Ted Byrd, Tampa Tribune

ANNUAL REGISTRATION, LOOPHOLES REVIEWED

TAMPA - An effort to strengthen Hillsborough County's legal restrictions on lobbyists got a cold reception from most commissioners Wednesday.

But Commissioner Kathy Castor, who campaigned heavily on changing the system last year, put a happy face on the situation. She said she will continue efforts to tighten what she considers loopholes in the law.

"I still believe we have more work to do," she said.

Currently, lobbying is defined as a "private meeting," and lobbyists are required to sign a register when they meet with commissioners, the county administrator or his top aides, or the county attorney or her top aides.

Most lobbyists register if their meeting is in the County Center. But no one could remember a meeting outside the office ever being recorded, which is required.

Castor wants annual registration for anyone being paid to lobby. And she wants to define lobbying as "any oral or written communication," a change that would include telephone calls or lunch dates.

"If they make a phone call and have that discussion, it's not captured," she said. "This is the loophole we must close."

But her colleagues said Castor could create more problems than she solves. Others questioned whether the system is broken.

"Is there someone who has committed a crime?" Commissioner Jim Norman asked. "It's trust. How do you legislate trust?"

"I guess what I want to know is what the problem is," Commissioner Ronda Storms said. She said all of her meetings are detailed on her calendar, which is a public record.

Commissioner Jan Platt also said phone calls into office are tracked on bills, which are also public record.

"The problem is that a conversation is not a public record," Castor said.

Other concerns were raised about defining lobby activities as paid. Commissioner Pat Frank said wealthy Republican businessman Ralph Hughes lobbied her on the Tampa Bay History Center - but because he is unpaid, that contact would not be tracked under Castor's plan.

In the end, commissioners voted unanimously to ask the county attorney to codify the existing policy, which was crafted with six separate ordinances over the years. And they asked whether Clerk of the Court Richard Ake can computerize the record keeping.