Miranda proposes penalizing Council members who run for another office listen

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Tags: Tampa City Council

No fewer than 4 members of the Tampa City Council have announced plans for running for higher office in the next couple of years.

Thomas Scott has already officially declared for Mayor, while Linda Saul-Sena says she will do the same soon.

John Dingfelder has announced his run for Hillsborough County Commissioner in 2010, while Mary Mulhern has said she is still mulling a run for either County Commission or Mayor.

With that as possible motivation, Councilman Charlie Miranda, who has not announced intentions for higher office yet, proposed today that the city charter be amended to bar Council candidates who lose in another race, from immediately running again for City Council. Miranda said he wanted to direct the City Attorney to research putting such a measure on the ballot.

Councilman John Dingfelder said he thought that directing the city's legal department to research such an issue was a serious misuse of their time, and voted against the proposal.

So did Councilmember Linda Saul-Sena, but the rest of the board did support it on a 5-2 vote.