Lynn Hurtak
2022 - Present
2027
2
float:right; border:1px solid #FFB81F; background-color: white; width: 250px; font-size: .9em; margin-bottom:0px;
} .infobox p { margin-bottom: 0; } .widget-row { display: inline-block; width: 100%; margin-top: 1px; margin-bottom: 1px; } .widget-row.heading { font-size: 1.2em; } .widget-row.value-only { text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.value-only.white { background-color: #f9f9f9; } .widget-row.value-only.black { background-color: #f9f9f9; color: black; } .widget-row.Democratic { background-color: #003388; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Republican { background-color: red; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { background-color: grey; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Libertarian { background-color: #f9d334; color: black; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Green { background-color: green; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-key { width: 43%; display: inline-block; padding-left: 10px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold; } .widget-value { width: 57%; float: right; display: inline-block; padding-left: 10px; word-wrap: break-word; } .widget-img { width: 150px; display: block; margin: auto; } .clearfix { clear: both; }
Lynn Hurtak is an at-large member of the Tampa City Council in Florida. She assumed office on April 7, 2022. Her current term ends on May 1, 2027.
Hurtak ran for re-election for an at-large seat of the Tampa City Council in Florida. She won in the general runoff election on April 25, 2023.
Hurtak completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Lynn Hurtak was born in Tampa, Florida. Hurtak earned a bachelor's degree and a graduate degree from the University of Florida in 1998 and 2002, respectively. Her career experience includes working as a consultant. Hurtak has been affiliated with the Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association, League of Women Voters of Hillsborough County, Gainesville Area NOW, Tampa NOW, and the Hillsborough County DEC. Prior to serving on the Tampa City Council, she worked as an elementary school teacher and as a technical editor.[1][2]
Elections
2023
See also: City elections in Tampa, Florida (2023)
General runoff election
General runoff election for Tampa City Council District 3 At-Large
Incumbent Lynn Hurtak defeated Janet Cruz in the general runoff election for Tampa City Council District 3 At-Large on April 25, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Lynn Hurtak (Nonpartisan)  | 60.3 | 15,447 |
 | Janet Cruz (Nonpartisan) | 39.7 | 10,173 | |
| Total votes: 25,620 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
General election
General election for Tampa City Council District 3 At-Large
Incumbent Lynn Hurtak and Janet Cruz advanced to a runoff. They defeated George Feshev, K.J. Allen, and Jose Vazquez in the general election for Tampa City Council District 3 At-Large on March 7, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lynn Hurtak (Nonpartisan) | 42.5 | 13,372 |
| ✔ | | Janet Cruz (Nonpartisan) | 38.8 | 12,192 |
 | George Feshev (Nonpartisan) | 9.5 | 3,000 | |
 | K.J. Allen (Nonpartisan) | 5.2 | 1,649 | |
 | Jose Vazquez (Nonpartisan) | 3.9 | 1,238 | |
| Total votes: 31,451 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2023
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Lynn Hurtak completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hurtak's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
I was born at what is now St. Joseph's Women's Hospital in West Tampa to two USF alumni. I'm a former Title I elementary school teacher who has served as Tampa's District 3 city councilwoman since April 2022. Prior to my appointment, I served on Tampa's Variance Review Board and as the vice-president of the Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association. I was also a member of the 2017 Tampa Charter Review Commission that produced 18 amendments to Tampa's city charter, all of which were approved by voters in 2019.
Before joining Tampa City Council, I worked as a consultant with more than 13 years of experience in editing, consulting, evaluating, technical backstopping, project management, data management, and logistics throughout Africa focusing on monitoring and evaluation, food security, and capacity building.
As a teacher, I served as my school's union representative. My involvement with women's rights activism stretches back 25 years, and I am proud of my work with Gainesville Area NOW, Tampa NOW, and the League of Women Voters of Hillsborough County.
- I made it clear when I was appointed to Tampa City Council that affordable housing would be my top priority. The city doesn’t work without its workers, and any future growth without them in mind is both reckless and doomed to implode. Tampa’s future hinges on our ability to provide shelter for workers; we can provide safe, affordable housing that allows us to rethink the city’s infrastructure, reducing the amount of cars on the road and the amount of time cars spend on our highways. By searching through city and CRA budgets, I have nearly doubled our funding for affordable housing — and I don’t intend to stop there.
- We have over $1 billion in backlog for transportation needs. Our traffic situation is, frankly, a crisis, with pedestrian deaths higher than anywhere else in the U.S. With a massive influx of people coming to Tampa, the city must evolve to better serve the people. The hard reality is that we know the right solutions and it takes a proper investment. There are some policy fronts we simply cannot afford to be cheap on, especially when we know statistically that better public transit & infrastructure connects workers & students to their communities, enriching them & allowing for the character of a city to actually flourish. We need to discuss how we can match funds at the city level, investing in broader transit options beyond just HART.
- We need to initiate a conservation plan that starts with education—which costs money, but a lot less than the $6 billion projected PURE plan. I am hoping the SIX pilot will take out the nutrients, PFAS, & other contaminants harming waterways & my hope is we can clean the wastewater enough to qualify it to continue to be released into the bay. We have no idea what toilet-to-tap will do to the future potable water supply for the state; just because the aquifer filters water does not mean it can filter out "forever chemicals" we’ve created. There’s too much we don’t know for me to be comfortable with supporting injection, and I am concerned about the monied interests pushing so aggressively in spite of the broad spectrum of groups opposing it.
No. I wasn’t in office during the peak of the pandemic.
While crime rates are going down, violent crime is on the rise. I get crime rate data from the city’s police department as well as state and federal governments. I mentioned what I would like to do regarding safety policy in prior questions.
I think it's healthy, but can be healthier. Before anything, we have to plan now for another population spike with stronger investments in our public safety; this is why I’ve brought back the public safety impact fee, because a public safety apparatus that doesn’t have what it needs can’t function, and people won’t come to a city that doesn’t function. It is also critical that our downtown development takes into account both currently planned and future prospects of transit options. Downtown Tampa has gone through rapid change in a short time, and we have to ensure that its development is equitable and accessible, to better serve the people and businesses in the area.
A healthy downtown is vibrant, safe, prosperous, but above all reflects the history and culture of that city.
My entire approach to public service is to solicit public input and make decisions based on the voices of the public. I believe that's my obligation as an elected official, and the decisions I have made as a City Council member have been directly informed by public input.
I intend to continue meeting with residents and groups representing the full political spectrum to gather input on my decision-making going forward.
Record requests from the public should be fulfilled as soon as possible while keeping in mind the cost in time from city staff to fill them. The city does a great job of filling these requests in a timely manner with minimal cost to requestors.
Tampa is far from the only U.S. city to suffer from a spike in violent crime, but our situation is exacerbated by decisions made in Tallahassee; the net result is that despite our governor’s insistence that New York is a “violent hellhole,” Tampa’s murder rate in 2021 was twice that of the Big Apple—and Tallahassee hasn’t even passed the law allowing open, unlicensed carry that they’ve pledged to do.
I’m proud to have stood with my fellow City Council members in opposing that law. And, after a series of violent incidents in Ybor City, I joined Tampa Police officers at 3 a.m. on a recent Saturday night to see for myself how we’re attempting to mitigate that violence—and what role City Council can play, including in creating an effective enforcement mechanism for the city ordinance requiring private parking lots in Ybor to be staffed Thursday through Saturday nights.
The research literature consistently shows an overall decrease in violent crime can only be accomplished through community engagement; to this end, I endorse both a continued focus by Tampa police to increase their presence and visibility in prioritized areas while also understanding that residents’ faith in their public institutions and servants can only be solidified through greater transparency and accountability.
Development is doomed if it doesn’t consider its neighborhood. We encourage developers to meet with neighborhoods when bringing projects before council because it often improves the project—for both the developer and current residents. Gentrification must be considered when approving projects, which is why I have focused on affordable housing programs that keep people in their homes and am working to make sure affordable housing is required in developments looking to increase density.
I listen to the community. When I joined council in April 2022, the community was talking about affordable housing. I didn’t know much about affordable housing, but I immersed myself—visiting affordable housing communities, learning about additional types of housing, working with housing staff on new programs to keep people housed, and focusing on getting more money in the budget focused on affordable housing—and now consider myself extremely well informed about the issue.
I believe that the Tampa Police Department is making healthy strides toward developing a sustainable program for addressing officers’ health, both mental and physical. Too often when we criticize police forces for their misconduct, we avoid the reality that the city is overburdening them and often dumping the fallout of its policy failures on their shoulders, and this can take a toll; public safety officers have to be able to keep the public safe. I intend to ensure that no matter who is confirmed as our next police chief, this program will continue to thrive.
Since taking office, I’ve had the privilege to go on several ride-alongs with Tampa’s police officers, and nearly every officer I’ve spoken to is in agreement that a community policing approach works. I believe this is a great start to a more proactive rather than reactive strategy from the department, valuing transparency with the people; trust has to be reestablished and earned.
I believe that these ideas, taking more mindful care of our public safety officials and better integrating them into the city, are the best strategies for tackling violent crime.
Beyond that on a smaller scale, Tampa can enforce the city code better to require private parking lots in Ybor City be staffed with attendants during high-traffic periods, to ease the burden of police; this has been a consistent issue I have gathered during my time spent with our officers.
I don’t believe we have reason to be immediately concerned about the city’s environmental health. Many aspects of it are already being addressed (albeit after years of being ignored). However, I’m a strong advocate of planning for future mitigation including development of a robust conservation plan, an increased focus on stormwater resilience, and a rejection of any plan that involves putting wastewater in the Florida aquifer.
As chair of Public Works, I’ve seen firsthand what the city is doing to ensure sustainability amidst development, but am extremely aware that these infrastructure needs were neglected well past the time they needed to be addressed. That City Council is finally, now, addressing them is a “better late than never” scenario in which residents within the areas of infrastructure improvement are experiencing substantially more severe impacts to their daily lives than would have been the case if these improvements had been addressed, say, a decade ago.
I believe the current makeup of City Council is far more aware of the need to balance planning for the impacts of development against approving that development itself, and anticipate being able to take on an even stronger role in managing that balance if elected to retain my position.
In general, I am an advocate of community-based, non-police interventions to nonviolent incidents. I have definitely taken note of a similar program in St. Petersburg, where their CALL program has been in place for almost two years now and has been considered positive. CALL staff have no recorded on-the-job injuries and can call in law enforcement when needed, which cuts down on unnecessary police action and eases the strain on dispatchers. A program like that, given a modest budget, could actually support our police by freeing them up to focus on the aspects of public safety that truly require them, while also being fiscally responsible. It’s not about taking away police power, it’s about easing police burden, and that’s where community power comes in.
I was not in office when COVID-19 struck, and the ability of the city to set policy regarding it or future pandemics has been significantly restrained by decisions made in Tallahassee. In this, as with many other areas of policy, I support recognizing Florida's constitutional Home Rule that allows communities autonomy to make their own decisions about how to stay safe.
It’s no secret that I have a passion for trash, and Tampa has a lot of room to grow in its solid waste policy! We can save significant money in solid waste by directly addressing waste practices of residents and moving toward more efficient and sustainable practices; there’s no better way to achieve this than by working directly with the people, providing workshops and materials that improve education around our garbage, including how to recycle and compost. I'm proud of my work to see first-hand how our current waste-to-energy plant works, and have traveled as far away as Copenhagen, Denmark, to see what options exist to put Tampa on a carbon-neutral path like that city has accomplished.
Too often, larger development projects ignore the neighborhoods they’re in, breaking the “lived in” aesthetics of their surroundings. There has to be a balance stuck between promoting density and ensuring that Tampeños’ cultural identity remains intact and respected; we can craft an ordinance that would require large-scale developers to meet with community members before the rezoning process, ensuring that our people feel enriched and not colonized by growth.
In the face of the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, I am dedicated to ensuring that women and doctors in Tampa will not face prosecution for seeking or providing reproductive care.
City council serves as a check and balance to the mayor’s administration in our divided government, and thus it’s important that each member of city council be an independent voice and not connected in any way to the city administration.
Honesty, a commitment to listening to residents and neighborhoods, and dedication to the job are the most important characteristics of a successful elected official.
A true passion for fairness and equity. My personal mantra is from Pope Paul VI, who was known for his focus on social justice: “If you want peace, work for justice.”
The Challenger explosion. I was in the third grade.
My first job as a child was also my first business. I started a company in the early 1990s called Sticky Scissors that put double-sided tape on tax stamps for cigar boxes. I had the company for about two years.
“January Hymn” by The Decemberists
I think it is helpful to understand how government is run before joining a governmental body. I sat on the City of Tampa’s Charter Review Committee, Variance Review Board, and was a trustee for Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association, which deals with the city on various issues impacting residents’ quality of life.
Familiarity with the city charter, city ordinances, and city code is vital to effectively perform the role of city council member. That’s why my previously mentioned experiences are so helpful to assist me in executing my duties.
West Central Florida Labor Council (AFL-CIO), Tampa Bay Sierra Club, Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus, Hillsborough Coutny LGBTQ+ Caucus, La Gaceta, Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners member Pat Kemp, Florida House Representative Dianne Hart, former Tampa city council members Linda Saul-Sena & Mary Mulhern
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Note: Community Questions were submitted by the public and chosen for inclusion by a volunteer advisory board. The chosen questions were modified by staff to adhere to Ballotpedia’s neutrality standards. To learn more about Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Expansion Project, click here.
See also
2023 Elections
External links
.contact_entity {font-size: 1.5em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}
.contact_office { margin-top: 0.3em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}
.external_links_table { width: auto !important; }
@media (max-width:600px) {
.contact_entity {font-size: 1.0em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 0.5em;}
.contact_office { font-size: 0.8 em; margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}
}
|
Candidate Tampa City Council District 3 At-Large |
Officeholder Tampa City Council District 3 At-Large |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Tampa.gov, "Lynn Hurtak," accessed April 15, 2022
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 14, 2023
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Dingfelder |
Tampa City Council District 3 At-Large 2022-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| |||||||||
