The Tampa Bay Bucs -- A Trojan Horse For Public Theft

The Buc$ /Joe Chillura $tadium Tax The Puzzling, Schizophrenic Voting Record Of Hillsborough County's Incumbent Republican Commissioners

Political Commentary By: Owen S. Whitman

9.29.98

JOE CHILLURA (R)?

Cynical, self-serving, fear-mongering, political opportunist and career bureaucrat,

Architect of bastardized Joe Chillura CIT $tadium tax package,

Self proclaimed champion of George Steinbrenner's "$ocialist," $30+ million, Taxpayer subsidized and funded Legends Field.

Changed party political affiliation from Democrat to Republican as a matter of self-serving political expediency,

Manipulated the Hillsborough county commission majority vote to put the Joe Chillura half-cent (CIT) sales tax referendum on the September 1996 ballot.

Lied to and willfully deceived the public on the CIT Tax by representing that the one-half cent tax would produce $2.7 billion over 30 years. The tax will actually produce a political pork windfall of more than $5.9 billion and perhaps as much as $7.4 billion. The simple truth is that a full half-penny sales tax was not required to build Joe Chillura $tadium. The public was willfully and knowingly defrauded by its elected officials and political bureaucracy in a continuing criminal conspiracy perpetrated by the local Political Class.

DOTTIE BERGER (R)?

During her 1994 campaign, Berger promised to oppose public subsidies for private-sector projects. Less than two years later, Berger approved the Joe Chillura $tadium/Bucs deal.

Voted with the Commission majority to give the Tampa Sports Authority $50,000 of Taxpayer's funds to lobby the state for a rental car tax to pay for the Joe Chillura $tadium.

Voted to give Glazer exclusive naming rights on stadium.

Voted for the stadium lease, a deal which critics call one of the worst for taxpayers of any sports team lease in country.

Voted with Hart and Norman to spend up to $3 million to guarantee that the Bucs sell 55,000 tickets for every home game over three seasons. A month after it had been approved, voted with the commission majority to rescind the Bucs' ticket sale guarantee.

Voted with a Chillura led commission majority to put the Joe Chillura half-cent sales tax referendum on the September 1996 ballot.

Lied to and willfully deceived the public on the CIT Tax by representing that the one-half cent tax would produce $2.7 billion over 30 years. The tax will actually produce a political pork windfall of more than $5.9 billion and perhaps as much as $7.4 billion. The simple truth is that a full half-penny sales tax was not required to build Joe Chillura $tadium. The public was willfully and knowingly defrauded by its elected officials and political bureaucracy in a continuing criminal conspiracy perpetrated by the local Political Class.

JIM NORMAN (R)?

"Closet," $ocialized $ports fanatic; enthusiastic supporter of Joe Chillura $tadium deal.

Enthusiastic supporter of George Steinbrenner's "$ocialist," $30+ million, Taxpayer subsidized and funded Legends Field.

Either Norman or Hart voted with Berger on four of five key Joe Chillura $tadium- Bucs [tax] issues between May 1995 and March 1996.

Voted against Berger and the Commission's giving the Tampa Sports Authority $50,000 of Taxpayer's funds to lobby the state for a rental car tax to pay for the stadium.

Voted with Hart and Berger to spend up to $3 million to guarantee that the Bucs sell 55,000 tickets for every home game over three seasons. A month after it had been approved, voted with the commission majority to rescind the Bucs' ticket sale guarantee.

Voted with a Chillura led commission majority to put the Joe Chillura half-cent sales tax referendum on the September 1996 ballot.

Lied to and willfully deceived the public on the CIT Tax by representing that the one-half cent tax would produce $2.7 billion over 30 years. The tax will actually produce a political pork windfall of more than $5.9 billion and perhaps as much as $7.4 billion. The simple truth is that a full half-penny sales tax was not required to build Joe Chillura $tadium. The public was willfully and knowingly defrauded by its elected officials and political bureaucracy in a continuing criminal conspiracy perpetrated by the local Political Class.

CHRIS HART (R)

Most consistently opposed to Joe Chillura Stadium deal.

Voted against Berger and the Commission's giving the Tampa Sports Authority $50,000 of Taxpayer's money to lobby the state for a rental car tax to pay for the stadium.

Objected to granting the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, development rights on public land near the stadium. Berger and a commission majority overrode Hart's objection.

Voted with Berger and Norman to spend up to $3 million to guarantee that the Bucs sell 55,000 tickets for every home game over three seasons. A month after it had been approved, voted with the commission majority to rescind the Bucs' ticket guarantee.

Wanted the county, city of Tampa and the sports authority to have say in naming Joe Chillura $tadium.

Opposed the stadium lease deal and voted against it. Critics have called this deal one of the worst for taxpayers of any sports team lease in country. Berger voted for it.

Eventually voted with a Chillura led commission majority to put the Joe Chillura half-cent sales tax referendum on the September 1996 ballot.

HOME

JOE CHILLURA (R)?	Cynical, self-serving, fear-mongering, political opportunist and career bureaucrat, Architect of bastardized Joe Chillura CIT $tadium tax package, Self proclaimed champion of George Steinbrenner's "$ocialist," $30+ million, Taxpayer subsidized and funded Legends Field. Changed party political affiliation from Democrat to Republican as a matter of self-serving political expediency, Manipulated the Hillsborough county commission majority vote to put the Joe Chillura half-cent (CIT) sales tax referendum on the September 1996 ballot. Lied to and willfully deceived the public on the CIT Tax by representing that the one-half cent tax would produce $2.7 billion over 30 years. The tax will actually produce a political pork windfall of more than $5.9 billion and perhaps as much as $7.4 billion. The simple truth is that a full half-penny sales tax was not required to build Joe Chillura $tadium. The public was willfully and knowingly defrauded by its elected officials and political bureaucracy in a continuing criminal conspiracy perpetrated by the local Political Class.
DOTTIE BERGER (R)?	During her 1994 campaign, Berger promised to oppose public subsidies for private-sector projects. Less than two years later, Berger approved the Joe Chillura $tadium/Bucs deal. Voted with the Commission majority to give the Tampa Sports Authority $50,000 of Taxpayer's funds to lobby the state for a rental car tax to pay for the Joe Chillura $tadium. Voted to give Glazer exclusive naming rights on stadium. Voted for the stadium lease, a deal which critics call one of the worst for taxpayers of any sports team lease in country. Voted with Hart and Norman to spend up to $3 million to guarantee that the Bucs sell 55,000 tickets for every home game over three seasons. A month after it had been approved, voted with the commission majority to rescind the Bucs' ticket sale guarantee. Voted with a Chillura led commission majority to put the Joe Chillura half-cent sales tax referendum on the September 1996 ballot. Lied to and willfully deceived the public on the CIT Tax by representing that the one-half cent tax would produce $2.7 billion over 30 years. The tax will actually produce a political pork windfall of more than $5.9 billion and perhaps as much as $7.4 billion. The simple truth is that a full half-penny sales tax was not required to build Joe Chillura $tadium. The public was willfully and knowingly defrauded by its elected officials and political bureaucracy in a continuing criminal conspiracy perpetrated by the local Political Class.
JIM NORMAN (R)?	"Closet," $ocialized $ports fanatic; enthusiastic supporter of Joe Chillura $tadium deal. Enthusiastic supporter of George Steinbrenner's "$ocialist," $30+ million, Taxpayer subsidized and funded Legends Field. Either Norman or Hart voted with Berger on four of five key Joe Chillura $tadium- Bucs [tax] issues between May 1995 and March 1996. Voted against Berger and the Commission's giving the Tampa Sports Authority $50,000 of Taxpayer's funds to lobby the state for a rental car tax to pay for the stadium. Voted with Hart and Berger to spend up to $3 million to guarantee that the Bucs sell 55,000 tickets for every home game over three seasons. A month after it had been approved, voted with the commission majority to rescind the Bucs' ticket sale guarantee. Voted with a Chillura led commission majority to put the Joe Chillura half-cent sales tax referendum on the September 1996 ballot. Lied to and willfully deceived the public on the CIT Tax by representing that the one-half cent tax would produce $2.7 billion over 30 years. The tax will actually produce a political pork windfall of more than $5.9 billion and perhaps as much as $7.4 billion. The simple truth is that a full half-penny sales tax was not required to build Joe Chillura $tadium. The public was willfully and knowingly defrauded by its elected officials and political bureaucracy in a continuing criminal conspiracy perpetrated by the local Political Class.
CHRIS HART (R)	Most consistently opposed to Joe Chillura Stadium deal. Voted against Berger and the Commission's giving the Tampa Sports Authority $50,000 of Taxpayer's money to lobby the state for a rental car tax to pay for the stadium. Objected to granting the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, development rights on public land near the stadium. Berger and a commission majority overrode Hart's objection. Voted with Berger and Norman to spend up to $3 million to guarantee that the Bucs sell 55,000 tickets for every home game over three seasons. A month after it had been approved, voted with the commission majority to rescind the Bucs' ticket guarantee. Wanted the county, city of Tampa and the sports authority to have say in naming Joe Chillura $tadium. Opposed the stadium lease deal and voted against it. Critics have called this deal one of the worst for taxpayers of any sports team lease in country. Berger voted for it. Eventually voted with a Chillura led commission majority to put the Joe Chillura half-cent sales tax referendum on the September 1996 ballot.