So you’ve decided to make the Tampa Bay area your home. Wonderful! We’re glad to have you come and be a part of our community.
You probably have a gazillion questions. Don’t know if we have a gazillion answers, but we can give you lots of phone numbers and Web sites that will connect you with people who will have the answers.
We’ll start by listing the various cities within Hillsborough and Pinellas counties and the many chambers of commerce you’ll find here. Some of these offices have guides to help you find your way around a specific smaller community or to give you information about business opportunities in the area.
And we’ll take a tour—we kid you not—through the telephone directory. Most people are amazed at the wealth of information they find in our telephone directory.
Some things you’ll want to know are common to both sides of Tampa Bay.
We’ll tell you where to go—and what to take with you—to get a Florida driver license and license plates for your car. Buying a house during hurricane season can be a bit tricky because timing is everything when it comes to buying the property insurance you need in order to close on a mortgage—so we’ll talk about property insurance, property taxes, and water issues.
Everyone needs a helping hand at some point. Or maybe you’re one of those people—bless you!—whose sleeves are perpetually rolled up, and you’re ready to volunteer to make our community even better. You’ll find a list of organizations just waiting for your call.
We haven’t forgotten about pets. Pet owners will find information about dog parks, licensing, and other issues.
Despite what our mothers told us, we’ll be up front about money and politics in the Tampa Bay area. We’ll talk in general terms about area industries and businesses. And, unlike some states, Florida is a closed-primary state, so we’ll tell you where to register to vote and a bit about the Florida political process.
We’ll try to ease your mind about the one thing we hope doesn’t happen each year from June 1 to November 30—hurricane season. Not that we take hurricanes lightly. No way, no how. But we’ve learned how to prepare the best we can. We’ll pass along the things we’ve learned about hurricanes and about other natural nuisances—like mosquitoes, for instance.
Those are the biggies. If your specific question isn’t answered here, then please call one of the other resources we’ve listed.
And if you start to feel a little overwhelmed by all this practical information, go play in the sunshine or on a beach for while. That will help you remember why you’re moving here, right?
We’ve organized this chapter into the following topics: Driver’s Licenses and Auto Tags, Economy and Industry, Hurricanes and Other Weather Emergencies, Local Government, Pets and Other Animals, Real Estate, Support Services, Voter Registration and Elections, and Water Issues.