Chris Cate: Welcome to the Fluent in Floridian Podcast featuring the sunshine state's brightest leaders talking about the issues most important to the people of Florida and its millions of weekly visitors. In this episode, created by SalterMitchell PR, our executive producer, April Salter, the CEO of SalterMitchell PR, talks to Tampa Mayor, Jane Castor. In their conversation, they discussed Mayor Castor's early years growing up in Tampa, her experience as the first openly gay woman to serve as the chief of the Tampa Police Department, and how she's leading the way on issues ranging from affordable housing to economic development as the city's 59th Mayor. Enjoy the show.

April Salter: Well, good afternoon, Mayor Castor. We're just delighted that you could join us. I'm fluent in Floridian.

Jane Castor: Oh, thank you. I'm glad to be here. It's very exciting.

April Salter: Well, it's exciting to talk to you as the 59th mayor of Tampa. You bring such a prominence to Florida with many achievements that you've had, including starting off in the police department and becoming police chief, and then ultimately becoming mayor, and in fact, one of the first openly gay mayors in Florida.

Jane Castor: Yes.

April Salter: So, thank you so much for joining us.

Jane Castor: Yeah, my pleasure.

April Salter: So, you were born and raised in the Tampa area. Can you talk a little bit what about what that was like for you? Where did you grow up? What'd you like to do? And what was Tampa like at that time?

Jane Castor: Actually, it was wonderful. My parents moved down here from Indiana. My mom always joked that she married my father on the promise that he would move her to Florida, as she had vacationed here as a child. And so moved down here. My oldest sister was born in Indiana, and the other four of us were born here in Tampa. And we lived out in North Tampa, which used to be the country out off of Lake Magdalene, and grew up on a small dirt lane. And I always joke that it wasn't until I arrived at high school that I figured out my family was poor because everybody around you was pretty much in the same condition. And so had just had a wonderful life as a child growing up in an area where we would play sandlot football and baseball. My dad was quite an athlete, so he put basketball court up in the backyard.

So really, grew up playing sports. And I always say that just had the 50 year anniversary of Title IX, and that really was... A lot of people don't think about that, especially young women. And I try to talk about it as much as I can when I talked to groups of young women, that that really changed my life. I was in junior high. I know my kids are always, "Mom, it's middle school," but it was junior high when I was young. And Title IX came through, which allowed me as a young girl to participate in organized sports at the same level that that boys were allowed to. And so by virtue of being six foot tall in the second grade and being a pretty good athlete, I ended up with a full athletic scholarship to the University of Tampa.

April Salter: Wow.

Jane Castor: And that was really the key that opened every door for me. And one of the big reasons that I sit before you today as the mayor of the best city in the nation.

April Salter: And so were you the first in your family to go to college?

Jane Castor: I was. I was the only child in my family. I'm number four out of five kids. My father was a cabinet maker, and he and my older brother... When my older brother graduated from high school, he and my father opened up a cabinet shop, and my older brother and my younger brother run that very, very successful business to this day. And then one of my older sisters was a nurse, but I was the only one that was able to go straight from high school and receive a four year degree thanks to scholarship from the University of Tampa.

April Salter: That's wonderful. And I do think people forget about... They take for granted a lot of the strides that have been made. And you look around a lot of rooms now and at least half of the room is filled with very smart, successful women. Whereas I know early in my career, it was mostly filled with white male.

Jane Castor: Yeah. And that was a case for me being in a male dominated field like law enforcement as well. There wasn't a great deal of opportunity to move up, but I did whenever I... I was given that chance. But it's one of the things that I feel is critically important is diversity, ensuring where all of sum total of our life experiences. And those experiences need to be around the table when they're making decisions, especially as they affect our communities. And so I really held true to that view at the police department. And then coming to the city, I looked for the best available individuals for every leadership position. And we have four administrators at the city. Three out of four are women, two are African American. Our fire chief is an African American woman, our police chief is a woman, our city attorney is a woman. And it's not that I focused on putting women in positions of leadership. It was that I opened up that viewfinder to look for those that were the most qualified.

April Salter: Yeah. And as you think back, at what point did you come out as openly gay? Because I'm sure that that affected your relationships, and it was just a different time, certainly in law enforcement. So, what was that journey like for you?

Jane Castor: It was a different time, but it was much easier for me, being a gay woman, especially in law enforcement. I remember a sergeant one time, there were a few... We were on a training squad and there were a couple of gay women officers on the squad. And he laughed and he goes, "Boy, where do I get me some of you guys? You're great officers." And I said, "Well, you can't go to Walmart and pick us off the shelf." It was cute. It was a, what do they call left-handed compliment, I guess. But really, what was unfortunate at that time is that the gay male officers had to stay in the closet, while females, it was accepted, widely accepted within the department. And then as we went through the years, really it came down to if you were qualified to do the job, and that's the way it should be.

I remember Pam Iorio appointed me as the chief of police. And when she retired from office, she and I got together. And she said, "No one ever said anything about you being gay or being a woman in that position because people just wanted someone who was going to do the job appropriately."

April Salter: Yeah.

Jane Castor: And I think most people appreciate that in that that is the standard for most, which it should be.

April Salter: Which it absolutely should be. You're right. And so what led you to this career, to start your career in law enforcement? How do you go from playing in the fields in Tampa to say, "I want to carry a gun and enforce the laws?"

Jane Castor: Right. Well, I would like to say that it was a lifelong dream that I had this path set out, but I pretty much stumbled into the Tampa Police Department. I majored in criminology and psychology when I was in college, but I had aspirations of going into the federal service, into Secret Service, FBI, but Ronald Reagan was the president and he put a freeze on federal hiring just as I was graduating. And so several individuals I had gone to college with said, "You should come to the police department. You'd really like it." And I tell you, I was blessed, because for 31 years that I was at the Tampa Police Department, there was never a day I didn't want to go to work. I absolutely loved being a police officer. Every day was different. The majority of what officers do, well over 90%, is social service, helping people through the trials and tribulations of their lives. And so it was very exciting, and it was something I love to do.

April Salter: So as people think about law enforcement now, there's such a... We seem to be very polarized, and yet I really don't think there is that much difference in where people are. When you hear people say defund the police, I don't think people really want to defund the police. I think they want more of what you say, social services and that community care taking that is so essential. What are your thoughts about that as you've seen the last few years unfold in this discussion that's occurred?

Jane Castor: Well, I think you're 100% correct. I always tell... I swear in new of all of the new police officers, or I speak at their swearing in. And I always tell them that they are the most visible aspect of government, and so they get blamed for everything. A street light's out, the toilet's backed up, whatever it is, the police are the ones that are there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and all you have to do is call.

April Salter: Right.

Jane Castor: And when people call law enforcement, I said, nobody calls 911 just to say, "Everything is great at my house. I just wanted to let you know that."

April Salter: Right.

Jane Castor: They call when they're in the worst situation of their lives or there's some type of a conflict that they can't handle on their own. And so I said, police officers, we automatically irritate half the people that we deal with, right? But that's something that police officers just accept, that sort of public perception. It's so difficult to change the social issues that have been embedded for generations and generations, the educational system, looking at some of the past discriminations, the redlining, a lot of those issues that have been left to fester or to grow through the years. So, it's just so much easier to call out the police and to aim your anger at law enforcement. But that's not what the police officers feel out on the street. The vast majority of people are very, very supportive of law enforcement and they express that. And it's one of the reasons we're one of the safest cities our size in the nation. Tampa is a very safe city, and it's because we work collaboratively with the citizens to keep crime out of their neighborhoods.

I always say there's 400,000 citizens, less than a thousand police officers, so you have to keep crime out of your neighborhood with the assistance of the Tampa Police Department. And it's worked out very, very well. And then looking at things in a preventative way. How can we prevent crime and disorder, as opposed to responding to it to keep individuals out of the criminal justice system? Because if you reach that point, then you've lost. And so a lot of those social programs that we focus on, workforce development, mentoring programs, job, summer jobs, programs, all the types of programs that we can work on to try to keep our young people in a very positive and constructive path.

April Salter: And you've had such an interesting career around many large scale events, dealing with a lot of very intense security environments. And I just wonder who has been a mentor to you? I mean, who were the ones who helped you progress through your career and who believed in you and invested in you?

Jane Castor: Well, I'd have to say, first and foremost, my family. Our in-laws, I'll say were not normal because we all are... Brothers and sisters are each other's best friends. But my parents too, that you can do anything that you set your mind to. You just have to work hard and you have to give it 100%. And so being able to develop that confidence, if you will, and that understanding that you had to work hard and prepare at an early age really is a credit to my parents. Now through the police department, my mentors were men, and so many that helped me through, that I would go in with a soap box and rant and rave, and they would be, "Well, you make whatever decision you want, but I made a similar decision when I was young and here's how it turned out."

I really had a lot of great, great mentors that helped me along the way. And I try to do that too with... Receiving an athletic scholarship to University of Tampa, as I said, was a key that opened up every door. Somebody took a chance on me as a skinny 17 year old. And so I truly believe the majority of young people have the ability, the skill, the knowledge, motivation. They just need a chance. They need somebody to crack that door for them. And so I've tried to do that throughout my life as well.

April Salter: That's so important. And as you look back, what made you make that change from chief of police to running for mayor?

Jane Castor: That's a good question.

April Salter: What possibly could have motivated you to do that?

Jane Castor: Right. Right. I tell people I'm probably the most unpolitical politician you'll ever see. I have some of these politically minded people that follow me around and go, "That's not what she meant to say. That's what she meant to [inaudible 00:13:54]." Also, I said that if anyone had mentioned fundraising to me in the beginning, I probably wouldn't be sitting here. I had never asked anyone for anything in my life, and you can't run for office without backing. That's for sure. But I would have to credit my predecessors, Pam Iorio and Bob Buckhorn. The two of them were really outstanding examples of leaders in our community. And then to understand the path that our city was on, the path towards success, and to be a part of growing our city into what I knew it could be was just an honor of a lifetime that I couldn't pass up.

Being a police officer, it takes a certain kind of an individual, certain characteristics. And one of the things in law enforcement is you get thrown a set of facts, you gather all the information, and then you make a decision in the best interest of the situation or the individual, and then you move on. And I said, coming here to the city, then I met transportation. So, things don't happen quickly. And in a lot of instances, for good reason, I'm turning the heat up and while others are trying to slow me down somewhat, but it really does take eight years to see your vision come to fruition. And there are a lot of ribbons that I cut in the beginning of my tenure that I gave credit to my predecessors because it just takes years, if not sometimes a decade, to get a lot of these very large projects completed successfully.

April Salter: So, I know that one of your major priorities is affordable housing. What are you doing to solve this problem, which just seems to be getting worse statewide and nationally on affordability? What do you think the solutions to that are?

Jane Castor: Well, we're addressing that on so many fronts, and there isn't a simple solution, without a doubt. And I feel for those individuals that call for rent stabilization or rent control, but those aren't answers, those are short-term bandaids. We have to put the solutions in place. And so we're literally going at it from every possible angle, from multi-family housing, single occupancy dwelling, looking at tiny homes. We started Tampa Hope, which is a wraparound shelter for individuals that are suffering from homelessness. We can serve three to 500 individuals there, accessory dwellings as well. And then something I think is critically important is everybody looks to government for the solutions, but this is a community issue. And so we're working with all of the developers as well.

And we're one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. So as we work with developers to convince them of the benefit of providing affordable and workforce housing, and we haven't had pushback in that area. And so we're looking at those 15 minute communities and neighborhoods where everything you need can be in that 15 minute walking or bike riding or driving aspect. So, making sure that everybody in the community understands the value, and also ensuring that we don't make the mistakes of the past by putting low income housing by congregating that all in one location,-

April Salter: Right.

Jane Castor: ... making sure that our community is very, very diverse in its makeup, in its housing, in its workforce opportunities, and that they're available, readily available to all members of our community.

April Salter: So, what's the biggest challenge in that area?

Jane Castor: The biggest challenge really is time. We, like all of the other municipalities across the United States, there was a lull in providing housing. When the bottom fell out of the housing market, the housing didn't keep pace with the growth of our nation. And now Tampa is a third fastest growing city in the nation. People are coming here to the tune of over a hundred people a day. And so we have to provide for the residents, permanent residents here, and then those that are just coming in to the city of Tampa and the Tampa Bay area. So, it really is a supply and demand equation, and we have to address it as such, but it's not lost on me, the struggles of the individuals that are facing eviction. We have so many programs, rent stabilization, mortgage payments. Also, renovating old homes so that individuals can stay there, if they need a new roof, air conditioning, those types. When I say we're going at it from every angle, we literally are going at it from every angle.

April Salter: Yeah, it's a very complicated problem. And of course, transportation is such a integral part of that.

Jane Castor: Transportation is a solution... Transportation solutions are an approach to the housing crisis as well, because as we all know, housing is the largest piece of your budget pie, but number two is transportation. So if we can build that housing on transit oriented development, along transit lines, then we can take that transportation slice of the pie and put that towards a rental or mortgage..

Chris Cate: The Fluent in Floridian Podcast is brought to you by SalterMitchell PR, a communications consultancy focused on helping good causes win. We provide strategic insight and guidance to organizations seeking to make an impact in the nation's third most populous state. Learn more at smprflorida.com. Now, back to SalterMitchell PR CEO, April Salter's interview with Tampa Mayor, Jane Castor.

April Salter: And do you see... What do you see to in the big picture for Tampa in terms of mass transit go? What can we expect in 10 years?

Jane Castor: We can't grow successfully if we don't address our transportation issues, and mass transit to. Our bus system is one of the lowest funded in the nation. And then also with the bus system, not only do you have to provide a reliable service, you have to change the mindset of the south. Where in the south, using the bus is looked upon as that's what poor people ride. And if you have a job, you can afford a car, you buy a car. I'm very hopeful that the young people that are coming to our area will change that mindset and show that that is a viable form of transit. A bright line is coming in from Orlando, and we have a lot of ideas with our bus rapid transit, and then also electric bikes, different modes of transit to factoring all of those in. We've just got to get these cars off the street.

April Salter: Got a lot of them in that area for sure.

Jane Castor: I say mass transit in the south is more than two people in an SUV.

April Salter: Yeah, right. So Mayor, we've just had a number of mayors elected around the state of Florida, and do you have any advice that you would give to them based on your experience? What do you think they need to do to be successful?

Jane Castor: I think what they need to do to be successful is not look at polls and not rely on being reelected. Come in with a vision and see that vision through. You have to make some tough decisions, and you're not going to always make people happy or satisfied. So, that's where really having been in law enforcement for 31 years was of great value to this position. Because I said before, when people call law enforcement, you make a decision, you usually irritate half the people you're dealing with, right? They have to develop that thick skin.

April Salter: Yeah.

Jane Castor: But as long as you have prepared, you have educated yourself, you have listened to all of the different positions, and then you make those decisions that are in the best interest of your community and not be concerned with which way the wind is blowing.

April Salter: Yeah. Well, you certainly have achieved a tremendous reputation for your leadership in Tampa, and it's such an exciting area. I just love to go to Tampa. It's amazing to see how it's grown and changed the whole Riverwalk area. It's just an incredible. I visited it about six months ago and hadn't been there in years, and I just was shocked at how exciting all of that growth and development was.

Jane Castor: It is incredible.

April Salter: Yes. Yes. Well, good job, and best wishes to you as you continue your leadership. We always close the show out with just a couple of short questions here we ask every guest. So the first one is, what Florida person, place, or thing do you think deserves more attention than it's getting?

Jane Castor: I think our waterways. I think that we take it for granted that we live on several of the world's most beautiful beaches, and we've ignored water as a viable form of transit. We're not paying enough attention to our water needs moving into the future. So, I really believe our water and our waterways and our beaches are something that we should be very proud of, we should protect, and we should ensure that they endure for years and years to come.

April Salter: And when you think about Florida and your favorite places to go visit, what's your favorite place?

Jane Castor: I'm going to say my favorite place is going out... My family has had a small cabin in Homosassa for decades. And I think getting on a boat and going out onto the river, out into the bay, just really can't beat that, whether it's to go out and scallop or go fishing or just go out for a ride. It really is-

April Salter: Beautiful.

Jane Castor: ... a happy place to be.

April Salter: Yeah, it is a gorgeous area. And who is a Florida leader from the past or present who inspires you?

Jane Castor: I think, gosh, there are so many that are inspirational. I think, I mean from when I was young, Lawton Chiles was incredible as a governor, and I think that just sort of turned my attention towards the relevance of politics in our area. I don't know. There are so many individuals in our state that have just shaped and molded this into the great place to live that it is.

April Salter: Yeah, we are very fortunate to have some pretty incredible people. Okay, and the last question, what is your favorite Florida sports team?

Jane Castor: Oh boy. Now, you got to give me a twofer on that because it's got to be the Tampa Bay... Well, three actually, the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Tampa Bay Rays.

April Salter: Well said, Mayor.

Jane Castor: I tell you, you talk about exciting when the Bolts won the Stanley Cups each time, and then the Super Bowl. Oh my gosh, that was beyond exciting. And there's really nothing that brings... Especially during the pandemic and sort of the divisiveness we saw across the nation, nothing brings people together like sports, and those were just such exciting times.

April Salter: Well, that's great. Well, mayor, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us. Wish you all the best in the coming years and hope that you continue to make Tampa just a wonderful place to visit and to live.

Jane Castor: Well, thank you so much. I appreciate it, April. This has been fun.

Chris Cate: Thanks for listening to the Fluent in Floridian Podcast. This show is executive produced by April Salter with additional support provided by Heidi Otway and the team at SalterMitchell PR. If you need help telling your Florida story, SalterMitchell PR has you covered by offering issues management, crisis communications, social media advocacy, and media relations assistance. You can learn more about SalterMitchell PR at smprflorida.com. You can also learn more about the Fluent in Floridian Podcast and listen to every episode of the show at fluentinfloridian.com or by searching for the show using their favorite podcast app. Have a great day.