Bob Buckhorn

Robert Francis Buckhorn Jr. (born July 29, 1958) is an American politician who served as the mayor of Tampa, Florida from 2011 to 2019. He also served on Tampa's city council.

Bob Buckhorn
58th Mayor of Tampa
In office
April 1, 2011 – May 1, 2019
Preceded byPam Iorio
Succeeded byJane Castor
Personal details
Born
Robert Francis Buckhorn Jr.

(1958-07-29) July 29, 1958
Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Catherine Lynch
EducationPennsylvania State University (BA)

Early life and education

Born in Evanston, Illinois, the eldest of three sons, Buckhorn grew up in Falls Church, Virginia. He graduated in 1980 from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Political Science, where he was on the college lacrosse team.[1]

Career

Previously, Buckhorn was the Director of Governmental Affairs for the Builders Association of Greater Tampa,[2] and in 1987, became the Special Assistant to Mayor Sandra Freedman.[3] In 1995, Buckhorn was elected Tampa City Council and was reelected to the Tampa City Council for a second term with 75% of the vote.

Tampa mayoralty

Having previously come third in the 2003 mayoral election, Buckhorn announced his intention to run again in the Mayoral election, and received an endorsement from outgoing incumbent Pam Iorio.[4]

In June 2011, he formed the Economic Competitiveness Committee (ECC) to review the City of Tampa's permitting and regulatory processes and to look for ways to improve the system.[5] The ECC made several recommendations, and the City of Tampa is in the process of instituting those, including the implementation of Accela to allow for permitting to be done online.[6]

Through the Invision Tampa plan, Buckhorn outlined his commitment to creating a more connected, livable city by focusing on the city's underutilized riverfront, generating a strong mix-use pedestrian environment, building links between neighborhoods, and developing an urban pattern that supports transit.[7] He has also worked to restore the street grid, foster new retail opportunities, and tried to work to attract new high density residential development such as the Residences on the Riverwalk[8] and Skyhouse Tampa.[9]

Buckhorn helped secure a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to complete the Tampa Riverwalk, which has been in the molding process by city officials for more than 40 years.[10] The Riverwalk is part of plans to generate new possibilities for economic development along the Hillsborough River.[11]

He has also supported the expansion of mass transit and bike share.[12][13]

Buckhorn was the subject of controversy for aiming a twin .50 caliber machine gun at journalists and pretending to shoot them during a military parade and joking about it afterwards.[14] Buckhorn later apologized to the military journalists for his joke.[15]

Personal life

He is married to Dr. Catherine Lynch Buckhorn and they have two daughters.[3][16]

References
  1. "The next level — Bob Buckhorn's goal for Tampa, and himself". Tampa Bay times. February 11, 2011. Archived from the original on May 27, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  2. "About Bob Buckhorn". Tampa Bay Business Journal. March 23, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  3. Danielson, Richard (2012-07-27). "Welcoming the RNC, Tampa's Democratic mayor says business trumps politics". tampabay.com. Tampa Bay times. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  4. "Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio endorses Bob Buckhorn in mayoral runoff". Tampa Bay times. March 11, 2011. Archived from the original on March 16, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  5. Danielson, Richard (June 20, 2011). "Buckhorn names economic competitiveness committee". Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on June 30, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  6. Danielson, Richard (January 11, 2012). "Tampa to make getting building permits trackable online". Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  7. Wiatrowski, Kevin (December 19, 2013). "Tampa council OKs plan making river the center of downtown". Tampa Tribune.
  8. Danielson, Richard. "Debate narrows on proposed high-rise near Tampa's Riverwalk". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  9. Wilkerson, Chris (February 4, 2014). "SkyHouse starts the multifamily (re)boom in downtown Tampa". Tampa Bay Business Journal.
  10. "Tampa mayors recall challenges in creating the Riverwalk". June 4, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  11. Danielson, Richard (June 19, 2012). "Tampa secures $11 million federal grant to finish". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  12. "Mayor Buckhorn unveils Tampa bike share details". January 21, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  13. "Buckhorn calls for Hillsborough transit referendum by fall 2016". March 25, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  14. Altman, Howard (May 19, 2017). "Buckhorn's joke about pointing machine guns at media draws fire". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on June 14, 2017. Retrieved June 24, 2017. Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn's "joke" this week at a military conference about pointing twin 50 caliber machine guns at journalists and watching them "cry like little girls" rankled several reporters in the room.
  15. Altman, Howard; Danielson, Richard (May 22, 2017). "Buckhorn apologizes amid uproar over joke about pointing machine gun at journalists". Miami Herald. Retrieved June 24, 2017. And so the first place I point that gun is at the media," he told the crowd. "I've never seen grown men cry like little girls, for when that gun goes off those media folks just hit the deck like no one's business. It's great payback. I love it.
  16. "Bob Buckhorn to be sworn in Friday as mayor of Tampa". Tampa Bay times. March 31, 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-12-31. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
Political offices
Preceded by
Pam Iorio		 Mayor of Tampa
2011–2019		 Succeeded by
Jane Castor
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