Planning council: Cuts to budget will be paralyzing

CLEARWATER -- The Pinellas Planning Council -- a key growth management arm -- has agreed to budget cuts for 2010 but not without a warning this week:

The deeper cuts to the agency sought by some county officials will paralyze it. And the council's going to write a letter to the editor to let everyone know.

The proposed budget relies on spending a third of the agency's reserves in 2010 -- a tactic that will only last a few years after that. That's not sustainable, executive director David Healey said.

"It feels very much like the set up to the beginning of the end," said St. Petersburg City Council member Jim Kennedy. 

Besides passing a smaller budget, members approved a resolution seeking a meeting with county officials setting a longterm path to running the council and other planning agency. And they decided to send a public letter to the Times to state their case for continued existence.

"I don't know if it performs any purpose other than presenting a red flag to the bull," said Jerry Knight, vice mayor of North Reddington Beach.

Next year's council budget would be $1.16 million, about $350,000 less than this year. That's a compromise after County Administrator Bob LaSala recently suggested deeper cuts and eliminating the nine-employee, state-mandated agency's tax funding in 2011. LaSala said it was not a political ploy but meant to optimize taxes and spending.

However, the agency has been in the cross-hairs of some officials, such as Commissioner Susan Latvala, because the county already has its own planning arm -- and the council sometimes crosses commissioners' wishes.

-- David DeCamp, Times staff writer

Comments

[Brian]

James Kennedy, isn't that the same joke that is on St Pete City Council...What a loser.

[True Blue]

Get rid of this tax wasting agency! They are a tool of the Mayors of the two-bit towns throughout Pinellas.

[awhitewolf]

...Let the cities pick up the tab...it has always been a city biased organization...it is time for those who benefit to pay the costs for running that sham...

[Randall]

James Kennedy are you kidding me?? This guy could not find his way out of a closet and he now is on a committee?? WOW, goes to show you, you can be a fool and get APPOINTED. Notice I said APPOINTED, not ELECTED. He will never get Elected in St. Pete.

[Whatever]

Now that Crist has his dredge and fill law passed, we might as well dump the council, close the permitting offices and allow any developer anything.

How bought a refinery in downtown Clearwater?

[True Blue]

That would be better than the robots that we have walking around down there now.

[Blazin]

“… and the council sometimes crosses commissioners' wishes.”

Don’t kid yourselves, that’s the real motive here folks. David Healey is a good man with strong knowledge and ethical integrity. Those concepts are in direct conflict with these developer-owned puppet Commissioners. That’s why they created the so-called sub-level “Advisory” Board. When the PPC advises the CPA (aka: BOCC) against one of their puppet master’s projects, they dis the PPC and defer to their appointed lackey Advisory Board to help them keep the campaign cash flowing.

Do the math people; the independent auditor does his job and exposes their waste… bubye! The PPC does its job and exposes their ignorance… bubye!

First rule of a corrupt government… when someone tells the truth and seeks to do the right thing… get rid of them, but fast.

But what do I know; “Mongo only pawn in game of life.”