SHE'S STEERING TOWARD BETTER MASS TRANSIT

By ELLEN GEDALIUS

egedalius@tampatrib.com

TAMPA - In Mayor Pam Iorio's third State of the City speech, she offered no bold announcements or new initiatives but instead renewed her commitment to building a Riverwalk, focusing on neighborhoods and fostering development.

Her speech, delivered to more than 500 people Tuesday at the Tampa Convention Center, hit on the familiar themes of her administration, from making Tampa a city of the arts to revitalizing east Tampa.

 Iorio also emphasized mass transit.

"In discussions with people throughout this city, county and region, I have heard loud and clear the broad support by the public for better mass transit," Iorio said. "It reinforces for me an observation gleaned many years ago that the public is often ahead of their public officials in identifying what needs to get done."

Hillsborough County commissioners have been reluctant to cooperate with the city on improving mass transit, Iorio said later.

Iorio wants to see more bus routes and an expanded rubber-wheeled trolley system in the West Shore, Channel District and West Tampa areas. She also wants to take a more regional approach to transportation issues and develop a light-rail system.

In her State of the City speech last year, Iorio called for a referendum on mass transit and a spirit of cooperation between the city, county and the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority. It never happened.

Her speech Tuesday was preceded by a 16-minute video highlighting the downtown residential building boom, improvements in east Tampa and a reduced crime rate. The video was peppered with cameos of city council members talking about their priorities, as well as neighborhood association leaders championing their areas.

"I believe in our city and its future," Iorio said at the end of the video. "Tampa, the state of our city is good."

Her prepared remarks touched on a program launched this year that focuses on Edison, Just and Potter elementary schools. City staff will work with business leaders to find ways to help children, including mentoring programs and donating computers.

Looking ahead, she said, she will focus on redeveloping Central Park Village, ensuring a new home for the Tampa Museum of Art, reducing crime and improving roads and the stormwater system. She has one year remaining in her term, although she is expected to run for re-election next March to another four-year term.

Her address received mixed reviews from some neighborhood association leaders.

Ruth McNair, president of the West Riverfront Neighborhood Crime Watch Association, said she enjoyed listening to the mayor.

"I don't think she could have done much better," McNair said. "She hit the highlights of things she intends to get done."

Roger Grunke, president of the Historic Hyde Park Neighborhood Association, said he wanted to hear more about how the city would manage development, improve infrastructure and solve the mass transit problem.

"We need to be able to say straightforward: Here are our difficulties," Grunke said. "Talk to us like adults."

Reporter Ellen Gedalius can be reached at (813) 259-7679.

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