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Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

Attracting the Creative Class to Tampa -- Or Your City: What Will It Take?
Friday November 8, 2002

Earlier this week, an alternative newspaper in the Tampa Bay Area sponsored a dinner forum with the mayoral candidates. About 100 of the city's movers and shakers were in attendance. Each of the four candidates, including yours truly, was asked to address ideas expressed in a book by Richard Florida entitled The Rise of the Creative Class.

Florida suggests that any area will prosper if it has what he calls "three Ts," namely, technology (meaning high-wage computer and related employers), talent (an educated, well-off young and vibrant sub-population) and a tolerant attitude toward diversity. In Florida's words, a city like Tampa needs "a thriving gay community, a kick-ass local music scene, human rights ordinances, tax breaks for creative types and enough artists and writers to send Bible-beating conservatives packing for the Georgia border." While this did not sound to me like a winning agenda for a mayor's race, it did seem likely to generate a good discussion. I was not to be disappointed, nor did I miss the chance to "seize the day." Here's my opening speech -- enjoy and, if you like it, tell your Tampa friends to vote for me.

Tonight's focus is on quality of life issues and how, or if, the next mayor will address Richard Florida's three Ts -- technology, talent and tolerance. My platform IS a quality of life platform, one calling for a well city that is fit, fun, free and functional. I offer myself as "the oldest, fittest, fastest and prettiest of all the candidates." However, I am NOT the best known or the most generously funded of the candidates, though I am the one with the most progressive agenda. If you like the Weekly Planet, you will love my candidacy. If you like Richard Florida's ideas, you'll be ga ga over mine!

I believe a focus on quality of life, that is, a well city that is fit, fun, free and functional, will attract technology and talent, not the other way around. A well city is the true driver for technology and talent. Tolerance, on the other hand, must be here before we can realize the first two Ts -- the creative class won't come to a backwater town perceived as intolerant.

Though I am not poor or disadvantaged, I care deeply about those who are -- so I will make the worst neighborhoods and poorest citizens my first priority as mayor and invite all the city department heads to draw plans that better address such priorities. That will be highly conducive to the three Ts.

Though I am not obese or unfit, I want a city government dedicated to assisting all citizens to develop healthy lifestyles. Everyone is ultimately responsible for his or her own health, but the city could do much to make fitness and well being a priority for all. This is a magnet for the three Ts.

Though I am not gay, I want a human rights ordinance for Tampa second to none, one that not only forbids discrimination of any kind but also provides full domestic partner benefits for all city and private employees. Unlike the current mayor, I will get involved and I will be a leader on this and other quality of life issues. Give Tampa more points toward the desirable three Ts.

Though I do not smoke OR inhale marijuana (the idea of sucking tobacco sludge and hot gases into my lungs has zero appeal), I want no law enforcement action taken against those who do. Small amounts consumed in the home are not the business of Big Brother. People do all kinds of things in their homes of which many of us don't approve, including abusing alcohol, overdosing on junk food, watching too much trash TV and treating other people badly. We don't expect the police to invade homes to stop these things -- why do we elect officials who use governmental powers to prevent adults from smoking a few joints? Let's adopt the British model, which allows for small amounts of dope in private homes. I favor this policy because it frees the police to focus on real criminals, not consenting adults -- and it sends a signal that Tampa is a free city where diversity is welcomed, not judged or suppressed. Score more toward the three Ts.

On a related matter, I have never had, nor do I want, a lap dance -- but I am firmly opposed to moral crusades by politicians to forbid such a harmless if unappealing act by consenting adults. This is a gross misuse of taxpayer monies. The creative class, like all who cherish freedoms, do not want a mayor or other elected officials imposing their righteousness on everyone else. Neither do I.

Though I have no trouble finding places to exercise, I want more parks, nature trails, bike paths and other recreational opportunities in EVERY neighborhood. More points, please, in the three T criteria for assessing our capacity to lure the creative class to Tampa.

Finally, though I do not believe any of the candidates for mayor of Tampa is for sale, I do think many citizens believe the electoral process to be corrupted by special interests. I will do everything possible if elected to change that perception, to let people know that everyone's voice counts at City Hall. Therefore, I will disqualify any company or interest group from doing business with the city that has contributed to my campaign or any other candidate's campaign in the last two years. All contributors insist they contribute in order to promote the public interest, not their own agenda. If this truly is the case, they will surely understand and appreciate the need to refrain from being paid to do city work for a period of time to be determined.

By the way, our host for this fine event, Ben Eason, asked us to note how we would use the mayor's "bully pulpit" to implement our vision for the city. With due respect, I don't think the mayor has a pulpit nor should he ever be a bully. A pulpit is "an elevated platform used in preaching or in conducting a worship service." As an advocate for the strict separation of church and state, all bully and other platforms will be converted into firewood to warm our new high tech friends during our week or so of Winter weather.

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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