‘Mayor Bob’ Visits Chiles Elementary Story & photo by John C. Cotey
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn has faced some tough lines of questioning in his five years as the city’s head honcho, so taking a few softballs from the second graders at Lawton Chiles Elementary in Tampa Palms on March 8 was something of a welcome respite. Not that a few fastballs weren’t sneaked in there, however. After talking to the children about how much he loved his job and how important it was, Buckhorn fielded questions asking him Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn receives a certificate from Chilabout his favorite food, color and es Elementary second grade “Mayor” Alejandro Rodriguez. his favorite sports. Oh yeah…and a few about the morning from the gasping second graders. traffic in New Tampa. “It was a much better life, I think,’’ he “We do need a train that runs from added. The lack of cell phones apparently New Tampa to downtown Tampa,” Buckmade at least one child think Buckhorn was horn answered to one traffic question. far older than his 57 years, because he was Another student wanted to know why later asked if he had town criers when he was the red light by his house stayed red for so growing up. long. The exact location of that light was Governmental Info, Too never pinpointed (and let’s be honest, we all Buckhorn provided some civics lessons have one of those lights we love to hate in New Tampa, don’t we?), but Buckhorn gave for the kids as well, explaining that he and the seven-member Tampa City Council a quick wink said he would check it out. operate mostly independently. “I meet with He also was asked what he thought of them once a year to tell them how much Donald Trump. money they have to spend,” he said, refer“Oh, I think I’ll stay away from that ring to his annual budget meeting. one,’’ Buckhorn said. “But, I do not think Asked if he can change the City he is good for the country.” Council’s decisions, Buckhorn told the class The event was organized by Linda Rosen, who was teaching her second graders “sometimes,” explaining that he can veto items but “the City Council can override my about local government when she came up veto with a 5-2 vote margin.” with the idea to try and get Buckhorn to “He added, “But, so far, I haven’t had visit her class. She had all of the kids write to veto anything.” letters inviting him to Chiles, and the mayor The mayor, in case you were wonderended up accepting. ing (like at least one of the kids was), does Leading the second grade classes of not have a butler and maids. He told them, teachers Ashley Mitchell, Elizabeth Horton, Tari Baldwin, Elaine Wilkinson, Michael Re- however, he was “rich in blessings with a great job, a great wife and great kids, but hfus, Chelsea Bowen, Ami Egeland, Felicia not rich rich, like Donald Trump.” Sell and Rosen into school’s media center He jokingly bragged about having so was Alejandro Rodriguez, a mayor himself much power, he could turn rivers green — he was elected by his classmates in Rosen (which he did, again, on St. Patrick’s Day). and Bowen’s classes, a mock vote designed Buckhorn, who has two young daughto teach the children about democracy. ters, also told the assembly “and none of you The 8-year-old, decked out in gray are ever allowed to marry them.” slacks, a light green plaid shirt and a gray tie Buckhorn impressed the crowd by with white stripes, fidgeted in his seat with telling the children has been to President his hand thrust as high as he could reach, Barack Obama’s Christmas parties, and has eagerly awaiting his chance for a question, even been to his office. like 150 of classmates. “Was his chair comfortable?,’’ one boy Buckhorn, who was elected to his first asked the mayor. term as mayor in 2011 and then re-elected “Oh, I don’t dare sit in the president’s in 2015 while running unopposed, told the chair,’’ Buckhorn replied, grinning widely. classes he caught the government bug as a Buckhorn, whose second term is schedfourth-grader growing up near Washington, uled to end in 2019, said leaving the mayor’s D.C., when in 1968, he was helping out on office won’t be easy. “You’re going to have the late Senator Robert Kennedy’s presidento pry my fingers off the desk,” he said. tial campaign. He did, though, drop a hint about “I used to have my mom drive me his rumored future plans, asking the kids down to Bobby Kennedy’s headquarters, if they’d like it if he came back to visit as and I’d seal envelopes and put stamps on Florida’s governor. them,’’ Buckhorn said. As for who Buckhorn, a Democrat (alHowever, the kids seemed more though all municipal elections in Tampa are interested in answers to the bigger, more non-partisan), is supporting for president, important questions facing Tampa — such no surprises there. as his favorite color (blue), his favorite food “I am supporting Hillary Clinton,’’ he (Italian), and his favorite sports (he played said of the Democratic frontrunner (see page lacrosse and soccer in high school). 8) he introduced at her pep rally in Ybor When he wasn’t playing sports, BuckCity the following day. “Because I want my horn said, he was reading books or having two little girls to grow up knowing there are crab apple fights with his friends. no barriers. I want them to know that they “We didn’t have cell phones,” he said, can grow up to be president, too.” drawing perhaps the loudest reaction of the 36
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