Commissioner Overman Calls Constituents "Super Stupid"

Kimberly Overman photo-op with Gloria Steinem

Progressive Democrat Hillsborough County Commissioner Kimberly Overman, a member of the Hillsborough Emergency Policy Group (EPG) currently dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, takes to Facebook to express her opinions.

Hillsborough County, with a population of 1.4 million, has 3.19% of all coronavirus cases, 3.27% of all hospitalizations and 1.8% of all deaths in the state of Florida.

Overman and her fellow Democrat EPG member Tampa Mayor Jane Castor have advocated for  draconian measures of curfews and mandatory masks be implemented in Hillsborough.

Some cooler heads on the EPG with more common sense luckily prevailed and the curfew and mandatory masks failed with only Castor and Overman voting for them.

Overman posts on her own Facebook page articles from Al Jazeera. Included with this Al Jazeera article are her own comments about needing serious commitment and buy in to social distancing, face covering and sanitization by individual citizens and businesses BEFORE we are back TOWARD supporting "back to business".

We are six weeks into a shelter at home shutdown that has thrown 30 million people out of work, including hundreds of thousands in Florida. Overman does not think we have made a serious commitment. How out of touch is she?

Ironically Overman posted this on April 28th, the day before Governor DeSantis announced the beginning of reopening of businesses in Florida. Overman looks even more out of touch.

Overman, who continues receiving her $100K salary and golden benefits courtesy of the taxpayers, does not think we have yet been personally responsible enough - for her. Trust is a two way street but Overman does not trust her own constituents to be personally responsible.

Overman, a countywide commissioner, has begun taking heat from the public and her constituents. Many are now pushing back against Overman's draconian actions, her condescending comments, and her lack of compassion for those financially devastated by the shutdown.

Overman, who lives in Seminole Heights, took to this "Seminole Heights Uncensored" Private Group Facebook page to vent.

Overman felt comfortable being "uncensored" in her private group of friendlies. She used it to speak her mind about the county commission job she "signed up for".

Overman post on private FB group page

When Overman campaigned for your vote in 2018, who knew that she thought many of you were "super stupid".

People's lives and livelihoods have been upended and destroyed by an economic shutdown we were told was to prevent overrunning medical resources.

We succeeded in that goal but that serious commitment by Overman's constituents has caused great financial detriment to so many individuals, families and businesses in Hillsborough County.

Overman should be applauding Hillsborough County not calling her own constituents stupid.

Hillsborough Commissioner Smith Exploits Time of Crisis for $16B Rail Tax Round 2

As we posted here, Hillsborough County Commissioner Mariella Smith's priority, during this time of coronavirus crisis and its economic devastation, is to put a $16 Billion transit tax referendum on the November ballot.

The Federal government began sending rescue checks out to financially struggling Americans this week as businesses remain closed, unemployment has skyrocketed and we are shutdown to stay healthy.

While the Federal government, in one hand, is providing rescue checks and stimulus to devastated businesses trying to keep them from permanent closing, Commissioner Smith wants the county to take away some of those funds with the other hand.

The County has not publicly reassessed the county budget that has taken a huge negative hit and there are still many uncertainties.

But Commissioner Smith's priority is for Hillsborough County to have the highest sales tax rate in the State even as we may be head into a major Recession.

Tone-Deaf: Commissioner Smith To Keep Pursuing $16B Rail Tax During Crisis

Democrat Hillsborough County Commissioner Mariella Smith wants to rescind the commission's vote last week that stopped the county's pursuit to put the All for Transportation 2.0 $16 BILLION rail tax referendum on the November ballot.

Smith, a longtime Sierra Club activist and transit advocate, took to the Transit Now Tampa Bay Facebook page to activate her fellow transit ideologues. Smith uses Facebook pages "friendly" to her cause for her own political activism.

When Tampa Bay Sierra Club President Kent Bailey posted his complaint about the commission's vote last week, Smith responded with her plan of action: "It's not over. I'm placing an item on the agenda for our April 15 Board meeting to rescind that vote and schedule the public hearing for May 4, 6pm. Stay tuned. I'll post more soon."

Pinellas County Will Not Pursue Transit Tax on November Ballot

Yesterday Pinellas County Commissioners decided not to pursue putting a transit tax on the November ballot.

Pinellas County's decision followed that of Hillsborough County who decided Wednesday, thanks to four commissioners Miller, Murman, Hagan and White with common sense, to ditch a transit tax referendum as we battle the Coronavirus emergency and its economic devastation.

4-3 Vote: No $16B Transit Tax on November Ballot in Hillsborough

Hillsborough County Commission will not be putting any proposed All for Transportation 2.0 $16 Billion transit tax on the November ballot - if the Florida Supreme Court throws out the All for Transportation tax passed in 2018.

Go here to listen to today's Special Meeting that was a virtual meeting with audio only. Note the meeting starts at about 15:15 on the Youtube recording.

The Special meeting was called by Commission Chair Les Miller. Miller began the meeting with his Motion to defer pursuing any proposed transit tax hike until 2021. To his credit, Miller compassionately and eloquently stated the many reasons why he was making the motion that would stop the pursuit of putting a massive tax hike on the ballot during this time of crisis.

Will Pinellas County Keep Pursuing Transit Tax Hike During Crisis?

As posted here yesterday, the Chair of Hillsborough County Commission Les Miller called a virtual "Special Meeting" for 1pm today with little public notice, to reschedule a public hearing for putting the All for Transportation 2.0 $16 Billion transit tax hike on the November ballot. Will Pinellas County also try to schedule a public hearing to put a proposed transit tax hike on the ballot?