Woman Wants City To Give Her $2Million To Fix Her $67,000 Home

[matcom]

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TAMPA - Cost to replace appliances and furniture damaged inside a South Tampa home after a city water main broke?

$15,000.

The inconvenience to homeowner Tina Tyler and her yearlong battle with the city for compensation?

Priceless isn't quite the answer this time.

Try $2-million.

That's how much Tyler's attorney says the city should pay her as "just compensation" for flooding damage to her two-bedroom, two-bathroom home at 6418 S Himes Ave.

"That's what her trouble was worth, and that's what I think she's entitled to," said attorney Joseph J. Registrato.

The assessed value of her 1,120 square-foot home is $67,078, according to the Hillsborough County property appraiser.

Next week marks one year since the flooding, and Tyler said she's not satisfied with the way the city has responded.

"It has been a rough year," she said.

Registrato sent a "demand" letter to Mayor Pam Iorio dated Dec. 12 asking for payment on Tyler's behalf. Registrato wrote that the money was for damages and injuries Tyler, 34, "sustained at the hands of the negligence, reckless and careless installation and maintenance of the underground water, sewer and drainage system by local city officials and agencies who have no idea about the rights United States citizens are afforded by the United States Constitution, the laws of Florida and the United States."

On Jan. 6, 2004, a 12-inch water main broke and caused a sinkhole that spanned the width of the street in front of Tyler's house. The hole was so big, it swallowed a city water department truck. The water main break caused damage to three nearby homes.

City officials at the time promised that the residents were "going to be taken care of."

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/01/03/Hillsborough/Woman_wants_2M_to_rep.shtml