UPDATE: Quarles said he asked not to be reappointed when his term expires next month because of conflicts with the time required in his job with the Bucs. The Bucs' GM, Mark Dominik, said the TBARTA role conflicted with the time requirements associated with his job with the team.

"This is the job that I get paid on, and I rely on, to pay the bills with," he said, adding that he will campaign for a light rail initiative.

UPDATE: Quarles isn't leaving immediately as other officials first reported, but he is leaving, TBARTA officials said. Quarles is sending a letter to the governor asking not to reappoint him when his term ends -- which happens to be next month.

Shelton Quarles, the former Bucs linebacker turned transportation authority chairman, is resigning from the board, vice chairman Frank Hibbard said today.

"I was just told yesterday that Shelton had resigned," Hibbard said, saying the resignation was effective immediately and he would begin overseeing the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority board.

Officials with Gov. Charlie Crist, who appointed Quarles, expect to receive a letter of resignation but have not gotten it yet, press secretary Sterling Ivey said. Crist appointed Quarles, who works for the Bucs, and will appoint his successor. Quarles did not immediately return a phone message at work.

David DeCamp, Times Staff Writer

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