Hillsborough County, Florida Totally Explained

Everything about Hillsborough County Florida totally explained

Hillsborough County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The 2000 population was 998,948. In 2007, the Hillsborough County Planning Commission conducted a population estimate that put the county's population at 1,204,770. Its county seat is Tampa, Florida. Hillsborough County is the largest county in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area and the fourth most populous in Florida.

History

see also History of Tampa, Florida Hillsborough County was created on January 25, 1834 from Alachua and Monroe counties. (External Link

) It was named for Wills Hill, Viscount Hillsborough of England. The county's boundaries of 1834 included the present-day counties of Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota. (External Link

)

Geography

U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,266 square miles (3,279 km²), of which, 1,051 square miles (2,722 km²) of it's land and 215 square miles (558 km²) of it (17.00%) is water.
The county's unincorporated area approximately 888 square miles, or more than 84 percent of the total land area. Municipalities account for 163 square miles. The modern boundaries of the county place it midway along the west coast of Florida.
Hillsborough is home to Alafia River State Park and Hillsborough River State Parks.

Adjacent counties

Pasco County, Florida - north
Polk County, Florida - east
Hardee County, Florida - southeast corner
Manatee County, Florida - south
Pinellas County, Florida - west

Demographics

Hillsborough County Population by year (External Link)
2006 1,157,738 2000 998,948 1990 834,054 1980 646,960 1970 490,265 1960 397,788 1950 249,894 1940 180,148 1930 153,519 1920 88,257 1910 78,374 1900 36,013 1890 14,941 1880 5,814 1870 3,216 1860 2,981 1850 2,377 1840 452

Level of Education
Level	Hillsborough Co.	Florida	U.S.

College/Associate Degree	29.0%	28.8%	27.4%
Bachelor's Degree	16.7%	14.3%	15.5%
Master's or Ph. D.	8.4%	8.1%	8.9%
Total	54.1%	51.2%	51.8%

Source: U.S. Census
   As of the census of 2000, there were 998,948 people, 391,357 households, and 255,164 families residing in the county. The population density was 951 people per square mile (367/km²). There were 425,962 housing units at an average density of 405 per square mile (156/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 75.17% White, 14.96% Black or African American, 0.39% Native American, 2.20% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 4.66% from other races, and 2.56% from two or more races. 17.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The county is the thirty-second most populous county in the nation.
   There were 391,357 households out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.70% were married couples living together, 13.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.80% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.07.
   The age distribution was as follows: 25.30% were under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 31.70% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.00% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.
   The median income for a household in the county was $40,663, and the median income for a family was $48,223. Males had a median income of $34,111 versus $26,962 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,812. About 9.10% of families and 12.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.20% of those under age 18 and 10.00% of those age 65 or over. School Enrollment

1997-1998-149,658 3,151 increase

1998-1999-152,809 3,437 increase

1999-2000-156,246 4,500 increase

2000-2001-160,746 5,315 increase

2001-2002-166,061 5,261 increase

2002-2003-171,322 6,235 increase

2003-2004-177,557 7,113 increase

2004-2005-184,670 7,113 increase

2005-2006-190,835 6,165 increase

2006-2007-191,151 316 increase

2007-2008-191,219 68 increase (projected) http://www.tbo.com/life/education/MGB3E5S5TZE.html

Government

A Home Rule Charter for Hillsborough County was approved by voters in a county-wide referendum held in September 1983, and the first County Commissioners elected under this new charter took office on May 28, 1985.
   The Home Rule Charter divides the power of county government between legislative and executive branches. The Board of County Commissioners, which composes the legislative branch, sets overall policy by means of ordinances, resolutions and motions.
   The executive powers of county government are vested in the County Administrator, appointed by County Commissioners and charged by the charter to faithfully implement the powers of the Board. The charter provides for a County Attorney, to be hired by the County Administrator with the advice and consent of the County Commissioners. The charter contains a provision for a Charter Review Board appointed by County Commissioners every five years to conduct a study of county government and propose amendments to the charter. These amendments must be presented to voters for approval.One amendment was approved in November 2002, adding the position of County Internal Performance Auditor to the government structure. This position reports directly to the County Commission.
   Presently the County Administrator is Pat Bean.
   There are seven members of the Board of County Commissioners for Hillsborough County. Four are elected from single-member districts, and three are elected county wide. The Board approves the County's operating and capital budgets and the County's capital improvement program. It may take action on any programs for the improvement of the county and the welfare of its residents.
   Under a Charter Ordinance that went into effect May 1985, County Commissioners are directed to perform legislative functions of government by developing policy for the management of Hillsborough County. The County Administrator, a professional appointed by the Board, and the administrative staff are responsible for the implementation of these policies.
   The Board also serves as the Environmental Protection Commission. Individual Board members serve on various other boards, authorities, and commissions such as the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, Tampa Bay Water, Aviation Authority, Expressway Authority, Sports Authority, Port Authority, Arts Council of Hillsborough County, Children's Board, Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Council of Governments.
   Hillsborough County charges a discretionary sales tax of 1% on top of Florida's 6%. It is only collected on the first $5000 of any large purchase.

Politics

Presidential Election Results 1960-2004>

Year	Democrat	Republican
2004	46.23% 214,132	53.01% 245,576
2000	47.06% 169,576	50.17% 180,794
1996	46.80% 144,266	44.33% 136,656
1992	37.13% 115,282	42.07% 130,643
1988	39.49% 99,014	59.89% 150,151
1984	35.31% 86,230	64.67% 157,926
1980	42.99% 88,271	51.71% 106,160
1976	54.01% 94,589	44.82% 78,504
1972	29.71% 45,305	70.13% 106,956
1968	32.24% 45,848	34.77% 49,441
1964	58.48% 71,289	41.52% 50,616
1960	56.01% 62,240	43.99% 48,887

Municipalities and Unincorporated areas

Incorporated

City of Plant City

City of Tampa

City of Temple Terrace

Unincorporated Census Designated Places

Apollo Beach

Bloomingdale

Boyette

Brandon

Cheval

Citrus Park

Dover

East Lake-Orient Park

Lutz

Mango

Ruskin

Seffner

Valrico

Wimauma

Unincorporated Communities not Census Designated Places

Balm

Del Rio

East Lake (not to be confused with the development in Pinellas County)

Knights

Lithia

Trapnell

Turkey Creek

Antioch

Bay Shore

Seffner Hills It is perhaps surprising that Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace are the county's only incorporated places. For a county of its size, Hillsborough has an unusually high number of communities that are unincorporated, and an unusually high percentage of its people living in these areas.

Education

Hillsborough County Public Schools operates public schools in the county. Hillsborough County has the eighth largest school district in the United States consisting of 206 schools (133 elementary schools, 42 middle schools, 2 K-8 schools, 25 high schools and 4 career centers; 73 additional schools including charter, ESE, etc.)(External Link

) Twelve out of Hillsborough County's 25 high schools are ranked in Newsweek's list of America's Best High Schools.(External Link

)

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue services unincorporated areas of Hillsborough County. Fire service begain in the 1950s as an all volunteer force consisting of about a dozen loosely associated community based organizations. The first fulltime career firefighters were hired in 1973. The department now has 893 career uniformed and support personnel which continue to set the pace in Fire and Emergency Medical Response. Since the 1997 merge of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and EMS, the department has placed paramedics on each career, front-line apparatus: 25 Rescues, 39 Engines, 4 Ladders and 2 Special Operations Units. As nearly 85% of the department's more than 80,000 emergency responses require some level medical care, having paramedics assigned to each unit assures that the citizens of Hillsborough County are receiving rapid Advanced Life Support care.
Fire Rescue and the Board of County Commisoners has implemented a plan to continue placing new fire rescue stations in areas where growth is occurring or gaps in coverage may exist. Fire Chief Bill Nesmith leads an executive/command staff of two Assistant Chiefs who direct the Operations and Administrative branches. The Personnel and Rescue Division Chiefs, as well as the Fire Marshal, also report directly to the Fire Chief. All fiscal functions, facilities maintenance and supply, and apparatus / equipment procurement & repair are under the direction of the Administrative Assistant Chief. The three Shift Commanders, as well as the training Chief and the Special Operations Chief, report directly to the Operations Assistant Chief. The Ops Chief is responsible for the overall response readiness of all front line personnel.(External Link

)

Law Enforcement

Several law enforcement agencies operate within Hillsborough County, Florida. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is headquartered in the Ybor City District of Tampa and is responsible for Law Enforcement services in the unincorporated areas of the county as well as operation of two jail facilities and courthouse security for the 13th Judicial Circuit. Each of the three incorporated cities (Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace) has its own police agency (Tampa Police Department, Plant City Police Department, and the Temple Terrace Police Department respectively). Tampa International Airport also has a police agency.

Hillsborough County Emergency Management

The Emergency Management Department is directly responsible for planning and coordinating the evacuation and sheltering of all county residents in the event of a natural or manmade disaster. This agency is also responsible for planning, orchestrating and coordinating response actions and continuity of government in the aftermath of a major disaster.(External Link

) Larry Gispert has been the department's director since 1993 (External Link

) and is the 2007-2008 President of the International Association of Emergency Managers.(External Link

) The Hurricane Evacuation Assessment Tool (HEAT)(External Link

) has been created to assist residents of Hillsborough County by providing evacuation and sheltering information in the event of a hurricane or other natural disaster. This interactive program was designed to assist the public in easily determining if they're in one of the five evacuation zones. It also provides information on shelters, hospitals, fire stations and sandbag locations.(External Link

) The Emergency Management Department also provides information to the public on the following: Hurricane Information, Procedures for Hazardous Materials Spill, Flooding Preparedness, Tornado Preparedness, Wildfire Preparedness, Terrorism Preparedness,and Terrorist Threat Levels.(External Link

)Further Information

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