Compromise rulings on the Buck-O-Meter

"The first year ... Bob will modernize land development codes to incorporate New Urbanism concepts and form based zoning in order to encourage the development of our urban neighborhoods."

"The first year ... The question of affordable housing for first-time homebuyers and the rehabilitation of existing homes is a priority for a Buckhorn Administration. Together with our lending partners, our housing initiative will build a program modeled after the successful Challenge Fund. ... This program will ... include down payment assistance, reduction in origination fees, reduced interest rates, streamlined loan applications and assistance in preparing and packaging the loans."

"He will appoint a Director of Protocol, International Trade and Commerce who will report directly to the mayor. This person will be charged with the following responsibilities: Serve as the Mayor’s point person for all international commerce activities; To reenergize the partnership of Tampa International Airport, the Port of Tampa, the city of Tampa, Hillsborough County and the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce to develop and expand our regional international trade efforts; Work to attract and identify locations for foreign consulates; Work with the Tampa Port Authority and the Florida Ports Council to expand the Port of Tampa’s infrastructure in order to allow the port to actively pursue significant container business; Work more closely with the Governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development and Enterprise Florida to participate in statewide international trade initiatives; Aggressively target, pursue and schedule trade missions led by the mayor and accompanied by regional partners and local Tampa Bay businesses; Assist the new director of Tampa International Airport (TIA) in pursuing more international flights for TIA."

"As mayor, Bob Buckhorn will establish a 'One-Stop Licensing Program,' available in person and on-line. The One-Stop Licensing Program will streamline the licensing process, providing business owners with a complete list of all licenses and permits required by the city and providing assistance in obtaining the licenses and permits applicable to their business. In addition, the One-Stop Licensing Program will streamline the multiple layers of business regulation by acting as a resource for city businesses to identify and interact with the appropriate county and state regulators."

"As mayor, Bob Buckhorn will appoint a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the city of Tampa. The CTO will serve as a member of the mayor’s senior staff and will be the point person for all of the city’s tech-related activities, including: e-Services -- Tampa’s response to our customer and constituents' needs; e-Business -- The use of technology to modernize how government works; e-Management -- Coordinating organizational changes inside city government."

"The first year ... Bob will create the position of Deputy Mayor for Economic Opportunity. This individual, who will report directly to the mayor, will be responsible for the implementation of programs and initiatives targeted at all three economic development steps and will supervise the agencies and departments involved in business regulation and economic development. This position will come as a result of the consolidation of existing positions and will not come at an additional cost."

"Bob Buckhorn will work with the Tampa Housing Authority to strengthen enforcement of the 'One Strike and You’re Out'” policy in public housing."

"Bob Buckhorn will instruct city attorneys to make referrals to the (Nuisance Abatement) Board on chronic nuisance complaints and will give the board additional enforcement authority to effectively enforce against violators."

"As mayor, Bob Buckhorn will establish Accountability Standards for each of the city’s departments and their functions, from filling potholes to clearing storm water ditches. The city will know what the city’s pressing problems are and how long it should take to fix them. The mayor and city employees will stand accountable to city residents if the timetables established for resolving these issues are not complied with. As a first step in this process, Bob Buckhorn will complete a full city-wide Infrastructure Assessment to identify our neighborhoods’ needs and begin to address them."

"Bob Buckhorn will appoint a Deputy Mayor of Neighborhoods and Community Empowerment whose primary mission will be to advocate for and address the needs of each of the city’s neighborhoods. This deputy will increase the city’s responsiveness and accountability to its neighborhoods by providing a single point of access to all city programs and services related to neighborhoods. Departments under the authority of the Deputy Mayor of Neighborhoods and Community Empowerment will include (among others): Community Affairs, Code Enforcement, Parks and Recreation, the Office of Women/Minority Business Enterprises, the Office of the Neighborhoods, Clean City and the Office of Community Technology, to name a few. This new position will came as a result of the elimination of existing redundant positions and will remove a layer of bureaucracy."