Rick Fifer

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Rick Fifer

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

March 7, 2023

Education

Bachelor's

West Chester University, 1983

Graduate

University of South Florida, 1995

Personal

Birthplace

Chester, Pa.

Religion

Christ Follower

Profession

Realtor

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Instagram

Personal LinkedIn

Rick Fifer ran for election to the Tampa City Council to represent District 6 in Florida. He lost in the general election on March 7, 2023.

Fifer completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Rick Fifer was born in Chester, Pennsylvania. Fifer earned a bachelor's degree from West Chester University in 1983 and graduate degrees from the University of South Florida in 1994 and 1995, respectively. His career experience includes working as a realtor, chair of the Governmental Affairs Committee of Greater Tampa Realtors, and a director for Florida Realtors. Fifer has been affiliated with Greater Tampa Realtors and the Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association.

Elections

2023

See also: City elections in Tampa, Florida (2023)

General runoff election

General runoff election for Tampa City Council District 6

Incumbent Charlie Miranda defeated Hoyt Prindle in the general runoff election for Tampa City Council District 6 on April 25, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Charlie Miranda (Nonpartisan)	50.9	3,798
	Submit photo	Hoyt Prindle (Nonpartisan)	49.1	3,663

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 7,461
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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General election

General election for Tampa City Council District 6

Incumbent Charlie Miranda and Hoyt Prindle advanced to a runoff. They defeated Rick Fifer, Nicole Payne, and Tyler Barrett in the general election for Tampa City Council District 6 on March 7, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Charlie Miranda (Nonpartisan)	49.4	4,029
✔	Submit photo	Hoyt Prindle (Nonpartisan)	21.6	1,763
		Rick Fifer (Nonpartisan)	12.0	982
		Nicole Payne (Nonpartisan)	9.2	754
		Tyler Barrett (Nonpartisan)	7.8	634

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,162
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Rick Fifer completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Fifer's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

A native of southeastern Pennsylvania. He came from a family with a lot of challenges which resulted in him being in and out of foster care throughout his childhood. He overcame those experiences to go on to college. Rick graduated from West Chester University with honors and then went on to earn two graduate degrees from the University of South Florida in Public Administration and in Social Work.

Rick moved to Tampa in 1983 and it has been his home since, except for 2 years when he moved back to Pennsylvania to assist his aging parents.

For the past 18 years, Rick has been a Realtor, Broker, and small business owner in central Tampa. Now he is seeking to represent District 6 on Tampa City Council. Prior to his career in real estate, he had more than 20 years of social work experience spanning case management, supervision, contract management, and program management.

Rick has also served in various volunteer capacities to make our neighborhoods and communities better, including Paint Your Heart Out, the Mayor’s River Clean-up, the Boards of the Old Seminole Heights and South Seminole Heights neighborhoods. He has served on and Chaired the Governmental Affairs Committee of Greater Tampa Realtors and as a Director for Florida Realtors.

30-year resident of Seminole Heights. Married. Avid dog lover, he has 3. Gardening and Genealogy enthusiast.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Improve Housing Affordability
• Improve Transportation Options
• Pedestrian and Mobility

Community Question Featured local question

Do you think the downtown area is healthy? What is your definition of a healthy downtown? What changes, if any, would you like to make?

Our downtown has undergone a tremendous transformation over the last several years. Tampa has great cultural end entertainment ammenities downtown. It has grown a resident base and has neighborhorhood serving businesses. I don't see the need for changes except the extreme need for transit options to connect with the larger city.

Community Question Featured local question

How important is it to involve residents in the government’s decision-making process? What plans do you have regarding resident involvement in this process?

I have been actively involved in my neighborhood since the early 1990's. When I initially got involved in Old Seminole Heights I more than doubled the membership in 2 years to close to 400. When I moved over to the South Seminole Heights neighborhood I grew the membership from 27 to over 200 during 5 years. I believe in engaging neighbors to build the neighborhoods we want. Just a few years back I turnout several hundred neighbors to stop a planned waste transfer station dump proposed for the edge of my neighborhood.

Community Question Featured local question

How would you address crime and public safety? Do you have a different stance than current city council policy?

Crime is generally down across the city and I am not hearing that as a top concern when I engage with voters. However, there have been some elevated criminal activity in some of our public gathering places and I believe law enforcement has been working to address those concerns effectively.

Community Question Featured local question

What plans do you have regarding infrastructure?

I want to see a re-prioritization of some city funds to address the backlog of sidewalk and crosswalk needs in our neighborhoods.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am about improveing our diverse neighborhoods. I have been active in the Greater Seminole Heights area of Tampa for over 30 years.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

“ I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.” -William Penn

I am basically a utlitarian (Jeremy Betham) in my political philosophy. The idea of the greatest good for the greatest number is a very pragmatic approach.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty

Collaboration

Integrity

Pragmatic

Maintain a dialogue with the constituents

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I believe in listening and learning new perspectives. I believe in looking at data and research which sometimes is at odds with antedotal assumptions. I like to explain my rationale even if people may not arrive at the same conclusion.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

My priorities are our city and our neighborhoods not a lifelong political career.

Attend all City Council meetings

Representing Tampa City Council District 6

What legacy would you like to leave?

That I left this world bettter than I found it.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Dr King's assassination. I would have been 7

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Note: Community Questions were submitted by the public and chosen for inclusion by a volunteer advisory board. The chosen questions were modified by staff to adhere to Ballotpedia’s neutrality standards. To learn more about Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Expansion Project, click here.

See also

2023 Elections

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Tampa City Council District 6

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