TAMPA, Fla. — Dozens of upset service industry workers showed up at Tampa City Council on Thursday morning to shut down a proposed ordinance.
Councilwoman Gwendolyn Henderson proposed all Ybor City businesses close at 1 a.m. instead of 3 a.m. This proposal was immediately met with backlash from those in Ybor who own bars and those who work inside them.
To start the meeting, city attorneys addressed a curfew to close all businesses earlier legally wouldn't be possible. Some businesses have special hours due to permits.
Therefore, if the city code changed, it wouldn't impact them. Also under Florida statute, there needs to be an emergency at hand.
Out of the 36 people who spoke during public comment, only two voiced their support for the curfew. Bar owners and hospitality workers in Ybor explained this would be detrimental to many people's livelihoods.
"Now you're trying to take away a major source of income for us," one Ybor service industry worker said.
While people voiced their opinions, they also took to the stand with solutions. Some say it would be helpful to have more Tampa police patrols in the area. Others say cameras and metal detectors could act as a deterrent. Others believe it's a bad idea to shut down 7th Avenue because crowds congregate and hang out. The police chief agreed to an extent but worried the sidewalks can't handle the volume of people when the bars do let out for the night.
"We must keep the traffic moving on 7th Avenue," one bar owner emphasized.
Another solution presented was creating a curfew for those underage. Currently, Tampa has the "Ybor Child Protection Ordinance," but it isn’t enforced. Some believe city officials need to do something to limit kids in Ybor.
"If you’re under the age of 21, you’re not adding to Ybor's economy," a service worker said.
Ultimately, the council believes it’s not right to decide without having all the information from the investigation. They feel once they have that information they can make an informed decision based on what they know is problematic. The investigation is still ongoing as police search for two more suspects.
The council wants to revisit the conversation in December or January. Some council members never had the intention of voting yes to a curfew but were glad it brought up the conversation of safety.