Finally Declared Dead by Mayor Hood: Her Advocacy Generated Recall and Election Challenge
4 December 1999: According to The Orlando Sentinel, Mayor Glenda Hood declared the
Orlando light rail project dead yesterday. The state of Florida had notified the city that it would
not provide funding to the truncated line that Mayor Hood had conceived after the Orange County Commission
had voted to kill the line in September.
As a result of Mayor Hood's resurrected proposal, "Axe the Tax," a public interest group
undertook a recall campaign against the Mayor. The group has filed 4,000 petition signatures, which is more
than sufficient to begin the recall process. Moreover, Mayor Hood's support of light rail was a factor
in the decision of Orlando City Councilman Bruce Gordy's decision to oppose the mayor in the March 2000
election.
The light rail project has been the subject of considerable local controversy, and had been kept alive partly
through direct lobbying of the County Commission by Vice-President Gore earlier this year.
Additional information can be obtained from Doug Goetzloe, Chairman of "Axe the Tax," at 877-AX-TAXES (toll free).
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