There havent been too many questioners at Tampa mayoral forums older than Dick Greco. But last Friday, the 77-year-old former mayor snapped to attention at a Tiger Bay debate at the Straz Center as Sydney Potter, 92, took the mic to ask a question.
The longtime Hillsborough River advocate began by saying, Ive lived in Tampa longer than any of you, before quoting a Tampa Tribune report from the beginning of Pam Iorios tenure that said the city faced myriad problems, from criminal neighborhoods, crumbling infrastructure, skyrocketing debt and depleting reserves.
And yes, the man Iorio replaced in 2003 was Dick Greco.
Potter later told CL that he thought Greco was vastly overrated as mayor, and wouldnt give him another opportunity. But he admitted that he hadnt made up his mind which of the five candidates to vote for.
CL encountered similar ambivalence while speaking to 20 and 30somethings who crowded into the Becks building in Tampa Heights last week before a forum sponsored by the Young Professionals of Tampa.
This article appears in Feb 24 – Mar 2, 2011.
