Patrick Neal, founder of the homebuilding company Neal Communities, has donated more than $122,000 to six Hillsborough County Commission candidates since 2021.

Five of those candidates are sitting commissioners. The Tampa Bay Times reported that Commissioner Gwen Myers, one of the recipients, voted in favor of a July amendment adding a proposed Fort Hamer Road extension and I-75 interchange near Ruskin to the county's Corridor Preservation Plan Map. The board approved the amendment 5-1; the vote preserves a corridor but does not authorize construction.

The Tampa Bay Times first reported the scope of the contributions Oct. 28. The donations came from Neal, his son John A. Neal and at least six companies registered at Neal Communities' Sarasota headquarters.

More than half of the $122,000 arrived during this election cycle, with four commission seats on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Who got the money

Commissioner Gwen Myers received the most. Neal and affiliated companies gave her $31,000 since she filed for reelection in April 2025, the Times reported. That accounts for about 12% of the roughly $254,200 Myers raised for her campaign account and political committee this cycle. She also received $11,000 from Neal Land & Neighborhoods in 2021 and 2022.

The Times reported that Myers voted in favor of reserving land for the interchange and requested a study on whether Little Manatee South could be opened to denser development. Myers did not respond to three calls from the Times seeking comment.

Commissioner Harry Cohen, a Democrat seeking his third term representing District 1, received a combined $17,000 to his campaign account and political committee since filing for reelection in July 2025. He also got $9,000 from Neal and the company run by his son in 2021 and 2022.

In a written statement to the Times, Cohen said he has voted to increase what developers pay toward roads and other infrastructure during his time on the commission.

Commissioner Joshua Wostal, a Republican who holds a countywide seat, received $5,000 through his political committee in March from Neal Land & Neighborhoods and a combined $5,500 in 2024. Wostal told the Times the only project Neal or associated companies have brought to the commission is the proposed Fort Hamer Road extension. He supported the road in July.

Stacy Hahn, a Republican running for the countywide District 5 seat, received a combined $10,000 in August from Patrick Neal and his son's company. Chairperson Ken Hagan and Commissioner Christine Miller also received thousands from Neal and affiliated companies between 2021 and 2024. Miller received an additional $10,000 to her political committee from Neal in October. Neither Hagan nor Miller is up for reelection, and neither responded to the Times' requests for comment.

The interchange and what it means for Ruskin

Hillsborough commissioners approved Comprehensive Plan Amendment 26-11 during a July 16 public hearing, according to the Osprey Observer. The amendment updates the county's Corridor Preservation Plan Map to include a future Fort Hamer Road extension and a proposed I-75 interchange.

The proposed interchange would sit between State Road 674 and Moccasin Wallow Road in the southernmost part of Hillsborough County. The amendment does not authorize construction. It preserves the corridor and prevents development that could interfere with the project.

The Florida Department of Transportation is spending $7.5 million in state funds to study whether the interchange is feasible, the Times reported separately. The FDOT feasibility study is expected to be completed by winter 2027.

The interchange would connect to Fort Hamer Road, a four-lane highway set to extend from Manatee County into Hillsborough. That extension is in Manatee County's long-range transportation plans, but construction funding has not been identified.

Residents push back

Residents of Little Manatee South and the nearby Sundance community protested the July vote. The Times reported that residents wore bright orange "Protect Rural Florida" shirts to the commission meeting.

Cori Campbell, a lifelong Sundance resident of 47 years, started a petition in May against development in the area. It has gathered more than 5,300 signatures, the Times reported.

Most of Little Manatee South currently allows one home per five acres. Commissioners in 2024 asked planners to study whether the area could be opened to denser development. That study could come before the County Commission as soon as January 2027.

Former Hillsborough Commissioner Mariella Smith told the Times the donations could signal an interest in the county. John A. Neal, president of Neal Land & Neighborhoods, told the Times this summer that his company did not have plans to purchase property in Hillsborough for development.

The Times reported that its reporters called Neal Communities' headquarters and a listed media contact but did not receive a response. John A. Neal and the company's public relations manager did not respond to multiple messages.

The Nov. 3 general election includes races for four Hillsborough County Commission seats.