Hillsborough County’s top lobbyist gets $20,000 raise while 900 jobs could be eliminated
June 11, 2009 at 12:50 pm by Kelly CorneliusBy Kelly Cornelius
PoHo contributor & R-LAND activist
Hillsborough County’s top lobbyist Edith Stewart makes $136,094; that is including a 17 percent raise of $20,000. I had to read this in the Times even though I did ask Commissioners what our lobbyists made in an e-mail back on April 14 and have yet to hear back on that.
Why did I want to know? Because I didn’t think our lobbyists were doing anything about bad environmental and growth management bills and I wondered how much you were paying them. Now we know. Maybe she got the bonus for letting SB 360 get through? I also asked Ms. Stewart herself in an e-mail several months ago to provide me with a detailed list of the activities of our lobbyists in Tallahassee and asked if any of them have ever spoken on the record in committee about SB 360 or any bills for that matter. I am still waiting. I even suggested the Board fire Ms. Stewart in this recent post regarding SB 360 so to read she recently got a raise while sitting back and letting the worst growth management laws quietly pass in Tallahassee is unbelievable. Especially amid such a budget crisis. In fact she got the highest percentage increase.
Another shock was the salary of Lucia Garsys who helped the county promote its ill-fated visioning when they wanted OneBay to run it. Another bright idea to give away land use and transportation planning to special interests. Garsys makes $153, 213 with her 12 percent raise.
Here is an idea: at the next budget public hearing why not ask your Commissioners and the County Administrator Pat Bean why what appears to be their favorite minions are getting raises while many services and possibly 900 jobs are being cut.
