Rep. Driskell Looks Back At The Legislative Session & Ahead To NovemberΒ 

District 67 State Rep. Fentrice Driskell (photo) is in an unenviable position β€” but it’s a position she handles with class and dignity. 

As the Minority Leader in the Florida House of Representatives β€” where her Democratic party faces a Republican super-majority of 84 Republican to 36 Democratic seats held β€” Rep. Driskell says she is still encouraged by the most recent State Legislative session, which ended in March. 

She also is gearing up for her fourth (and she says final, at least for her current position) legislative campaign β€” since first winning election to State House District 63 over then-incumbent Shawn Harrison by more than 4,500 votes in 2018. Rep. Driskell was reelected to the Dist. 63 seat in 2020 (when she was unopposed and did not have to appear on the ballot) and, in 2022, she defeated Lisette Bonano (R-New Tampa) by just under 3,700 votes to win the re-drawn Dist. 67 seat. Bonano is again on the ballot against Rep. Driskell for the Dist. 67 seat in November. At our press time, neither candidate was set to face a Primary Election opponent in August. 

Rep. Driskell, who earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Harvard University in 2001 and her Juris Doctor (law) degree from Georgetown University in 2004, was elected by her Democratic colleagues to serve as the State House Minority Leader and was named by new House Speaker Paul Renner to be the Democratic Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee in 2023, so she serves an important role in the House’s state budget process. 

β€œIt is a thankless job, but it’s an important one,” she says of being the Minority Leader against a Republican super majority. β€œWe face a lot of pressure from the other side of the aisle. But, I have tried to lead my caucus in such a way that we put forward policies that any family in Florida would appreciate. Every Floridian deserves the chance to be healthy, prosperous and safe. What I have found is that my constituents are tired of the culture wars β€” they don’t want book bans and attacks on history.” 

When asked whether or not the culture wars have been fought by both sides, Rep. Driskell responded, β€œWe have to remember that the Republicans have been in charge in the legislature and the governor’s mansion for years and they pushed the culture wars. The legislature has been pushed by Governor (Ron) DeSantis to ban Critical Race Theory, which is not taught in our schools. I view it as my job to say, β€˜What’s going on here? What’s O.K. and what’s not?’ I don’t care about the parties, I care about the people. I can work with anybody. But, you have to pick your battles carefully because the other side, in most cases, doesn’t need our votes.” 

She added that there were very few of what she calls β€œJump Balls” in this year’s session. β€œThey only need us when their caucus is split on an issue, like the bill to regulate short-term rentals, like Airbnbs (Senate Bill 280 passed both houses and is waiting for Gov. DeSantis’ signature). There were legislators pushing in both caucuses on both sides of that issue.” 

Despite her party’s disadvantage in the State House, Rep. Driskell is still proud of the bills she either sponsored, co-sponsored or supported. 

β€œI was able to secure $10 million for sickle cell disease (House Bill 7085, which creates a Sickle Cell Disease Research & Treatment Grant Program within the Department of Health),” she says. β€œIt’s the first such program in the U.S., as Florida has close to 8,000 people afflicted with sickle cell disease, one of the biggest populations in the country.” 

Other successes she points to in this year’s legislative session include: 

β€’ A $250,000 grant to study infant health and mortality. β€œThere’s a consortium of universities studying that together,” she says. β€œIt could save some lives.” 

β€’$1 million for a historic cemeteries program in the Dept. of State. β€œThe grants are open now,” she says. β€œI designed the bill so the state works with USF and its black cemetery network…so it helps USF, too.” 

β€’ She also advocated for (but didn’t sponsor) $1.7 million in USF funding, including USF’s Florida Mental Health Institute’s autism program. 

β€’ $14,000 for the New Tampa Players, as part of the cultural & museum grants program. β€œThere are institutions across the state who get money from that program,” she says. 

β€’ Helped get $1 million for the Ronald McDonald House, here in Tampa Bay. β€œThere is a need for a new house,” she says. β€œThe current one is on Columbia Dr. on Davis Islands, but this will help them put one a new house in a more central location.” 

β€’ $1 million for SOF (Special Operations Forces) Missions, which helps veterans with PTSD. β€œI helped them get their first state appropriation a few years ago,” she says. β€œI am honored to have helped support that, too.” 

Rep. Driskell also is proud to have advocated β€œfor reducing the waiting list for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. We have 22,000 people in Florida waiting for their benefits. But, Senate Bill 58 provides funding to move some people off that wait list.” 

No Help On Transportation Tax $ 

As for some results she wasn’t happy with this year, Rep. Driskell mentioned the $570 million raised by the most recently passed (and overturned) Hillsborough Transportation Tax. 

β€œUnfortunately, it’s not coming back to the community in the form of funding for transportation projects that we voted for,” she says. β€œAbout $256 million is coming back in the form of road resurfacing and about $162 million will go towards a Sales Tax Holiday that we haven’t fully flushed out as to what that’s going to look like. I pushed for it come back for transportation projects, but at least we got the resurfacing.” She added that the remainder of the money β€” close to $170 million β€” will be used to pay for legal fees associated with the case and to pay expenses and for valid tax refund claims. 

β€œIt’s outrageous that it’s going for something other than what we voted for,” she says. β€œI worked with my committee’s Republican vice chair Lawrence McClure to come up with a plan for it. But, it’s a done deal; it’s just waiting for the Governor’s signature on the entire budget.” 

She adds, β€œWe’re sent to Tallahassee to do serious work and I take it very seriously. We have to put aside partisan differences to get work done. We don’t abandon our values but you have to be willing to work in a collaborative way.” 

As for what’s coming up in November, she says, β€œWe are working hard on elections. My job as leader is to lead the strategy and raise the resources necessary to win the five seats we need to get out of the super minority. It’s a tall order β€” five is a lot to win. But, my team and I think we have a strategy to do it. In January, I led the effort to win a special election in Central Florida β€” 70% of voters voted for our candidate β€” by focusing on things like property insurance rates and abortion access.” 

On Abortion Access & More 

Speaking of abortion access, Rep. Driskell says, β€œI never thought we would live in a time where the U.S. Supreme Court would take rights away…their job is to protect them. Florida’s six-week ban takes effect at the end of next month. We have the ability to vote on Amendment 4 in November and the legislature also can overturn it β€” seven Republicans voted against it. We need people to get out and vote, however they feel about it.” 

Other bills that passed that she wasn’t happy about include House Bill 49, which weakens protections on child labor. 

β€œMy caucus and I at least got it watered down. The bill would have allowed kids under age 18 to work overnight shifts β€” treating them like adults. Now, they will have breaks and no overnight shifts.” 

She also had a problem with House Bill 433, which preempts local governments from passing heat stress ordinances. β€œThere were workers in South Florida who died from heat stress,” she says, β€œso Miami put a new ordinance into effect. But this law, which the Gov. already signed, overturns any local laws.” 

And finally, she says she is trying to find new ways to stay in touch. β€œSo, every Tuesday at 8 p.m., I do a live stream, where I talk about what’s happening in Tallahassee, politics and more.” For more info, visit FentriceforFlorida.com or @FentriceForFL on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or X.Β 

City Of Tampa To Host Hanukkah Celebration Tomorrow At New Tampa Rec Center!

District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera says that, β€œBefore last year, New Tampa never had its own (city-hosted) Christmas tree event. Last year, I sought to have both a Christmas and Hanukkah event on the same day.” This year, the city held its Christmas tree lighting on Nov. 27 and is hosting a Hanukkah event on Monday, December 11, 6:30 p.m., also at the New Tampa Recreation Center (17302 Commerce Park Blvd.). 

β€œThis is all part of the efforts I have been undertaking since 2016 to continue to have an increased connection between our city government and New Tampa,” Viera says. β€œIt is important that we get the same dignity and respect as all other parts of the city have.” 

At the Christmas event (l.-r. in photo, above), State Rep. Fentrice Driskell, Viera and his fellow City Council member Lynn Hurtak, Heather Erickson and Tony Mulkey of the Tampa Parks & Rec Dept. and Tampa Palms resident and the event’s M.C. Tracy Falkowitz were all on hand for the Christmas tree lighting and festivities (photos below). 

As for the Hanukkah event on Dec. 11, it’s entirely possible that some of you may not receive this issue β€” or may not read it that quickly, even if you do receive it on time β€” before that event is held, but Viera says that he wants to make sure that people know his #1 concern for that event is public safety. 

β€œWe are looking forward to a wonderful celebration of this holiday and hearing from community members on what Hanukkah means to them at this time,” Viera says. β€œI am acutely aware of the sentiments and feelings of our American Jewish brothers and sisters in this time of increased and immoral anti-Semitism, so we will have security on hand for this event.” 

Local 2022 Campaign Season Heating Up

Fentrice Driskell, the new Democratic party leader of the Florida House, will headline a pair of townhalls in New Tampa over the next two weeks.

The first town hall will be at the New Tampa Regional Library on Thursday, June 30, at 6 p.m., followed by a town hall at Tampa Palms’ Compton Park on Wednesday, July 6, also at 6 p.m.

Rep. Driskell will be joined by District 7 Tampa City Council member Luis Viera and State Sen. Janet Cruz, who is seeking reelection in Senate District 14, a district that recently has been redrawn and now includes New Tampa.

Sen. Cruz, a Democrat, is running against Republican Jay Collins, who dropped his bid for Congress last week to challenge Cruz and picked up a quick endorsement from Gov. Ron DeSantis. 

That effectively forced Hunter’s Green resident and fellow Republican Shawn Harrison, who had filed to run against Cruz in April, from the race,

Like Cruz, Driskell is running in a redrawn district, although it still includes New Tampa and USF. Instead of House District 63, the seat she won in 2018 and 2020, Driskell is now looking to secure House District 67.

She will be opposed by Democrat Dawn Douglas, who filed to run in May, and Republican Lisette Bonano, who filed last year.

Bonano, an Army veteran, is a New Tampa resident.

Rep. Driskell To Seek A 3rd Term

State Representative Fentrice Driskell, considered to be one of the rising stars in the Democratic Party in the Sunshine State, has officially announced that she will seek to retain her seat in the all-important midterm 2022 elections.

Rep. Driskell will be running to hold the Florida House District 63 seat she won in 2018 when she defeated Republican Shawn Harrison and retained in 2020 when she was unopposed. Driskell held her launch party on Oct. 27 at Acropolis Greek Taverna on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. (photos)

District 63 includes New Tampa, as well as Carrollwood, Lutz and the Lake Magdalene and University of South Florida areas to our south and west. 

Driskell already has at least one opponent lined up for next year β€” New Tampa Republican Lisette R. Bonano.

The General Election will be held on November 8, 2022, with primary elections scheduled for August 23, 2022. β€” JCC

Zoom Meeting Postponed, So You Can Still Be Part Of It!

Gary Nager Editorial

For the last few issues, I’ve been writing in this space about how I’ve personally felt about the state of race relations in this country. And now, I feel fortunate that I have found a way to do something about it β€” and several dozen of my readers in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel have agreed to see if we can do that something together.

And, even though I still have no idea what I hope this group can accomplish, I do know that the readers who have responded that they’re interested in participating are of all different racial, socioeconomic and religious backgrounds.

It’s the kind of group I hope to someday have a chance to meet with in person to have a beverage and/or a meal, or even a large-scale gathering in an open auditorium. But for now, it will begin with a Zoom meeting that originally had been scheduled for August 10 but has been postponed until a weeknight between August 19-August 26 that will be open to anyone who genuinely wants to be part of something that I hope will be helpful in some way.

In my August 4 editorial in Wesley Chapel Issue #16-20, I said that because it will be a Zoom meeting, I plan to moderate the discussion that evening and I have asked someone I have a huge amount of respect for to co-moderate it with me β€” District 63 State Representative Fentrice Driskell β€” who has already re-won reelection to her seat because of having no opponent and who represents the New Tampa area in the Florida House of Representatives.Β 

Rep. Driskell is originally from Tampa Bay and moved back home after law school to find meaningful ways to involve herself in the community. So, as my co-moderator, she is someone who is familiar with our local context. Rep. Driskell believes that, in order to address racism, and ultimately, to heal its wounds, our community must be willing to have tough, honest and sometimes uncomfortable conversations about race. She also is in conversation with multiple stakeholders around these issues to develop policy solutions to tackle institutional racism at the legislative level.

Rep. Driskell also is working with other elected officials and community leaders on a project in conjunction with the Equal Justice Initiative that will lead to more community conversations about race. Through the project, local officials will erect a marker that will honor and memorialize the lives lost to racial lynchings in Hillsborough County during the Jim Crow era. The goal of that project is both to educate our community about its past with respect to racially motivated violence and also to spark dialogue about how our shared past is relevant to the structural racism that we see today. She believes that this kind of dialogue, rooted in the factual truth of our common past, will help us develop solutions to build a future that is more fair, inclusive and expansive in opportunity for us all.

After mentioning Rep. Driskell in my Aug. 4 editorial, I also mentioned, in the last paragraph of that editorial, that, β€œAs the moderator of the Zoom meeting, one thing I won’t be interested in discussing is the defunding of law enforcement, which has become a popular rallying cry in the wake of (George) Floyd’s death.  I also will do everything I can to not allow finger-pointing or for the meeting to become about Red vs. Blue. 

β€œAs someone who grew up in New York and saw police officers running towards people who had just been shot as I tried to go in the opposite direction β€” away from the danger β€” no one can convince me that 1) most cops aren’t good public servants & 2) to improve law enforcement’s protection of us will mean additional training that will cost more money, not less.”

Once Rep. Driskell saw my editorial, however, she called me to discuss it and shared her sentiment that in order for the meeting to be as inclusive as possible, it would be important for us to welcome the perspectives of all participants. She also shared that, as an elected official, it is her job and duty to listen and to consider the opinions of all of her constituents.

I really felt badly when Rep. Driskell brought this to my attention and, after we spoke about it, I better understood why I received some negative emails because of that paragraph. 

So, while we may have differing viewpoints on some issues, Rep. Driskell and I agree that we have a responsibility to not exclude anyone’s ideas that would be productive to the discussion.

In addition, even though I didn’t want to postpone the meeting, in light of how Rep. Driskell felt about my editorial β€” which I didn’t share with her prior to publishing it in that Aug. 4 issue β€” in the current scope of the discussion, I agreed it was the right thing to do.

I knew it wasn’t easy for her to have to call me about it, but even though all of the opinions expressed in all 600+ of my page 3 editorials I have published in the 26 years I have owned and been the editor of the Neighborhood News have always been mine alone, once I was introducing Rep. Driskell as my co-moderator, I should have at least run the column by her, which might have prevented us from having to postpone it.

Please send me an email at ads@ntneighborhoodnews.com to join this open dialogue with this diverse group of your neighbors in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel. Once the revised Zoom meeting date and time are set, I will again email everyone who signed up with a link to the meeting.