Remind Me, What’s the Point?

Not to sound like a broken record, but as my posts spread I want new folks to understand the goal of these weekly “This Week” posts. To highlight and bring attention to the items Tampa City Council will be voting on this week. If you read about something you think is a bad idea on Friday in the paper, there isn’t much you can do. But if you read it on Monday before a vote, you have time to ask questions and share your thoughts. Organize your community and speak at public comment. I would also encourage folks to do the same when they support an idea or project. The easiest way to to contact Council is to email the whole council tampacitycouncil@tampagov.net but there are other methods to contact Tampa City Council.

But that’s why you won’t find much discussion about staff reports in these posts. It’s not to say they aren’t important issues, but no action is being taken. They’re meant to inform future decisions or provide follow ups on past votes. Anything significant that comes out of them I try to cover in a follow up.

I also want to make the point that nothing appears on the Council agenda a majority doesn’t approve. The administration adds contract approvals to the draft that is released Friday evening, but it still requires a majority of Council approving their addition. They can remove or continue any item they want. Likewise, for staff reports and unfinished business, Council members propose items through motions, but it requires majority approval. Often they are approved as a courtesy and to avoid conflict, and as such rather than saying no to bad ideas, they simply make arbitrary rules about how many staff reports can be on the agenda.