Yes, it goes with the territory. No, it’s really not a formal “endorsement.” Call it the cost of doing business.
But it’s still deflating to see that Jeff Vinik, the popular Tampa Bay Lightning owner and master-planner behind the makeover of Tampa’s downtown waterfront, is a generous campaign contributor to Gov. Rick Scott. Last week Vinik wrote a $100,000 check to a political fundraising committee run by Scott. It wasn’t the first time. Three months prior, he had written another $100,000 check.
He’s now the largest individual donor–second only to Walt Disney World Parks & Resorts overall–to Scott’s disingenuous “Let’s Get To Work” committee. A dubious, however expedient, honor.
Since these are post-gubernatorial election contributions to a term-limited politician, it means they go toward future, post-Tallahassee, Scott scenarios. We know Scott harbors senatorial ambitions. Imagine enabling that?
But we get it. It’s a classic CYA move.
The con-jobs governor had to sign off on the ($17 million) funding to relocate USF’s Morsani College of Medicine to the downtown Tampa tract that Vinik had donated. Construction is scheduled to begin next year.
Why chance a veto by a governor who is hardly Tampa’s favorite political patron? Even if the downtown-anchor project is an urban catalyst that portends jobs and economic ripples. Even if it’s already been vetted by those who know best. Even if this should be right in the economic wheel house of this governor. Even if this is meaty substance–not pork or turkey.
It’s the way the game is played. But, alas, it involves Scott.