Tampa has few high-ranking Latino officials in city government
TAMPA — In a city where 26 percent of the population is Latino, just over 18 percent of the Tampa’s municipal workforce is Hispanic.
As you move up the organizational chart, the disparity continues: four of 28 department heads, deputy administrators and administrator level employees — or 14 percent — identify as Latino.
That concerns some Hispanic leaders who say Mayor Jane Castor’s administration could be doing more to be more inclusive to a fast-growing community. Hispanics in Tampa might soon form the majority of the city’s population, the mayor acknowledged at a West Tampa appearance last month.
Castor’s selection earlier this month of a white woman, Mary O’Connor, as police chief over interim chief Butch Delgado, who is Latino, has sparked discussions about why there are so few Hispanics making decisions at City Hall.
“I think she needs to revisit this and do a better job. The candidates are there,” said Tony Morejon, the former Hispanic liaison for Hillsborough County government. “To me, it’s an issue.”
Castor responded Wednesday morning that her administration has done a good job on diversity issues.
“I would submit that my administration is probably the most diverse that the city has ever seen,” Castor said. “And I am always looking for the best individual for a position and that includes everyone in our community.”
“We’re always looking to bring women and minorities on board, but our focus has always been to put the best individual for the position in that job,” she said. “We should always search to ensure that our staff represents the community we serve and that is always a goal of mine.”
Diane Cortes, president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said Castor’s choice for police chief hasn’t been an issue that she’s heard about from her board or general membership. But the lack of high-ranking Latinos in city and state government is a long-standing concern, she said.
“We barely have any representation,” Cortes said. “Every leader wants to approach the Hispanic community because they recognize the importance and contributions of our community. But it’s like thank you, no thank you.”
Other Latino leaders say Castor’s long history with city government — including over 30 years as a police officer and the last six as police chief — have provided her
with an intimate knowledge of all the city’s communities. Castor’s partner, Ana Cruz, is a Latina.
“I have never questioned Mayor Castor’s commitment to the Latino community. I think it’s there in her heart,” said Simón Canasí, a retired Morgan Stanley senior vice president, who was named Hispanic Man of the Year in 2019 by Hillsborough County. “First and foremost she is doing everything in her power to put the right people in the right place. If they happen to be a minority that’s terrific.”
In Tampa, outreach may be complicated by the fact that the Hispanic community is far more diverse than it was a generation ago when it was mostly Cuban and Spanish, often with roots
dating to the 19th century.
In recent decades, Venezuelans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians and other groups have arrived, said Mike Suarez, a former City Council member who ran against Castor in her successful 2019 mayoral campaign.
“I think primarily what’s going on — it’s an obvious lack of thinking about this. We are an incredibly diverse community and we don’t have the number of (Latino) leaders represented within the city,” Suarez said.
The lack of Hispanic leadership in the city isn’t new to Castor’s administration, Suarez said. But some previous mayors had some advantages with the city’s Hispanic population. Bob
Martinez was Hispanic. Dick Greco’s political rise came about because of his strength in what used to be called the city’s “Latin” community — Italians, Spaniards and Cubans. Greco also had a powerful aide, Fernando Noriega Jr., who spent decades in city government and played a critical role in reviving Ybor City where Noriega, the son of Cuban and Spanish parents, grew up.
“I don’t see that connection anymore. They don’t have those kinds of longterm relationships out there” said Suarez. “That’s the process. I don’t know if it’s been delayed by the pandemic, but it needs to be strengthened.”
Late last year, Castor created a new city position
of Hispanic liaison, hiring Maribel Garrett, who is Puerto Rican. And Castor, like her predecessors, meets with the Hispanic Advisory Council, a volunteer board appointed by the mayor.
City Council member Luis Viera said bolstering the number of Hispanics in key city government positions should be a priority.
“Those numbers obviously give rise to a duty on the part of the administration to not only continue to work on an administration that looks like Tampa, but to engage this diverse community in the city of Tampa,” Viera said. “I think engagement and action is certainly warranted.”