Josh Burgin
He/Him
- Currently
- Real Estate Agent
He/Him
Josh Burgin moved to Cambridge in 2015 to attend the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Although new to Cambridge, he is not new to campaigns, having run twice in Florida: once in 2010, challenging Mark Sharpe for a seat on the Hillsborough County Commission; and once in 2004, in the Republican primary for the state House District 62.
Josh Burgin was appointed to the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) by Florida Governor Rick Scott [1]. He also was a legislative aide to the Hillsborough County Commission, and has worked on several campaigns, including Attorney General Pam Bondi's.
Professionally, he has worked in IT and database administration, and is currently a real estate agent. He has also lived and worked in Kazakhstan.
When it comes to graduate students, a pretty big percentage of overall graduate students are living in non-Harvard housing facilities. What that’s doing in those non-Harvard housing facilities, and neighborhoods effectively, is pushing up the cost of housing because those young people are effectively amortizing the cost of their housing across multiple years of debt service.
Three years ago, you gave me a specific charge to ‘protect the taxpayer...
HART [Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority] has been able to significantly increase service while reducing its overall budget [by $17 million] and keeping tight controls over its operational expenditures.
Burgin, 35, of Plant City, has been the vice president of information technology and social media for the Holtec USA Corporation since 2008.
Peter SchorschBurgin, 35, of Plant City, has been the vice president of information technology and social media for the Holtec USA Corporation since 2008.
THE HARVARD CRIMSON: What do you think are the biggest issues facing the Cambridge City Council?
JOSH BURGIN: I’ve never lived in a city as well-funded and as organized as Cambridge that had crosswalks without signage. I know that sounds silly, but with the ongoing conflict between bikes and car-drivers, it just seems like such a real paradox to me that we’re not managing expectations well across all of our intersections. These sort of non-standard approaches to non traffic management create risk through insecurity.
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when it comes to graduate students, a pretty big percentage of overall graduate students are living in non-Harvard housing facilities. What that’s doing in those non-Harvard housing facilities, and neighborhoods effectively, is pushing up the cost of housing because those young people are effectively amortizing the cost of their housing across multiple years of debt service. This, by its very nature, is going to allow those students to rationalize in paying more than they would if it was a normal market where it was a month to month sort of income
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We say we don’t want big chains, but by the same token—particularly on Cambridge Street—we’ve taken away parking spaces that were valuable to the small businesses that were located there, with no conversation whatsoever about replacing those.
Nov. 1, 2017 — Idil TuysuzogluTHE HARVARD CRIMSON: What do you think are the biggest issues facing the Cambridge City Council?
JOSH BURGIN: I’ve never lived in a city as well-funded and as organized as Cambridge that had crosswalks without signage. I know that sounds silly, but with the ongoing conflict between bikes and car-drivers, it just seems like such a real paradox to me that we’re not managing expectations well across all of our intersections. These sort of non-standard approaches to non traffic management create risk through insecurity.
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when it comes to graduate students, a pretty big percentage of overall graduate students are living in non-Harvard housing facilities. What that’s doing in those non-Harvard housing facilities, and neighborhoods effectively, is pushing up the cost of housing because those young people are effectively amortizing the cost of their housing across multiple years of debt service. This, by its very nature, is going to allow those students to rationalize in paying more than they would if it was a normal market where it was a month to month sort of income
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We say we don’t want big chains, but by the same token—particularly on Cambridge Street—we’ve taken away parking spaces that were valuable to the small businesses that were located there, with no conversation whatsoever about replacing those.
It is time we demand Harvard and MIT do more to contribute to the Cambridge City Budget and offer relief for Housing Affordability and other needed community services.
Oct. 13, 2017 — Reena KarasinIt is time we demand Harvard and MIT do more to contribute to the Cambridge City Budget and offer relief for Housing Affordability and other needed community services.
He spent his 20s working on local campaigns, forgoing college. He tried to win a political office, but lost twice — once in 2004 for the Florida House of Representatives, and again in 2010 for the Hillsborough County Commission.
May 27, 2017 — Khristopher BrooksHe spent his 20s working on local campaigns, forgoing college. He tried to win a political office, but lost twice — once in 2004 for the Florida House of Representatives, and again in 2010 for the Hillsborough County Commission.
Joshua Burgin, a longtime resident of Hillsborough County told the East Orlando Post that he believes that opponents of the tax have become more sophisticated and better equipped at stopping tax increases from defeating projects like Moving Hillsborough Forward and Greenlight Pinellas.
“The GoHillsborough Tax will fail, just like the Moving Hillsborough Forward and GreenLight Pinellas taxes failed before it. The supporters of the GoHillsborough Tax have relied on county center “palace intrigue” and manipulation to promote their agenda. Politics and political power is always about addition, never division or subtraction – those opposing the tax have become more sophisticated through their experiences with Moving Hillsborough Forward and GreenLight Pinellas.
Meanwhile the GoHillsborough team have alienated traditional supporters, such as the Sierra Club and some prominent local Democrats.”
Dec. 11, 2015 — Jacob EnglesJoshua Burgin, a longtime resident of Hillsborough County told the East Orlando Post that he believes that opponents of the tax have become more sophisticated and better equipped at stopping tax increases from defeating projects like Moving Hillsborough Forward and Greenlight Pinellas.
“The GoHillsborough Tax will fail, just like the Moving Hillsborough Forward and GreenLight Pinellas taxes failed before it. The supporters of the GoHillsborough Tax have relied on county center “palace intrigue” and manipulation to promote their agenda. Politics and political power is always about addition, never division or subtraction – those opposing the tax have become more sophisticated through their experiences with Moving Hillsborough Forward and GreenLight Pinellas.
Meanwhile the GoHillsborough team have alienated traditional supporters, such as the Sierra Club and some prominent local Democrats.”
“Three years ago, you gave me a specific charge to ‘protect the taxpayer,'” Burgin wrote last week to Gov. Rick Scott, who appointed him to the board. “I took that directive seriously and worked with the board and staff to prioritize policies to reduce expenses and maximize operational efficiency.”
Burgin boasts that HART’s budget has dropped nearly $17 million since he was appointed to the board in early 2012, while the number of passage trips has now grown to more than 15.5 million annually. He cites other number of increased proficiency, summarizing that, “HART has been able to significantly increase service while reducing its overall budget and keeping tight controls over its operational expenditures.”
Burgin, 39, is probably best known in political circles for challenging fellow Republican Mark Sharpe’s bid in 2010. Sharpe’s outspoken advocacy for the 1-cent transit tax on the ballot in Hillsborough County seemingly made him vulnerable in the GOP. Sharpe beat back the challenge, though, easily winning with more than 55 percent of the vote.
May 4, 2015 — Mitch Perry“Three years ago, you gave me a specific charge to ‘protect the taxpayer,'” Burgin wrote last week to Gov. Rick Scott, who appointed him to the board. “I took that directive seriously and worked with the board and staff to prioritize policies to reduce expenses and maximize operational efficiency.”
Burgin boasts that HART’s budget has dropped nearly $17 million since he was appointed to the board in early 2012, while the number of passage trips has now grown to more than 15.5 million annually. He cites other number of increased proficiency, summarizing that, “HART has been able to significantly increase service while reducing its overall budget and keeping tight controls over its operational expenditures.”
Burgin, 39, is probably best known in political circles for challenging fellow Republican Mark Sharpe’s bid in 2010. Sharpe’s outspoken advocacy for the 1-cent transit tax on the ballot in Hillsborough County seemingly made him vulnerable in the GOP. Sharpe beat back the challenge, though, easily winning with more than 55 percent of the vote.
What his future holds afterward is still unclear, though he still ponders politics and other opportunities to serve his country in the former Soviet Union. Whatever he does post-Ivy League, Burgin said he will carry a piece of Polk State with him.
March 25, 2015 — Polk NewsroomWhat his future holds afterward is still unclear, though he still ponders politics and other opportunities to serve his country in the former Soviet Union. Whatever he does post-Ivy League, Burgin said he will carry a piece of Polk State with him.