Tampa economic leader says transit, infrastructure improvements could drive growth

• "Transportation and infrastructure is really the seed that creates economic growth. Any time you look at development over the centuries, whether it's been access to ports or access to railroads or access to freeways, you have to have access to these types of... infrastructure systems to support economic growth and development."

Richard further argued that Tampa's current public transit system could hinder the city's competitiveness in recruiting new residents or businesses.

• Transportation "plays a role in terms of people's access to employment opportunities, and when you're looking at a community and the health of a community, you want to make sure that everybody has access to those economic opportunities, whether it's jobs or education. And your transportation helps fill that role," he said.
• "It is unfortunate that our mass transportation doesn't stack up very well to some of our other competitor cities."

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