Tampa's RNC Failure Should Wake Up The Right

A Response to Salon.com article: "Tampa: America's Hottest Mess" by Will Doig

Doig hit it out of the park with this article, and to think this guy isn't even from Tampa and yet can sum up all of our issues so accurately. Makes me wonder why our local media can't report like this. Anyway, Doig writes that..... hold on, Doig is just a funny name, I just like saying it; Doig, Doig, Doig. Ok, sorry for that. Doig writes that...now it just sounds really weird cause I said it too much. Crap. Ok, I'm going to refer to the guy as Will.

Will basically points out that Tampa is stuck in the 80's when it comes to development planning and infrastructure, and refers to our obsession with traffic-congested roads, lack of density through proper zoning, and complete aversion to public transportation as reasons for Tampa's downfall. Tampa consistently ranks highest in the country for traffic and pedestrian fatalities or the lack thereof. Tampa's also very low on the walkability list due in part to our sprawl. Will cites that many of our problems stem from a lack of vision by our leaders, and a pathetic pandering to developers by a conservative commission. He also points out that citizens are unwilling to pay for improvements to their city by the repeated voting down of capital improvement taxes. For the most part I completely agree, and am happy that Tampa is getting this kind of publicity as well as the crap that the chamber wants to hear.

In my opinion Tampa suffers from a lack of self-image which is reinforced by our lack of vision for the future; leaders and citizens are too afraid to make real changes that may cost money and could lead to actual improvements. Our leaders always refer to other cities, and how they built such and such program and look how successful it is, instead of coming up with creative ideas that work exclusively for Tampa. Stop comparing Tampa to freakin' Charlotte or San Antonio for God's sake, and come up with ideas that actually address our particular problems and needs. We need progressive ideas that may not be initially popular, but that need to be addressed regardless of this generations views. If we don't start looking 50 years into the future then we will always be reactionary in our development and planning models. Our politicians need to grow a pair and stop pandering to the Marilyn Smith's and other old people who bitch about everything and prevent change; there all gonna be dead in 20 years, why are you supporting their interests? If Tampa wants young people to stay and live and work there, then they need to start acting like a young vibrant sun-belt city, not a podunk retirement-home, do-nothing city that caters to the elderly.