Montelione Considers 2016 Run For Dist. 63 Seat

dist 63By Matt Wiley

Lisa Montelione’s second term as the District 7 Tampa City Council member has just begun, but murmurs have arisen about a possible bid to take on Dist. 63 Rep. Shawn Harrison (R-New Tampa, see story on page 4) for his seat in the Florida Legislature in Tallahassee in the 2016 election. Rep. Harrison also served two terms on the Tampa City Council representing New Tampa, before taking a run at what is now the  Dist. 63 seat in 2010. He was followed by fellow New Tampa resident Joseph Caetano in 2007, who lost to Montelione in 2011.Continue reading

Rep. Shawn Harrison Recaps The Legislative Special Session

Dist. 63 State Rep. Shawn Harrison represents New Tampa in Tallahassee.
Dist. 63 State Rep. Shawn Harrison represents New Tampa in Tallahassee.

By Rep. Shawn Harrison

In the 2015 Florida Legislative Special Session, the State House and Senate came together to pass a $79-billion budget that includes $400 million in tax cuts, returning money to the pockets of hard-working Floridians, and of special note, extending the normal, three-day “Back to School” sales tax holiday to 10 days. The 2015-16 budget allocates a record-breaking $19.7-billion in funding to Florida’s public schools, approximately $7,097 per student. It was my pleasure to serve on the House K-12 committee, looking out for our New Tampa public school students. Continue reading

Rep. Harrison Returns To Tally Following Mediocre Midterm Election Turnout

harrison sworn inBy Matt Wiley

It’s been nearly a month since the 2014 Midterm General Election and the completed, “official” results are in. While our state’s governor keeps his seat and medical marijuana likely will appear again on a future ballot, a New Tampa resident who used to represent our area in the Florida House of Representatives has unseated the incumbent (and fellow New Tampa resident), who defeated him for the same seat in 2012.Continue reading

Republican Primary Opponents Harrison & Wedding Already Campaigning For Dist. 63

Shawn Harrison (left) will face off against U.S. Air Force Maj. Bret Wedding in the August Republican Primary to determine who will take on Rep. Mark Danish for the Dist. 63 seat.
Shawn Harrison (left) will face off against U.S. Air Force Maj. Bret Wedding in the August Republican Primary to determine who will take on Rep. Mark Danish for the Dist. 63 seat.

By Matt Wiley

Longtime New Tampa resident Shawn Harrison wants his seat back in Tallahassee and already has begun campaigning to once again become the State Representative for District 63, which includes the New Tampa area that has been represented by incumbent Dist. 63 Rep. Mark Danish (D-New Tampa) since November 2012.Continue reading