Whether it’s derided as “pork” or an “earmark,” all that comes to states and municipalities via the federal government are not variations on a “bridge to nowhere,” political-gratuity theme. Hardly.
Ask Bob Buckhorn.
The Tampa mayor’s perspective is borne of an acute appreciation for the economic-impact ripples, for example, that will emanate from the Feds’ $105-million, stimulus investment in the I-4 Connector and the $10.9 million TIGER grant that will make possible the completion of the synergistic, 2.6-mile, downtown-defining Riverwalk.
“I’m not bashful about going after grants,” Buckhorn states unequivocally. “We’re a donor state in taxes. It’s our money being re-invested in our community. The government investment in the I-4 Connector is not ‘pork.’ It’s a necessity. For those who think infrastructure investments are pork, I challenge them to be a mayor for one day. It creates jobs and builds infrastructure that is crumbling around us. I’ve had five mayors say ‘thank you’ for our (re-allocated, high-speed) rail money.”
Speaking of high-speed rail and the person ultimately responsible for the giveaway debacle, Buckhorn continues to wax diplomatic in referencing Gov. Rick Scott. While it’s likely that any Buckhorn list of least favorites probably includes both Jerry Sandusky and Scott, the mayor, who can be a sound-bite savant, continues to take the rhetorical, politically-pragmatic high road.
“I don’t personalize it,” says Buckhorn of his relationship with Scott. “He is the governor. I’m going to respect the office. You need to know his hot buttons. He would, for example, call five companies for me that I was looking at.”