Buck-O-Meter: Tracking the promises of Bob Buckhorn

The Promise:

During a March 8, 2011, televised debate, Bob Buckhorn was asked how he would balance the rights of citizens to protest during the Republican National Convention with his responsibilities to keep downtown Tampa functioning and safe. He responded: “People who want to express themselves need to be given an opportunity. For me, it’s a very fundamental premise: you break the law, you’re going to jail. Absent that, you’re entitled to say whatever you want to say within reason. But we will conduct ourselves accordingly. Our police department will conduct themselves accordingly. I want to make sure that when the entire world is watching Tampa, Fla. that we stand up and we are proud of this city and that we behave accordingly.”

Update March 30th, 2012:

Convention security plan proposed, would set limits on protests

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The Promise:

"If Tampa intends to make its waterfront a central focus of downtown urban planning, the development of the entire waterfront must be a coordinated, citywide effort. As mayor, Bob Buckhorn will immediately bring together economic development, business, housing and environmental stakeholders to develop a complete Development Master Plan designed to make the best possible use of all of Tampa’s waterfront areas and the surrounding neighborhoods. A financing plan to complete the Riverwalk and an aggressive marketing plan to program the use of our riverfront venues will be included."

Update March 30th, 2012:

Not a lot of waterfront development, but plenty of systematic thinking

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The Promise:

"Bob Buckhorn will appoint a Deputy Mayor of Neighborhoods and Community Empowerment whose primary mission will be to advocate for and address the needs of each of the city’s neighborhoods. This deputy will increase the city’s responsiveness and accountability to its neighborhoods by providing a single point of access to all city programs and services related to neighborhoods. Departments under the authority of the Deputy Mayor of Neighborhoods and Community Empowerment will include (among others): Community Affairs, Code Enforcement, Parks and Recreation, the Office of Women/Minority Business Enterprises, the Office of the Neighborhoods, Clean City and the Office of Community Technology, to name a few. This new position will came as a result of the elimination of existing redundant positions and will remove a layer of bureaucracy."

Update March 30th, 2012:

Buckhorn creates budget and neighborhood empowerment director

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The Promise:

"The first year ... Bob will create the position of Deputy Mayor for Economic Opportunity. This individual, who will report directly to the mayor, will be responsible for the implementation of programs and initiatives targeted at all three economic development steps and will supervise the agencies and departments involved in business regulation and economic development. This position will come as a result of the consolidation of existing positions and will not come at an additional cost."

Update March 30th, 2012:

Buckhorn creates administrator for economic opportunity

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The Promise:

"To facilitate the development of safe, enjoyable public parks, Bob Buckhorn will create a series of parks initiatives. These will include: The development of a Parks Advisory Board made up of residents and businesses in neighborhoods surrounding city parks to advocate for and help support those venues; A commitment to identify corridors for the development of a city-wide greenway/trail from MacDill Air Force Base to New Tampa using existing rail lines and new development partnerships; Developing parks partnerships with existing parks advocacy groups such as Parks Forever and the Mayor’s Beautification Committee; Encouraging the effective use of the city’s undeveloped open lots for the development of community open spaces such as playgrounds, pocket parks and community gardens."

Update March 30th, 2012:

Ambitious projects in the pipeline

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The Promise:

"The first year ... Bob will reorganize city government to focus on assisting and growing our economy. All agencies involved in the permitting and regulatory process, community redevelopment, housing, construction services, the Tampa Convention Center and related iity entities will be consolidated into a single mission under the deputy mayor for economic opportunity."

Update March 30th, 2012:

City Hall development and permitting departments reorganized

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The Promise:

"As mayor, Bob Buckhorn will establish a 'One-Stop Licensing Program,' available in person and on-line. The One-Stop Licensing Program will streamline the licensing process, providing business owners with a complete list of all licenses and permits required by the city and providing assistance in obtaining the licenses and permits applicable to their business. In addition, the One-Stop Licensing Program will streamline the multiple layers of business regulation by acting as a resource for city businesses to identify and interact with the appropriate county and state regulators."

Update March 30th, 2012:

Development review staffers brought together, and permitting software purchased

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The Promise:

"The first year ... Bob will modernize land development codes to incorporate New Urbanism concepts and form based zoning in order to encourage the development of our urban neighborhoods."

Update March 30th, 2012:

New Urbanism concepts to be in land development codes

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The Promise:

"Bob Buckhorn will work with TECO to conduct a city-wide lighting assessment to determine where city lights need to be updated, repaired or replaced."

Update March 30th, 2012:

City works on lighting, but no city-wide assessment

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The Promise:

"As mayor, Bob Buckhorn will establish Accountability Standards for each of the city’s departments and their functions, from filling potholes to clearing storm water ditches. The city will know what the city’s pressing problems are and how long it should take to fix them. The mayor and city employees will stand accountable to city residents if the timetables established for resolving these issues are not complied with. As a first step in this process, Bob Buckhorn will complete a full city-wide Infrastructure Assessment to identify our neighborhoods’ needs and begin to address them."

Update March 30th, 2012:

Standardized infrastructure measures yet to be developed

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The Promise:

"Buckhorn wants to further empower existing neighborhood leaders and support the development of new leaders through the establishment of a Neighborhood University. The Neighborhood University will provide a formal leadership-training program for neighborhood leaders modeled on the Tampa Chamber’s successful Leadership Tampa program. In addition, the Neighborhood University will house and build upon the existing City’s Neighborhood Empowerment program offering enhanced technical support services for the City’s neighborhoods."

Update March 30th, 2012:

City is finalizing Neighborhood University program

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The Promise:

Bob's plan includes: ... plant 1,000 trees per year in our parks, medians and right of ways.

Update March 30th, 2012:

Tree goal met, with more than 600 to spare

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The Promise:

"As mayor, Bob Buckhorn will appoint a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the city of Tampa. The CTO will serve as a member of the mayor’s senior staff and will be the point person for all of the city’s tech-related activities, including: e-Services -- Tampa’s response to our customer and constituents' needs; e-Business -- The use of technology to modernize how government works; e-Management -- Coordinating organizational changes inside city government."

Update March 30th, 2012:

No CTO yet; Buckhorn still contemplating changes

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The Promise:

"He will appoint a Director of Protocol, International Trade and Commerce who will report directly to the mayor. This person will be charged with the following responsibilities: Serve as the Mayor’s point person for all international commerce activities; To reenergize the partnership of Tampa International Airport, the Port of Tampa, the city of Tampa, Hillsborough County and the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce to develop and expand our regional international trade efforts; Work to attract and identify locations for foreign consulates; Work with the Tampa Port Authority and the Florida Ports Council to expand the Port of Tampa’s infrastructure in order to allow the port to actively pursue significant container business; Work more closely with the Governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development and Enterprise Florida to participate in statewide international trade initiatives; Aggressively target, pursue and schedule trade missions led by the mayor and accompanied by regional partners and local Tampa Bay businesses; Assist the new director of Tampa International Airport (TIA) in pursuing more international flights for TIA."

Update March 30th, 2012:

Mayor passes on new director, but international trade goals remain

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The Promise:

"The first year ... his administration will create incentive packages to target high tech industries identified by the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation (EDC)."

Update March 30th, 2012:

No specific high-tech incentives

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