Politics & Government

Protest Planned to Support USF

Temple Terrace's Phil Lentsch invites others to proudly wear their green and gold Friday.

Temple Terrace business owner Phil Lentsch of Office Dynamics will be at the corner of 56th Street and Fowler Avenue Friday to protest proposed budget cuts that the Florida Senate Budget Committee has approved for the University of South Florida.

Lentsch, who owns Office Dynamics, is inviting everyone to wear their USF gear and join him at 4 p.m.

“I ask you to come and support USF with me,” he said. “I'll have signs for people to hold.”

Find out what's happening in Temple Terracewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Although the committee reduced the proposed budget cut Wednesday, USF’s funding would still drop to $75 million from the current level of $178 million.

Sen. Jim Norman, a Republican from Tampa, spoke in favor of USF during a committee meeting in Tallahassee Wednesday. He questioned whether USF was being singled out among the other state universities whose budgets would be cut.

Find out what's happening in Temple Terracewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“You don’t bargain futures like this even in this appropriation’s process,” he said.

Budget cuts would have to be approved by the Senate, the House and Gov. Rick Scott before they would go into effect.

Lentsch, who is also president of the Greater Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce, planned his protest Wednesday morning before the budget committee came to a consensus in Tallahassee. He said the decision didn’t change his plans.

“USF is our neighbor,” he said.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Temple Terrace