Tampa City Council member Joseph Caetano, who represents north
Tampa, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for his hair salon last month.
Court documents show he owes creditors $179,116.

Caetano,
who was elected for a first term on the council in March 2007, said
he's disputing some of the claims. But he doesn't dispute that his business has been hurting in the tanking economy.

"The sales are down. Normally your clients are coming in every four
to six weeks. Now it's six to eight to 10 weeks and some you don't see
at all," he said. "The economy is tough all over the world."

Caetano moved to Tampa from Boston in 1987 and opened the salon. "I started from zero and worked my butt off," he said.

Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer

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