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This hot off the wire! “Mayor Affronti removed three VOTE NO signs”
http://www.wmnf.org/programming/news.php?ReportId=2180 TEMPLE TERRACE DEVELOPMENT VOTE Jen Germaine Monday, August 01, 2005 6p.m. Voters in the city of Temple Terrace have continually elected pro-development candidates including Joe Affronti in last November’s mayoral election. Mayor Affronti supports the proposed Temple Terrace Downtown Revitalization Project and the tax increase needed to fund part of the development. But some residents believe the proposed new downtown has grown too large. Temple Terrace residents will vote Tuesday August 2nd on whether they want to increase their property taxes by 1-mill to support the redevelopment. In the last weekend to campaign for support, WMNFs Jen Germaine observed questionable behavior by Mayor Affronti as he removed opposition signs. ACT (JA -bull by the horn) That was Temple Terrace Mayor Joe Affronti. His small city of about 23,000 has an ambitious plan– to fund a 325 million downtown revitalization project. The city wants to create a vibrant multi-use area out of the underutilized and vacant strip malls and asphalt covered parking lots that line 56th Street. Again Mayor Affronti. ACT (JA –mixed) To transform the 57 acres between the Hillsborough River and Busch Blvd., the city needs to put up 20% of the 325 million-development price tag. The city plans to turn over all but about 10 acres to private developers who will fund the majority of the project. Temple Terrace city’s community service director Ralph Bosek said the citizens are clear on what they want in the redevelopment. ACT (RB –we don’t want) Architect and Temple Terrace homeowner Eddie Adams is working with the revitalization project because he believes his city has no center. ACT (EA – have it) One of the major criticisms of the redevelopment plan is that it has grown too large. Local businessman Ken Tozier organizes the VOTE NO campaign. Tozier was defeated by Affronti in last November’s mayor’s race. On Saturday Mayor Joe Affronti walked with supporters of the Revitalization Project lobbying registered voters in Temple Terrace to vote YES in Tuesdays referendum. While canvassing in favor development, Mayor Affronti removed three VOTE NO signs and placed them in the back of the Revitalization Project headquarters. When asked by WMNF why the pro-revitalization project had possession of the VOTE NO signs, Affronti cited code enforcement violations as why he removed the signs. No code enforcement officer was present Saturday to verify the VOTE NO signs were illegally posted. WMNF contacted Vote NO organizer Ken Tozier to response to the current redevelopment plan and the Affronti’s actions. ACT (KT) Some pro-revitalization signs being distributed are posted throughout Temple Terrace on public land, in violation of city codes. These signs advocating yes votes, according to Tozier, are now posted on the grounds of Temple Terrace elementary school and in front of the Code Enforcement office. Tozier has criticized both the feasibility of a walk able downtown and the abilities for the city to pay for the project, but says he is not apposed to development. With early voting the revitalization project believes voter turn out will be higher than Supervisor of Elections Buddy Johnson has predicted. For more information on the on the VOTE NO campaign you can go to www.cditt.com. Information of the Revitalization Project, and the VOTE YES campaign is available on the city’s website at www.templeterrace.com. For WMNF, in Temple Terrace, this is Jen Germaine. FMI FMI Article Posted: 2005-08-01 11:42:40, Last Updated: 2005-08-01 11:42:40
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