Last week's program was provided by Rotarian Randy Hyman. Randy’s guest speaker, introduced by President Doug Watson, was Hillsborough County Commissioner, Stacy White.
Stacy White was elected to the County Commission in 2014. In 2015, he was elected by the Board to serve in the leadership position of Chaplain. In 2016, the Board of County Commissioners elected him to be the Chairman. For the 2017 term, he was chosen to be the Board's Chaplain. As part of his duties as a County Commissioner, he serves on: Council of Governments, Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group (Alternate), Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa Bay Estuary Program Policy Board, The Florida Aquarium Board of Directors.
From 2010-2014, Stacy served on the Hillsborough County School Board, which is the eighth largest school district in the nation with an annual budget of nearly $3 billion and a student population totaling nearly 200,000 students. Stacy White is a fifth generation native of Hillsborough County who lives in Valrico with his wife of 21 years and their three children. After graduating from East Bay High School, he earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida and has practiced pharmacy for 21 years. In addition to being a practicing pharmacist, he serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy with the University of Florida, where he educates pharmacy students during their internships. In 2006, the university recognized his outstanding work in this capacity by naming him Roche Preceptor of the Year in an Outpatient Setting. Commissioner White has great respect for the City Commissioners and City Government of Plant City and is dedicated to a great partnership with the city.
Some of the issues Stacy White is involved with for East County includes: Middle school crossing guards and distracted walking/driving to keep our kids safe, maintaining a great working relationship with Hillsborough County Sheriff Office, recognizing the agricultural community and economy as a great economic driving force, stormwater fee issues…Stacy is against stormwater fee increases, was not able to prevail but got special “rules’ in place. Transportation projects such as the Sam Allen road widening project, are important to Stacy and the commission. Stacy touched on his lawsuit surrounding the “transportation tax” that was recently adopted, claiming that it is an unlawful plan surrounding the “oversight committee” to make the allocations of the money. The tax stands but power has been taken away from the oversight committee. Oral arguments are scheduled at the Florida Supreme Court in February. This tax money allocation is heavily skewed toward the City of Tampa and is a bad plan because it offers very little for East Hillsborough county. The new Ray’s stadium discussions have resurfaced and Stacy is firm in his resolve that NO money from the county will be spent on a new stadium.
--submitted by Mike Arndt
