Pam Iorio, 49, is the mayor of Tampa, the nation’s 55th largest city. Sworn into office for a second four-year term on April 1, 2007, Mayor Iorio has established six strategic goals to guide Tampa throughout this decade. These areas of focus are: investing in neighborhoods, economic development of our most challenged areas, creating a residential community downtown, efficient city government focused on customer service, establishing Tampa as a city of the arts, and making regional mass transit a reality.

Mayor Iorio is committed to improving the quality of life in Tampa.  Under her leadership there has been a commitment to the basics of city government including public safety, parks and recreation, neighborhood road improvements, and improved drainage and pipe systems.  For the first time in Tampa’s history, the city has a five-year stormwater plan to address long-neglected flooding and drainage issues and the city has also embarked on a plan that begins to address Tampa’s aging water and wastewater pipes. 

Since her first month in office there has been a crackdown on street level drug dealing and a renewed commitment to community policing.  This has resulted in a dramatic decline in Tampa’s crime rate.  In 2007, the crime rate dropped another 10% bringing the total decrease in crime to 42.5% over the last five years. The city is being cleaned up through invigorated code enforcement and an established Clean City division that is dedicated to reducing litter in neighborhoods throughout the city.

From New Tampa and East Tampa to West Tampa and South Tampa nearly every part of the city is experiencing new development. Downtown is transforming into a residential community and the city continues to attract new businesses.  Recognizing the emerging global economy, the Mayor’s Global Business Committee was established to support the expansion of trade in the Tampa area. 

Iorio has sparked a renewed commitment to protecting Tampa’s environment.  In 2007 the city successfully negotiated an agreement with the Southwest Florida Water Management District on a minimum flow for the Hillsborough River that should guarantee its health and vibrancy for future generations. She also named Tampa’s first Green Officer for city government whose primary responsibility is to ensure the City reaches its goal to become a Certified Florida Green Local Government by October 2010.

Iorio is also dedicated to working with governments, businesses and civic leaders throughout the region to make a quality mass transit system in our area a reality.  Under her leadership, Tampa hired its first transit manager in order to more effectively move the city’s mass transit initiative forward.

As mayor, Pam Iorio serves on the Aviation Authority, the Port Authority, the Board of Trustees of the University of Tampa and the recently established Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority. She also serves as a member of the advisory board for the Dr. Kiran C. Patel Center for Global Solutions at the University of South Florida.

Iorio began her political career at age 26, when she became the youngest person ever elected to the Hillsborough County Commission (1985-1992). A year later her fellow commissioners elected her chairman.   After serving two terms on the County Commission, Iorio was elected three times to the office of Supervisor of Elections for Hillsborough County (1993-2003). In 2000, she was elected President of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections, becoming the spokesperson for the supervisors during the 2000 presidential election.

Iorio attended Hillsborough County public schools and graduated from American University in Washington D.C. with a BS Degree in Political Science. Iorio also earned a Master’s Degree in History from the University of South Florida in Tampa in 2001. She has published several articles on Tampa’s civil rights and political history.

Iorio is married to Mark Woodard. They have two children, Caitlin and Graham.

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