Government Digest: Jan. 21 - Jan. 27

Bitner to lead Florida GOP

ORLANDO — Former State Rep. Dave Bitner will lead the Florida GOP as it prepares for the 2012 National Republican Convention in Tampa. Bitner won a second ballot vote defeating Deborah Cox-Roush, vice-chair of the Republican Party of Florida and chairwoman of the Hillsborough County Republican Party. Joe Gruters, chairman of the Sarasota County Republican Party, came in third on the first ballot vote and was eliminated from the runoff along with Pinellas County State Committeeman Tony DiMatteo and Palm Beach County Chairman Sid Dinerstein. Bitner, 62, a lobbyist and state committeeman for Jefferson County, served in the Florida House from 1992-2000 representing Charlotte County.

County debt earns “AAA” rating

SARASOTA COUNTY — Standard & Poor's Rating Services for the first time has given Sarasota County's general obligation debt a rating of “AAA.” Only 66 other counties in the country have achieved S&P's highest rating. Hillsborough and Palm Beach are the only other Florida counties to make the S&P “AAA” ratings list.

Sarasota County's reserve policy has boosted the county's unreserved fund balance to 74.6%, the fourth highest level of the state's 67 counties. Hillsborough is at 53% and Palm Beach is at 67.8%.

The average overall net debt per capita for “AAA”-rated counties is $2,816, compared to $956 per capita in Sarasota County. Palm Beach has a debt per capita of $3,083.

Chris Hart files for city seat

TAMPA — Chris Hart IV, son of Workforce Florida, Inc. President Chris Hart III, filed to run for the District 3 seat of the Tampa City Council. A Hillsborough County commissioner from 1994-2002, Hart qualified for the race on Jan. 14, the last day to qualify. Hart faces Yvonne Yolie Capin, Michael Ciftsi, Seth Nelson and Jason Wilson for the open seat on the council.

MEETINGS

COLLIER COUNTY

The Tourist Development Council will meet at 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 24, at the county commissioners' chambers, third floor, Collier County government center, 3299 Tamiami Trail E., Naples.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority (TBARTA) will meet in a work session at 9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 28, in the Oak Room at the USF Connect building, 3802 Spectrum Blvd., University of South Florida, Tampa.

PINELLAS COUNTY

A quality communities code public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, at Dixon Hollins High School, 4940 62nd St. N., Kenneth City, and on Thursday, Jan. 27, at East Lake High School, 1300 Silver Eagle Drive, Palm Harbor. The meeting will gather public input regarding walkable/livable communities, zoning, parking, sidewalks, stormwater runoff, the natural environment and energy efficiency in unincorporated Pinellas County. For more information, call (727) 453-3065.

The Pinellas County economic development council meets at 8 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, at EpiCenter Rooms 1-451 and 1-453, 13805 58th St. N., Clearwater. For more information, call (727) 464-8123.

PASCO COUNTY

The land development code rewrite workshop for phase one will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, at the Dade City boardroom, 38053 Live Oak Ave., Dade City.

MANATEE COUNTY

The 14th Street West Community Redevelopment Agency will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, at Peace Lutheran Church and School 1611 30th Ave. W. Bradenton.