TAMPA -- City council voted to put four out of five charter amendments vetoed by Mayor Jane Castor on the March 7th ballot.
The amendments would curb the mayor's power to create city boards, require council approval of department heads named by the mayor, set up term limits for City Council, and set up charter review every eight years instead of every ten.
Council upheld the mayor's veto of a proposal to create an independent counsel for the Citizens' Review Board that deals with police shootings after other investigations are completed, with a 4-3 vote to override. A supermajority is required.
The issues include requiring council approval for the highest ranking city positions, and hiring an independent lawyer for the citizens' police review board.
Council members used the override discussion to air their grievances with Mayor Castor. Councilman Bill Carlson accused Castor of targeting him, possibly because her team believed he was running for mayor. Carlson instead has signed up for another run at his current council seat. Carlson also asked Tampa city council chair Joseph Citro whether he planted a proposal to make the changes by ordinance instead of charter amendment to "throw a monkey wrench" on the mayor's behalf. Citro's response, a forceful "NO." Citro invited Carlson to file a public records request for communcations if he wished. Later, Carlson declared that the mayor's office has issued a "push poll" indicating that only 47 percent of voters support him. Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak announced that she's gotten a sweeping public records request, which she described as targeting.
The deadline to qualify for city elections is Friday, March 20th, at noon.
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