In "an extraordinary day in Tampa politics," Hillsborough
County commissioners, under pressure from the Tampa Bay Council,
changed the half-cent sales tax increase that would help build a
Bucs stadium back to 30 years and issued team Owner Malcolm
Glazer an ultimatum -- agree by July 10 that the Tampa Sports
Authority will control the facility, or the September 3
referendum on the tax will be canceled. The TAMPA TRIBUNE's Joe
Henderson writes the Tampa Council "refused to go along" with the
original 15-year tax plan because it did not allot enough money
for safety and public works projects in the city. The 30-year
tax, which the county originally wanted, will provide money for
schools, public safety, roads, utility and the stadium. In
March, Glazer was given the right to manage the new stadium after
three years, but due to "overwhelmingly negative" reaction from
the public, the county decided to amend that ruling.
Commissioner Joe Chillura: "We found out today that 900,000
voters can out-leverage one owner of a football team" (TAMPA
TRIBUNE, 6/21).
