Interstate 275 in Tampa, Florida on April 27, 2018. Credit: Photo via Andriy Blokhin / Shutterstock.com

Transportation Planning Organizations are supposed to get people around. Sometimes, Hillsborough’s TPO gets hard questions from locals who’ve long fought for better public transit and responsible road construction in the 813—but this week, activists are set to speak in favor of “keeping our world-class Hillsborough TPO staff intact.”

The staff’s status has come under question after the state ordered a study exploring the potential merger of TPOs from Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas.

“A reorganization will be costly, will displace the structure of staff, and dilute our ability to weigh-in on transportation decisions for our county – including our ability to stop highway widening projects,” Sunshine Citizens wrote about the prospect.

The group also says a consolidation of the bodies would also be bad for accountability and transparency, reduce the influence of voters while increasing the influence of special interests, and separate decision-making TPO members from their constituents.

The group has encouraged others to flood Tampa City Hall on Thursday, Dec. 5 when Tampa City Council weighs in on the merger during its 9 a.m. meeting.

Those who cannot attend in-person as asked to comment on Agenda Item #3: File No. CM24-10076 virtually (sign up via tampa.gov) or email tampacitycouncil@tamapgov.net to say they oppose the merger.

More information is available via @SunshineCitizens on Facebook.
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This article appears in Nov 28 – Dec 4, 2024.