Tampa City Council District 6, explained

Charlie Miranda, who must leave his citywide District 2 seat due to term limits, is making a bid for the open District 6 seat against four candidates making their first campaigns for elected office.

District overview

District 6 is a geographic district, meaning it’s not citywide. It includes working-class and gentrifying neighborhoods in West Tampa and Seminole Heights, and also covers parts of South Tampa and areas along the Hillsborough River, including Wellswood.

The electorate is majority white, but with substantial Latino (25%) and Black (11%) populations. Older voters, those aged 66 and up, make up a big block of the overall electorate at 19%.

Candidates

Tyler Barrett, 31, is a political consultant who lives in Seminole Heights.

Rick Fifer, 61, a Seminole Heights Realtor, is making his first run for office.

Miranda, 82, is seeking his ninth term in office, having served on the City Council on and off since 1974. Miranda lives in West Tampa.

Nicole Payne, 50, a mortgage loan officer and business consultant, is making her first run for office. She lives in the Lowry Park North neighborhood.

Hoyt Prindle, 38, is a lawyer who is making his first run for political office. He lives in Wellswood.

Issues

Prindle, Payne and Fifer all said at a recent South Tampa candidate forum that they oppose PURE, the controversial wastewater reuse project that is a high priority for Mayor Jane Castor. Barrett recently told a candidate panel that he’s still making up his mind about converting wastewater to water to replenish Sulphur Springs and the Hillsborough River, a source of city drinking water. Miranda, the city’s longtime representative on the Tampa Bay Water board, has been a strong backer of the project.

Barrett told the Tampa Bay Times editorial board that he’s most concerned about infrastructure improvements and protecting water quality. He also says the city must engage more fully with neighborhoods to improve transparency.

Fifer has made repairing and adding sidewalks his top priority, saying he is frustrated as a longtime community activist by the lack of progress on improving pedestrian safety.

Miranda, as mentioned above, has made securing Tampa’s future water supply one of his signature issues during his latest council term.

Payne lists affordable housing as a top priority in her response to the Times. She said the solutions have to come from the community and not be imposed from the top.

Prindle has said his top priority is remaking the city’s land use and planning codes to help solve the housing crisis and protect the district’s historic neighborhoods.

Finances

Barrett: Contributions: $11,329 Expenditures: $10,924

Fifer: Contributions: $14,035 Expenditures: $12,279

Miranda: Contributions: $49,360 Expenditures: $6,761

Payne: Contributions: $5,775 Expenditures: $3,510

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Prindle: Contributions: $36,221 Expenditures: $14,576

Stakes

If anyone but Miranda wins, the odds on Castor’s wastewater recycling plan grow longer. Although Miranda is a Castor ally, unlike some of the other council races, this contest doesn’t appear to be defined by pro- and anti-mayoral candidates.

How to vote

Early voting runs through Sunday. You can find locations and hours here. Tuesday is Election Day. Voting hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can find your precinct here.