Community Received Crime & City Budget Updates At Second Public Safety Meeting 

(l.-r.) State Rep. Fentrice Driskell, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, City Councilman Luis Viera, TPD Deputy Chief Brett Owen & TPD Maj. Les Richardson were in attendance at the Town Hall meeting in Tampa Palms on July 30. 

Thankfully, the short, but scary violent crime wave that rocked New Tampa in June has calmed down. 

That fact was evidenced by the much-lower attendance at the second New Tampa Public Safety Town Hall meeting held at Compton Park in Tampa Palms on July 30, nearly five weeks after District 7 Tampa City Council member Luis Viera and the Tampa Police Department (TPD) co-hosted the first New Tampa Public Safety Town Hall meeting at the New Tampa Recreation Center on June 24. 

As we reported in our July 23 issue, the first Town Hall was attended by about 200 people, many of whom expressed fear after three separate shooting incidents in four days that left four people dead and one seriously injured in zip code 33647. 

At the July 30 meeting, new TPD Deputy Chief Brett Owen and recently promoted TPD Dist. 2 Major Leslie “Les” Richardson provided an update on one of the three cases, while acknowledging that one case, which was being handled by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) because it took place on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (a county road), was still not resolved. An arrest had already been made in the third case, as we also reported last issue. 

Just to review: The case that is still open was the first one, on June 17, when 24-year-old Wesley Chapel resident Kyle Prisco was shot and killed in broad daylight on BBD at Regents Park Dr., in front of the Chase Bank. Sadly, just as at the June 24 meeting, no one from HCSO attended the July 30 meeting to answer questions about that case. 

“Unfortunately, the Sheriff’s Office has not yet made an arrest in that case,” Dep. Chief Owen said, “but they are diligently working on it and hopefully in the near future, we’ll be able to give you some positive information on that case.” 

The case where TPD made an arrest was the one we reported last issue, when the body of 35-year-old Andre Dyke was found riddled with bullets on the morning of June 21, near the Metro Self Storage adjacent to the New Tampa Nature Park. The man arrested was 29-year-old Andre Aris, who TPD said dumped Dyke’s body, and was charged with first-degree murder. 

Dep. Chief Owen said that the third case, which happened a little later on June 21, was “solved.” Although he didn’t identify any of the people involved, Dep. Chief Owen said that after a man’s body was found on the ground near the entrance to the Portofino Apartments on New Tampa Blvd. in West Meadows, a suspect got into the back seat of the victim’s vehicle and pointed a gun at the driver. “They met up for a narcotics transaction and the two exchanged gunfire and ultimately the two suspects both succumbed to their injuries.” One suspect was pronounced dead at a crash site on Bearss Ave. near I-275, and the other later died after being transported to a hospital. 

Raquel Thompson (in tank top) asks for a crime update. 

One of the attendees at the July 30 Town Hall, Raquel Thompson, expressed her concern that even though she had scanned the QR code to receive TPD media releases in June, nothing had been reported about the “solved” case, “and I think people in this community have been so on edge about the recent crimes that I would think the police would want to let us know the case was resolved. But, why wasn’t that communicated to us?” Owen agreed and said he would look into why nothing was posted about it, but at our press time, no updated information had been released by TPD about the case. 

Owen did mention that, “we’ve had a lot of good work going on here in the neighborhood recently. Just in the last month, on June 26, we had five young men go into the parking lot at the Mezzo at Tampa Palms apartments. They were trying car door handles, but there was a citizen sitting in his car who blew his horn and scared them off, but not very far. They were at Building 3 when the citizen blew his horn, but they ran to Building 8, where our officers made contact with them responding to that call for service. It just goes to show that if you see something that looks out of place, call us and let us know and we can respond to it quickly and actually make something happen.” 

The new Deputy Chief also mentioned that on July 19, some suspects who came up from south Florida that were involved in a motorcycle theft ring, “stole two motorcycles up here in New Tampa and they were ultimately linked to a case that the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office had and another that Osceola County was working. Osceola had some good information that led to these suspects being arrested and the return of one of the motorcycles stolen from New Tampa.” 

He also mentioned that overall, “Our self-initiated activity is up over 55% year-to-date. Just in the last month alone, it’s up 66%, so that makes almost 7,000 calls year-to-date that were self-initiated, which means officers doing something in the community that weren’t called in by citizens. And, just this last month, we’re talking 1,000 self-initiated calls, so we are visible in the community and we’re working diligently to keep you all safe.” 

Next, Maj. Richardson said he just got promoted when Owen became Deputy Chief and he said, “I’m actually looking forward to working here in District 2. I’ve spent the majority of my career in East Tampa (TPD) District 3, which includes downtown and Ybor, and I’ve only been here about two weeks now. But, after looking at the numbers in District 2, I’m excited to be working here and I look forward to working with each and every one of you.” 

In response to a question from resident Al Fernandez about speeding on BBD, Owen said that, “Our traffic unit is doing an initiative on Bruce B. Downs in New Tampa this month because this is one of our problem areas.” 

Another local resident asked if the west side of Tampa Palms Blvd. could be repaved, now that the repaving on the east side of Tampa Palms Blvd. has been completed. Mayor Castor said she would have to look into it, and that passing the continuation of the half-cent Community Investment Tax would help, while Viera also mentioned that there is $550 million sitting in Tallahassee from the overturned Transportation Sales Tax referendum, “some of which will come back to the city, and zip code 33647 voted overwhelmingly for that tax.” Viera also noted that the city’s road repaving budget is only about $5 million a year, and “just to keep our roads the way they are now is about $16 million. That’s what that penny sales tax was for. But, Tampa Palms Blvd. and New Tampa Blvd. repaving are first in my mind for repaving, so we’ll get there eventually.” 

Mayor Castor added, “It’s important to get these repaving projects done as quickly as possible so you don’t have to tear the entire road up, which will cost three times as much as repaving.” 

After Viera introduced everyone sitting in front of the 50 or so people (photo above) in attendance at the July 30 meeting, Mayor Castor provided an update on the City of Tampa’s Fiscal Year 2025 (which begins Oct. 1) budget. 

“We recently presented our 2025 budget to City Council, which is about $1.8 billion,” Mayor Castor said. “We very conservatively estimate what we are going to receive in property tax revenue, and that is the majority of our operating budget. But, where we’re at is sort of a status quo budget. We are maintaining our high level of service, we’re taking care of the issues that need to be taken care of, but there aren’t going to be any major projects (funded) that weren’t already on the boards. We’re in great shape financially; we have one of the best credit ratings for a city in the U.S. We have so many ‘As’ and ‘A+s’ on that credit rating that I wish I had those grades in high school.” She added that public hearings on the Mayor’s proposed 2025 budget will be held in September. 

She also mentioned that, based on a Community Values Survey the city conducts every year, “to ensure that we’re doing what you want, I’m very pleased to say that we have over a 90% approval rating on the citizens’ trust in city government.” 

At the end of the meeting, Mayor Castor lauded Councilman Viera for his efforts on New Tampa’s behalf. “This guy really fights for you,” she said. “Your needs in New Tampa are very well represented.”

Tampa Police & Viera To Host A Follow-Up Public Safety Town Hall On July 30 

Few answers provided, no suspects named at June 24 Town Hall, following three fatal shooting incidents in four days in New Tampa 

The room at the New Tampa Recreation Center was packed as Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw (third from left at dais) and District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera (with microphone) update the community about the two fatal shootings within a couple of days of each other in New Tampa. (Photo by Charmaine George) 

In the five days from June 17 through June 21, there were four people killed or found dead in New Tampa, in three separate shooting incidents, which prompted Tampa Police Department (TPD) Chief Lee Bercaw and District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera, himself a New Tampa resident, to co-host a Town Hall meeting at the New Tampa Recreation Center in Tampa Palms on June 24. 

Then, another incident which began on E. Bearss Ave. ended with a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Deputy run over by a suspect in Tampa Palms on July 5. Considering how little major crime has taken place in New Tampa in the 30 years I’ve owned the Neighborhood News, this spree of major crimes certainly has been a cause for concern for local residents. 

First, To Recap… 

On June 17, 24-year-old Kyle Prisco of Wesley Chapel was fatally shot in mid-afternoon broad daylight on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., in front of the Chase Bank in Pebble Creek. Prisco was found on the ground outside his white Mercedes. He was pronounced dead at the scene and, although Prisco’s name was not released until a few days later, the Bean Bar Co. owner Danielle Henry organized a GoFundMe campaign “to assist Kyle’s sister, Kayla, and his mother, Lisa, with any expenses related to the funeral,” which was held at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church on Cross Creek Blvd. on June 27. That campaign had raised nearly $24,000 of a $30,000 goal at our press time, with nearly 300 donations made. 

Kyle Prisco & his sister Kayla (Photo source: GoFundMe) 

Although that incident alone was shocking enough in normally peaceful New Tampa, on June 21, two people were fatally shot and a third taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries in an incident that began in front of the Portofino Apartments on New Tampa Blvd. at the front of the West Meadows community, where the body of a man was found with gunshot wounds. A short time later, Hillsborough Sheriff’s deputies found a vehicle near Bearss Ave. with the two other people with gunshot wounds, one of whom was pronounced dead. 

To cap off that one gruesome week, earlier on June 21, Tampa Police (TPD) officers found a decomposed body in a car near the Metro Self Storage adjacent to the New Tampa Nature Park on Doña Michele Dr. 

With the people of New Tampa desperate for answers about the incidents on BBD and New Tampa Blvd., no suspects had yet been arrested or even named in either of those shootings and no additional details about them have yet been released. 

Even so, Chief Bercaw said his primary reason for hosting the Town Hall — which was packed with a standing-room-only crowd of about 200 local residents — was to try to assure the public that they are safe. 

“These incidents appear to be unrelated and were not random,” Chief Bercaw said. “In the case of the shooting on New Tampa Blvd., it is believed that all of the people involved knew each other.” 

He also noted that because Prisco’s body was found on BBD, which is a county road, HCSO was leading that investigation, “but we are working feverishly, day in and day out, and closely with the Sheriff’s Department on both of these cases.”

Even so, many in the audience of New Tampa residents were wondering why no one from HCSO attended the Town Hall to provide any updates or at least show support for the event. 

Andre Aris 

“I can’t speak for them,” Chief Bercaw said when I asked that question shortly after the meeting ended, “but I assure you that we have a great working relationship with the Sheriff’s Office and are sharing all information on these cases.” 

As for the decomposed body, sometime after the June 24 Town Hall ended, it was reported that TPD had arrested and charged 29-year-old Andre Aris (photo) with the first-degree murder of the 35-year-old man who was found “in an advanced stage of decomposition” in that 2006 Dodge Charger. 

Although the dead man — whose body was riddled with bullets — was not officially identified by TPD, a lanyard hanging around the man’s neck contained a Florida driver’s license that helped investigators identify him as 35-year-old Andre Dyke. 

Those investigators learned that Dyke had been living out of his red Dodge Charger and discovered, with the help of license plate readers, that someone else had been driving the car after he died, according to a TPD report. The Dodge was found at the Hunter’s Key townhomes, an apartment complex located a few hundred feet north of where Dyke’s body was found. TPD said that Aris had recently dumped the body between Metro Self Storage and the New Tampa Nature Park. He also faces a charge of Grand Theft of a motor vehicle. 

About The Town Hall 

Councilman Viera, who has hosted dozens of Town Halls on a variety of subjects, some better attended than others, said that he found the crowd at the June 24 meeting encouraging. 

“I’m not going to say it’s a pleasure, because of why we’re all here, but it is a pleasure to see so many people here, because it obviously shows that we all want to hear from law enforcement about these incidents. It shows that the New Tampa community, which has sometimes been accused of being apathetic, will come out in force when they have major concerns about public safety.” 

With most of the speakers who asked questions of the police at the June 24 Town Hall saying they didn’t feel safe because of the sudden wave of violent crimes in New Tampa, Chief Bercaw asked for the community’s help, especially if they had any video or information that could help with the cases. 

One question asked whether “Shot Spotter” — a gunshot detection, acoustic surveillance technology that uses sensors to detect, locate and alert law enforcement agencies of possible gunfire incidents — could be brought to New Tampa, Dep. Chief Calvin Johnson, who also was at the dais answering questions, said that the technology didn’t make sense for New Tampa, “because there aren’t normally enough shooting incidents here to warrant that investment. Plus, unlike in, say, East Tampa, people here would immediately call 9-1-1 if they heard shots fired.” 

Meanwhile, although Chief Bercaw also said that TPD was close to making an arrest in the New Tampa Blvd. incident, no arrests had been announced at our press time for this issue. He added that although the lack of information coming out is troubling to the local residents who spoke at the Town Hall, “Sometimes, I want to tell but I also don’t want to compromise the case.” 

The TPD Chief also said that New Tampa has three very strong Neighborhood Watch groups and “If you’re not yet a part of one of those groups or your community doesn’t yet have one, please join or help start one. See us after this and we will provide assistance for you.” 

To that end, residents of the Ashington Estates community in Tampa Palms later sent Viera a notification that they were organizing a Neighborhood Watch for their community. 

Chief Bercaw also promised that, “This is not the end, this is the beginning.” And, true to his word, TPD and Councilman Viera already have organized a follow-up community meeting on public safety that is scheduled for Tuesday, July 30, 6 p.m., at the Compton Park clubhouse (16101 Compton Dr.), also in Tampa Palms. 

Dep. Hall Leaves TGH 
Hillsborough Sheriff’s Ofc. Dep. Kalin Hall Leaves Tampa General Hospital a day after having surgery on his broken leg after rammed by the BMW being driven by William Todd Lewis, Jr. (Photos provided by HCSO)

The incident where HCSO Deputy Kalin Hall ended up with a broken leg didn’t start in New Tampa. Shortly after midnight on July 5, the 11-year HCSO veteran stopped a suspect he wanted to question at the intersection of E. Bearss Ave. and N. Nebraska Ave. because he noticed the suspect’s black BMW was unable to stay in one lane. When the vehicle took off, Dep. Hall said he did not give chase, but ended up locating the vehicle 25 minutes later, this time backed into a parking space at the Amberly Place apartments on Plantation Oaks Dr. in Tampa Palms (off Amberly Dr, and just east of BBD). 

When Hall got out of his vehicle, the BMW rammed into him and ran over his leg. The 33-year-old deputy was treated at Tampa General Hospital for one leg that was broken in two places, a broken ankle, and a stress fracture in the other leg. 

William Todd Lewis, Jr. 

The good news in Dep. Hall’s case was that he was able to leave TGH the next day and that William Todd Lewis, Jr. 24, the suspected driver of the BMW, and two other people were arrested a few days later. 

As Lewis drove away after ramming Dep. Hall, Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister said the suspect called his girlfriend and told her what had happened. He then ditched the BMW about a mile away from the scene. The girlfriend called Lewis’ mother, who picked up her son and drove him home. 

Detectives went to the home and, when they interviewed Lewis, they said he showed zero remorse and asked for an attorney. An arrest warrant was issued for Lewis, but a surveillance team had been keeping tabs on him and believed he was about to take off again. According to Chronister, the surveillance team saw Lewis and his friend get a rental car and watched them fill it with items from inside the home where Lewis was staying. 

Zachoiry Carnegie

Law enforcement officers followed Lewis as his friend drove them into Pasco County. When the pair stopped at an unidentified shopping plaza, deputies arrested both of them.

Lewis was charged with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, possession of more than 20 serious bodily injury, reckless driving with serious bodily injury, aggravated fleeing to elude serious bodily injury or death and fleeing to elude a police officer.

Meanwhile, Lewis’ friend who was driving the rental car, 24-year-old Zachoiry Carnegie, was charged with having a baggie of Xanax that didn’t belong to him. According to Chronister, Carnegie was out on bond after being arrested by the Tampa Police Department for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, which has since been upgraded to attempted murder.

Keilise Garrison

In addition, Lewis’ girlfriend, Keilise Garrison, 23, also was arrested. She was charged with accessory after the fact. She deleted all of her text messages, so she also was charged with tampering with physical evidence.

“Instead of doing the right thing, Garrison made the conscious decision to conceal Lewis’ involvement,” Sheriff Chronister said. “This choice to protect a criminal rather than uphold justice is not only deceitful but also deeply disappointing,. Her selfishly motivated actions undermined the integrity selfishly motivated actions undermined the integrity further risk. For her role in this incident, she will face the full consequences of her actions.”

Chronister also noted that he expects Lewis’ charges to be upgraded to attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and that there would be at least one more arrest in this case, but didn’t say whether or not that additional arrest would be of Lewis’ mother.

Viera & TPD To Host Second Town Hall Regarding Shootings!

Tampa Police Dept. Chief Lee Bercaw & City Councilman Luis Viera co-hosted a packed Town Hall meeting on June 24 at the New Tampa Recreation Center in Tampa Palms to provide updates on the two recent shootings within a few days of each other in New Tampa. No suspects have been arrested yet in either case, but TPD wanted to assure the public that the two shootings were both targeted, but not related to each other, and that there is no threat to the community. TPD and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office are working together to find the shooters, so anyone with any information about the incidents should call 813.231.6130. There also are multiple ways to provide anonymous tips online. Viera now has announced a second Public Safety Town Hall on Tuesday, July 30, at 6 p.m., at the Compton Park clubhouse in Tampa Palms (16101 Compton Dr.) to provide additional updates. Look for more details about the Town Halls in the July 9 Wesley Chapel and July 23 New Tampa issues of Neighborhood News and on our Facebook page.

Traffic, traffic traffic at townhall

About 100 local residents attended the Nov. 16 town hall meeting at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church to voice their concerns to local governmental officials. (Photo: John C. Cotey)


If you put 100 residents of New Tampa in a room and ask them what they would like to see fixed most in this community, there’s a pretty good chance the majority will have a simple response:

Traffic.

It was no surprise, then, that when District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera held his second New Tampa Town Hall Nov. 16, with Hillsborough County District 5 (countywide) commissioner Ken Hagan, discussions about traffic dominated the conversation.

Whether it was the right-hand turn off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. onto Cross Creek Blvd., the connection of Kinnan St. in Cross Creek to Mansfield Blvd. in Meadow Pointe, the construction on BBD or even residents speeding along Kinnan St., local residents gathered at The Venetian Events Center at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church on Cross Creek Blvd. wanted to know what solutions they could expect.

Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera (left) and Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan hosted the November 16 town hall meeting at St. Mark’s. (Photo: John C. Cotey)

Even New Tampa’s East-West connector roadway (E-W Rd.) project that was effectively killed in 2008 by the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority, got some run, thanks to the first speaker of the night, William Martello. A 15-year New Tampa resident, Martello lamented the failed E-W Rd. project.

That project, which evolved into basically a public-private partnership (P3) venture, was a 3-mile toll road that would have connected New Tampa Blvd. in West Meadows through Tampa Palms Areas 3 and 5 to a new interchange on Interstate 275.

The project was nixed due to the objections of residents in both West Meadows and Tampa Palms, and fear of high tolls. Though dormant for years, the E-W Rd.  remains in the Tampa-Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)’s long-range plan.

Ken Hagan

Long-time local resident Jim Davison — who has run unsuccessfully for City Council against Viera and for the County Commission against Hagan, said the city or one of its affiliates is taking another look at the feasibility and affordability of the project. Davison hinted that he had a plan, which he will reveal after the holidays, that would show the city how it could pay for both the E-W Rd. and light rail for a mere tax increase of half a cent.

Hagan has been a proponent of the E-W Rd., and said he would like to see the proposal rise from the ashes and get another look.

Other options to relieve congestion on Cross Creek Blvd., Martello suggested, would be widening Morris Bridge Rd. northbound starting at Cross Creek, although widening it southbound is a near impossibility.

Martello also suggested extending Cross Creek through Morris Bridge to US 301 in Thonotosassa.

Hagan confessed to never hearing anyone ever suggest that idea before, but said he would look into it.

Naturally, the connection of Kinnan St. to Mansfield Blvd. in Meadow Pointe came up, although it did not dominate the discussion, due to complaints about several other roads in the area.

One female speaker, who did not give her name, asked Viera and Hagan what was being done behind the scenes to get Kinnan connected to Mansfield, which many say will ease traffic on BBD and help local businesses.

Viera and Hagan had little new to offer. Truth is, at the moment, the connection lies in the hands of Pasco County, which has commissioned a study to determine if melding Mansfield and Kinnan is worthwhile. According to Pasco County commissioner Mike Moore, most of the Pasco residents he has heard from are opposed to the connection because of the potential of increased traffic.

The Pasco study also is looking at two other connections between Wesley Chapel and New Tampa through K-Bar Ranch, but none can be done as quickly, nor would provide the relief for BBD, or the convenience, that a Kinnan-Mansfield connection would offer. That study is supposed to be completed by the end of this year.

“Kinnan has always been planned to open up,’’ Hagan said. “Pasco said that as soon as (Mansfield) was completed to Wiregrass, it would be connected. They reneged on that.”

Hagan, who spearheaded a $250,000 commitment by Hillsborough’s BOCC to build the connection, even suggested looking into using eminent domain to get the roads connected.

“We are doing whatever we can,’’ Hagan said. 

Speaking on Kinnan, K-Bar Ranch resident April Ingram may be one of those in New Tampa opposed to the connection unless safeguards are put in place.

She gave an impassioned plea for drivers along Kinnan St. to watch their speeds, and for the enforcement of traffic laws. Ingram said she and her 9-year-old son fear walking or biking around that area of New Tampa.

“We have almost been mowed down several times on Kinnan,” she said. “I’ve seen cars driving 50 mph through here. I live here so I can go outside, with my son, to ride bikes, to walk. And every day, I am scared to death we are going to be hit by a car.”

Although no one else spoke on this topic, a few people in the room nodded their heads.

Afterwards, another woman came up to Ingram to tell her she totally agreed. She said sometimes, she too wonders, “Is somebody going to die today?”

Ingram also criticized the drivers trying to make a  right turn onto Cross Creek from BBD for cutting off other drivers and essentially creating a second turn lane that backs up traffic all the way past the Hunter’s Green entrance.

A USF employee, Ingram said she now takes Morris Bridge Rd. home (instead of the BBD exit off I-75) because, “it can take 40 minutes trying to take a right onto Cross Creek.”

Ingram thinks a few tickets might end the problem, but has been disappointed to see a lack of enforcement by the Tampa Police Department. Hagan noted that he was stuck in that same traffic on his way to the town hall.

Viera said the city is currently studying the lights at the busy intersection in hopes of resolving the traffic build-up.

New Tampa resident Jeffrey Blank was on Ingram’s side as well.

“I’m from New York and New Jersey, so I’m used to traffic in Manhattan,’’ Blank said. “That  intersection? It makes Manhattan look good.”

Blank’s solution? Think ahead.

“Why don’t the county and city account for the traffic new developments are going to bring (before approving them), instead of waiting until it’s too late?,” he asked.

It might have been the best question of the night.

New Tampa Residents Sound Off On Local Issues At Town Hall

Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera hosted a town hall meeting at the New Tampa Recreation Center in Tampa Palms that attracted roughly 75 local residents who came to discuss a number of issues., especially those related to the traffic in our area.

Town hall meetings are all the rage this days, with the operative word, in too many cases, being rage. Constituents are demanding answers from their representatives, especially regarding healthcare issues, and the disruptions and anger make national news on a seemingly weekly basis.

A New Tampa town hall, organized by District 7 City Councilman Luis Viera and held June 5 at the New Tampa Recreation Center, however, couldn’t have gone any smoother.

“It really shows that people are engaged,’’ Viera said. “The next one we have will probably be even bigger.”

Here are five takeaways:

1. This Was A Good Idea

If you’ve ever wondered what is really bothering people in New Tampa, the town hall, which attracted roughly 75 local residents, including many of the area’s Homeowner’s Association presidents, was a good place to find out.

Outside of the usual complaints about taxes and transportation, those who attended raised a number of issues like trash on Cross Creek Blvd, local commercial buildings looking run down, bank foreclosed property causing a blight in otherwise well-kept neighborhoods and even concerns about the ability of ethnic minorities to worship safely.

This is exactly what Viera says he had hoped for when he scheduled the event. With code enforcement inspector Fred George and Tampa Police Department District 2 shift commander Kevin Schoolmeesters in attendance, some of the simpler questions raised will undoubtedly be answered. Most important, Viera said, was that a majority of those who raised concerns seemed to be satisfied with the answers.

For the bigger, more complicated issues, like transportation and the city budget, it was a step in the direction of creating a unified front when it comes to lobbying city hall for changes. Viera has already formed the New Tampa Council with this idea in mind.

“We need a collective and unified voice,’’ Viera said.

Although Mayor Bob Buckhorn couldn’t make it, his chief of staff, Dennis Rogero, did attend. And, while he didn’t really have any concrete answers for those asking questions, he was certainly enlightening and honest, even if it meant telling people things they didn’t want to hear.

More on that later.

2. The Big Issue

To quote Bob Parker of Heritage Isles, the biggest issue in New Tampa is “transportation, transportation, transportation.”

While Pasco and Hillsborough counties remain at loggerheads over connecting the two at various points between Meadow Pointe and the K-Bar Ranch, traffic is a real concern for local residents along Cross Creek Blvd.

Bob Parker of Heritage Isles tells Luis Viera that trafiic, traffic and traffic are the big issues facing New Tampa.

The City Council recently okayed plans for 400 more homes to be built by M/I Homes in the K-Bar Ranch area. “You should be ashamed,’’ Parker scolded, considering there’s only two two-lane roads in and out of the area.

“I feel like I live on an island,’’ Parker added, “and there are two causeways, Bruce B. Downs (BBD) and Morris Bridge Rd.”

That lack of options is preventing people from getting to hospitals, and making the long drives to work in Tampa unbearable. “It’s killing New Tampa,’’ he said.

Rogero said the city is well aware of the issue. “You are right, you might as well live on an ocean,’’ Rogero said. “We hear the horror stories. That’s one of the reasons I live in South Tampa. We looked here. It’s beautiful up here. But, I didn’t want to add a couple of hours in commute time to my schedule.”

That might be unsettling  — to hear the mayor’s Chief of Staff confess to avoiding our area because of the traffic — but Rogero was honest and admitted he didn’t have any answers.

Viera didn’t expect answers. But the Hunter’s Green resident is advocating for some “incremental” changes.

One that should sound good to residents of Cross Creek “Island,” is a third left-hand turn signal onto Bruce B. Downs at the very busy intersection that Viera said he will propose.

Another possibility that was raised: Putting the controversial East-West Connector back in the MPO.

Jim Davison, who narrowly lost to Viera in the City Council runoff in December, applauded his former opponent for the town hall and the New Tampa Council, and suggested a second town hall, perhaps with a more narrow focus on one topic, like transportation.

Viera said he hopes to hold another one in December.

3. Getting The Short Shrift

Rogero got an earful from local attorney Tracy Falkowitz, who lives in Tampa Palms, about the plight of the New Tampa Rec Center.

Mayor Bob Buckhorn’s Chief of Staff Dennis Rogero explained that the New Tampa Recreation Center expansion isn’t high enough on the city’s priority list to receive funding, while Tampa Palms’ Tracy Falkowitz argued that it should be, due to the amount of money the area provides the city in property taxes.

For the second time in five years last year, the City Council voted to provide funds for a different project – the Cuscaden Park pool in Ybor City – instead of the rec center, even though a $1.5-million, 14,000-sq.ft. expansion of the facility was originally included in recent budget drafts.

Despite spending $3.2 million on renovating the Cuscaden Park pool and re-opening it last August, it was closed again in April for more repairs. It has since re-opened.

“This area has been short-shrifted every year,’’ Falkowitz said. “That money needs to come back. This amazing facility does so much with so little. We want our expansion. Every year that money allocated for here gets sent somewhere else, and it’s my understanding that this year it’s not even included in the budget.

She added, “It constantly sends the message: New Tampa, just send us your money, then sit down and shut up. That’s what we’re all being told. So as the budget guy, what are you doing to make sure the community gets what it deserves and was supposed to be given to us six years ago.” That statement drew the night’s loudest round of applause.

Rogero said, however, that it is a misconception that what an area pays in property taxes, it will get back in enhancements. It is a misconception, in fact, shared by quite a few residents.

“We allocate one big pot of general funding for the priorities of the city, city-wide,’’ Rogero said. “We don’t necessarily try to return dollar for dollar to any particular area. That’s simply not the way property taxation is set up.”

Rogero admitted that there is a need in New Tampa for the expansion — the dance and gymnastics programs have roughly 800 students and the waiting list’s cup runneth over — but as each priority is paid off, “by the time we get to the New Tampa Rec Center on the list, we’re out of money.”

Viera said he wasn’t surprised at all that people remain angry about the rec center. “It’s the reason we held the town hall there,’’ he said. “I think it’s symbolic.”

4. Did Someone Say Secession?

Falkowitz ended her comments by mentioning that instances like the rec center expansion being cut out of the budget is why the subject of New Tampa de-annexing from the City of Tampa came up in the last election (and continues to come up). “What would the city do without the funds from (New Tampa),’’ Falkowitz said, which got at least two people in attendance to clap. “We are very, very unhappy with how we have been treated by city of Tampa.’’ 

“From the city’s perspective,” Rogero replied, “we don’t feel that we’re mistreating New Tampa.’’

There were a few people in the room who didn’t agree with Rogero, including former City Councilman Joseph Caetano, a longtime proponent of New Tampa’s secession.

Viera is strongly opposed to the idea. “I’ve never thought that was a good idea,’’ he said, adding that if people knew what that entailed, they would be opposed, too.

5. Organize & Be Heard

Brad Van Rooyen, who is on the New Tampa Council, and Davison asked a simple question in regards to tax monies – how can New Tampa get the city to pay attention to its needs and to increases services to the area.

Rogero echoed what Viera has been saying, and really, the reason for town halls like this – make your voices heard.

“I have to tell you, it could be that some of you have shown up to the budget meetings,  but I can guarantee all of you haven’t,’’ Rogero said, “because there’s typically less than a dozen people there. I appreciate your emails, and your phone calls, but when it’s a billion-dollar budget and another half billion of capital improvement projects, your city council is looking at an empty room. I can’t tell you what prioritization comes to their minds. I can almost guarantee you, though, it won’t be yours.”

Talk of taxes, transportation, budgets and secession aside, most in attendance seemed to be looking for answers to simple problems, like beautifying Bruce B. Downs – Viera is already talking to officials about getting mowers out to New Tampa more frequently — and local commercial buildings and taking care of bank-foreclosed homes.

George, who admits his code enforcement department is understaffed, encouraged people to call in complaints to (813)-274-5545, because he can’t see everything.

Others remain concerned about the county’s plans to stop courtesy buses for students who live within two miles of their school, which will result in students having to cross over BBD by foot. (Walking pedestrian bridge, anyone?)

Residents seemed pleased with the TPD, and were complimentary about the service they receive, like the visits you can get from officers when you are on vacation just by calling (813) 931-6500. And code enforcement and police requests while on vacation can also be filed via TampaGov.net, the city’s website.