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Iorio has enemies, but can she lose?

By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published December 24, 2006
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TAMPA - On election night last month, more than 100 people gathered at the Marriott Waterside Hotel to see sketches of a statue honoring former Mayor Dick Greco.

Those sipping wine and sizing up the artwork included Tampa Museum of Art leaders, developers, lawyers and a City Council member.

People who fondly recall Greco's time as mayor from 1995 to 2003 talk about his charm and ambitious projects like Raymond James Stadium, the Marriott Waterside and Centro Ybor.

Some long for those days so much they want Greco to challenge Mayor Pam Iorio in the city elections on March 6. For others, the driving force is not so much their affection for Greco as their distaste for his successor.

In her first term, Iorio has butted heads with art museum board members, who watched a beloved project fail on her watch; clashed with the City Council over property taxes; surprised developers with a water impact fee; battled with retired firefighters over pensions; and unnerved city employees with salary studies and a sweeping change in top leadership.

Iorio has answers for her critics.

"I am always going to think long-term about what is in the best interest of everybody in the city," she said. "That's how I'm going to make decisions. It's never going to be for the benefit of one small group."

That populist approach will make Iorio tough to beat in March, some observers say. Neighborhood groups like her emphasis on code enforcement, drainage improvements and building up cash reserves.

Plus, being an incumbent with no major scandals on her record gives her a boost.

"For rank-and-file folks in the city, I think she is immensely popular," said political consultant Bob Buckhorn, who ran unsuccessfully against Iorio for mayor in 2003. "She has focused on the fundamentals."

The 2007 challenge

So far, the only significant candidate running against Iorio is a Tampa police captain named Marion "Serious" Lewis - and there's no guarantee he'll make it to Election Day.

He's arguing with city attorneys over whether he must resign to run. The division of elections said he doesn't. City Attorney David Smith said he does. They may end up in court.

The episode, Lewis said, shows why he wants to challenge Iorio.

"They treat employees as someone that's less than," he said.

Lewis has raised more than $14,000 toward his campaign, much of it from co-workers at the city. As a captain, Lewis is no longer part of the police union. But he notes that the union rejected Iorio's first contract offer and said the second, approved this week, still doesn't give the police what they deserve.

The regular city employees union twice rejected Iorio's contract offer late last year because of a dispute over merit raises.

"The morale, not just the Police Department's but city-wide, is at an all-time low," said Lewis, who has worked at the city for 26 years.

Campaign pledges

Pete Botto, a former fire chief who has battled Iorio over pension benefits for retired firefighters, said he'll "back anybody" other than Iorio.

For now, though, he has his sights sets on Greco.

"He's the best Tampa has ever had," Botto said.

Greco has been coy about it.

"There's been a lot of people calling and coming by," he said.

And what of the results of two polls taken to gauge his political strength?

He knows nothing, he said, adding that he won't make a decision until January.

Meanwhile, fundraising for the statue continues. And many of those at the Greco statue donor party represent groups that have been at odds with Iorio.

Council member John Dingfelder, who launched the Greco statue idea, helped force Iorio to accept a property rate tax cut and then, in an unusual display of City Council power, led a rebellion against her suggestion to cut funding to nonprofit groups to make up for the reduced revenue. He says, though, that the statue effort has nothing to do with whether he supports Iorio for mayor.

"All of our public servants, when they do a good job, should be honored," Dingfelder said. "Dick served this city well."

Someday Iorio will have an "excellent edifice" named for her, as many of Tampa's past mayors do, he said.

Cornelia Corbett, chairman of the Tampa Museum of Art board, fought with Iorio over funding and construction of a sprawling, high-priced art museum designed by a renowned architect. After multiple false starts, plans for a scaled-down museum are finally under way. But some publicly criticized Iorio's stewardship of a project started by Greco.

Developers and real estate professionals also grumble about Iorio. The industry has suffered slowdowns, brought on in part by market fluctuations and the state's property tax and insurance crises. But some complain that permitting, inspections and other city services have slowed under Iorio.

"The ability to get a permit is very challenging. Yes, there is a building boom. Yes, there were backlogs. But we've gone through the market adjustment and should be able to get building permits more quickly," said Joe Narkiewicz, executive vice president of the Tampa Bay Builders Association.

In addition, Iorio stunned them in January when they learned through newspaper reports that she had established a water impact fee that would add about $1,500 to the cost of most new homes built in Tampa.

"That caught everybody flatfooted," Narkiewicz said.

And yet, many say Iorio's odds for re-election remain strong.

"She would be very difficult to beat," said Frank Sanchez, who lost to Iorio in 2003. He attributes her success in part to the fact that Iorio delivered on her campaign pledges.

"She didn't promise to do anything bold. She said she would focus on neighborhoods and that's what she's done," he said.

Sam Kinsey, chairman of the East Tampa Community Revitalization Partnership, said he supported Sanchez in 2003.

"Now I think that she has started some work and needs to be able to complete that work. So I certainly would be in favor of her being re-elected," Kinsey said.

He points to a new police office, beautification efforts and a special taxing district that over the past three years has funneled $9.2-million into East Tampa as examples of Iorio's success in turning around a depressed neighborhood.

Margaret Vizzi, a 43-year South Tampa resident and community activist, likes how Iorio involves neighborhoods in planning, and welcomed Iorio's push to increase a stormwater fee to address flooding problems.

"Things have improved in the city under Mayor Iorio," she said.

Where to now?

With several weeks before the January filing deadlines for city elections, Iorio won't reveal campaign plans.

But she will talk about what she considers highlights of her first term: neighborhood improvements, downtown development, lower crime. She recently made mass transit a top priority.

And she defends her record on the art museum and development.

The "smaller, more affordable museum" will be better for the entire city, she said.

The permitting department is now fully staffed, so service should improve, she said.

And she points to the cranes dotting the Tampa skyline as a sign that developers are happy.

"People continue to invest here," she said. "That is the greatest indicator of their relationship with the city."

Some city employees are undoubtedly unhappy with her because she has been a "change agent," she said.

And she said she's not worried about what Greco or any other challenger might be planning.

"I always believe that you chart your own course and march to your own drummer," she said. "You develop a plan of how you're going to embark on your re-election campaign and that's irrespective of who my opponent might be."

[Last modified December 24, 2006, 00:11:46]

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Comments on this article
by Dave 01/05/07 12:41 PM
Having moved here recently, I'm surprised at the trash in the bay, lack of recycling, poor enforcement of traffic violations, pathetic public transportation and general po-dunk feel of Tampa. There is so much potential Iorio obviously doesn't get it.
by Rick 01/05/07 09:09 AM
I have worked for the City for over 25 years and I agree with what Lewis said. Morale has never been worse than it is under Iorio. She gives the Police a and herself big cost of living increases then only gives the rest of us 3%.
by Tampa 12/25/06 10:41 PM
Mayor Iorio has been the worst Mayor Tampa has seen. She has squanderd away millions of dollars building the riever walk for the homeless. Allowed Curtis Lane to make a joke of code enforcement, Tampa is one of the dirtiest cities in the US again.
by Eddie 12/24/06 05:55 PM
Way to go Pam! Take care of the 'public' and kick special interests groups to the curve!
by dick 12/24/06 12:01 PM
this may have been an opportune time to highlight some of the scandals that arose under the dick greco era. thank you for not bringing those to your readers' attention.
by Sharon 12/24/06 09:38 AM
If she loses in Tampa, let's send her to the legislature. She is too good not to be working for the public. I am very impressed with what a non-politician she is.
by Lisa 12/24/06 09:08 AM
I'm interested in the "resign to run" requirement. The Supervisor of Elections should be the authority...as a police captain, Lewis is not a public official, so why should Tampa city officials butt in with the "resign to run" argument?