[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 6496-6497]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING SAM MIRABELLA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM DAVIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 27, 2006

  Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Sam Mirabella, 
who embodied the boundless spirit of his native Tampa, Florida and was 
devoted to serving his community.
  During his 12 years as a Tampa City Councilman, Sam played an 
important role in improving our city and helped usher Tampa's 
government operations into modem times. And as a charter member of The 
Tampa Sports Authority, Sam was instrumental in bringing Tampa's first 
stadium to life and putting Tampa on the map for America's sports fans 
and teams.
  However, the people Sam served didn't have to go to City Council 
meetings to bend Sam's ear. Sam, with his trademark cigar and colorful 
sense of humor, was always available at Mirabella's Seafood Co., which 
he co-owned. Even in his retirement, Sam was a fixture in South Tampa, 
riding his bike through

[[Page 6497]]

the neighborhoods on a daily basis and stopping to talk to just about 
anyone who crossed his path.
  Sam served his country in World War II and was always giving back to 
his hometown through a host of community and charitable organizations. 
A die-hard Gator fan, Sam was also eager to support his alma maters, 
the University of Florida and H.B. Plant High School.
  Sam's passing is a tremendous loss for the Tampa community. I would 
like to extend my deepest sympathies to his family and many friends.

                          ____________________