<div dir="auto">Oh my that\u2019s a lot of money.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">If they get rid of a lot of these Hart transportation, it will put a lot of of us stuck</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Going to doctors, stores, and those of y\u2019all who meet for meetings every third or fourth Saturday stuck</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">You won\u2019t be able to go get your medicine in person won\u2019t be able to go to grocery shopping and so much more</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">They say they\u2019re doing this to help the public. But I say they are harming the public.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I know a lot of people they can\u2019t drive because they have seizures really bad and so the doctor tells them they can\u2019t drive for safety reasons</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I know a bunch of kids that ride Hart plus that\u2019s on a spectrum of ADHD data depend on the door-to-door service</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">And there\u2019s a lot of of us who uses the city bus and Hart plus. There\u2019s probably a few that use the express bus buses.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">So they\u2019re not making it better they\u2019re making it worse</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I told my family my family said those who don\u2019t want to improve the Hart services. They need to have their cars taken away and let them write transportation everywhere so they will understand how transportation is important to everyone across the board.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">This really stinks that they are not making it better. They\u2019re making it worse.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">And there\u2019s a lot of of us who probably don\u2019t have loved ones who can help out on their days off of their own work. So using transportation is very very, very important.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">For example, me my hearing aid doctor is on almost the outside of Lutes on Crystal Grove Boulevard. So there\u2019s no city bus that goes there. Since there\u2019s no city bus that goes there plus don\u2019t go there.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">So I told my family if I did Uber, they\u2019re in back. It will probably cost me $500 for round-trip.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">So for me to get to my hearing aid doctors, I have to do my schedule around their schedule. So one can drop me off any other one can come back and pick me up</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">That\u2019s how we had to do it a few months ago to get my hearing retested and to get my molds made.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">And it burns me up.</div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, Sep 25, 2025 at 5:49\u202fPM Cheryl and Ed via NFBF-Tampa <<a href="mailto:nfbf-tampa@nfbnet.org">nfbf-tampa@nfbnet.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204)"><div lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="m_-8297119859225303095WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Oh, my so how did you get to work with dbs? <u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u> <u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p><div><div style="border-width:1pt medium medium;border-style:solid none none;padding:3pt 0in 0in;border-color:rgb(225,225,225) currentcolor currentcolor"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11pt"> NFBF-Tampa <<a href="mailto:nfbf-tampa-bounces@nfbnet.org" target="_blank">nfbf-tampa-bounces@nfbnet.org</a>> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Louise Peyton via NFBF-Tampa<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, September 24, 2025 2:42 PM<br><b>To:</b> NFB of Florida Tampa Chapter List <<a href="mailto:nfbf-tampa@nfbnet.org" target="_blank">nfbf-tampa@nfbnet.org</a>><br><b>Cc:</b> Louise Peyton <<a href="mailto:lp2473@hotmail.com" target="_blank">lp2473@hotmail.com</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [NFBF-Tampa] Fox 13 News story and article on proposed bill to dissolve HART, August 26, 2025<u></u><u></u></span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">This absolutely disgusts me! Tampa used to be called the next great city and what have we come to regarding poor transportation and our politicians who don\u2019t utilize the bus system. Even I can\u2019t utilize Hart as I currently live three miles from the nearest bus stop. Imagine all the 1 million county residents who will be stranded!<u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">I\u2019ve read there will be a legislative delegation meeting on Oct. 21, but would have to send the address between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. However, to sign up to speak, this must be done by Oct. 11. Will look up the details and send along.<u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Louise<u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p></div></div><div lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="m_-8297119859225303095WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u> <u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p><div><div style="border-width:1pt medium medium;border-style:solid none none;padding:3pt 0in 0in;border-color:rgb(225,225,225) currentcolor currentcolor"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11pt"> NFBF-Tampa <<a href="mailto:nfbf-tampa-bounces@nfbnet.org" target="_blank">nfbf-tampa-bounces@nfbnet.org</a>> <b>On Behalf Of </b>marion.gwizdala--- via NFBF-Tampa<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, September 24, 2025 1:56 PM<br><b>To:</b> 'NFB of Florida Tampa Chapter List' <<a href="mailto:nfbf-tampa@nfbnet.org" target="_blank">nfbf-tampa@nfbnet.org</a>><br><b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:marion.gwizdala@gmail.com" target="_blank">marion.gwizdala@gmail.com</a><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [NFBF-Tampa] Fox 13 News story and article on proposed bill to dissolve HART, August 26, 2025<u></u><u></u></span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Dear All,<u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u> <u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"> Unfortunately, many have the mistaken attitude like Commissioner Wostal that public transportation only helps a few, so why should the public fund it? This belief is very short-sighted and ignorant at its base! Those of us who either cannot drive or cannot afford a vehicle use public transportation to fulfill every social and economic opportunity as others. We enhance the health of the community by utilizing public transportation to go to medical appointments and stay healthy, thus costing society less in healthcare expenses. We support the economy of the region by utilizing public transportation to go to work and spend that money we earn, thus enhancing the economy. As an example, six of us gathered at Cheddar\u2019s Scratch Kitchen in Carrolwood in July, all of us arriving and departing using public transportation. Merry and I alone spent nearly $200 that night, along with the other four of us. <u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u> <u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">The idea that public transportation only benefits a few is so ignorant it is pathetic! These elitist politicians feed their constituents lies and the lemmings believe them without challenge or data. Everyone nods in agreement as these master manipulators share their irrational, ablist attitudes and unethical immoral conduct telling them it is \u201ccommon sense\u201d when it makes absolutely none. They promise what we want to hear then act with impunity by asserting, \u201dThat\u2019s why you elected us!\u201d If you have not yet done so, everyone needs to read George Orwell\u2019s \u201c1984\u201d. It should have been entitled \u201c2025\u201d!<u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0.5in"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u> <u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Marion Gwizdala<u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u> <u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u> <u style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></u></span></p><div><div style="border-width:1pt medium medium;border-style:solid none none;padding:3pt 0in 0in;border-color:rgb(225,225,225) currentcolor currentcolor"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11pt"> NFBF-Tampa <<a href="mailto:nfbf-tampa-bounces@nfbnet.org" target="_blank">nfbf-tampa-bounces@nfbnet.org</a>> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Sherrill O'Brien via NFBF-Tampa<br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, September 22, 2025 5:29 PM<br><b>To:</b> nfbf-tampa@nfbnets<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">.org<br><b>Cc:</b> Sherrill O'Brien <<a href="mailto:sherrill.obrien@verizon.net" target="_blank">sherrill.obrien@verizon.net</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> [NFBF-Tampa] Fox 13 News story and article on proposed bill to dissolve HART, August 26, 2025<u></u><u></u></span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Greetings Tampa chapter members and friends,<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">As promised, here\u2019s the link to the August 26 Fox News story about the proposed bill by state Rep. Michael Owens to dissolve HART and replace it with a city only transit system<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">This is on YouTube, so just skip the annoying ad!<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Below the link I\u2019ve also pasted the text of a companion article.<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">State Rep. Michael Owen, who plans to introduce this bill, represents District 70 which includes parts of Hillsborough and Manatee Counties. <u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">The YouTube link and story are below my signature.<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Please do spread the word by sending out this important email. We can make a huge impact with one strong and united voice! <u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Sherrill O\u2019Brien, Secretary<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Tampa Bay Chapter<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">National Federation of the Blind of Florida<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-U1ld6nNLo" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11pt">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-U1ld6nNLo</span></a><u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">Hillsborough lawmaker pushes to dissolve HART, launch city-only transit<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">By </span></b><span style="font-size:11pt"><a href="https://fox13news.com/person/m/evyn-moon" target="_blank">Evyn Moon</a><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">Published</span></b><span style="font-size:11pt"> August 26, 2025 9:24pm EDT<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt"><a href="https://www.fox13news.com/tag/us/fl/hillsborough" target="_blank">Hillsborough County</a><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt"><a href="https://www.fox13news.com/" target="_blank">FOX 13 News</a><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt"><img border="0" src="cid:ii_199831d3bac4cd34f0f1" alt="Bill to dissolve HART, move to city-run transit" style="width:844px;max-width:100%"></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.75in"><span style="font-size:11pt">Rep. Michael Owen is drafting a bill to dissolve Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART).<u></u><u></u></span></p><ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc"><ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">The plan would create the Tampa Transit Authority, serving only Tampa city limits.<u></u><u></u></span></li></ol></ul><ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc"><ol style="margin-top:0in" start="2" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">Some officials said the move could cut off service for thousands outside the city.<u></u><u></u></span></li></ol></ul><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">TAMPA, Fla. - <a href="https://www.fox13news.com/tag/us/fl/hillsborough" target="_blank">Hillsborough County's</a> main bus system could be facing major changes. State Rep. Michael Owen says he is working on legislation to dismantle HART and replace it with a Tampa-only transit agency.<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">The proposed Tampa Transit Authority would operate within city limits and could potentially be funded by a city sales tax, instead of higher property taxes for the entire county.<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">The other side:<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">Not everyone supports the idea. HART board chairman and Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera said the plan could leave more than a million residents outside Tampa without <a href="https://www.fox13news.com/tag/transportation" target="_blank">reliable transit options</a>, including seniors and people with disabilities who rely on paratransit services to get to work and the grocery store. <u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">"You don't take away mass transit funding for the rest of the county," Viera said.<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">What they're saying:<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">Owen argues the majority of HART's riders live in Tampa, so city taxpayers should shoulder the cost. He also criticized HART's recent move to explore raising property taxes. <u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt"><img border="0" src="cid:ii_199831d3bacb11963102" style="width:844px;max-width:100%"></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">Hillsborough Commissioner Josh Wostal agrees, saying county residents shouldn\u2019t pay for services they don\u2019t use. <u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">"We can't keep saving the few to hurt the many," he said.<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">By the numbers:<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">12.6 million riders used HART services last year.<u></u><u></u></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">Hillsborough County population: about 1.6 million.<u></u><u></u></span></b></li><li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">Tampa population: roughly 400,000.<u></u><u></u></span></b></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">What's next:<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">Owen expects to have the bill ready by October. If passed, the transition could take two to four years and give Tampa voters a chance to approve funding for new transit projects like light rail. <u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">For now, HART said it has not seen any formal proposal and is focused on serving the entire county. The City of Tampa also has no comment until a bill is officially proposed. <u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">The Source:</span></b><span style="font-size:11pt"> This story is based on information from Rep. Michael Owen, HART board members including Luis Viera, and Hillsborough County Commissioner Josh Wostal.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>
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