Speaking of the Tampa Bay Times, its recent editorial take in support of the Hillsborough County Commission’s decision to maintain the status quo on the configuration of the seven-member board surprised a number of observers. The progressive alternative would have been to allow voters next year to decide if they wanted to retain the alignment of three (at-large) countywide seats and four district seats–or change to two at-large and five district. The vote went the way of a Republican majority–Ken Hagan, Sandy Murman, Victor Crist and Al Higginbotham. A super majority of five was necessary to send the proposal to voters, but only Democrats Les Miller and Kevin Beckner and Republican Mark Sharpe voted for the measure that would have lessened the number of constituents per commissioner and improved chances of an Hispanic being elected to the Commission.
The Times found the proposed plan an exercise in discrimination. It also argued that continuing to allow any voter to elect a majority of the board–a district rep and three at-large commissioners–was meritorious enough to carry the day.
The upshot is this. About 70,000 fewer constituents per commissioner would make for more responsive government. Moreover, a county that is nearly a quarter Hispanic and where more than a third of its public school students are Hispanic would now have a better chance of finally having Hispanic representation–not some politically-correct token–on the Commission.
Reasonable people, regardless of position on the political spectrum, can disagree over the implications of a 5-2 vs. 4-3 make-up. What they should be able to agree on, however, is that it should go to the voters to make the ultimate call at the ballot box.