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By MARK HOLAN
The Tampa Tribune
Special Multimedia Presentation: Sex In The City
Clubs featuring nude or scantily clad dancers may face tougher restrictions in unincorporated Hillsborough County, and a proposed non-binding vote in November’s general election would call on Tampa and other cities to do the same.
Hillsborough commissioners are to discuss both issues at 2 this afternoon at county center. The discussion is also broadcast on cable station HTV 22.
Most sexually oriented businesses, such as strip clubs and adult movie and magazine stores, in Hillsborough are located within Tampa city limits. The city doesn’t have to abide county ordinances or heed the results of the non-binding referendum.
A proposed ballot question on this afternoon’s agenda asks whether all local governments should regulate sexually oriented businesses “to the fullest extent allowed by law?”
Commissioner Ronda Storms has called for the vote to pressure Tampa officials to take regulation of adult businesses more seriously. Tampa officials have said changing city ordinances based on the outcome of the straw vote could undermine city regulations.
The proposed county ordinance would require licenses for dancers and prohibit touching between dancers and customers.
I doubt, Mr. Rosa, that this comment board represents the majority of the public opinion on this issue. LOL
You are correct, Mr. Elias,the people have spoken on this issue across the county and they more often than not choose to not allow such business to proliferate unchecked.
It is the COURTS, which are not represented by the people nor held accountable by the people at election time that countinue to protect this degredation of women and dismantleing of societal decency under the cloak of free speech.
I’m still trying to figure out how dancing on a pole… for money… naked… is the same as bonefide political or social discourse.
By equating our community’s efforts to strictly regulate these types of business to the Taliban indicates clearly that you are misinformed about a variety of issues, both domestic and global.
This is Ms. Smith. You unfortuately have bought into the religious rhetoric about these clubs. There is no direct connection as you stated. It has been proven scientifically.
Mr. Pope, I think that by the postings on here you can see that the majority of people in this county do not hold your beliefs. This would also be apparent because this type of
has been addressed over and over again in the county and the majority HAS spoken.
I would like to ask something. Is there such a thing as impeachment for a county commissioner? If so I say Ms. Storms is MOST deserving. Using her position and county funds to
push a persoanl agenda is unethical at best. Funny how this issue pops up again right when she decides to run fo state office.
Also, there was/ is a group that tried to push their beliefs on others like Ms. Storms , Ms. Smith and Mr. Pope. It is called the Taliban. Ever heard of em??
It is interesting that the majority of those who are not concerned about adult businesses on these comments are males. Notice, I said majority, because someone who didn’t read my post completely will say, “Well, I’m female.”
Interesting. I find adult businesses very degrading and harmful to women in general and to societal views of women. It is true these women have a choice, sometimes… but what they are doing also effect the general views of women, which in turn effect me, and my two beautiful daughters. My rights end where where your rights begin. And as far as legislating morality, well.. then we’d better erase A LOT Of laws on the books… con artists (it’s the person’s choice to get conned, if they aren’t smart enough to NOT fall for that, it’s their fault), and a host of other ills.
I think adult businesses need a crack down.
Its very obvious by reading these comments that the majority of the citizens in this county have had enough of Ms. Storms’ utter nonsense.This woman should never hold a position in a public office ever again. Ms. Storms,please take your b.s. agenda out of our state,better yet,out of our country FOREVER!
Weather storms and come go, sometimes without much destruction like Alberto. If only Rhonda STORMS would do the same, leave us alone in Hillsborough County with little destruction, maybe just some gusts of hot wind. She is such a destructive force, we might want to name her a perpetual tropical storm. Let us move one without her in any political office.
I am a Republican. However, I deplore the actions of rhonda storms. When will the Rhonda Storms Dynasty end? Will it become greater and larger in Tallahassee? Surely all self-respecting Republicans will vote her out of public life. I have yet to see anyone dragged off the street or out of their car and forced into a nude club. rhonda must feel if the constitution gives citizens such rights as that she the savior of sin must overturn such freedoms. Why can’t these politicans realize there are real unresolved problems with people trying to live everyday life that need attention rather than “creating” problems with these businesses.
Rhonda the witch, yes I know I misspelled that, is just jealous that no one with any taste would care to see her even remove her pointed hat.
With all of our real problems, and we have plenty, why can’t this bunch of politically pandering fools find something constructive to do with the time our money is paying for.
Would Lorrie Smith please cite what legitimate scientific study documents that there is a correllation between adult businesses and sexual predators. And I do mean scientific, not one that is hiding behind some facade of religious orgnaizations. And Mr. Pope, although I wouldn’t be proud of my daughter, wife, sister, et.al, stripping for a living, neither would I try to put them out of business so they could go try to raise their family on a Wal-Mart salary of $8 an hour.
For all of those “sick” of Ronda Storms and others that are trying to “legislate morality”, consider this…
Look at your wife, daughter, niece or little sister and ask yourself if you would be proud to tell your friends and family that she strips and sells her body to strange men for money.
Ask yourself if you would be unashamed to say that your son, husband, father or brother spend his money objectifying women.
If you can answer “yes” to any of these previous questions, then you and your depravity are part of the problem facing this community and you just beginning to realize that the “silent majority” will not remain silent much longer.
I am so sick of Rhonda Storms trying everything she can to push her time / money wasting agenda on the good people of the county. She should be indicted for racketeering, trying to use her power in office to prevent the opening of a legal business here in Brandon. It is defined as racketeering when she tries to push or prevent a business intity from doing business by asking for other govt. officials to perform certain favors. Will someone prosecute her for her abuse of power and racketeering. She needs to do some serious JAIL TIME!!! The county was doing great before she arrived and will do even better after she is locked up. She is a pig!
Once again Rhonda Storms is using her strong religeous values to fight something she hates so much.And it is a tax payers exspense.She should step down for abusing goverment powers.
The opinion that “decent” businesses don’t want to operate around strip clubs is a fallacy. The last time I looked, the area around Mons Venus was not wanting for legitimate business. Resturaunts, new car lots,a football stadium,etc,. Don’t we have more important problems facing us today? A war with no end, growing deficit, gas at $3 a gallon, and THIS is what you put all your effort into Ronda? Get a life, get out of our face with this nonsense, and for heaven’s sake, please get a lighter shade of lipstick.
There is a direct correlation between “adult” businesses and sexual predators. Mrs. Storms is doing a fantastic job of representing the majority of the county; those who are tired of the sleeze factor. We tell our children to act adultlike and this is the connotation of “adult” our county has become. How embarrassing to have our world-class city become a filthy slum that’s become the number one county in the world for child pornography. Those of you who oppose her conservative views, you lack moral fiber & are the decay of this wonderful county.
Once again the republicans (Ronda Storms) wants to put aside real issues facing our country to work on a self agenda and promote special interests. How about we work on fixing our roads, giving police officers better technology to fight crime, and work on our educational system. Instead-we are worrying about strip clubs. How many court cases are the police going to have to lose before the county realizes this is a waste of time? People are not forced to go into strip clubs but we are forced to drive on poorly designed roads.
Storms continues to waste time, energy, and money on absolute trivia that has no practical application whatsoever. Nobody I know of has ever been forced to spend money at an adult type business, get real
Tampa should take heed. They should quit worring about the perceived lost revenues from the potential closing of these clubs BECAUSE these clubs keep many decent businesses from locating in their vicinity because no one wants to open their business near them due to the sleaze factor, which would keep family oriented customers from frequenting that location. The city of Tampa would earn much more revenue from the wide variety of businesses that would move into the vicinity where the strip clubs are now located, if the clubs were closed. The reason that you customarily see only “seedy” and less-profitable storefronts near these clubs is that most business would rather relocate somewhere else if they have the means.
I am over her - please move on
Ronda Storms needs to stop using her elected position to wage personal warefare on the adult industry. It has been clear since she took office that she has a vendetta against the seedier side of Tampa and won’t stop until her personal agenda is met. Perhaps she needs to follow the direction of the citizens who have voted down these restrictions time and again. Wouldn’t her time be better spent addressing actual crimes rather than going after victimless vice?
I am so sick and tired of Rhonda Storms using her position to push her personal beliefs on the rest of society. These are called “adult businesses” because an adult has the capacity to make a choice as to whether or not he or she wants to patron an “adult business”. Rhonda, please get off your high horse, get a life, and stop wasting tax payer time and money on stupid things like this. We care more about crime, school overcrowding, and over development than “adult businesses”. Your personal war with Joe Redner is not appreciated.
Commissioner Storms and her friends on the Commission need to focus on the real issues affecting Hillsborough County such as transportation, education, growth management, economic development, etc. Let’s try to solve the real problems affecting our county.
Consenting adults have the right to do whatever they want to, and it is not the business of anyone else!
Ronda, just go away, please.
Again the ever vigilant Rhonda Storms decides on her own that we as voters elected her and the commission to legislate morality in Hillsborough County. When will these people, and I apologize to the others on the commission, realize that we did not elect them for this purpose. I hope and pray that Ms. Storms does not get elected in her new race because lord knows what personal agenda she may try to push on a statewide level.
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Posted by Rob Lavers, Brandon on 06/14 at 09:27 PM
Thank You Ronda!!!
Somebody cares about our children enough to take on the sick adult world created for them. I will assume that most of these negative bloggers have a heart for selfish indulgence and no will to sacrifice their wants for moral needs. Without the commitment to the needs of your fellow man, what could ever be grounded with compassion? Without compassion why have children.
Without children there never would have been these negative bloggers. They should stop trying to cut off their hands to save their fingers.
By the way...after all the effort to gain their equal rights, why do women in our community allow themselves to be exploited and be presented undignified so guys like Redner can profit by selling off there respect to fill his pockets.