Valrico businessman Sam Rashid has the reputation of being one of the premiere power brokers of the Hillsborough County Republican Party. And like nearly everyone in the GOP in 2011, Rashid strongly adheres to the adage that no new taxes is a firm mantra that can never be violated.
In fact last year Rashid did everything he could but run himself when County Commissioner Mark Sharpe was up for re-election. If you'll recall, Josh Burgin, a former employee of Sam's, ultimately became the token opposition to challenge the incumbent, ostensibly because of Sharpe's support for the penny transit tax for a light rail system.
Well, you know the rest. Sharpe easily defeated Burgin last August in that primary, and Hillsborough voters overwhelmingly rejected the transit tax in November.
Now Rashid, who keeps a low profile, is weighing in on the debt ceiling debate, with an op-ed in today's Tampa Tribune.
This article appears in Jul 28 – Aug 3, 2011.