AS STAFF, AND I THINK THE PLG FEEL THAT THERE'S SOME BASIC STUFF, WHICH IS PUBLIC SAFETY FIRST BECAUSE THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT IN GOVERNMENT, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD SAFETY ON OUR ROADS FOR OUR BIKES, FOR OUR PEDESTRIANS, WE CAN MOVE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT WHEN WE NEED TO MOVE IT.
THE SECOND BASIC FOOD GROUP IS TAKING CARE OF WHAT WE HAVE, SO REPAVING AND LIKE PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
THE THIRD FOOD GROUP WOULD BE, IN FACT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT WHAT ARE OUR KEY JOB CENTERS, AND THERE ARE SEVEN KEY JOB CENTERS.
MOST OF THEM YOU CAN PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT INTUITIVELY, DOWNTOWN, WESTSHORE, AIRPORT AREA, USF, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THE OTHERS, BUT FOCUSING ON WHAT TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE CAN WE APPLY TO THOSE JOB CENTERS TO RETAIN AND ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO ATTRACT AND CONNECT THOSE JOB CENTERS.
THAT'S REALLY THE THIRD BASIC FOOD GROUP.
AND THEN THE FOURTH FOOD GROUP ARE THOSE COMMUNITY PROJECTS THAT PEOPLE, RESIDENTS, TAXPAYERS HAVE BEEN TELLING US FOR YEARS THAT THEY WANT, SIDEWALKS, INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS, SOME ROAD EXPANSIONS, TRAILS, BIKE SAFETY.
THOSE HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE SHELF NOW FOR YEARS, THROUGH THE RECESSION AND EVEN BEFORE THE RECESSION, BECAUSE WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDING FOR IT.
WE KNOW THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO CONVINCE PEOPLE AND CREATE TRUST FOR VOTERS TO APPROVE A SALES TAX, IT HAS TO BE BALANCED.
TRANSIT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, BUT TRANSIT IS NOT EVERYTHING.
THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY -- WE WENT OUT TO TOWN HALL MEETINGS OVER THE LAST YEAR, I DID, MANAGERS.
WE HEARD VERY CLEARLY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I JUST WANT A CIRCULATOR BUS, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THE HAIR SALON, TO THE GROCERY STORE, YOU KNOW; RAIL'S GREAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO GET AROUND; OR I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR A SIDEWALK IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD NOW FOR FIVE YEARS, YOU KNOW.
YOU SAW THE PICTURE OF JOE AND EDITH.
I FEEL LIKE I KNOW JOE AND EDITH LIKE THEY'RE MY GODPARENTS, BUT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WALKING ON GRASS ON THE SIDE OF A ROAD IS NOT WHAT A MATURE, ADVANCED COMMUNITY IS ALL ABOUT.
SO THERE'S ROUGHLY A BALANCE HERE RIGHT NOW OF ABOUT
$4.2 BILLION IN THIS PROPOSAL, IN THIS MENU, FOR NONTRANSIT, AND THAT INCLUDES REPAVING AND SAFETY.
THE TRANSIT SIDE'S A LITTLE TRICKIER BECAUSE IT DEPENDS WHAT YOU CHOOSE, SO THERE'S A RANGE OF OPTIONS.
WE ALL KNOW RAIL'S VERY EXPENSIVE.
IT HAS MANY BENEFITS.
BUS RAPID TRANSIT, EXPRESS BUS IS LESS EXPENSIVE, BOTH TO ACQUIRE AND TO OPERATE.
SO THE QUESTION WILL BE FOR POLICYMAKERS AND THE COMMUNITY WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM THE MENU OF CHOICES HERE?
WHAT REALLY MAKES A -- AN EXTRAORDINARY COMMUNITY FOR YOU?
AND DEPENDING ON THE CHOICES, YOU KNOW, THAT TRANSIT PIECE COULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE, IT COULD BE LESS EXPENSIVE.
WE DIDN'T TRY AND CONSTRAIN THE LIST, AND REALLY, THAT'S WHAT THE EDITORIAL WAS REFERRING TO WHEN IT SAID -- I FORGET THE WORDS.
BUT -- I DON'T EVEN WANT TO REPEAT THE WORDS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE FACT IS IT'S MORE ABOUT -- IT'S MORE THAN SALES TAX.
SO LET'S JUST SAY THAT THE BALANCED TRANSIT/NONTRANSIT PACKAGE IS $12 BILLION -- LET'S JUST PICK A NUMBER, OKAY --
AND THE SALES TAX PRODUCES 6.1 BILLION.
WELL, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SIGNIFICANT FEDERAL GRANT MONEY.
WE NEED TO DO SOME THINGS NOW TO GET OURSELVES PREPARED BECAUSE THE FEDERAL MONEY NOW HAS CRITERIA THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET.
SOME OF THOSE CRITERIA WE'RE NOT QUITE UP TO SNUFF ON, BUT WE CAN GET THERE.
WE'RE VERY CONFIDENT THAT IF WE PREPARE, WE CAN DRAW DOWN SIGNIFICANT MONEY.
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, PREMIUM TOLLS.
THAT'S ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT CAN HELP PAY FOR A PACKAGE, SO WE DON'T WANT TO SAY TODAY THAT, WELL, ALL WE CAN -- ALL WE CAN AFFORD TO BUILD IS 6.1 BILLION BECAUSE WE'RE NOT AT THAT POINT YET OF PUTTING TOGETHER THE PLAN.
I THINK WE OWE IT TO THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE THEM A COMPLETE LAY-DOWN OF ALL THE NEEDS, UNFILTERED, IT IS WHAT IT IS, IT'S WHAT YOU'VE BEEN ASKING FOR, IT'S WHAT WE THINK WE NEED, TELL US HOW THAT FEELS.
IS IT TOO MUCH OF SOMETHING, TOO LITTLE OF SOMETHING?
BRING IT BACK AND THEN FINE-TUNE IT INTO THE PLAN THAT WE KNOW WE NEED TO HAVE BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE NEED TO HAVE A DEFINITIVE PLAN AND HAVE MORE, YOU KNOW -- MORE MEAT ON THE BONES.
BUT -- SO NEXT TUESDAY, THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP MEETS, REVIEWS THIS MATERIAL, THEY'LL REVIEW THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROPOSAL, AGAIN, A ROBUST PROPOSAL, SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS, GOING OUT AND GETTING FEEDBACK; COME BACK IN OCTOBER, SORT OF THE END OF OCTOBER, WITH THE FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC, AND THAT INCLUDES OUR PARTNERS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
WE'VE HAD A STRONG COMMITMENT FROM THE CHAMBERS AND OTHERS TO WORK WITH US IN THIS ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
AND THEN IN OCTOBER IT'LL BE FINE-TUNING THIS DOWN TO SOMETHING THAT LOOKS MORE LIKE A PLAN, AND THEN THERE'LL HAVE TO BE A DECISION POINT.
THE DECISION IS ARE WE READY, DO WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A REFERENDUM, OR DO WE NEED MORE WORK?
SO THAT DECISION HASN'T BEEN MADE YET, BUT, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S -- THAT'S A DISCUSSION FOR, YOU KNOW, THE OCTOBER TIME PERIOD.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AT THIS POINT, AND I'LL STOP THERE AND SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
>>MARK SHARPE: BOARD MEMBERS, QUESTIONS?
DR. POLZIN.
I WAS WATCHING YOUR BODY MOTION.
I THOUGHT MAYBE YOU HAD A --
[LAUGHTER]
>>STEVE POLZIN: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: ANY QUESTIONS?
COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: OKAY.
I'LL GO FIRST.
I WAS WAITING TO SEE IF SOMEBODY ELSE WANTED TO GO FIRST.
THERE'S A LOT THAT -- AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THAT I'D LIKE TO SAY, SO I'M GOING TO TRY AND FOCUS ON JUST A COUPLE OF ISSUES.
THE ONE IS WHEN I READ THE ATTACHMENT TO THE AGENDA ITEM, THE DRAFT BROCHURE CONTENT, UNDER "PROPOSAL," IT MENTIONS A LOT OF, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A PLAN FOR YOU TO WHERE, YOU
KNOW -- A CONNECTION TO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO AND ALLOWING YOU TO DECIDE.
WELL, AS FAR AS I KNOW OF, THE COMMUNITY HAS NOT BEEN ENGAGED, SO I'M NOT SURE HOW WE CAN SAY THAT THIS IS A -- YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT, AND I THINK IT IS MAYBE A MISSTATEMENT FOR US TO SAY WE DEVELOPED A PLAN FOR YOU, ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU JUST SAID THAT THIS IS MERELY A PROPOSAL AND NOT A PLAN.
>>MIKE MERRILL: MM-HMM.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: SO I THINK THAT THIS WAS MAYBE UPSIDE DOWN.
THE PUBLIC AND THE ALREADY-FORMED IDEAS, BELIEFS, AND HABITS OF THE PUBLIC IS WHAT NEEDS TO COME FIRST BECAUSE WE DID A LABORIOUS, VERY DETAILED POST-REFERENDUM ANALYSIS.
ONE OF -- AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, RAY, BUT ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES OUT OF THAT ANALYSIS WAS THAT THEY DIDN'T TRUST ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH THE MONEY THAT WOULD BE RAISED.
SO BUILDING THAT TRUST BY ASKING THE PUBLIC AND STUDYING THEIR HABITS AND FORMING A HOST OF PROJECTS PROPOSED AROUND THOSE TWO THINGS IS, I THINK, AN OPPORTUNITY MISSED.
THE OTHER THING I NOTICED IS THAT OFTEN IT'S BRT, BUS RAPID TRANSIT, VERSUS RAIL, AND I DON'T SEE THEM AS A THIS-OR-THAT, I SEE THEM AS WE NEED BOTH BECAUSE IN SOME PLACES, RAIL ISN'T GOING TO BE POSSIBLE; IN SOME PLACES IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FEASIBLE OR COST, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE, SO WE HAVE TO HAVE BRT, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE BRT THE RIGHT WAY.
WE HAVE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL LANES, WE HAVE TO HAVE UNIMPEDED MOVEMENT OF THOSE BUSES, NOT WHAT WE HAVE NOW ON THE METRORAPID.
I'VE USED THE METRORAPID BEFORE, AND SINCE THERE'S NO DEDICATED LANE, YOU'RE SITTING IN THE SAME TRAFFIC EVERYBODY ELSE IS, EVEN WITH THE, YOU KNOW, ABILITY TO CHANGE THE LIGHTS.
AND IT'S JUST -- FOR ME I'M NOT SURE WHY WE -- WE ARE AFRAID OF SAYING WE ARE PROPOSING RAIL.
>>MIKE MERRILL: I DON'T THINK WE ARE AFRAID TO SAY IT.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S BEEN SAID ANYWHERE.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: WELL, IN -- IT'S ALWAYS REFERRED TO AS TRANSIT, AND YOU SAID A RANGE OF OPTIONS IN TRANSIT.
>>MIKE MERRILL: SURE.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: AND WHEN I READ THIS -- THE BACKUP, THE DRAFT BROCHURE CONCEPT PAPER, IT HAS TRANSIT SOLUTIONS, IT HAS PARK-N-RIDE LOCATIONS, BUT IT DOESN'T SAY FOR WHAT.
IT SAYS, SIDEWALKS AND BIKE A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT THE
WORD -- THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DOESN'T APPEAR.
>>MIKE MERRILL: WELL, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK ANYTHING IN MY COMMENTS TODAY INDICATE THAT WE DON'T THINK RAIL IS IMPORTANT.
RAIL TAKES TIME TO BUILD, AND IN THE MEANTIME, WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS A MORE EXPANDED BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM TO BEGIN TO BUILD RIDERSHIP.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: WELL, IN ONE OF THE MAJOR -- IN I THINK ONE OF THE ARTICLES I READ, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE EDITORIAL TODAY OR THE -- THE RECAP OF THE HART MEETING THE OTHER DAY THAT WAS IN THE PAPER, RAIL OVER THE -- OVER THE HOWARD FRANKLAND DOESN'T EVEN COME INTO THE PICTURE WHEN THAT WAS FROM THE TMA LEADERSHIP GROUP, WHICH INCLUDES PINELLAS AND PASCO COUNTIES -- IT WAS ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES TO HAVE TRANSIT CORRIDOR --
>>MIKE MERRILL: SURE.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: -- AND WE PROMPTED THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO INCLUDE IT IN THEIR PLANS WITH BRIDGE REPLACEMENT.
AND ANOTHER TOP PROJECT -- IT ACTUALLY APPEARS TWICE ON THE LIST -- IS WESTSHORE INTERMODAL CENTER AND THE TIA CONNECTION TO THE WESTSHORE INTERMODAL CENTER.
SO THAT'S THREE PROJECTS THAT THE THREE COUNTIES AGREE ON --
>>MIKE MERRILL: MM-HMM.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: -- THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INTERMODAL CENTER, YOU NEED TO HAVE OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORTATION --
>>MIKE MERRILL: SURE.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: -- TO, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, HAVE AN INTERMODAL CENTER.
>>MIKE MERRILL: SURE.
AND SO FDOT -- WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH FDOT, AND THEY WILL PROVIDE WHATEVER REGIONAL CONNECTIONS, AND THEY'RE CURRENTLY DOING THAT.
THIS PROPOSAL HAS TO DO TWO THINGS.
ONE IS HOW DO WE TAKE CARE OF OUR NEEDS WITHIN OUR BORDERS WHILE LOOKING AT REGIONAL CONNECTIONS?
SO, YOU KNOW, REGIONAL CONNECTIONS ONLY WORK IF THEY CONNECT TO SOMETHING, SO WE HAVE TO BE DOING BOTH.
WE'RE NOT FORECLOSING RAIL.
IT'S A SEAMLESS SYSTEM.
YOU -- ONE DOESN'T PRECLUDE THE OTHER AT ALL.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: WELL, I GUESS IN THE FOOD GROUPS, AS YOU PUT IT, THE PUBLIC SAFETY IS ONE, REPAVING TWO, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THREE, AND COMMUNITY PROJECTS IS FOUR.
I DON'T SEE WHERE ANY OF THIS REGIONAL CONNECTION FITS INTO ANY OF THOSE FOUR FOOD GROUPS UNTIL YOU GET, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, TO THREE OR FOUR.
>>MIKE MERRILL: SURE.
WELL, WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THE PROPOSAL -- I'LL BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN AND WALK THROUGH IT IN DETAIL.
THERE'S ANOTHER VIDEO THAT YOU CAN WATCH THAT TAKES YOU THROUGH IT.
IT ACCOUNTS FOR THE INTERMODAL CENTERS, IT'S ACCOUNTS FOR THE CONRAC AT TIA, IT ACCOUNTS FOR THE CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE BAY, IT ACCOUNTS FOR A POTENTIAL PRIVATE RAIL SYSTEM THAT -- HIGH-SPEED RAIL SYSTEM THAT MAY COME INTO THE COUNTY.
IT'S REPLETE WITH ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, TALK WITH ANY GROUP, AND WE WILL BE TALKING WITH MANY GROUPS ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE REACHED OUT OVER THE LAST YEAR TO THE PUBLIC.
WE'VE WORKED WITH RAY AND HIS STAFF, SO THIS -- SO I HAPPEN TO BE THE ONE HERE STANDING HERE TALKING BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS TO STAND HERE AND TALK, BUT --
>>LISA MONTELIONE: IT'S NOT OF YOUR CHOICE, MR. MERRILL?
[LAUGHTER]
>>MIKE MERRILL: NO, IT'S ABSOLUTELY MY CHOICE BECAUSE THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
BUT I AM REPRESENTING A WHOLE HOST OF PEOPLE FROM THE MPO, FROM FDOT, FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION, FROM THE CITIES, WHO'VE WORKED TOGETHER TO PUT THIS PLAN TOGETHER, AND SO WE HAVE, IN FACT --
>>LISA MONTELIONE: NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
>>MIKE MERRILL: -- BENEFITED FROM THE WORK THE MPO STUDY HAS DONE.
THEY'VE BEEN A VERY GOOD PARTNER.
WE SPENT TIME IN THE COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST YEAR TALKING WITH PEOPLE IN TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
I THINK WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST INITIALLY WHAT -- WHAT OUR FAILINGS WERE IN THE PAST, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE.
WE CAN ALSO LEARN FROM THE PAST.
BUT THE NEXT STEP IS TO TAKE SOMETHING OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND SAY, YOU KNOW, SO TELL US NOW WITH A LITTLE MORE MEAT ON THE BONES WHAT DO YOU WANT, WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THIS PLAN?
YOU'VE BEEN ASKING US FOR SIDEWALKS, IS THAT STILL IMPORTANT?
IS RAIL STILL IMPORTANT TO YOU?
IS BUS RAPID TRANSIT, CIRCULATOR BUSES?
TELL US WHAT YOU WANT.
SO THAT'S -- THIS IS THE PLACE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW, EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I TRIED TO FOLLOW THE TRANSPORTATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP BY SIGNING UP FOR THE COUNTY'S E-MAILS.
>>MIKE MERRILL: MM-HMM.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: HOWEVER, WHEN YOU GO TO THAT PAGE FOR THE LEADERSHIP GROUP AND YOU CLICK ON -- IT SAYS, CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE E-MAIL UPDATES, IT BRINGS YOU TO ANOTHER PAGE THAT THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP DOES NOT APPEAR ON.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF OTHER, YOU KNOW, THINGS YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR FOR NEWSLETTERS, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOURS -- THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP ISN'T THERE.
I -- UNFORTUNATELY, I WATCH ON TV MOST OF THE MEETINGS, NOT ALL OF THE MEETINGS, DEPENDING ON MY SCHEDULE, AND, YOU KNOW, I GET UPDATES FROM RAY, BUT HONESTLY, I, AS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE MPO, DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THAT PLAN.
AND I -- AND IF THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, INCLUSION -- IF I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THE PLAN, I'M NOT SURE -- AND I CAN'T FOLLOW ON-LINE BY SIGNING UP FOR ANYTHING TO BE NOTIFIED, I'M NOT SURE HOW THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAS BEEN ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, ACCESS.
>>MIKE MERRILL: SURE.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: AND IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT THIS IS ON THE AGENDA TODAY AND WE DON'T HAVE -- WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY AT PUBLIC COMMENT, SO THAT'S DISAPPOINTING FOR -- FOR ME TO NOT SEE THE PUBLIC HERE TODAY.
SO THOSE ARE -- THOSE ARE BASICALLY MY CONCERNS IN A NUTSHELL.
>>MIKE MERRILL: OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: COUNCILMAN COHEN.
>>HARRY COHEN: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S A VERY COMPLEX PLAN THAT -- OR PROGRAM THAT IS GOING TO BE EVALUATED, SO IT'S GOING TO, I THINK, TAKE EVERYONE TIME, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT WEREN'T PART OF ITS FORMULATION, TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE 2010 EXPERIENCE, OF COURSE, IS THAT THE CITY PASSED THE -- THE REFERENDUM AND IT FAILED IN THE -- IN THE WIDER COUNTY, AND ONE OF MY CONCERNS AS WE MOVE FORWARD IS THAT IT REMAIN POPULAR IN THE CITY, THAT IT BE SOMETHING THAT CITY VOTERS STILL FEEL ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT SUPPORTING, THAT SOMEHOW THAT SUPPORT DOES NOT FALL AWAY BECAUSE -- BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'VE HAD A CHANCE TO MAYBE NARROW IN ON WHAT THEIR SPECIFIC TRANSPORTATION ISSUES ARE, SO WHAT I'M WONDERING IS IN THIS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PERIOD THAT'S COMING UP, WHAT IS GOING TO -- HOW IS THIS GOING TO WORK AND -- YOU KNOW, I WAS AT A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING LAST NIGHT ABOUT AN ISSUE, AND IT VERY QUICKLY TURNED INTO A TRANSPORTATION DISCUSSION, REALLY JUST -- JUST DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TRAFFIC AND THE REGULAR THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS -- THAT WE ALWAYS END UP -- END UP TALKING ABOUT.
WHERE SHOULD I TELL THESE CONSTITUENTS TO GO TO BE A PART OF THIS DISCUSSION OVER THESE NEXT EIGHT TO TEN WEEKS, BECAUSE I GET THE FEELING THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO PARTICIPATE.
>>MIKE MERRILL: MM-HMM.
>>HARRY COHEN: WHAT ARE THE FORUMS GOING TO BE?
AND I GUESS MY SECOND QUESTION IS, WILL THEY BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY MAKE AN APPEAL FOR SPECIFIC AREAS OF THE CITY THAT THEY FEEL ARE SOMEHOW IN NEED OF A LITTLE EXTRA ATTENTION?
>>MIKE MERRILL: ABSOLUTELY.
SO ASSUMING THAT THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP SAYS WE'RE READY TO GO OUT TO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, IT WILL BE A COMBINATION OF, AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, THE TYPICAL SURVEYS AND POLLING, BUT THE REALLY IMPORTANT PART, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, MEETINGS WITH HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION GROUPS, LARGER TOWN HALL MEETINGS, KIOSKS, WEB MATERIAL, FARE SIMULATIONS, WORLD CAFES, A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN PLUG INTO WHERE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WILL GO OUT -- WE -- AGAIN, WE, NOT ME, WE WILL GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IN ANY FORUM THAT THEY WANT, AND THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SEE -- THERE IS A LIST ON-LINE OF SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
IT -- THE WAY IT LOOKS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY IS UP ON THE SCREEN -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ON YOUR SCREENS YET, BUT THESE ARE THE NONTRANSIT PROJECTS, WHICH, AGAIN, INCLUDE A WHOLE HOST OF PROJECTS LIKE SIDEWALKS, INTERSECTIONS, TRAILS, BY AREA, SO 157 MILLION IS THE PIECE IN THE GREATER PLANT CITY AREA, 107 MILLION IN THE TEMPLE TERRACE AREA, 780 MILLION ALMOST IN THE CITY OF TAMPA, AND THEN THE OTHER THREE PIECES THERE BEING THE UNINCORPORATED PART OF THE COUNTY, SO EACH OF THOSE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS WE HAD TO BREAK IT DOWN SOMEHOW THAT WAS DIGESTIBLE.
FOLKS WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO SEE PROJECT-BY-PROJECT -- THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, 394 INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS.
AGAIN, MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN ON THE SHELF THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR, BUT THERE MAY BE OTHERS.
AS YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, IN THESE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, THEY SAY, WELL, YOU MISSED THIS THING WHICH IS SOMETHING WE WANT.
THAT'S THE KIND OF FEEDBACK.
>>HARRY COHEN: WELL, FOR EXAMPLE, THE THING I WAS THINKING OF IS I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF BUSINESS OWNERS ON HOWARD AVENUE THAT HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS FOR HOW SOME OF THE CONGESTION THERE COULD BE -- COULD BE AMELIORATED, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DIRECT THEM TO A SPECIFIC FORUM WHERE THEY CAN GO TO GET INTO THAT DIALOGUE, SO MY REQUEST FROM YOU TODAY IS IF -- IF -- IF SOMEONE COULD REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE, I WOULD -- I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO JUST HAVE INFORMATION ON -- THAT I CAN GIVE TO PEOPLE ON WHERE THEY CAN GO --
>>MIKE MERRILL: YES.
>>HARRY COHEN: -- AND HOW THEY CAN BE PART OF THIS PROCESS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THE EIGHT TO TEN WEEKS TO GO BY AND THEN TO TURN AROUND AND FIND OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, LARGE -- LARGE SEGMENTS WERE SOMEHOW INADVERTENTLY MISSED.
IT'S BETTER TO GET TO EVERYBODY NOW AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE -- TO BE HEARD, AND I THINK IT'S A -- NOT A TERRIBLY LONG WINDOW AND IT IS COMING UP SOON, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF COORDINATION TO REALLY GET THE KIND OF INPUT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THAT WOULD REALLY UNDERSCORE BLOCKS OF SUPPORT FOR MOVING FORWARD.
>>MIKE MERRILL: THE COMMUNICATIONS STEERING GROUP IS MADE UP OF COMMUNICATION FOLKS FROM ALL OF THE JURISDICTIONS, SO THE CITY OF TAMPA HAS A PERSON AND THE CITIES AND HART AND MPO, SO EVERYONE IS KIND OF COMING FROM THEIR INDIVIDUAL, YOU KNOW, INTERESTS BUT COMING TOGETHER, AND SO AFTER NEXT WEEK, THERE WILL BE THOSE SPECIFIC VENUES LISTED, AND IT
MAY -- I'M SURE IT WILL TAKE LONGER THAN EIGHT WEEKS.
>>HARRY COHEN: I'M JUST -- I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING, AND THEN I'M FINISHED, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU REACH OUT TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE GROUP SO THAT WE CAN FEED YOU THOSE CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THIS PROCESS TO US.
>>MIKE MERRILL: I HEAR YOU.
YEP.
ABSOLUTELY.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: THANK YOU.
I WANT TO ADD TO A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT MIKE SAID.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M -- I'M COMING TO THE END OF MY TENURE, AND I WANT TO SAY I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS TRANSPORTATION ISSUE -- I FOUND SOMETHING FROM JOE CHILLURA IN 1971.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR 40 YEARS.
I'M GOING TO BRING IT TO THE MEETING, I THINK, ON TUESDAY.
MIKE IS THE FIRST COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR THAT HAS NOT RUN THE OTHER WAY FROM THIS, AND I COULD UNDERSTAND WHY, KNOWING WHAT HE DEALT WITH GETTING THE EDITORIAL AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS TODAY.
THIS IS NOT A MISHMASH OF PROJECTS.
ALL OF THESE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN STUDIED FOR YEARS BECAUSE THEY'RE NEEDED, WE JUST NEVER HAD THE MONEY TO DO THEM, AND MIKE HAS KIND OF STEPPED FORWARD AND JUMPED INTO THE WORLD OF TRANSPORTATION THAT SOME OF US HAVE BEEN IN A WHILE, AND THAT'S THE BIGGEST PROBLEM, AND I THINK THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT MOVE.
YES, IT'S NOT PERFECT, AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE BROUGHT UP, YES, WE DO NEED TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC MORE, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT.
I MEAN, WE'RE ENGAGING THE PUBLIC A LITTLE BIT NOW WITH OUR EFFORT WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND MPO, WHICH IS GOING TO BE THE PERFECT -- WE'RE GOING TO BE DONE WITH THAT SEPTEMBER 1st, SO THEN THAT'S TIME FOR -- FOR MIKE'S GROUP TO TAKE OVER AND GET INTO THE MORE DETAILS.
OUR MPO PLAN NEEDS TO BE THE FLEXIBLE FOUNDATION FRAMEWORK FOR THIS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO IS COORDINATE BOTH THINGS TOGETHER, BUT WE'VE NEVER HAD ALL THE JURISDICTIONS WORKING TOGETHER LIKE THIS, AND IT'S KIND OF MESSY SOMETIMES.
AND WE'RE IN UNCHARTED WATERS, BUT WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND I THINK WE CAN FIX SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT UP, I THINK WE CAN REINFORCE THEM, WE CAN EXPLAIN TO THE MEDIA IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER ON THIS, WHICH WE'VE BEEN DOING SO FAR.
IT'S NOT EASY, I AGREE IT'S NOT EASY, BUT WE HAVE TO DO IT.
SO I -- YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOOD STARTING POINT, THIS PROPOSAL, TO DISCUSS WHAT THE PLAN SHOULD BE, AND I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM OUR CITIZENS AND I'M SURE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE PLENTY OF COMMENTS THAT WE NEED TO LISTEN TO.
>>MIKE MERRILL: THANKS, RAY.
>>MARK SHARPE: MS. MONTELIONE ALWAYS SAYS -- I THINK AT THE LAST MEETING YOU ASKED WHY -- I THINK IT WAS YOU -- WHY I HADN'T BROUGHT A MAGAZINE IN TO WAVE IT AND TALK ABOUT A COVER STORY AND HOW IT RELATES TO TRANSPORTATION.
WELL --
>>LISA MONTELIONE: IT WASN'T ME.
>>MARK SHARPE: IT WASN'T YOU?
OH.
I HAD A FORBES MAGAZINE THIS MORNING.
I WAS LOOKING AT IT, AND THE COVER STORY IS MILLENNIAL GOLD, AND IT'S TALKING ABOUT EVERYONE CHASING THE MILLENNIALS, COMPANIES LARGE AND SMALL WANTING TO -- ARE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO ATTRACT A QUALITY WORKFORCE, AND I REALLY DO SEE WHAT WE'RE TRYING DO HERE IS JUST THAT, TRYING TO ATTRACT -- IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND ATTRACT A QUALITY WORKFORCE WHO CAN GO ANYWHERE, THEY'RE MOBILE, THEY'RE FLUID, THEY CAN GO TO ANY COMMUNITY IN THE NATION, AND WE WANT THEM TO LIVE HERE IN TAMPA BAY, BUT WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO GROW OUR WORKFORCE, CREATE THE HIGHER-WAGE JOBS THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED SO PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO OWN A HOME AND OWN CARS AND LIVE, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A QUALITY TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT, MR. MERRILL -- I WILL ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MR. CHIARAMONTE, THAT I'VE BEEN HERE FOR TEN YEARS, AND I'VE WATCHED FOLKS RUN FROM THIS ISSUE, AND YOU RAN TOWARDS IT.
YOU KNEW IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE SIMPLE AND EASY, AND I THINK SOME OF THE CRITICISM PERHAPS IS JUSTIFIED.
I'VE CRITICIZED OFTENTIMES.
I'VE BEEN FRUSTRATED THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN MORE FOCUSED AND MORE DECLARATIVE IN OUR SUPPORT OF A RAIL LINE THAT WOULD LINK THE INTERMODALS UP TO THE USF AREA, BUT YOU'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT IT'S A STEPPED PROCESS AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT.
I THINK YOU'VE OUTLINED IT IN THAT VIDEO WITH OUR VIDEO -- SHE --
>>MIKE MERRILL: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
SHE STARTED THE VIDEO AND DID A WONDERFUL JOB, AND THEN WE WENT TO THE -- THE YOUNG FAMILY THAT'S LIKE MOST OF US, THAT WE STRUGGLED AND SPREAD OUT ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND THE OLDER COUPLE IN THEIR TWILIGHT YEARS WHO DON'T WANT TO DRIVE, AND AS A COMMUNITY THAT'S RELYING ON FOLKS -- OUR VISITORS, TOURISTS, AND SUCH, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE WHO DON'T HAVE AN AUTOMOBILE, SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A QUALITY TRANSIT SYSTEM.
DO YOU THINK, THOUGH, MR. MERRILL, THAT WE'RE ON PATH TO BE READY TO BRING SOMETHING BOTH TO THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP AND THEN POSSIBLY TO THE PUBLIC IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS?
>>MIKE MERRILL: I THINK THE WILL IS THERE.
I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID, EVERYONE IS AT THE TABLE, EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO THEIR OPINION AND THEY NEED TO WEIGH IN, BUT I THINK THE UNDERLYING WILL IS THERE.
YOU KNOW, THE WORK PRODUCT THAT'S BEEN DELIVERED, YOU KNOW, WITH JOE LOPANO AND HIS AIRPORT FOLKS AND JOE WAGGONER AND THE PORT AND FDOT, I MEAN, THIS IS A LOT OF HEAVY LIFTING, BUT IT'S A STRONG FOUNDATION, AND I THINK TWO YEARS WE CAN BE IN POSITION.
>>MARK SHARPE: LET ME ASK YOU THIS, THOUGH, AND THIS IS A CONCERN I'VE HAD WITH REGARD TO THE RAIL ELEMENT.
I DON'T WANT TO FOCUS -- I DON'T WANT TO FOCUS -- OVERFOCUS ON A PIECE WHICH, QUITE FRANKLY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE DRIVE CARS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE CARS, BUT THE RAIL COMPONENT IS ESSENTIAL IN CERTAIN AREAS.
I OFTEN THINK OF THE RAIL LIKE A STENT IN THE HUMAN BODY.
IF YOU'VE GOT A SECTION WHICH IS BLOCKED AND YOU JUST CAN'T WIDEN THE ROADS, YOU PUT THE STENT IN, AND IT -- AND THEN THE BODY SURVIVES.
BUT IT SEEMS THAT IN SOME OTHER AREAS AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS, IT'S JUST TAKING A LOT OF POLITICAL WILLPOWER TO GET THE SYSTEM IN.
IT MIGHT BE A SMALL DEMONSTRATION PROJECT, BUT YOU GET IT IN, AND IT'S AMAZING.
THEY TALKED ABOUT IT IN PHOENIX.
THOSE WHO WERE IN OPPOSITION, HOLLERING THEY DIDN'T WANT IT, AND NO SOONER WAS THE FIRST LINE IN, THE EXACT SAME FOLKS ARE NOW SAYING, WHEN DO WE GET IT, WHEN DO WE GET TO SEE IT?
IT'S ALMOST AS IF YOU JUST CAN'T PROVE IT ON PAPER, YOU CAN'T HAVE THE FACTS AND FIGURES THAT SHOWS, OKAY, WE HAVE TO BUILD IT, YOU ALMOST HAVE TO BUILD THE LINE, LET PEOPLE EXPERIENCE IT AND SEE IT, AND THEN, AS WE'VE SEEN IN SALT LAKE AND OTHER COMMUNITIES, THE PUBLIC SUPPORT GROWS.
>>MIKE MERRILL: MM-HMM.
>>MARK SHARPE: MIGHT IT BE WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH THE AIRPORT AND THEIR CONNECTION AT SOME POINT TO BOTH THEIR CONRAC AND THEN TO THE -- POTENTIALLY THE INTERMODAL THAT IF WE COULD CONNECT THE INTERMODALS AND FOLKS COULD SEE HOW THE SYSTEM ACTUALLY WORKS THAT IT MIGHT GROW SUPPORT AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE?
>>MIKE MERRILL: I THINK THAT IS THE WAY THAT IT GROWS.
I MEAN, AS RAY SAID, YOU KNOW, I'VE IMMERSED MYSELF NOW IN THE WORLD OF TRANSPORTATION.
I'M NOT AN EXPERT, BUT IF YOU LOOK AROUND AT SUCCESSFUL SYSTEMS, THEY'VE GROWN ORGANICALLY STARTING AS, YOU KNOW, ROBUST -- ROBUST BUS SYSTEMS WHILE YOU'RE WORKING ON A RAIL SOLUTION BECAUSE, I MEAN, THE PHYSICS AND THE ENGINEERING OF RAIL JUST TAKES LONGER, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T TRACK THEM TOGETHER AND BUILD A CULTURE RIDERSHIP WHILE YOU'RE -- YOU'RE REACHING AND EVOLVING TOWARDS THE RAIL CONNECTION.
CLEARLY, THE CONNECTION BETWEEN DOWNTOWN, AIRPORT, AND WESTSHORE AND USF REMAINS A PIVOTAL CORRIDOR FOR RAIL OPTIONS.
WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GROW INTO IT, AND AS WE GROW INTO IT, WE'LL LEARN, BUT IT SHOULDN'T STOP US FROM WORKING ON SOMETHING THAT'S -- I MEAN, SO WHAT I HEARD FROM -- FROM PEOPLE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY LAST YEAR IS -- THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T MIND SO MUCH PAYING AN EXTRA SALES TAX, I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO RIDE ON SOMETHING BEFORE I DIE.
I MEAN --
[LAUGHTER]
-- AND THAT'S A LITERAL QUOTE.
>>MARK SHARPE: I HEARD THAT IN OCTOBER.
>>MIKE MERRILL: SO THE CIRCULATOR BUS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S -- YOU CAN DO THAT OVERNIGHT, AND THAT'S A NO-BRAINER.
YOU KNOW, BUS RAPID TRANSIT'S A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING, BUT IT'S NOT FIVE YEARS, IT'S A COUPLE YEARS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE DOING STUFF, WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE MOVING.
>>MARK SHARPE: WILL THIS SYSTEM GIVE US A MORE ROBUST SYSTEM?
WE HAVE 173 BUSES IN OUR FLEET.
WE'RE COMPETING WITH OTHER REGIONS OF OUR SIZE WHICH HAVE GOT 4- OR 500 BUSES, SOME OF THEM UP TO 1,000 BUSES.
>>MIKE MERRILL: KATHARINE EAGAN AND HER FOLKS HAVE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS IN THIS, AND THEY CONTINUE TO WORK WITH BETH AND HER TEAM TO REFINE THE NUMBERS, BUT, I MEAN, THEY HAVE A SOLID PLAN TO IMPROVE METRORAPID.
THEY HAVE A SOLID PLAN TO MOVE -- TO EXPAND METRORAPID, AND THEIR VISION PLAN INCLUDES BUS RAPID TRANSIT AND EXPRESS BUSES, SO, I MEAN, THERE'S NO QUESTION, THEY'RE ALREADY LOOKING AT IT, THEY GET IT, AND KATHARINE GETS IT, THE HART BOARD GETS IT, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTA TAKE THAT NEXT STEP.
>>MARK SHARPE: I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER ITEMS, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR ASKING SO MANY QUESTIONS MYSELF, BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'VE THROWN YOURSELF INTO THIS.
THERE'S NO EASY WAY TO GET INTO THIS, AND ONCE YOU'RE IN, YOU CAN'T WALK AWAY, SO I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE SEEING A LOT OF YOU OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS OR UNTIL THE REFERENDUM GOES BEFORE THE PUBLIC.
THANK YOU, MR. MERRILL.
>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
APPRECIATE IT.
>>MARK SHARPE: MS. ALDEN, 2040 PLAN OUTREACH UPDATE.
>>BETH ALDEN: THANK -- THANK YOU, AGAIN.
AND WE WANTED TO FOLLOW UP MR. MERRILL'S KIND PRESENTATION WITH A DISCUSSION OF HOW THIS RELATES TO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN UPDATE.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE COMING TO THE END OF PART 2 OF IMAGINE 2040.
IT'S BEEN AN 18-MONTH PROCESS.
YOU JUST HEARD ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORT, AND SO HOW DOES WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN RELATE TO THAT?
FIRST, WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN IN OUR COMMUNITY?
THIS PLAN IS ALLOWING FEDERAL MONEY TO BE SPENT HERE NOW; IT DIRECTS STATE AND FEDERAL MONEY TOWARDS PROJECTS OUR COMMUNITY VALUES OVER TIME, SO IT'S A CONTINUAL PROCESS; IT PROVIDES A HOLISTIC PICTURE OF WHERE WE ARE HEADED AS A COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS OUR OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION TO TALLAHASSEE, TO WASHINGTON, D.C.; IT LAYS THE GROUNDWORK FOR OUR GRANT APPLICATIONS NOW AND IN THE FUTURE, MAKING THE CASE FOR WHY SPECIFIC PROJECTS SHOULD BE FUNDED, HOW THEY FIT INTO OUR OVERALL SYSTEM, HOW THEY SUPPORT OUR OVERALL GROWTH STRATEGY; AND FINALLY, IT DOCUMENTS THE LOCAL SHARE OF INVESTMENTS SO THAT WHEN WE ARE ASKING FOR STATE AND FEDERAL INVESTMENT, THEY CAN SEE WHAT WE ARE STEPPING FORWARD TO DO AS WELL OURSELVES.
WE'VE TRIED TO DESIGN OUR LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN UPDATE EFFORT TO SUPPORT THE TRANSPORTATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORT SO THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR TECHNICAL ANALYSIS AND OUR FEDERALLY COMPLIANT DOCUMENTATION BACKS UP WHAT IS GOING ON WITH TRANSPORTATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO SOME ASPECTS OF THAT, THE JOINT FOCUS ON JOB GROWTH AREAS IS A MAJOR PART OF OUR GROWTH STRATEGY AND OUR TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS THAT ARE PUT FORWARD FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
ALL OF THE ROAD CAPACITY PROJECTS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LISTED IN THE TRANSPORTATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE ARE INCLUDED IN THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN DOCUMENTATION.
WE'VE TRIED TO PROVIDE MORE FLEXIBILITY WHERE WE CAN, AND THAT MEANS WHERE WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO SPECIFICALLY LIST ROAD PROJECTS, WE HAVE GROUPED THEM -- WE'VE GROUPED CANDIDATE PROJECTS INTO PROGRAM CATEGORIES THAT GIVES US MORE FLEXIBILITY, CREATING THESE BUCKETS OF PROJECTS.
OUR BUS SERVICE IMPROVEMENT BUCKET IS BASED ON THE HART TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND THEN ADDING 14 MORE YEARS TO THAT.
WE'VE WORKED ON THAT WITH HART STAFF.
ALL OF OUR COST ESTIMATING DATA AND OUR REVENUE FORECASTS ARE SHARED WITH THE WORKING GROUPS FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
YOU WILL SEE DIFFERENT NUMBERS BECAUSE WE ARE REQUIRED TO USE DIFFERENT HORIZON YEARS, BUT ALL OF THE BASE-YEAR DATA IS THE SAME.
AND WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING OUR OUTREACH EFFORT INTO SEEKING FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC OVER THE SUMMER, TRYING TO FOCUS THAT ON VALUES SO THAT, AGAIN, WE HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY TO WORK WITH THE SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT COME OUT OF THE TED EFFORT MOVING FORWARD.
SO OUR IMAGINE 2040 PART 1, THAT HELPED US CREATE THIS BIG PICTURE OF A GROWTH STRATEGY OF OUR MAJOR TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS, SO THIS IS THE BROAD-BRUSH PICTURE OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED.
THEN PART 2 IS ABOUT HOW DO WE GET THERE.
AND SO WHAT YOU'LL FIND IF YOU GO ON THE WEB SITE, WHICH IS OUR OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN ON THIS BROAD-BRUSH STRATEGY AND HOW DO WE GET THERE, THE FIRST THING IS LAND USE AND GROWTH STRATEGIES, SO SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO PICK THEIR FAVORITE OF SIX DIFFERENT GROWTH STRATEGIES THAT WE COULD FOCUS ON MORE IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLANS MOVING FORWARD.
THE SECOND THING THAT YOU'LL FIND ON IS THESE MAJOR PROGRAM CATEGORIES.
AGAIN, THESE CATEGORIES ARE TO PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY, BUT YOU HEARD MR. MERRILL MENTION, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR BACKLOG OF ROAD MAINTENANCE, AND SO THAT FITS INTO OUR PRESERVE-THE-SYSTEM CATEGORY; REDUCE CRASHES AND REDUCE VULNERABILITY, THAT UNDERLIES SOME OF THOSE SAFETY PROJECTS THAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE TED WEB PAGE; MINIMIZE TRAFFIC, YOU'LL SEE, AGAIN, SPECIFIC PROJECTS ON THE TED WEB PAGE FOR ADVANCED TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, FOR INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS, THAT FITS INTO THIS CATEGORY; AND REAL CHOICES WHEN NOT DRIVING.
THAT'S BUS SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS AND TRAIL AND SIDE PATH IMPROVEMENTS.
SO WE'VE PUT THESE OUT TO THE PUBLIC TO GET FEEDBACK ON WHAT FOLKS VALUE IN TERMS OF THESE MAJOR CATEGORIES, BUT IT'S DESIGNED TO ALLOW SOME DISCUSSION OF TRADEOFFS, SO IN EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES, FOLKS ON THE WEB SITE -- AND THIS IS A SCREENSHOT OF THE WEB SITE -- CAN PICK A LOW OR A MEDIUM OR A HIGH SPENDING LEVEL, AND RIGHT HERE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THE MINIMIZE TRAFFIC CATEGORY, AND SO YOU'LL SEE THREE DIFFERENT PRICE TAGS ON THIS WEB PAGE.
THIS IS ROLLING TOGETHER A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS SO THAT ALL THE PIECES THAT YOU SEE ON THE TED WEB PAGE, IF YOU COME TOGETHER AND PULL THEM TOGETHER, YOU GET NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A BIG PICTURE OF PRICE TAG BUT YOU ALSO GET THE PERFORMANCE MEASURE ANALYSIS THAT WE DID TO HELP SUPPLEMENT THIS EFFORT, SO IF YOU HAVE A LOW INVESTMENT IN MINIMIZE TRAFFIC, WE'VE GOT TRAFFIC SIGNAL UPGRADES THAT REDUCE DELAY 7% ON MAJOR ROADS, AND THAT'S OVER THAT 20-YEAR SPENDING PERIOD.
AT THE MEDIUM LEVEL, WE GET REDUCE DELAY 17% ON MAJOR ROADS WITH THOSE ADDITIONAL PROJECTS AT THAT LEVEL.
AND AT THE HIGH LEVEL, WE HAVE ADDITIONAL BENEFIT ON THE INTERSTATES OF REDUCING DELAY ON THE INTERSTATES AN ADDITIONAL 10%.
SO ADDING THOSE THINGS TOGETHER ALLOWS YOU TO COMPARE WHERE YOU GET WITH YOUR CURRENT BUDGET; WHEREAS, WHERE YOU MIGHT GO IF YOU ADDED IN SOME ADDITIONAL TAXES AND FEES.
WHAT WE'RE SHOWING HERE IS BOTH SALES TAX AND GAS TAX AND EXTENDING THE CIT, SO THIS IS KIND OF AN UPPER LIMIT ON RAISING TAXES AND FEES, BUT IT GIVES FOLKS KIND OF A RANGE OF WHERE THEY MIGHT GO, AND BASICALLY, IF YOU ADD UP ALL OF THE LOW SPENDING LEVELS IN EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES, YOU GET SOMETHING PRETTY COMPARABLE TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST FOUR TO FIVE YEARS.
SO OUR -- THE THIRD PAGE ON THE WEB SITE IS MAJOR INVESTMENTS FOR JOB GROWTH, AND THAT PROVIDES FOLKS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON THOSE ROAD CAPACITY PROJECTS THAT I MENTIONED, AND THEY'RE FRAMED IN TERMS OF OUR BUSINESS DISTRICTS, SO THE DIFFERENT COLORS ON THE MAP REPRESENT THE DIFFERENT BUSINESS DISTRICTS.
YOU SEE HERE WHAT YOU GET IF YOU CLICK ON ONE, YOU GET A POP-UP FOR BRANDON WEST, AND THAT'S THIS AREA OVER HERE, YOU GET WIDEN AND EXTEND ROADS, AND THERE'S A PRICE TAG FOR THAT, BUT WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT HERE IS NOTING THE NUMBER OF JOBS, AND IF YOU -- THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR -- TO CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE WEB PAGE, AND THAT PROVIDES YOU WITH A SPECIFIC LIST OF THOSE ROAD PROJECTS AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE JOBS, BOTH TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE.
SO THE QUESTION HERE, COMING BACK TO THE -- TO OUR BUDGET QUESTION, IS SHOULD WE INVEST IN THIS AREA?
AND SO FOLKS ARE CONTINUALLY ASKED, IN OUR JOB GROWTH AREA, SHOULD WE INVEST HERE, SHOULD WE INVEST HERE, AND THEN HOW DOES THAT COMPARE WITH OUR AVAILABLE BUDGET SO THAT THERE ARE THEN SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO SAY, YES, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO INVEST.
SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT METHODS FOR POLLING.
ONE IS ON THE INTERACTIVE WEB SITE, AGAIN, , LIVE JULY 10th, RIGHT AFTER OUR JULY 4th HOLIDAY WEEKEND, THROUGH THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND.
WE'RE ALSO TAKING THIS OUT TO CIVIC GROUPS WITH ON-THE-SPOT POLLING SO FOLKS CAN VOTE WITH THEIR CELL PHONES, AND YOU SEE HERE AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE LIVE POLLING ACTIVITIES AT A COMMUNITY GROUP WHERE THEY PICKED STRATEGY NUMBER 6 FOR COUNTY GROWTH STRATEGIES COUNTYWIDE.
AND I WANTED TO THANK, AGAIN, OUR MAJOR PARTNERS.
TURNER EXPOSITIONS THAT DEVELOPS FLORIDA'S LARGEST HOME SHOW DID PROVIDE A FREE HOME SHOW TICKET FOR ANYONE WHO WAS WILLING TO DO THE SURVEY ON-LINE, THEY'VE GIVEN US FREE SPACE AT ALL OF THE HOME SHOWS; THE TAMPA BAY TIMES HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER, IT GAVE US A GREAT DEAL ON A PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES ON-LINE ADVERTISING; AND THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER THAT PROVIDED US AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE AN INSERT IN THE TRUTH IN MILLAGE MAILOUT THIS AUGUST.
SO WE'VE BEEN GOING OUT TO COMMUNITY GROUPS AT THEIR MEETINGS OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, AND YOU SEE HERE A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF OUR OTHER MAJOR OUTREACH TOOL, WHICH IS IPADS AT KIOSKS WHERE FOLKS CAN COME UP.
TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL HEALTH PARK WAS ONE OF THE EVENTS
THEY KINDLY ALLOWED US TO COME AND BRING A KIOSK TO.
YMCA HAS ALLOWED US TO COME AS WELL.
AND THESE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, FOLKS ACTUALLY VISITING THE WEB SITE AT THESE KIOSKS.
OUR OTHER OUTREACH TOOL, YOU KNOW, EXAMPLE HERE IS THE TEMPLE TERRACE PRESERVATION SOCIETY WHERE THEY'VE ALLOWED US TO COME OUT AND DO THE -- THE POLL EVERYWHERE LIVE POLLING AT THEIR REGULAR MEETING.
SO THERE'S A SMATTERING OF DIFFERENT EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTY.
SO FAR WE HAVE 40 SCHEDULED.
WE COULD DEFINITELY USE SOME MORE EVENTS IF YOU HAVE A GROUP THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PUT US IN CONTACT WITH.
PARTICULARLY IN THE NEW TAMPA AREA WE COULD USE A COUPLE OF EVENTS.
AND I WANTED ALSO TO THANK THOSE OF HOW WERE ABLE TO COME OUT TO OUR JULY 10th KICKOFF EVENT.
THANK YOU TO OUR VICE CHAIR FOR SAYING A FEW WORDS AT THAT, AND THANK YOU TO HTV FOR PRODUCING A REALLY NICE VIDEO OF THAT KICKOFF EVENT ON JULY 10th.
ALSO, THANK YOUs TO THE GREATER TAMPA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TO BAY NEWS 9 AND WFLA FOR PROVIDING SOME COVERAGE AND PUBLICIZING THE IMAGINE 2040 EFFORT.
WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW: SO FAR WE'VE HAD OVER 2400 VISITORS TO THE WEB SITE, WE'VE LOGGED MORE THAN 750 RESPONSES ON-LINE.
AT THE CIVIC GROUP PRESENTATIONS, VOTING WITH THE CELL PHONES, WE'VE GOTTEN 580 RESPONSES.
WE'VE BEEN AT 26 EVENTS SO FAR, YOU KNOW, HAVE A NUMBER OF MORE SCHEDULED OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, 675 ATTENDEES, SOME STORIES, AND A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA RETWEETS.
THERE'S A FORTUNE COOKIE AT EACH OF YOUR PLACES THAT IS JUST A VERY INEXPENSIVE GIVEAWAY FOR COMMUNITY EVENTS.
IF YOU OPEN IT UP, IT SAYS, YOU DETERMINE OUR FORTUNE, PLEASE TAKE THE SURVEY AT .
SO OUR WRAP-UP EVENT WILL BE LABOR DAY WEEKEND AT FLORIDA'S LARGEST HOME SHOW.
WE SURE HOPE YOU CAN COME OUT TO THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS GOING ON THERE.
PUBLIC WORKS IS HELPING US OUT WITH SOME DISPLAYS THERE.
AND HOW DOES THIS FEED INTO OUR PLANNING PROCESS?
OUR PLAN ADOPTION PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER THE 12th.
WE DO HAVE A REQUIRED 30-DAY POSTING PERIOD PRIOR TO THAT, SO THE DRAFT PLAN WILL BE UP ON OUR WEB SITE OCTOBER THE 12th.
OUR BRIEFING ON THE DRAFT PLAN, THEN, WOULD BE FOR OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THAT, SO THAT IS SEPTEMBER THE 29th.
RIGHT BEFORE THAT, AT OUR SEPTEMBER 23rd POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING, WE'RE PLANNING TO BRING YOU THE RESULTS OF THIS SURVEY EFFORT AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC.
AND THEN LEADING INTO THAT, SO IT'S NOT ALL A SURPRISE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY STAFF ON FINANCIAL SCENARIOS FOR THE COST-FEASIBLE PLAN SO WE CAN BRING TO YOU SOME DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED.
AGAIN, THIS IS ALL IN COORDINATION WITH THE TRANSPORTATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORT.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE HOPE THAT EVERYONE CAN MAKE IT TO A SPECIAL BOARD WORKSHOP ON AUGUST THE 26th THAT WILL BE AT THE TIME OF OUR REGULAR POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING, AND THAT'LL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HEAR FROM A COUPLE OF NATIONAL EXPERTS ABOUT FEDERAL GRANTS FOR TRANSIT, WHAT ARE THE LONG-TERM PROSPECTS FOR THE KINDS OF FEDERAL GRANTS THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET; WHAT ARE OTHER COMMUNITIES ASSUMING IN THEIR LONG-RANGE PLANS?
THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY, AS YOU'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THIS MORNING, AND SO HOW DO WE BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT OUR FUTURE BUT ALSO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THOSE UNCERTAINTIES MOVING FORWARD?
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WITH PLAN 2040.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MS. ALDEN.
JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, FOR THE PURPOSES OF TODAY, BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING RATHER LONG, WE'RE GOING TO DROP, UNLESS SOMEONE HAS SOME HEARTBURN, ITEMS "D" AND "E."
MR. BLAIN WILL DO "C," AND THAT WAY WE CAN WRAP UP BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME HERE, AND I DON'T WANT TO EXTEND THIS MEETING TOO LONG.
COMMISSIONER MURMAN.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND I GUESS THIS IS FOR RAY.
I SEE A COLLISION COURSE DEVELOPING HERE BETWEEN THE PUBLIC OUTREACH FOR THE PLG AND THE 40 MEETINGS YOU HAVE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: [INAUDIBLE]
>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME PEACE OF MIND THAT -- BECAUSE I GO TO A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND SO DO QUITE A FEW OF US, AND THE PUBLIC GENERALLY DOESN'T GET TOO ENGAGED IN GOING TO THINGS UNLESS THEY KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HAVE SOME VALUE AND BENEFIT THEM, SO IF YOU'RE REALLY PULLING HARD TO GET PEOPLE TO COME, WE NEED TO HEAR FROM THEM BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, OURS IS PROBABLY A MORE SHORT-TERM VALUE, YOURS IS MUCH MORE LONG-TERM VALUE BECAUSE IT'S 2040, SO I GUESS -- CAN YOU JUST DEVELOP A PLAN AND WORK WITH STAFF?
I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO INTO -- I DON'T WANT TO DELAY THIS MEETING ANY LONGER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE, BUT PLEASE GET WITH MIKE MERRILL AND THE STAFF SO -- BECAUSE IT JUST -- IT'S OCCURRED TO ME, ACTUALLY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, THAT I THINK EVERYBODY'S GOING OFF INTO THEIR OWN SEPARATE DIRECTIONS, AND --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: OKAY.
OKAY.
I CAN UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
WE HAVE MADE EVERY EFFORT TO MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS IS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP BECAUSE THIS IS A BROADER, LONGER-TERM, MORE GENERAL PLAN.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AS SPECIFIC, BUT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER.
AND NOW TO KIND OF -- IT'S MORE PUBLIC, THIS ACTUALLY HELPS BECAUSE WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW THE PROJECTS ARE THE SAME, AND WE'RE REALLY THE TECHNICIANS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THIS STUFF DONE THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THAT'S A DIFFERENT ROLE THAN THE VISION THAT THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP HAS.
SAME PROJECTS, BUT YOUR -- YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE OVER, AS MIKE SAID, WITH A MORE ROBUST PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS.
WE'RE DONE SEPTEMBER 1st.
THIS IS OVER THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: YOU HAVE 40 MEETINGS PLANNED.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: YEAH.
STAFF'S --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND HOW MANY MEETINGS DO YOU THINK PEOPLE LIKE TO GO TO WHEN THEY'VE GOT --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: RIGHT.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- SCHOOL STARTING?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: YEAH, BUT WE HAVE TO DO THIS.
I MEAN, WE HAVE TO DO THIS BY FEDERAL LAW.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THE BEST JOB WE CAN, BUT WE'RE FINISHED PRETTY MUCH SEPTEMBER 1st.
THAT'S WHEN THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP WOULD TAKE OVER WITH WHATEVER KIND OF PARTICIPATION THEY WANT FOR THE SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: REMEMBER, THIS IS A COMBINATION OF THE LAND USE PLAN AND THE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, IT'S NOT JUST TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.
WE COMBINED IT ALL INTO ONE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS FOR BOTH EFFORTS, SO IT'S DIFFERENT.
IT'S NOT THE SAME THING, BUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS PART OF IT AND INCLUDED IN IT.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: IT WILL BE CONFUSING, BUT THEY'LL DO THEIR BEST.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: I'M CONFUSED.
HOW DO YOU THINK -- A FAMILY OF FOUR WHO'VE GOT A LOT OF PRESSING NEEDS, HOW DO YOU THINK THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IT?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: WELL, MOST OF OUR INPUT ISN'T GOING TO BE COMING FROM THEM COMING TO MEETINGS, IT'S GOING TO BE FROM DOING THE SURVEY.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE PRIMARY FOUNDATIONAL FOCUS OF OUR PUBLIC MEETING INPUT.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: YOU HAVE 40 MEETINGS.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: WE HAVE 40 MEETINGS BETWEEN, LIKE, ROTARY CLUBS AND ALL, BUT IT'S US GOING TO THEM, IT'S NOT THE KIND OF MEETINGS YOU'RE THINKING OF.
OKAY.
I SEE WHAT -- YOU'RE THINKING WE'RE CALLING A MEETING LIKE THAT?
NO.
IT'S A SPECIFIC GROUP THAT ASKS US TO COME TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, IT'S NOT THAT KIND OF MEETING.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: YEAH, OKAY.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- REALLY GOOD INFORMATION --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: I UNDERSTAND.
RIGHT.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- SO WE HAVE GOOD FEEDBACK --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: RIGHT.
ABSOLUTELY.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- SO WE CAN TELL PEOPLE WHAT THE PUBLIC THINKS.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: AND THIS INFORMATION IS GOING TO HELP BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF GET A FEELING ARE PEOPLE STILL ON THE SAME PATH THAT WE'VE BEEN ON BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS FOR 14 MONTHS, SO --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: SO --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: OUR PROJECTS -- WELL, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH YOUR STAFF.
THAT'S MY POINT.
THE PROJECTS AREN'T DIFFERENT, THEY'RE THE SAME PROJECTS.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE AND THEN WE HAVE DR. POLZIN.
COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
AT A TIME WHEN I'M ADVOCATING FOR MORE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT WOULD NOT BE THE TIME TO SAY WE'RE HAVING TOO MANY MEETINGS OR WE'RE REACHING OUT TOO MANY TIMES.
I THINK --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: I DIDN'T SAY WE WERE HAVING TOO MANY MEETINGS.
I SAID HOW DID THESE MEETINGS COINCIDE AND COORDINATE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP, I NEVER SAID THERE ARE TOO MANY MEETINGS.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: YOU SAID YOU HAD CONCERN ABOUT RAY GOING OUT AND HAVING 40, I THINK WAS THE NUMBER, ADDITIONAL MEETINGS AND HOW THE PUBLIC WOULD BE CONFUSED.
AND WHETHER OR NOT THE PUBLIC IS CONFUSED, THE IDEA OF GOING OUT AND MEETING WITH THE PUBLIC AND EXPLAINING THINGS TO THE PUBLIC IS THE WAY THEY'LL HAVE LESS CONFUSION, SO I -- I HAVE SAID IT BEFORE, I'M REALLY, REALLY EXCITED AND PROUD OF WHAT THE STAFF OF THE MPO HAS DONE FOR THE IMAGINE 2040 PLAN.
IT'S INVENTIVE, IT'S OUTSIDE THE BOX, AND WE'VE HAD MORE PARTICIPATION IN THIS PLAN THAN ANY OTHER PLAN BEFORE, AND I THINK YOUR METHODS AND YOUR MESSAGE ARE VERY WELL TAKEN BY THE PUBLIC, AND THEY REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT VOICE AND TO HAVE THAT PARTICIPATION AND TO MAKE IT FUN, YOU KNOW.
TAKING THAT SURVEY AND, YOU KNOW, USING TOUCH SCREENS AND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT IS -- IS A GREAT WAY TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC SO NEXT TIME THEY WILL BE MORE APT TO WANT TO HEAR FROM US AND TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC.
AND, YES, IT IS A FEDERAL PROCESS AND WE DO HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE FEDERAL STANDARDS, SO THANK YOU, RAY, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND BEFORE WE MOVE OFF THIS --
>>LES MILLER, JR.: WE'RE ABOUT TO LOSE A QUORUM.
>>MARK SHARPE: I KNOW.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: YEAH, BECAUSE I'M LEAVING.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BYPASS -- WAS IT "D" AND "E"?
>>MARK SHARPE: "D" AND "E."
WE'RE JUST GOING TO DO "C."
MR. BLAIN, CAN WE DO IT QUICK?
DR. POLZIN.
>>STEVE POLZIN: IT CAN WAIT.
>>MARK SHARPE: ALL RIGHT.
MR. BLAIN.
ANYONE ELSE?
WE TRY TO MAKE THESE MEETINGS -- WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE SCHEDULE THIS SO WE CAN BE DONE BY 10:30.
MR. BLAIN.
>>WALLY BLAIN: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
WALLY BLAIN, MPO STAFF.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A QUICK BRIEFING AND UPDATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE YOUR JUNE MEETING.
BOTH THE TMA LEADERSHIP GROUP, WHICH WAS TALKED ABOUT EARLIER IN THE MEETING, MET ON JUNE 6th, AND THE CHAIRS COORDINATING MEETING MET ON JUNE 13th TO TALK ABOUT SOME REGIONAL PRIORITIES, AND SPECIFICALLY WITH THE CCC, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION REGIONAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM, AND THAT'S ONE SPECIFIC FUNDING PROGRAM THAT WAS CREATED AT THE STATE LEVEL IN 2005 OUT OF SOME OF THE CHANGES IN THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT LAW, AND THE PURPOSE BEHIND THAT WAS TO IDENTIFY 50% OF STATE DOLLARS THAT COULD BE USED FOR TOTAL PROJECT COSTS THAT ARE OFF OF THE STATE SYSTEM TO PARTNER WITH LOCAL AGENCIES AS THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING PROJECTS.
SO SPECIFICALLY SOME PROJECTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND WHERE THEY ARE ON THAT PRIORITY LIST, THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY ON THERE IS THE TBARTA REGIONAL VANPOOL PROGRAM THAT AFFECTS ALL OF OUR COUNTIES WITHIN THE SEVEN-COUNTY REGION.
THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE-STATED PRIORITY OF THE CCC BOARD.
PRIORITY NUMBER TWO IS THE TAMPA CITYWIDE ADVANCED TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
THAT'S A PROJECT THAT WILL HELP THE CITY OF TAMPA UPGRADE THEIR COMPUTER CONTROL SYSTEM CITYWIDE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY FOR THEIR COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT'S KIND OF OUTDATED, SO THAT PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD.
NUMBER SEVEN ON IT IS A PROJECT THAT HART HAS PARTNERED WITH PSTA AS WELL AS PCPT IN PASO COUNTY FOR A REGIONAL FAREBOX PROGRAM, AND THAT ALLOWS THEM TO WORK ON A STANDARDIZED FARE PROJECT.
SO, AGAIN, THESE PROJECTS ARE ON THE LIST TO PARTNER WITH ADDITIONAL STATE DOLLARS THAT COULD BE USED ON THAT.
PRIORITY NUMBER 18 IS A PROJECT THAT IS WELL UNDERWAY, AND WE'LL BEGIN TO SEE MORE ADVANCEMENT ON THAT OVER THE NEXT YEAR, SEGMENT "A" AT BRUCE B. DOWNS, WHICH IS FROM BEARSS TO PALM SPRINGS BOULEVARD; AND SEGMENT "D" OF BRUCE B. DOWNS, WHICH IS PEBBLE CREEK, NORTH TO THE COUNTY LINE.
BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE IN THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE, AND THERE IS TRIP MONEY THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED AND PRIORITIZED ON THOSE PROJECTS, SO THOSE ARE MOVING FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO STAY ON THAT PRIORITY LIST.
THE OTHER PRIORITY LIST, THEN, IS THE TMA'S PRIORITY -- REGIONAL PRIORITY LEADERSHIP GROUP, THE REGIONAL PRIORITIES.
THE PURPOSE OF THESE IS TO IDENTIFY MAJOR REGIONAL PROJECTS THAT ARE KIND OF LINCHPIN HINGES FOR ADDRESSING OUR REGIONAL MEETINGS, SO THEY'RE NOT SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT ARE REAL SMALL, LIKE WE JUST TALKED ABOUT ON THE TRIP LIST, BUT MORE VISIONARY, STATE VISION STATEMENT PROJECTS.
SOME ARE LARGE AND ARE FUNDED PRESENTLY, BUT THEN THE IDEA IS TO IDENTIFY REGIONAL PRIORITIES SO THE THREE COUNTIES OF HILLSBOROUGH, PASCO, AND PINELLAS CAN ALL SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE AND IDENTIFY A WAY TO LEVERAGE AND IDENTIFY REGIONAL PRIORITIES MOVING FORWARD AND HAVE A CONSENSUS LIST.
SO HERE'S THE PRIORITY LIST THAT KIND OF CAME FORWARD AS A RESULT OF THAT JUNE 6th MEETING.
IT CHANGED A LITTLE BIT FROM WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN JUNE AND WHAT THE WORK THAT THE TMA LEADERSHIP GROUP HAD DONE IN THE SIX MONTHS LEADING UP TO THAT, BUT BASICALLY WHAT THIS IDENTIFIES, THOSE TWO FIRST -- THE FIRST TWO PROJECTS IN BLUE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE FUNDED, AND SO WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ALREADY ABOUT THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE AND REPLACING THE NORTHBOUND STRUCTURE, OUTFITTING AND EQUIPPING THAT SO THAT IT CAN HANDLE TRANSIT AT SOME POINT AND TIME IN THE FUTURE.
THE BRIDGE HAS A 50-YEAR LIFE EXPECTANCY.
THE 118th AVENUE EXPRESSWAY IS A PROJECT, THEN, THAT CONNECTS FROM 275 OVER TO U.S. 19.
THERE WAS RECENTLY AN ARTICLE THAT TALKED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO TRAVEL THROUGH PINELLAS COUNTY ALONG U.S. 19, GETTING ON THE 118th AVENUE EXPRESSWAY ONTO THE INTERSTATES WITHOUT HAVING TO STOP AT SIGNALS, SO THE BENEFIT THAT THAT PROJECT HAS.
THE THIRD PROJECT ON THERE IS THE GREENLIGHT PINELLAS PROJECT, AND THE INTENT BEHIND INCLUDING THAT WAS TO FOLLOW ANY KIND OF REFERENDUM OR LOCAL DECISION THAT'S MADE IN PINELLAS COUNTY TO FUND TRANSIT, INCREASING THE BUS SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE RAIL SYSTEM AND IMPLEMENTING A RAIL SYSTEM IN PINELLAS, SOME OF THE SAME DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD HERE THIS MORNING.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THAT BEING ON THE REGIONAL LIST IS THAT ONCE PINELLAS IS ABLE TO IDENTIFY THOSE LOCAL FUNDS, THEY'LL NEED SUPPORT FOR STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS TO PARTNER WITH THAT, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE STATEMENT THAT'S OUT THERE.
IT'S NOT A STATEMENT THAT'S TO SUPPORT THE -- IT'S TO SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT OF THE GREENLIGHT PINELLAS EFFORT AND THE FUTURE, THEN, NEED FOR STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS.
THE REST OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE ON THERE REALLY SUPPORT THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM AND KIND OF THE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION THAT WE NEED BETWEEN THE DOWNTOWN AND THE WESTSHORE AREA, REALLY FOCUSING KEY ON THE I-275/I-4 CORRIDOR AS IT RELATES TO OUR REGIONAL MOBILITY, AND SOME THINGS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PRESENTED AT THAT JUNE 6th MEETING WERE THE KEY COGS OF THE
I-275/STATE ROAD 60 INTERCHANGE, AS WELL AS THE I-275/I-4 INTERCHANGE AND HOW THOSE PROJECTS FEED INTO THAT AND ARE DONE OVER A PHASED IMPLEMENTED TIME PERIOD, SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE PROJECTS ORDERED THE WAY THEY ARE, GETTING THE I-275/STATE ROAD 60 MOVED FROM THE DESIGN THAT IT'S IN NOW INTO CONSTRUCTION IN THE FUTURE YEARS AS WELL AS THEN IMPLEMENTING THOSE EXPRESS LANES ON THE INTERSTATES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE FUTURE BUS NEEDS AS THEY'RE DEVELOPED REGIONALWIDE.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE THE INTERMODAL CENTER.
THAT'S THE WESTSHORE INTERMODAL CENTER, MULTIMODAL CENTER THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S MOVING FORWARD WITH, AS WELL AS THAT CONNECTION UP TO THE CONRAC FACILITY AND THE TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AT THEIR TERMINAL.
SO THOSE ARE JUST A REAL QUICK RUN-THROUGH OF THOSE PRIORITIES.
WANTED TO TALK TO YOU -- ALSO MENTION TO YOU THAT THERE IS A LETTER THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE PINELLAS MPO BOARD WHERE THEY HAVE TAKEN ACTION TO ENDORSE THOSE REGIONAL PRIORITIES THAT WERE FROM THE TMA LEADERSHIP GROUP.
AT THIS TIME, STAFF IS NOT NECESSARILY BRINGING A RECOMMENDATION TO YOU AT THAT TIME BUT WANTS TO PRESENT THAT INFORMATION AND LET YOU KNOW THAT PINELLAS MPO BOARD HAS TAKEN THAT ACTION, AND THERE SHOULD BE COPIES OF THAT LETTER IN YOUR FOLDERS IF YOU WISH TO HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT.
>>MARK SHARPE: THAT WAS --
>>WALLY BLAIN: THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: -- SIMPLY AMAZING.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: YOU'RE VERY GOOD.
YOU'RE FAST.
YOU CAN -- I'M TELLING YOU, YOU NAILED IT.
>>WALLY BLAIN: AND YOU DON'T KNOW ALL THE TIMES I MADE A MISTAKE, SO WE'RE ALL GOOD.
[LAUGHTER]
>>MARK SHARPE: I CAN PROMISE YOU, I DIDN'T CATCH THEM.
DOES ANYONE HAVE A QUESTION OF MR. BLAIN?
THAT WAS FANTASTIC.
WONDERFUL.
OKAY.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO OLD BUSINESS/NEW BUSINESS.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: I WANT TO UPDATE THE BOARD ON THE NEXT MEETING.
YOU CAN SEE THE MEETINGS I'VE ATTENDED.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THOSE.
I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW TAMPA CITY COUNCIL ON THEIR CONSENT AGENDA IS THE FINAL SIGNATURE FOR THE MPO NEW INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT WILL ADD A BOARD MEMBER TO THE MPO AND VOTING STATUS TO OUR PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER.
OUR NEXT POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING'S ON AUGUST 26th AT 9:00 A.M., PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM.
NEXT MPO MEETING SEPTEMBER 2nd.
THE NEXT TMA MEETING WILL BE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5th, AT 9:30 AT ATKINS CONSULTING, WHERE WE'VE BEEN HAVING THOSE MEETINGS.
DID WANT TO QUICKLY LET YOU KNOW THAT FEDERAL HIGHWAY HAS APPROACHED US, AND THEY WANT TO USE OUR TMA CREATION AS AN EXAMPLE OF CREATIVE WAYS OF GETTING REGIONAL COORDINATION, SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME KIND OF CONFERENCE HERE.
THEY HAVEN'T PICKED A DATE YET, BUT ANYWAY, WE HAVE NATIONAL ATTENTION ON WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE, AND THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY THAT UP WITH A NATIONWIDE CONFERENCE TALKING ABOUT OUR TMA.
>>MARK SHARPE: EXCELLENT WORK.
DR. POLZIN.
>>STEVE POLZIN: RAY, COULD YOU SPEAK TO THE ISSUE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THE -- YOUR REPLACEMENT.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: YES.
I'M GOING TO BRING THE STAFF SERVICES AGREEMENT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO THE NEXT MPO MEETING, AND I'LL HIGHLIGHT THE PROCESS THAT'S IN PLACE AT THIS POINT, AND WE CAN DISCUSS THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING.
>>STEVE POLZIN: THE REASON THAT I'D RAISED THAT LAST TIME IS IF WE'RE INTERESTED IN DOING A SEARCH, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, AND SO -- THE HISTORIC PROCESS ISN'T TO DO SEARCHES.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE IT PERSONALLY, AND IN WHICH CASE WE NEED TO GET STARTED.
>>MARK SHARPE: [INAUDIBLE]
NO OTHER ITEMS, WE'RE ADJOURNED.
AND WE CAN ALL, AGAIN, THANK JOVANNA.
YOU DID A PHENOMENAL JOB IN THE VIDEO.
YOU WERE MAGNIFICENT.
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