Viera’s Latest Town Hall Again Focused On Public Safety

Luis Viera, the New Tampa resident who has served for more than eight years in New Tampa’s District 7 on the Tampa City Council, says he has hosted about 85 town hall meetings during his tenure on the Council. And, even though not all of those town hall events have been located in — or focused on — New Tampa, Viera has made his home zip code of 33647 a top priority, especially over the past year or so, when there has been an increase in headline-grabbing homicides in our area.

Viera’s most recent town hall, held on March 3 at the Compton Park at Tampa Palms clubhouse, was again attended by nearly 50 local residents, as Viera brought Tampa Police Department (TPD) Capt. Benjamin Brown and  two TPD sergeants to discuss public safety, as well as Viera’s plans for his future (as we reported in our March 4 New Tampa issue). 

Among the topics Viera discussed:  

Politics – “I am not rot running for Mayor. Running for that office is a full-time job and I have a full-time job as an attorney, so this is not my time. But, I certainly am going to be running for something else, which will likely be County Commissioner or State Representative. My friend, State Rep. Fentrice Driskell is term-limited in 2026, so that is likely where I’ll be running, but an announcement will be forthcoming.”

Overview of what he’s been working on in City Council  – 

Hurricane Relief – “I got $3.5 million for North Tampa for hurricane relief, hoping for $1 million more from City Council.”

All For Transportation (AFT) sales tax money that was being held by the State Legislature — “It’s going to be released shortly. We’re inquiring about what the City will do with its share of the funds. I would like to see some of it go to two things — New Tampa Blvd. and finishing up Tampa Palms (TP) Blvd. We got the $3-$4 mill investment for the first half of TP Blvd. 3-4 years ago. Now we have to finish what we started. I’ve also heard that the county will use AFT funds for Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from Fowler Ave. to Bearss Ave.”

Parks – “I got $1 million for the design of the park at K-Bar funded with Community Investment Tax (CIT) funds. I’m also not going to be here after 2027, maybe even 2026, so whoever is in this position after me will need to get the funding in the budget to build that park. A big part of that will be a cricket field, something important to the large Indian -American population in New Tampa. I’m very proud to have gotten over the last eight years almost $10 mill in new city parks funded — including expanding the New Tampa Rec Ctr, adding Tampa’s first All Abilities Park (the first city-funded park that caters to people with disabilities — autism, intellectual & physical), plus the additional expansion of the courts at Liberty Middle School (a joint project between the Hillsborough School Board and the city).” 

Harrison Boonstoppel – “I made a motion at City Council to have the All Abilities Park renamed for 20-year-old Harrison Boonstoppel, who was killed in Oct. 2023 by the crossfire of rival gangs shooting at each other in Ybor City. Haarrison had some physical and mental disabilities but he was the type of young man, with the help of his family, who really maximized all of his potential. He was a special human being. And, with the support of the neighborhoods, including Tampa Palms, New Tampa, as well as Pepin Academies (where he went to school) and different special needs advocates, we’re trying to see if we can have that park named after Harrison because his life, God rest his soul, really reflects what that park is all about.” 

Stafford Park, Tampa Palms –  “There’s about five acres that was originally supposed to be the location of the All-Abilities Park, but the park got moved because it was very near the interstate, which would not be good for a sensory park. I’m trying to see if we can get design money in the next budget for a soft, neighborhood ‘pocket park’ at that location. Just making sure that before they sell that property to Walmart or whoever, that we look into using it for a city use.”

Penguin Project – “I got the city to give $150,000 for this arts program for people with intellectual disabilities to be able to do plays and arts. another way to promote New Tampa. It’s funny that I get tagged as being anti-arts because I voted against giving $25 million to the Straz Center and $25 million for the Tampa Museum of Art, because I thought that kind of money could be used elsewhere, but the Penguin Project is the kind of arts funding that I can support.”

Fire Rescue – “One of the big things that I really always try to fight for on Tampa City Council is public safety. In 2017, I got Tampa Fire Rescue Station No. 23 in Grand Hampton funded, and then Station No. 25 in North Tampa to help out with Station 13, and recently, we were able to fund Station No. 24 on Whiteway near Temple Terrace. I still really want to fix response times in K-Bar Ranch. I’ve been having a disagreement with the administration on K-Bar Ranch response times and I’ve been trying to figure out how to remedy that. Chief Tripp says she’s going to put an additional vehicle out at Station No. 22 in Cross Creek. We build and build and build but you have to have corresponding infrastructure, mobility & public safety to go along with that. It’s just common sense.”

Capt. Brown, who is with TPD’s Special Operations Division downtown, said his division handles “traffic, traffic homicide, the motor unit, the SWAT (Special Weapons & Tactics) team, bomb squad, helicopters, dogs, horses, boats — anything that’s not normal patrol.” Here are some of the items he discussed:

Speeding on Tampa Palms Blvd. —“I was told to talk about speeding on Tampa Palms Blvd., but as Councilman Viera said, there are things our mobility department can do to reduce speeding, but speeding is an epidemic, not just on Tampa Palms Blvd. or in New Tampa, but everywhere. I live up here too, so it’s a big concern of mine. I see this problem all the time — to work, home from work…and it leads to everything from fights to road rage to shootings. We obviously don’t want that in our neighborhoods. But, stopping people, writing tickets, deters some people but not everyone. In February alone, in zip code 33647, there were over 700 traffic stops. You can imagine the amount of manpower and time that takes to work in [those stops] with calls for service…people who need help. With those traffic stops, some were citations, some were arrests, some were warnings, but the fact of it is the motor squad, the patrol units, they do a lot of traffic stops up here and we still have the problems we have. ‘Environmental’ changes we can make — include creating speed zones, traffic circles, reduced speed limits. Those are some of the things that can be done to slow down traffic.”

Capt. Brown also discussed some different vehicles that are definitely growing in popularity, not just in New Tampa, but all over.

Ebikes & Scooters – “I was asked to talk about the laws when it comes to ebikes, scooters, mopeds, those kinds of things. For ebikes , the legislation and laws haven’t really caught up with that yet. You do not need a license or registration to drive an ebike, which is a bicycle that has motor of some sort on it. It can be completely propelled by the motor or kick started by pedal power. There’s three classes — Class 1 is a pedal assist only and can only go up to 20 mph. Class 2 is a throttle assist, no pedaling. You just pull a throttle and it goes, and those are only supposed to go up to 20 mph. Class 3  is a pedal assist that can go up to 28 mph. These ebikes still must adhere to whatever the speed limits are on the street they’re on. Helmets are mandatory for anyone under age16 and they must adhere to all rules of the roadway just like a bicycle. They can be on the sidewalks, but pedestrians always have the right of way on sidewalks.”

Golf Carts & Low-Speed Vehicles – “We’re all aware of the trend in certain neighborhoods where golf carts have gotten very popular. They are easy to charge and easy to get around the neighborhood. There’s three classes of these, too. There are golf carts, which go less than 20 mph; low-speed vehicles, which go 20-25 mph, and are basically a hybrid between cars & golf carts; and there are regular cars. Low-speed vehicles look like golf carts but are capable of higher speeds. They can be registered, and they have to adhere to safety protocols that cars have — stop lamps, turn signals, head lamps, tail lamps, parking brakes, seat belts, etc. You can get tags for these vehicles and they can be driven on the streets, but then, they must be registered and you must carry insurance for them. Those aren’t something we’re going to go out & attack if they’re being safe, when we have speeders and people being reckless. Low-speed vehicles can be driven on the street as long as the road speed limit is no higher than 35 mph and the vehicle is capable of going at least 20 mph. If they’re registered and you’re a licensed driver, you can drive those on the streets. Golf carts & low-speed vehicles can not go on sidewalks unless they’re designated paths/cart-ways. There will be signs if a sidewalk is designated for that.”

Electric Scooters – “These are the ones that the kids are riding, but you actually have to be 16 or older to drive one of those. I’ll admit, though,  that I am in violation of that. My daughter, I’m trying to convince her to get off the road and on the sidewalk and, like many parents, I am in violation of that. But, the scooters can’t be on the street, and they can not be registered, but they can go on sidewalks & designated pathways, but not on streets.” 

School Bus Info – Capt. Brown also said he was asked to discuss school bus rules. “If the school bus is stopped with its ‘arms’ out and there is no median or a very thin median, cars in both directions have to stop. The only time you don’t have to stop is when there is at least a six-foot-wide raised median,. Then, the oncoming traffic does not have to stop. But obviously, everybody wants to use caution. We’re going to start implementing a school speed safety program. No schools in this area are listed yet but I’m expecting this program to expand and what it does is put cameras in the school zones that are going to pick up those speeding through it . Whether your view of camera-enforced traffic is positive or negative, I don’t think anyone could argue that protecting those school zones and our children is a paramount thing that we should be doing. That should be coming out in August of next year.”

Some of the questions the officers and Viera answered following their presentations will be included when this story appears in the April 1 edition of New Tampa Neighborhood News. 

Luis Viera Remembers A Special Person & Provides Updates On His Next Election Plans 

On January 14, 2025, a special woman passed: Kendra Kay Holden (right photo). If you ever went to the New Tampa Panera Bread, you probably saw Kendra there. Kendra worshiped at St. James United Methodist Church, worked as a teaching assistant at Hunters Green Elementary and served as a Best Buddies Ambassador representing people with intellectual disabilities. 

Her obituary read in part: “Kendra loved God, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, Vera Bradley Bags, Sonny’s BBQ, Olive Garden, outlet malls, Christmas movies, Cracker Barrel, unicorns, butterflies, Coke Zero and colorful bands for her Apple Watch.” 

Every time I walk into that Panera Bread, I will think of dear Kendra. She was a special child of God. 

Speaking of those who are differently abled, I recently got to see our friends in The Penguin Project perform their most recent show, “Seussical Jr.” 

I can not tell you how proud I am of this group from the New Tampa Players. This effort allows people with intellectual disabilities to take part in a first-rate production play with the help of their artist peers. 

I always get emotional seeing the plays – because I think of my brother, Juan, who is intellectually disabled, and how I would see him as a young person at church plays or in the Special Olympics. I am proud of Juan. And I know that the moms and dads in the audience are so proud of their young people participating in the Penguin Project. 

I have worked to have Tampa give $150,000 to this special New Tampa project. That is money well spent. 

Here in New Tampa, we are a diverse community. We are one community of Americans – but with different faiths and cultures. That is New Tampa and that is America. 

Go to Arlington National Cemetery and take a look at the graves of our heroes – especially in Section 60. You will find Christian crosses. You will find Stars of David for our Jewish friends. And you will find the crescent moon and star for our Muslim friends. 

I will always stand for the idea of the Family of Tampa. That includes the American Jewish family that fled Europe in the 1930s to come to this new country. That includes the refugee Muslim family in New Tampa with anxiety for their loved ones in Afghanistan. That includes members of the Sikh faith, the Hindus, Buddhists, evangelical Protestants and Roman Catholics. 

We all do better when we all do better. And we all do better when we all belong. I will stand for that always. I have and will continue to take political “hits” for that ideal gladly — because it is the right thing to do and that is America to me. 

I have represented District 7 on the Tampa City Council since 2016, but all good things must come to an end — per the City of Tampa’s Charter. I am term limited out of this office in 2027. 

It’s no secret that I love my 33647 constituents. I work hard for you because I see public service as a blessing. 

As Neighborhood News editor Gary Nager reported in an online post on Feb. 16, I plan on making a decision soon on what I will do next. That will not, however, include running for Mayor of Tampa. If I choose to try to succeed my dear friend, Florida House District 67 Representative Fentrice Driskell (who has said that her reelection last year will be her final two-year term in office), I will have big shoes to fill. 

But, I will do what I have done here locally: work hard, build bridges and fight for what I believe in. 

You guys know me well. You know my values. You know my work ethic. And you know not only where I stand, but that I stand. 

While introducing District 7 Tampa City Council member Luis Viera, who was the guest speaker at the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce (NTBC)’s monthly Business Breakfast on Feb. 4, NTBC president & CEO Hope Kennedy mentioned that she had heard Viera might be considering a run for Mayor of Tampa. 

But (as it says earlier in his column on the previous page), Viera said he was more interested in a run for the District 67 State House seat currently occupied by House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, or a possible Hillsborough County Commission run in 2026. 

Since that Feb. 4 meeting, Viera says he has been approached by multiple media outlets about his plans going forward. He also says he is mulling over the possibility of running not only for Driskell’s Dist. 67 State House seat, but also for one of the three County Commission seats up for election in 2026. 

“I haven’t made a decision yet,” Viera says. “But, once I announce which of those offices I will choose to run for, I will have to give up my City Council seat before my term ends.” 

Even though he is a registered Democrat (City of Tampa elections are all nonpartisan), the 47-year-old Viera also discussed (at the Chamber breakfast) his ability to work with other political office holders — including reaching across the political aisle — in Hillsborough and Pasco counties, as well as with Rep. Driskell, Dist. 20 State Senator Danny Burgess and with Dist. 15 U.S. Congresswoman Laurel Lee. 

He also talked about New Tampa’s status as the “Alaska” of the City of Tampa, zip code 33647’s cultural diversity, as well as what he has accomplished in the nine years since winning his first election — by 65 votes in the two-candidate Special Election runoff in Nov. 2016 — over fellow New Tampa resident Dr. Jim Davison. 

Among the accomplishments he listed at the breakfast were securing funding to expand the New Tampa Rec Center, add Tampa’s first All- Abilities Park, for Tampa Fire Rescue Station No. 23 on Cross Creek Blvd. (and his ongoing efforts to put an additional fire station in K-Bar Ranch), road repaving in Tampa Palms and for the new park (and possible cricket pitch) in K-Bar Ranch. — Chamber breakfast recap by Gary Nager

Viera Interested In County & State Races for 2026!

District 7 Tampa City Council member and New Tampa resident Luis Viera says he hasn’t made a decision yet, but he is looking at either a State House of Representatives or Hillsborough County Commission run in 2026, before his current City Council term expires in March of 2027.

While introducing Viera, who was the guest speaker at North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce’ (NTBC)’s monthly Business Breakfast on Feb. 4, NTBC president & CEO Hope Kennedy mentioned that she had heard Viera might be considering a run for Mayor of Tampa, but Viera said he was more interested in a run for the District 67 State House seat currently occupied by House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, who will reach her term limit with the Nov. 2026 election.

Since that Feb. 4 meeting, Viera says he has been approached by multiple media outlets about his plans going forward. He says he is mulling over the possibility of running not only for Driskell’s Dist. 67 State House seat, but also for one of the County Commission seats up for election in 2026. “I haven’t made a decision yet,” Viera says. “But, once I announce which of those offices I will choose to run for, I will have to give up my City Council seat before my term ends.”

Even though he is a registered Democrat (City of Tampa elections are all nonpartisan), the 47-year-old Viera also discussed his ability to work with other political office holders — including reaching across the political aisle —  in Hillsborough and Pasco counties, as well as with Rep. Driskell, Dist. 20 State Senator Danny Burgess and with Dist. 15 U.S. Congresswoman Laurel Lee.  He also talked about New Tampa’s status as the “Alaska” of the City of Tampa, was well as zip code 33647’s cultural diversity, as well as what he has accomplished in the nine years since first winning election — by 65 votes in the two-candidate Special Election runoff in Nov. 2016 — in his first election over fellow New Tampa resident Dr. Jim Davison.

Look for a full recap of Councilman Viera’s Chamber breakfast chat, and more information about his political plans, in the March 4 New Tampa Neighborhood News Issue #5-25.

New Tampa’s Holiday Season Includes Two ‘Nutcrackers’ & Much More! 

As a direct-mail newspaper that only hits mailboxes every four weeks, it’s hard for us to publish some stories because they’re already “old” by the time our next issue reaches you. 

For example, by the time this issue reaches you, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa will all be distant memories and the year 2025 will already be in full swing, as even the kids will be back in school the same day this issue is scheduled to reach you. 

Even so, photographer Charmaine George and I attended many of the local holiday-themed events last month — some or even all of which you may have missed — including two different local performances of “The Nutcracker,” the annual New Tampa Christmas tree and Hanukkah menorah lighting events and even the unique second-annual Renaissance-era “Madrigal Dinner” hosted by the Freedom High chorus at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center, which isn’t specifically a holiday event, but which was held on December 5 and included an actual delicious dinner for those who attended. 

The two photos above are from the New Tampa Dance Theatre’s “preview” performance on Dec. 7 at the Shops at Wiregrass. Charmaine took these pictures since neither she nor I were available to attend NTDT’s full “Nutcracker” ballet performances at the University of South Florida Dec. 20-22. Charmaine said that the huge crowd of people at the mall was definitely captivated by the ballet. 

I took the three photos above during one of the Tampa City Ballet (TCB)’s three performances of “The Nutcracker” at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) Dec. 13-15. Not only were the dancers (adults and children) all amazing, the choreography by TCB’s Paula Nunez, as well as the costumes and sets, were all as impressive as you would see at any big-city ballet company performance of Tchaikovsky’s holiday masterpiece. TCB also performed “The Nutcracker” at USF Dec. 7-10. 

I had really hoped to attend Freedom High’s Madrigal Dinner at NTPAC (see the left photo and the photo below) but Charmaine said it was super-fun, with great singing, funny skits and a delicious dinner of chicken parmesan and salad, plus tiramisu for dessert. 

On Dec. 2, the City of Tampa’s New Tampa Recreation Center and Parks & Recreation Department hosted the annual Christmas tree lighting event and parade (photos below) and a nice crowd of around 200 people attended to participate and watch the youth dance performances, enjoy the lighting ceremony and spend a little quality time with Santa Claus himself! 

And finally, on Dec. 26 (the second night of Hanukkah), the New Tampa Rec Center also hosted the second annual Hanukkah menorah lighting event, which featured prayers, songs and a wonderful message delivered by Rabbi Mendy Yarmush of Chabad of Wiregrass, which is now the only Jewish congregation in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel. Both the Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations at the Rec Center were organized in part by District 7 Tampa City Council member Luis Viera.

Tampa City Council Approves Funding For K-Bar Park Design! 

As we reported last issue, K-Bar Ranch is getting a 60-acre City of Tampa park and one that District 7 Tampa City Council member (and New Tampa resident) Luis Viera (photo, left) has said he hopes will include a cricket pitch as one of its amenities. 

At that meeting with about 50-60 residents (most, but not all of whom live in K-Bar Ranch) on Aug. 7, Viera said that he hoped and expected that the funding for the design of the park to be included in the city’s Fiscal 2025 budget. 

Well, on Sept. 5, the City Council did approve the roughly $1 million needed for the park’s design upon first reading of the city’s budget and Viera is thankful not only for the item passing its first muster, but also for the support of District 67 State Representative and State House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (who also attended the resident meeting on Aug. 7). Leader Driskell wrote a letter (in the far right column) to the City Council members on Sept. 3 to let them know that she is “in strong support of the FY25 budget design money for the K-Bar Ranch Park.” 

Viera then went on his Facebook page to thank Driskell “for your advocacy in support” of the park design funding. “Rep. Driskell has been on the front line advocating not only for this park in the budget, but for a cricket component to this park…Thank you, Rep. Driskell for your advocacy for this budget item.” 

And of course, Viera also noted in his Facebook message that, “We have about 60 acres available — with a great deal of conservation space and a park, as well as potentially a fire-station long-term,” even though Tampa Fire Rescue Fire Chief Barbara Tripp has yet to express her support for a full fire station in K-Bar, at the park site or otherwise. 

At the Aug. 7 resident meeting, Brad Suder, the superintendent of the city’s planning design natural resources division, said that once the design money becomes available — most likely sometime in late November — the city will be able to hire a consultant to work with and the public participating in the design process could begin. The second reading of the budget is scheduled for Thursday, September 19 — or a couple of days (or so) after this issue arrives in your mailbox.