Free air time for 2009 St. Pete candidates
Attention all future St. Petersburg candidates: free air time is (almost) on the way.
City council members directed city attorney John Wolfe in July to write an ordinance that would allow the city to air debates during election season.
Wolfe will present a draft of the ordinance to the council Thursday during its Public Services and Infrastructure Committee. If they give it the green light, it will be presented to council for approval.
The ordinance states it would be up to the council to decide when and how the debates are held. They must choose an impartial third party to conduct the debates. Only mayoral and council candidates would be able to participate.
-Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer
From the writers of the St. Petersburg Times, Bay Buzz offers the latest news on Tampa Bay politics. This is a public forum sponsored and maintained by the St. Petersburg Times. When you post comments here, what you say becomes public and could appear in the newspaper. You are not engaging in private communication with candidates or Times staffers.
Speaking of free air time for candidates, what ever happened to WEDU's debates? It seems they used to have debates between various Congressional Candidates in past election cycles, but this year have decided to let it go. There are incumbent Republican representatives who are protected by this. What about Hackworth vs. CW Young? Mitchell vs. Bilrakis? Russell vs. Brown-Waite? Tudor vs. Putnam?
WEDU gets quite a chunk of taxpayer money as well as many individual donations, and you would think they would lunge at the opportunity to provide this public service.
Posted by: Chris Brudy | October 09, 2008 at 05:34 AM
Chris, because none of those bozos have a prayer to win.
The closest congressional race will be mitchell v. bilirakis and even that one will be double digits
Posted by: | October 09, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Let's see how the idiots on City Council will use this to their advantage. Who will be the impartial host for the debates?? My guess will be the League of Woman Voters or perhaps Karl will arrange for the Living Green folks to do it. Maybe Jammie will go for CONA - they all love him. Could Jeff have the S.P.C.A. do it as payback for the 1/4 million doggie park? I suggest that they have it in Williams Park and let the homeless moderate it - at least that would be entertaining instead of the dull debates the council will arrange. RICK FOR MAYOR - THE OTHER RICK!!!
Posted by: True Blue | October 09, 2008 at 01:40 PM
Oh, I forgot Leslie - so easy to forget! I'm sure she would want the Chamber to do it. RICK FOR MAYOR-THE OTHER DICK.
Posted by: True Blue | October 09, 2008 at 01:43 PM
This was promised when St. Pete first awarded a franchise to TelePrompTer back in the 1970s.
But St. Pete opted to cut out public access in favor of creating its own propaganda network, filled with the mayor handing out awards, A Palm Paradise, Disabled Sailing Documentary, more awards, enlessly extended Council meetings with yet more awards and grinning elected clowns, The Case of Zany Animal Antics (3 p.m. Tuesday, 10/7, in case you missed it), The Case of the Mysterious Red Light ...
... need we go on?
You can thank Dick Dailey for selling the city down the dark path.
Posted by: | October 09, 2008 at 09:28 PM