Sen. Justice sides with Tierra Verde

ST. PETERSBURG -- Sen. Charlie Justice said today he will likely support the so-called "all or nothing bill" that would prevent local governments from dividing up Tierra Verde.

The law would require a municipality to annex all of Tierra Verde or leave it alone.

The St. Petersburg City Council has asked Pinellas legislators to oppose the bill. The city annexed a commercial district at the foot of the unincorporated island in November despite widespread opposition and its goal is to eventually annex all of Tierra Verde. The bill wouldn't reverse the November annexation, but it could impact future annexation battles.

Justice, D-St. Petersburg, said island residents are wary of over-development and anything else that would significantly change their way of life.

"I'll support that," he said of the all or nothing bill. "And if they want to incorporate I would probably support that, too."

The local state delegation is expected to vote on the issue next month. If passed, it would go before the Legislature for consideration.

--Cristina Silva, Times staff writer

Comments

Good for Charlie! He has a lot of ground to make up after his latest blunder regarding his PCDEC endorsement.

Can you say 'bye-bye' to your Congressional aspirations, Charlie?

[TRUE BLUE]

Kudos to Charlie for doing the 'right thing'. Forced annexation is never right.

Isn't it great that TRUE BLUE aka Jim Donelon has promised to get out of town after the new year?

Say 'bye-bye' to the idiot who, like Charlie, chose a resume over proven talent to lead the PCDEC.

[:)]

"I'll support them if they want independence. I'l support them if they want to be annexed. Basically, I will weigh in on this to get press ink and name recognition without really saying anything important or gutsy. "

This is a beautiful win-win; orchestrated by Mel and Co. to be sure.

A meaningless and toothless bill designed to lead the malleable and venerable Verde’ites and the Fort to their demise.

Why go by way of involuntary annexation, when you can use the impressionable and ill-informed to package the deal for you… very well done boys… very well indeed. And having CJ toss an anvil to the drowning, knowing they’ll reach for it… is freaking priceless.

Next up… the five-dollar toll that will ice it.

Bye-Bye #1 beach… Hello #1 taxable community. Who needs temporary tourism when we have permanent chumps with checkbooks!

I wonder how the Verde’ites will take to being them po’folks what lives at the entrance of da communitaaah?

BRILLIANT!

tic.tic.tic.tic…

Merry Christmas !

Doesn't Tierra Verde know that it's always a Great Day in St. Pete? Bwaa-haaa-ha!

[notsosmart]

Where were you when Tarpon Springs annexed SPC property on the corner of Klosterman Rd and US 19?

[notsosmart]

Where were you when Tarpon Springs annexed the SPC property at Klosterman Rd and US 19?

Wasn't Charlie the St Petersburg Times' "Loser of the Week" just a couple of short weeks ago?

So how will Rouson, Heller, Kriseman and Long vote if Sembler is driving the train?

9:31 - so you're a racist idiot?

10:20 It is obvious to most of us that 9:31 was making a point which in no way implied racism. You're the idiot!

Not sure about Rouson and Heller, but Kriseman and Long will do exactly what Mel and Co. tell them to do... or else!

9:31 and 10:20, this is racist:

"I wonder how the Verde’ites will take to being them po’folks what lives at the entrance of da communitaaah?"

I'm wondering if you delivered you post while in blackface.

Perhaps rather than criticizing Justice for siding with the Tierra Verde Community Association over the St. Petersburg City Council and a few developers supporting them, you might take a moment to look at what's really under discussion and who benefits. The City of St. Petersburg would receive a hefty increase in property tax revenue (for things like police and fire protection) without increasing taxes on current residents in exchange for annexing commercial parcels of Tierra Verde.

Tierra Verde's objections are two-fold: a concern about increased traffic and concern about future annexation of Tierra Verde.

To address your racist paranoia about "po'folks" moving onto Tierra Verde, one might suggest that you look at the number of Tierra Verde condominium owners renting their property to federally-subsidized tenets already. As far as this proposed development adding a "po'folks" problem to Tierra Verde, you might consider that not many people can afford to rent a hotel room or buy a brand new waterfront condominium.

Damn… major wide-right!

First: Save the racist baloney… it’s tired and pointless.

Second: Many “use to be” upper-class communities become lower class when a more “upper-class” community is developed behind it. Jeeez… work on the neurosis.

Third: The Legislature cannot, and will not, have any substantive impact on local annexation rules. Most locals are put in office by developers, and graduate to the Legislature with help from those same developers – if the play well with the kids on the playground. See (Insurance industry contributes millions to State races & Drop like a rock!)

Forth: The City of St. Pete could give a ratsass about police and fire protection. See… ummmm, well… see St. Pete! And Mel and Co. could never be classified as simply “a few developers”… puuuullezzzzz! Taxes and taxation have become a political marketing tool, and completely irrelevant to the reality of Pinellas’ public service budgeting issues.

Fifth: TV’s, and Pinellas as a whole, should be concerned about the destruction of their quality of life, once everything south of TV is layered in concrete and off limits to we reglar folks.

Sixth: “Po-folks” wont be moving on(in)to TV. The current residents will become dem po-folks by attrition. Besides… “Po-folks” was a hell of a restaurant!

1pm -
Reports show it to be under $200,000 of new revenue..... hefty ?