Bob Buckhorn is not just a familiar name around Tampa politics. He was an aspiring political junkie before ever arriving here 29 years ago.
When the other kids in his Falls Church, Va. neighborhood wanted to be Joe Namath or Pete Rose, Buckhorn wanted to be president. In a mock elementary school election, he ran as Robert Kennedy. At age 10, he was volunteering to run errands for the RFK presidential campaign. His dad was a U.P.I. journalist and politics was a nightly staple around the family dinner table. And, yes, he was on student council at Falls Church High School.
His major at Penn State University? Political science.
After relocating to Tampa in 1982, he would go on to co-chair the (1984) John Glenn for President campaign with Pat Frank. Buckhorn later became the director of governmental affairs for the Builders Association of Greater Tampa before signing on to help Sandy Freedman become Tampa’s first female mayor. He remained a special assistant to Freedman until 1995.
Buckhorn was elected to two terms on City Council before making a failed run at the mayor’s office in 2003. He also lost a County Commission race.
He would join the Dewey Square Group, a national public affairs company with a Tampa office. He later opened Buckhorn Partners, a local public-affairs firm, and became a regular political analyst on Bay News 9. Even out of office, he was publicly in touch.
Buckhorn, The Sequel
Now, at 52, and with nearly three Tampa decades behind him, Buckhorn makes another run at City Hall. Although the youngest of the five candidates on the ballot, he has plenty of name recognition. But is that also a double-edged political sword? Do voters feel they’ve seen this candidacy before? They know he can be wonkish on details, loves a good sound bite, and can seem packaged. Could another incarnation be what they really want?
“Sure, there’s baggage attached,” acknowledges Buckhorn. “I get that. But I’ll let the totality of my record speak for itself.”
He’s also quick to point out what’s different, in addition to a more challenging economy and priorities that focus much less on quality-of-life issues (read: reining in of lap dancing). With a completely different cast of political characters and a jobs-creation dynamic, this isn’t a reprise of the 2003 race. Moreover, Buckhorn’s not the same candidate he was then, he underscores.
“I think losing made me a better person,” says Buckhorn. “It’s never easy to die a public death. But I didn’t go home and pout after losing. I never stopped believing in Tampa. I’m truly willing to make a difference. I feel very blessed to compete for the highest job in the city. I want to be the person to get Tampa to the next level.”
However humbling and introspective, losing was not the foremost catalyst for another run at city hall, Buckhorn emphasizes. It was his marriage to Dr. Catherine Lynch, currently the Associate Vice President for Women’s Health at USF Health, and the subsequent birth of their two daughters, Grace and Colleen, now 9 and 4, respectively. It’s made a “huge difference,” he says.
“I’m at a different stage of my life,” explains Buckhorn. “I’m not going anywhere after this. It’s very personal now. I’ve got skin in the game. I’m a candidate, but I’m also a parent. I want this to be a city where my own kids want to come home to.”
With that in mind, he wants to build on “the good job under difficult circumstances” that incumbent Mayor Pam Iorio has done. He says he wants to keep the city “lean”–as well as “user-friendly, business-friendly and recruit-friendly.” And, yes, he would prioritize recruiting “value-added”–not service-sector jobs.
To those diverse ends, a Mayor Buckhorn would create–via consolidation of other offices–two “deputy mayors.” One for economic opportunity, the other for neighborhood and community empowerment. He would also appoint a Chief Technology Officer, a Director of Protocol for International Trade & Commerce and a task force (of business, neighborhood and community leaders) with the charge to streamline the bureaucracy. A “1-stop licensing program” would also be initiated, says Buckhorn, to accommodate entrepreneurs in pursuit of licenses and permits.
“New Urbanism” Advocate
At the core of Buckhorn’s vision for Tampa is his true-believer trust in the “new urbanism” that has been evolving since the 1980s. With its emphasis on walkable neighborhoods, a range of housing options and job types and transit-oriented development, it’s the antithesis of urban sprawl. “You don’t need suburban land-use codes on urban, in-fill areas,” he points out.
A “vibrant downtown” is a key municipal cornerstone–as well as an invaluable recruiting aid, stresses Buckhorn. He’s an admirer of the way St. Petersburg has “programmed” its downtown, including its diverse “fests” at Vinoy Park.
“Downtown should be considered everybody’s front door,” says Buckhorn. “It’s not just about museums. And it should be jumpin’ every weekend.”
That necessitates a catalytic role for Riverwalk, he says.
“It’s the best (downtown) asset we have,” states Buckhorn. “We must complete it. It’s an absolute priority. That’s a billion-dollar investment, and we have to connect all the dots. Down economy notwithstanding. It’s an investment that will attract developers who want predictability. We’re talking a 10-fold spin-off effect.”
He would also like to further capitalize on USF as a key magnet for “jobs of the future.” Exhibit A is the CAMLS (Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation) project now under construction diagonally across from the Tampa Convention Center.
“We’re not looking to add to our reputation for call centers,” says Buckhorn. “CAMLS is a prime example of what we’re trying to create and grow and recruit. Not only is USF growing its footprint downtown, but it helps in attracting mini-clusters. That’s transformative.
“You know, Tampa has never quite figured out what it wants to be,” posits Buckhorn. “What its reach is. It could be the economic engine that drives the Southeast.”
Buckhorn Outtakes
* What he saw in Tampa upon arriving in 1982: “I saw the rumbling of potential. There was a vibe in the air. It was infused with potential with a great location and natural amenities. I probably wind-surfed twice a week.”
* What’s at stake for Tampa this election: “We have a window right now where we have to get creative to move to the next level or lose out to our competition.”
* Riverwalk: “I want people to be able to park their car at the Straz Center and leave it there. And then walk all the way to the Aquarium.”
* Role of the University of Tampa: “A university in the middle of an urban core. That’s invaluable. Wherever you have college students, you have a kind of hip, edgy energy.”
* Mass transit and light rail: “Mobility options are a huge part of the calculations of business today. We can’t afford to share with Detroit the distinction of having no modern mass transit. Multi-modal is very important. I was disappointed, but not surprised by the (referendum) vote. But it was a good start in the education process. We just have to make the case. Voters want more specificity.”
* Advice to Gov. Scott on accepting $2.4 billion in federal funds for high-speed rail between Orlando and Tampa: “Don’t pull the plug.”
* Overseas commerce: “We have the potential to be a big player on the international scene. We need to better utilize TIA and the port, with more focus on Latin America–especially from Mexico to Venezuela. We should be a gateway, driving business to our port.”
* Cuba: “We need to be prepared for when it’s open for trade. But right now I’m more for building on to the relationships of countries we already do business with. Those who have the ability to pay and have access to credit.”
* The 2012 GOP Convention: “It’s not a political issue. It’s an economic issue. We’ll have the captains and titans of industry here. We will showcase and pitch Tampa. It’s a big economic-development opportunity.”
* Handicapping the race: “It’s likely three candidates, Dick Greco, Rose Ferlita and myself, for two (run-off) slots. But everybody is still within the margin of error–around 19 to 25 per cent.”
* The Greco candidacy: “I enjoy being around him. And appreciate what he did for this city. I honor his service. But that doesn’t mean I have to live it. We need to turn the page.”