Rail Plans Being Laid

With funding for the important transportation plan lining up for a citizen vote senior planners are working to determine the exact path of the proposed tracks thorough Tampa. Greater Tampa Bay Chamber Partnership VP Biff Bornhere expects form details to be released within the month.

 “The exact route is not yet been told to us. A consortium of developers lead by former Mayor Dick Greco are now behind closed doors in a smoke filled room assuring a plan that best benefits their investment properties value” Mr. Bornhere told 83 Degrees.

 ”The people are assured that any rail route will be planned to involve the personal investment of the right people in Tampa, those with political influence and can afford to buy a seat at the table. Tampa government works.”

 Staff at the Greater Tampa Bay Chamber Partnership are quick to pint out that planning to Greco’s investments benefit has been the Tampa Standard for some time. They attribute this philosophy with the robust economic growth experienced not only downtown but through the city at large.

 Mr. Bornhere expressed confidence that subverting common sense and good will to the benefit of a few well connected developers is the key to city planning. “We will have rail but we can keep Tampa a small unchanged city even so.”

 The Greater Tampa Bay Chamber Partnership consequently has declined calls for the rail line to be built into Pinellas county or even the Westshore District. “Greco does not now or represent property in those areas and we have always considered the real Tampa to end at Henderson Blvd.” said Mr. Bornhere.

Conversely they have not discussed the call from some of their membership the need to connect with Lakeland and Orlando. Mr. Pike, Greater Tampa Bay Chamber Partnership member and owner of Pike Pizza and Flowers said he and others are organizing to assure only the necessary rail line is laid down, from downtown to the Fairgrounds and Casino. “Only the area’s owned by the right people are the priority” he told 83 Degrees. “ we do not need public transport beyond or connecting with anything else.”