Former Tampa mayor talks leadership with Argus

Former Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio tripled the city’s cash reserves to $150 million. She was elected a few years before the Great Recession.

Iorio delivered a speech about leadership during the Argus Foundation’s 26th annual meeting March 7, at the Francis Ballroom. She penned the book, “Straight Forward — Ways to Live and Lead,” in 2011, the same year her two terms as mayor ended.

While Sarasota County and the city of Sarasota are governed by commission-manager systems, an elected-mayor form of government shapes policies in Tampa. The ballot initiative for Sarasota to take on a similar structure — dubbed the “strong mayor” proposal — failed to get City Commission support in August.

Iorio has been involved in both as mayor, and as a Hillsborough County commissioner.

“If your system is floundering a bit, I suggest you get a strong mayor,” Iorio said during the meeting.

“I’ve been a part of the other form of government, and it tends to lead to a lot of finger pointing,” Iorio said.