Its the 4th of July so in respect to those who put it all on the line to create a new nation some 235 years ago - I make my own Declaration. I declare myself committed to working with anyone - Republican, Democrat, Independent or Vegan, straight or gay, black, white, hispanic or in between, committed to answering Americas challenges and putting us on the course to greatness once again. I commit myself to eschewing fear mongering or labels which attempt to identify the “other side” as unpatriotic or worse so that we can get on with the hard tasks of putting our country back on a sustainable path. Some butter their bread dividing America or launching irresponsible invectives against opponents. I declare a new commitment - forging ahead now with any and all who want to deal responsibly with our financial woes and check our unsustainable and poorly thought out military commitments so that America can once again be a nation powered by the principles enshrined in our Declaration and so brilliantly enabled in our Constitution.
James Madison would boldly declare 20 years after the Declaration of Independence that the U.S. Constitution was “nothing but a dead letter until life and validity was breathed into it, by the will of the people.” He recognized then that our uniqueness was embedded in a core conviction that the American people could be trusted to self governance, a then Revolutionary concept. Today some seek answers in Washington, but my sense is that Madison had it right when he looked to the states and the people for their concurrence to the new Constitution. Thus plans for dealing with the national debt, reforming entitlements, improving healthcare or disengaging from Iraq and Afghanistan might originate from the policy shapers in DC, but it’s a “dead letter” until a concordance is established with the American people. Fear mongering by “placeholders” in Washington who will fight any attempt at reform with wretched scare tactics to ensure their brief political survival is as abhorrent as those who ride radio fame squelching any attempt to work together to solve our problems as unprincipled appeasers. The founders who bore the brunt of building a new nation had little use for loud mouthed demagogues who cast stones from the safety of the sidelines, recognizing then, as New Jersey Governor Chris Christies does today, that “principled compromise” is critical when drafting a Declaration of Independence, when forging a Constitution, or when solving our current debt crisis.
Madison joined with other Americans who decades earlier risked it all on the front lines in the drafting and signing of our Declaration, by bravely venturing into what TR would later describe as “the arena” to build a new nation. We therefore need a new commitment by all today who seek to join our founders “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence” to “mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor” in forging a renewed America. America can successfully deal with our debt crisis and unshackled our military from unwise or dated overseas entanglements but it will take a mature dialogue and principled dedication to real reform unfettered from fear or partisan pandering.
My declaration is to begin this discussion and follow it’s course. Will you join?
Ok - it’s Labor Day - so let’s talk Tampa Bay and jobs.
I have been asked repeatedly just what type of jobs can the Tampa Bay area hope to create over the next decade and what role does government play, if any, in the process.
To the first question see the Tampa Bay Business Journals coverage of the jobs summit held at MOSI on Friday, August 27: http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2010/08/23/daily47.html?jst=pn_pn_lk
For more see: http://www.tampaedc.com/userfiles/files/BioScience%20Summit%20Invitation%20FINAL.pdf
Tampa Bay can help lead the state out of it’s doldrums with an aggressive focus on the life sciences. This does not mean we ignore the banking industry, construction, international trade, or entertainment. To the contrary, we must parlay our past success by taking advantage of the effort by former Governor Bush to create an environment conducive to the one industry that continues to create jobs in our weak economy - health care.
To the second point let me be clear. Government’s role should be limited, but its mission is none the less vital by building a solid foundation for business to thrive. This includes first rate public safety (fire, police and sheriff departments), quality transportation networks that are linked regionally, great schools, affordable & abundant energy, to seamless government operations that provide key services without delay or duplication.
Florida can lead the nation in building a vibrant economy that competes with the rest of the world. Tampa Bay can partner with Orlando and Miami to build a powerhouse mega-region that will provide job opportunities for our college graduates while protecting the quality of life that current residents expect from a state that offers urban to rural lifestyles.
Today is a great day to think jobs, but our mission is one that demands a 24/7 focus 365 days out of the year.
It is time to get to work.
Mark Sharpe
Florida is soon to be the 3rd largest state in the Union, yet despite it’s size has underperformed in nearly every measurable category of economic importance. Satisfied with our own Chamber of Commerce press clippings we have coasted on fumes, allowing our beaches, sunshine and reliance on Disney to replace a focused and sustained effort to build a global economic dynamo.
The recession has created an opportunity for government to get a handle on it’s own malfeasance. Gone are the days of budget surpluses which mask ineptitude. Today’s government must be limited, smart, customer oriented and dedicated to partnering with NGOs to meet the demands of our growing state.
The state has unlimited growth potential as it sheds it’s reliance on sprawl development and strip malls for medical and high tech manufacturing, connected by modern modes of transportation that eschews ideology for interconnectivity. Low taxes, limited regulations that seamlessly transcend local and state government and the absolute best schools in the nation will provide the foundation for Florida’s emergence as a powerful job creator. Abundant & affordable energy and transportation networks second to none will power our growth.
Florida has unlimited potential - “let’s get to work” to make it a reality.
Having just completed celebration of the 4th of July it’s worth revisiting Jefferson’s Declaration regarding inalienable or natural rights.
I spent the better part of a wet and soggy Sunday re-reading Mccullough’s “1776”, and then later pouring over Mark Mazower’s powerful and chilling “Hitler’s Empire: How the Nazis Ruled Europe.” The juxtaposition of two distinctly different concepts of governing could not be more clear. One group of leaders inured with a deep sense in man’s natural rights as derived by God, and another drunk with power believing that might makes right. Two distinctly different philosophies, one that sets limits to the power of the state, respects the rights of each individual and the rule of law ( and yes - process) and another that mocks process and believes that the individual is subservient to the state or the will of the powerful. It is a chilling distinction that leads to vastly different outcomes.
It is simple concept, one that all citizens or for that matter Supreme Court nominees should be able to master.
Inc. Magazine’s July/August covert story says it all: Bring on The Entrepreneurs! Their plan - detailed in a special report consisting of 16 points - begins with an urgent call for more startups.
Juxtaposed against this backdrop is Intel’s former CEO Andrew Groves - urging America to get serous about investing in the infrastructure critical to sustaining a world class economy just as Intel did when they built new manufacturing facilities to prepare for the next wave of demand. Do we have it in us to to renew America’s economic might with sustained growth? And if so - where will it start? From policies engineered in Washington or from the garages and small shops of mainstream America?
Over the next 2 months I will be writing about how we can unleash the next great economic boom through a full court press that starts right here in Tampa Bay. Hillsborough County is intent on streamlining it’s local government, simplifying permitting and startup processes while aggressively centering our local governments vision on a simple but sustainable mission: Infrastructure and core services. Mission creep has broadened our scope beyond the taxpayers capacity to sustain operations. We are now retooling so that what we do - we do superbly, while forging new alliances with non-profits and and other entities to take up those operations best served by others. This way we cut spending, reducing the burden on property owners and small business, while still building a foundation of well planned infrastructure networks critical to any modern economy.
Our Universities and Community College coupled with a solid and growing cluster of jobs in the life science industry provide us a roadmap towards strong recovery and high wage jobs for college graduates and those starting a new career. Great schools, coupled with a friendly climate, smart workers, and infrastructure designed to get people and goods to market quickly will radiate opportunity creating a thriving market for new entrepreneurs. Low property taxes and streamlined government will make our region a favorite destination for those ready to rebuild the American dream through job creation.
Join me as we work towards his new beginning and please be sure to post your comments at Marksharpefl on Facebook.
Mark Sharpe
I was born at MacDill AFB and blessed with a passion to serve. From, MacDill - I went to local schools (albeit through Guam) - attended FSU where I earned a degree in Multi-national Business and a minor in Russian and later earned a Masters in Strategic Studies from USF.
From Tallahassee I would go directly to Aviation Officer Candidate School at Pensacola, FL - soon commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy and then assigned to Attack Squadron 176 and spending a year and a half at sea.
It was during this period that I was able play a very small role in the Reagan navy buildup. Where Carter had allowed our ship inventory to diminish - Reagan forged a strategic plan to build a 600 ship navy. It was costly - but the payoff is largely credited with bringing the cold war to an end.
My next 2 assignments - at Central Command and then the Pentagon - gave me a deep appreciation for the value of strategic planning and focused investments in both hardware and personnel.
I would end my active duty career in 92 - just in time to run for congress. I would not win, but the experience was invaluable - and would lead me to teaching, development work and a 2 year stint as a Practice Manager for a cardiology group.
The cardiology practice was doing well - but looking for a way to improve efficiency, patient care, profitability. I took to my new job with passion and within two years achieved most of what we had set out to do. Growth came through bringing billing in-house and building our own diagnostic center - instead of outsourcing patients. We had to make key strategic investments - but profits were not far behind. The practice had taken the long view - and for that reason it is now a thriving business.
Now I serve on the County Commission and the challenges we face demand a long view. My priority has been to grow our economy, creating a thriving life science industry, and dramatically improving the performance at County Center. The new management team is doing just that - taking the long view towards our core mission by re-appraising every process and determining what services are better suited for other agencies, while also seeking opportunities to consolidate. The challenge at CC was made worse as the old leadership resisted genuine efforts to re appraise our strategic mission and simply made a series of tiny steps to delay necessary, but gut wrenching changes in the way we do business.
Taking the long view - it is the course we need to chart for a distinctly different type of local government and a mission I am very much designed to pursue.
I have just gotten home following a trip to USF and I am struck by the economic challenge and opportunity of an area referred to in the past as “suitcase city.”
First, USF is an academic dynamo with over 46,000 students - 40,000 who attend at the main campus in north Tampa making it the 9th largest public university in the Country. President Genshaft is quickly making the college a destination for the best and brightest around the world.
2nd - USF College of Medicine is undergoing amazing transformation - led by Dean Klasco - that is promising to turn the school of Medicine into an elite destination for doctors and students who one day will opening practices (we hope) in Tampa Bay. USF Health can help drive our transformation from low wage service to high wage life science jobs - as CAMLS (Center for Advanced Medical Learning & Simulation) promises to do - with its planned home in down town Tampa. This is just one of many projects that is coming to fruition.
3rd - USF is creating amazing partnerships with public and private entities that will foster new jobs and opportunities for students and entrepreneurs. Just watch as USF - Moffitt Cancer - TGH - VA Hospital - the USF incubator - Pepin Heart and many, many others leverage their assets to create an explosion of new health care opportunities throughout the Tampa Bay area.
To make this area the center for new opportunities - we need private enterprise developing new projects along corridors leading to USF - corridors that have the requisite “infrastructure” to make entry and exit quick - easy and accessible.
USF can be a destination - albeit one of many - throughout the Bay Area that drives our economic transformation.
This is just a quick note - following a long day, but the promise exists to kick start out economy in Tampa Bay if we have the fortitude to see it through.
Let’s get started!
The recent changes at County Center have not been easy but they are an important first step in the redesign of local government.
I encourage citizens to go to http://hillsboroughcounty.org to read more about planned changes at the County. I also urge you to send in your ideas for consolidation and streamlining operations as we cut millions from the FY11 budget and prepare for FY12-13. The new leadership understands the urgency of making substantive changes while vastly enhancing communication and coordination with other service providers to ensure that our citizens are well served.
Property taxes will continue to go down forcing government to get slimmer. The key is to then have a plan to provide essential services - from road maintenance to child care that utilizes a unique and well considered mix of public and private entities.
I am confident that our new interim administrator is up to the job and encourage you to make your voice heard in the days ahead.
All the best - Mark
This morning was an excellent example of the emerging power of social media in politics. Working with Jordan Raynor - one of the young, brilliant minds in this important arena - and Kelso Tanner, an associate of the honorable Mark Proctor, I am striving to build a new way to communicate and govern. My team, held together by an emerging political dynamo - Jen Lux, remember the name because she will one day be managing national campaigns, is absolutely committed to transforming the way campaigns are run and decisions made. Forget the insider games - or hidden deals made by the “good old boys” for the benefit of the few, the names I have mentioned are committed to a new, more open - transparent style of governing. No - we are not reinventing politics, but we are committed to transitional politics - whereby “the people” actually have a voice in local government and the opportunity to engage beyond the token attempts often employed gratuitously by the status quo.
Insider deals and back door politics have contaminated our system of government. We strive to open up the process and govern through data & a free flow of information girded by principles enshrined by the founders of this great nation. So be you left, right or center - I encourage you to engage - and embrace the new technologies that are transforming how we learn, inform and ultimately make decisions.
Next - read more on how Tampa Bay “resets” itself - and the young brilliant minds like my guest today on coffee with @marksharpefl - Jess Johnson - who strive to build a better community.
Today’s papers carry an important message which augurs a “great reset” in the Tampa Bay economy.
Richard Florida’s latest book, “The Great Reset” touts new ways of living and working will drive post crash prosperity (see his cover). Inside the book he discusses how workers (over time) will seek to live in denser environments, using new modes of public-private transportation and working in emerging high tech industries such as the life sciences.
Check out my twitter and facebook post each day for the evidence. In this morning’s postings we have the county remaking itself into a taut - highly focused - service oriented machine. There is also a post from today’s Tribune regarding CAMLS and USF - this new training facility in the heart of downtown Tampa is resetting our local economy. And then we have the discussion over transportation and the business communities efforts to “move Hillsborough County Forward” (see their web site). This effort resets our course for transportation - providing people new mobility options that help get us to work faster, and save taxpayer money as we shift from sprawl to development along well established corridors. It is an exciting time - and just the start. Resetting Tampa Bay will take time, but evidence abounds that it has begun. Stay tuned -
