As Tampa Bay begins its political search for the Hillsborough County Commission, candidate Linda Saul-Sena finds herself hard-pressed to earn union votes. Last month, in her current position as Tampa Councilwoman, Saul-Sena cited budget difficulties and voted against a pay raise for 500 police union members, earning the enmity of many of the cops. Today, about 20 cops braved the Florida winter (??) and picketed the opening of Saul-Sena's campaign, calling her a 'friend to criminals.' In a statement, Saul-Sena said she was surprised that people were picketing, given that this year a majority of voters did not support police pay raise because of troubles, and because past evidence (i.e. votes) of Saul-Sena's support for organized labor.
See "Police union protests candidate for voting against raises", Mike Salinero, Tampa Tribune, January 4, 2010