In just a little over two months, Tampa voters will go to the polls to elect a new mayor. Creative Loafing intends to do its part to inform voters on the issues by hosting a debate with all of the candidates on Thursday night, February 10, at CL's Ybor City headquarters.
The debate will take place between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., with an opportunity toward the end of the hour for members of the audience to ask questions of the candidates.
At this time, all of the candidates have confirmed their appearance, one of many public forums that will take place in January and February.
The candidates for Tampa mayor include former Tampa Mayor Dick Greco; current Tampa City Council Chair Thomas Scott; former City Council member and County Commissioner Rose Ferlita; former County Commissioner Ed Turanchik; former City Council member Bob Buckhorn; former Tampa Police Officer Marion Lewis; and businessman Arthur Richardson.
For Greco, this will be his fifth time running for a four-year term after having served in 1967-1974, and again in 1995-2003. Buckhorn and Lewis previously ran for office in 2003 and 2007, respectively.
Creative Loafing's loft-like HQ is located above Spaghetti Warehouse in the Ybor Square complex at 1911 N. 13th St. in Ybor City. The debate will take place in CL Space, a section of the offices that is used as a public events venue.
This article appears in Dec 30, 2010 – Jan 5, 2011.