The importance of urban growth and creating greater mobility
captured the attention of leaders from around the Tampa Bay region as
they gathered in a Congress of Regional Leaders on April 16 at the Tampa
Convention Center.
Keynote Speaker Robert Grow,
founding chair of
Envision Utah, addressed the
assembly to talk about his state's experiences building consensus on
growth and to encourage excitement about the unique opportunities
high-speed rail could bring to the region.
"You
are the luckiest place in America right now," Grow says. "This is your
opportunity to win or lose for Florida big time."
Improving mobility across the Tampa Bay region is critical to
its
ability to thrive in the global marketplace, says David Singer of Moving Hillsborough
Forward, a county advocacy group working on behalf of the 1 percent
surtax that will be on the November ballot.
"Tampa needs increased choice when it comes to mobility
options. Here in Hillsborough County we don't want to be relegated to
driving everywhere anymore,'' Singer says. "Forbes magazine
ranked us 60th out of 60 in terms of worst commutes
in the country. People are making judgments about our area based on
that piece.
"It's an important issue
not only to attract jobs and give people mobility, but to keep our young
people here. When corporations look for headquarters or relocations,
the first question they ask is, 'What does the transportation landscape
look like?' We don't want local talent leaving the region. Increasing
numbers of our graduates are going to Charlotte, Phoenix, Denver. These
cities are poaching our talent because they do have light rail and
modern transit."
SunTrust banker Dan Mahurin, chair of ONE BAY,
says, "Now it's up to each of us – both citizens and city and county
elected officials alike – to do the hard work, make the right choices to
turn this vision into a reality for our children and the generations to
follow."
Writer: Missy Kavanaugh
Sources:
David Singer, Moving Hillsborough Forward; Dan Mahurin, SunTrust
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