A sensible voice went unheard in library din

Incorrect information
The second paragraph

The Hillsborough public library system he runs, and the County Commission that governs it, have recently gotten national attention, and not in a good way,

is not wholly truthful.

The Florida legislature in 1984 created the Tampa Hillsborough County Public Library System which amalgamated the city libraries into the County system. There is appointed a 12 member library board who are charged with advising the library director.

The county commission may change rules or regulations enacted by the library board, upon recommendation of the county administrator (Hillsborough county operates on a county manager system).

Neither the county library board nor the county administrator have said no gay displays. The fact is that no one told Stines to remove any of the displays, yet they were removed.

Sure Joe Stines is gay, and I think most people that work in the library system in Hillsborough County, or nearby counties know that. (Any number of library staff and administrators could be outed but what would be the point?) That fact however is not germane to the controversy.

The county commission is pandering to their constituents but it has absolutely no effect on the library, the library’s budget, or the library’s displays unless and until the library board or the county administrator have their say.

If the community wants gay displays at the library the library is free to put up gay displays no matter what the county commission said about gay pride.

If you want to read about the governance of the HCPL look here.

Re:Incorrect information
Yes, and if I were an elected county commissioner I would probably do the same thing (as I assume I would have been elected because of my right wing politics) but really these things are more for show than substance.

However pandering to constituents differs from following the will of the electorate – which in Hillsborough county will most probably be a little more left of center than I would like. Although I live one county west so it is not my problem (thank goodness).

The county admin is hired by the commissioners and truthfully reports to the administrators but does generally last longer than the terms of the elected commissioners.