The 2014 Political Season Is In Full Swing; Why Should You Care?

An editorial by Gary Nager

Years of frustration have made me believe that even if I could stand on my head and make political balloon animals (like a fellow Rotarian friend of mine), I still wouldn’t really be able to inspire New Tampa residents to vote, especially in a non-Presidential Election year.

But, while I know it’s hard to care about local government (especially local politics) or about voting in local elections, I can’t even begin to tell you how important it is to participate (that means get registered, if you’re not, and vote) in the upcoming 2014 August 26 Primary & November 4 General Elections.

I have said this many times before, to little avail, but it has always boggled my mind when I hear people say that they only vote in the “big” elections — all while complaining about the lack of adequate roads, parks, schools, business opportunities, politicians who care about “us,” etc. — in our area, most of which has little to do with who is the President of our still-great republic.

To those who run for and are ultimately elected to public office, it has always seemed that the people of New Tampa only care when our schools are overcrowded or have to have portable classrooms, or when it seems that Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. won’t be widened from Pasco County to Bearss Ave. in our lifetimes, or when there’s no place for our kids to play football, lacrosse, do gymnastics or have any type of cultural experience in their own neighborhoods.

Therefore, I don’t see how anyone can really say out loud, “I only vote in Presidential Elections,” and expect the officials who make decisions virtually every day that affect whether or not we get the services we need to make life a little more livable in our city, our county, our school district and our state to care about us.

Although it became my job (and my pleasure) in 1994 to report the news of our area, I attended so many governmental meetings when I started out in this business as a relatively young (35-year-old) father and family man that the law enforcement personnel at these events would take one look at me and say, “Not this guy again” (and not always to themselves).

Too many of those times there would be only a handful (or fewer) of other hard-working people from New Tampa in attendance, so I had the pleasure of not only having to report the news from these events, but also of being told by these politicos what was wrong with the people in our area — that we don’t vote, don’t attend governmental meetings or public hearings and don’t call or even write emails (unless, usually, something we don’t like is being built in our backyard), but that we still expected to have everything our hearts desire without participating in the process.

Twenty years into this job, I still don’t have a fully widened BBD or Cross Creek Blvd., an East-West Connector to I-275, a New Tampa Cultural Center or enough parks, library space, buses, etc., to meet the needs of our still-growing community.

So, if I can inspire even one of you to get yourself registered (if you’re not already) by this year’s deadline — which is Monday, July 28 (or only five+ weeks away as you’re receiving this issue), and take a look at the names and amendments that are on this year’s ballot (unfortunately, sample ballots for our New Tampa voting precincts aren’t yet available online at our press time at VoteHillsborough.org, but they should be soon), I’ve at least done my duty as the publisher and editor of the primary source of news and information for people in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel.

From now until our October 11 New Tampa issue, we’ll try to provide as much coverage as we can about upcoming local races — including two Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners seats, the State Legislature races we’re eligible to vote for, a School Board seat, multiple Community Development District elections and even some important Circuit Judge races and state amendments.

It’s so easy to register and vote these days, there’s really no excuse. And of course, the New Tampa Regional Library on Cross Creek Blvd.) is still an early voting site, too, which adds to the ease and convenience of being part of the solution.

Get out and vote, New Tampa!