The last time the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce was in the news was over an understandably critical letter to Gov. Rick Scott from Chamber president Bob Rohrlack. Scott had appointed right-wing, political flamethrower Sam Rashid–of “taxpayer, subsidized slut” infamy–to the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority. The chamber’s board, in cover-your-ass mode, rebuked Rohrlack and sent an apology to Scott.
Now the chamber’s board is weighing in on the issue of a transit referendum. But blunt and direct–and even to the point–it is not. Perhaps it’s overcompensating with a letter by committee.
The chamber released a statement that Rohrlack said was in support of a sales tax transportation referendum on the 2016 ballot. Yet the statement never actually referenced Go Hillsborough or a half-cent sales tax increase to fund transportation projects. It did, however, note that it would “support a referendum that includes measureable transportation outcomes, including mobility options and additional funding sources.”
Close enough.