Political Big Bang
Crystallizing Events
• Fall 2008 – TARP
• Bailouts
• Stimulus
Big Bang
• Rick Santelli’s Rant on CNBC
Tea Party Ignites
February 27, 2009 – First Tampa Tea Party
• Fiscal Responsibility
• Limited Government
• Free Markets
• Individual Liberties
• Constitutional Governance
Tax Day Tea Party – 4/15/2009
Tea Party Throws Up Roadblocks
to Healthcare
Florida Leaders organized protests
at every Congressional office in state
Rolled out a Nationwide protest at
Congressional offices
August Townhalls, Emails, Calls
9/12 Taxpayer March on DC
Communication & Coordination
Internet
• Email
• Meetup Groups
• Google Groups
• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Youtube
Cell phones
Text Messaging
Obama/Biden High Speed Rail
counter-rally
Tampa Tea Party Anniversary Protest
Against Rail Tax & Healthcare
Tax Day Tea Party – 4/15/2010
Grassroots Goes Local
GOTV
Proposed Sales Tax increase for Light Rail
• Fought to Keep off Ballot
Endorsed and Supported County Commissioner
candidate who opposed Rail
NoTaxForTracks.com founded by 3
SMART Moms
Transit Tax Referendum
County Ordinance #10-7
14% Sales Tax Increase to Fund Light Rail
At least $400/Household per year
Redistributes Wealth from County to City
County pays 2.5 cents for every 1 cent City pays
This is building 81 Raymond James stadiums &
only fill up 2% of the Stadiums capacity
Voters forced to vote before critical
decisions made by HART
NEVER SUNSETS
Paid Political Ad Paid for by
10
NoTaxForTracks.com
CIT Trend Line…Collections for 0.5 Cent Since
Inception
$110,000,000
Does this $105,000,000
look stable?
$100,000,000
What is $95,000,000
the trend-line? $90,000,000
Is this $85,000,000 TOTAL
bondable, $80,000,000
and at what
$75,000,000
cost?
$70,000,000
$65,000,000
$60,000,000
FY 98 FY 99 FY 00 FY 01 FY 02 FY 03 FY 04 FY 05 FY 06 FY 07 FY 08 FY 09
Demographic Decision Dynamics, LLC
www.demographic3d.com
jim@demographic3d.com
Source: Hillsborough County Finance
HART Bus System Today vs Ballot Proposal Based on
2009 Audited FS of Hart and Public Ballot Plan
HART 2009 TODAY HART Ballot Plan
Average Revenue Per Rider $ 1.28 $ 1.30
Average subsidy Per Rider $ 7.63 $ 13.04
Increase in Taxpayer cost $ 5.41
% Increase in Cost 71%
If you want to save over 70% in costs supporting rider transit.
Buses are a better option.
Paid Political Ad Paid for by
12
NoTaxForTracks.com
Summary of Ballot initiative -- Key #s voters will
be asked to pass in November
Spending
• Total Capital Spending 2011 - $ 7,031,880,000 - 49%
2040
• Total Operating Expenditures $ 7,304,130,000 - 51%
• Total Funding Requested $ 14,336,010,000 - 100%
Funding Plan
• Total Expected Ticket Revenue $ 1,295,280,000 - 9%
• Ticket Revenue Broad Taxes $ 13,040,730,000 - 91%
and Debt
Transportation Task Force – August 20009 – “This isn’t a Project Financing it’s a Revenue
Financing”
Paid Political Ad Paid for by
13
NoTaxForTracks.com
Is Rail the Answer?
Better Commute Time? NO – may take twice as long on Rail
2008 - Average Commute time in US of Metro areas with populations > 1 million = 25.6 minutes
Average Commute Time in Tampa – 25.7 minutes
Leave Home in Car – 8:00 am Arrive at work by 8:30am
Average Commute time in
Tampa 25.7 minutes
Leave Home in Car – Arrive Park Wait for
train –
Ride Train & Train Stops - 8:45 am Walk to Office – 8:57
8:00 am & Ride–
8:10 am 8:15 am
Paid Political Ad Paid
for by 14
NoTaxForTracks.com
Rail requires massive subsidies, is inefficient and has fixed and inflexible routes
2005 Taxpayer Subsidies
Cents Per Passenger Mile
70
64.0
60
50
Cents
40
30
21.0
20
10
0.1 0.4
0
Air Autos Amtrak Transit
Mode of Transportation
Paid Political Ad Paid for by
15
NoTaxForTracks.com
The Taxpayer Rail Labyrinth
16
Paid Political Ad Paid for by NoTaxForTracks.com
Who is pushing for this?
• Transportation Task Force – comprised of
developers, politicians, planning
• Moving Hillsborough Forward – formed by
Tampa Bay Partnership
– Raised over $1 million in campaign contributions
– 98% by developers, lawyers, bankers, downtown
corporate interests, realtors, engineering firms
– They call themselves “Grassroots”
Paid Political Ad Paid for by
NoTaxForTracks.com
Misuse of Public Funds
• Suntrust and Regions contributions to MHF
– Recipients of 9.6% of bank bailout funds
– 75% of all bank bailout funds repaid
– SunTrust and Regions have paid back $0 to US
Treasury
• PB Americus
– awarded $135,000 on 8/2/10 in a sole source contract
to submit to FTA New Starts program.
– 2 weeks after contract awarded to PB Americus, they
made a $25,000 political contribution to MHF.
Paid Political Ad Paid for by
NoTaxForTracks.com
WHAT ARE WE UP AGAINST?
MARKETING CAMPAIGN COLLUSION
• SPECIAL INTERESTS WITH DEEP POCKETS
• LOCAL MEDIA AS CAMPAIGN ARM
• SUPPRESS OPPOSITION VIEW
• ADVOCATE FOR ISSUE
• MPO, HART, TBARTA “ADVOCATING” NOT
EDUCATING PUBLIC
• LOCAL POLITICANS “ATTITUDE”
• FED/STATE GRANTS ARE FREE MONEY
• FEED AT THE FEDERAL TROUGH FOR AS MUCH
FEDERAL FUNDING AS POSSIBLE
• REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE COST
Paid Political Ad Paid for by 19
NoTaxForTracks.com
Common Sense Solutions
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS:
• START SMALL
• Van Pools, HOV Lanes, Expanded Express Bus Service, Timed Stop Lights
• BUS RAPID TRANSIT
• GIVE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND MONEY BACK TO STATES & STOP
EARMARKS
• OVERSIGHT & CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT
SPENDING ISSUE NEEDS ADDRESSING – NOT REVENUE
“Instead of customizing transit systems to serve American cities as they exist today,
transit agencies want to rebuild the cities to suit the kind of transit service the agencies
want to provide. “
~Randal O’Toole , author of Gridlock
Paid Political Ad Paid for by
NoTaxForTracks.com 20
CROSSING THE FINISH LINE
SUPPORT CANDIDATES WHO OPPOSE RAIL
INFORM VOTERS – GET OUR MESSAGE OUT
• Phone Bank
• Community Outreach and Debates
– Partnered with American Dream Coalition
• Yard Signs
• Fliers with pro rail candidate precinct walks
• Radio ads
• Collaborate with partners
Paid Political Ad Paid for by
NoTaxForTracks.com
Future
Groom, Select & Elect Candidates who
support Tea Party Principles
HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE
Ready to Fight Again
GROW GROW GROW – VOTING BLOCK
An army of principles can penetrate where an army of
soldiers cannot. Thomas Paine