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Mayor Jane Castor and seven City Council members were sworn in for new, four-year terms today. The ceremony marked the beginning of Mayor Castor’s second term and the start of a new council term.
A large crowd gathered at an event space in Armature Works in Tampa Heights to watch Mayor Jane Castor and members of the city council be sworn into office. Castor was reelected in March. Her only opponent was a write-in who got 20 percent of the vote.
“The next four years will be about not only continuing to invest in the physical infrastructure like roads, pipes, and housing that keep us a resilient city, but investing in the infrastructure of people.”
The mayor touched on improving transportation, ensuring affordable housing, and investing in arts and culture. Castor also announced a new early childcare initiative starting in East Tampa neighborhoods to provide daycare for working moms.
The crowd was mostly supporters of the mayor. For Danielle Hernandez, a Tampa resident and immigration lawyer, one point hit home.
“Her talk about affordable housing is very important to me, I live in the City of Tampa, I’m a single mom, and it’s gotten very expensive.”
Many Tampa residents have been critical of the mayor for what they see as her role in flaming a contentious race between her mother-in-law and an incumbent city council member.
The incumbent, Lynn Hurtak, won the race and was sworn in on the same stage as Castor.
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