Field of secrets?
Hello and happy Monday. I'm back from three weeks away and eager to catch up. First on the agenda has to be the proposed baseball stadium for downtown St. Petersburg, which the Tampa Bay Rays are going to make public on Wednesday.
I think this will be my first column topic in tomorrow's newspaper. The shocking thing is that the city of St. Petersburg knew about the stadium idea from early 2007, but kept it secret from its own citizens -- even as those citizens were taking part in a supposedly public process on deciding the future of the downtown waterfront! And of course, there was no sense in letting such a major secret be part of the city elections, so it stayed quiet until after that as well.
How many other secret deals does the city have in place, then? How can the voters EVER know that their dealings with the city of St. Petersburg are being conducted on the up-and-up, and that the city hasn't already signed some sort of secret document saying what's really going to happen? This has been a sorry, sorry start to this process. It might be sorry enough to kill the whole idea. [Times photo | Skip O'Rourke]
Welcome to TroxBlog, the web-home of columnist Howard Troxler, where he and readers discuss his column topics and current events. The goal here is to focus on the merits of issues, instead of personal attacks or knee-jerk partisanship.
welcome back-as for the "stadium deal" it does make you wonder what else is SECRET!! it certainly contributes to distrust by the electorate-no wonder the voter turnouts are so low-though not perfect, it certainly makes the "hometown democracy" movement attractive!!
Posted by: ed | November 26, 2007 at 01:10 PM
As a former St. Pete resident, I'm not too surprised at the secrecy. Baker and his cronies (and they are not hard to identify, are they?) are wanna be high-powered executives who love playing undercover and running circles around the citizens they supposedly "serve". They kept John Bryan's secrets, didn't they? Baker can't be trusted and I hope the voters remember that at election time.
Posted by: Stephie | November 26, 2007 at 02:14 PM
The timing of everything in this whole deal stinks. They're announcing on Wednesday the 28th... which just so happens to already have a HUGE media event going on, that little thing going on at the Mahaffey, you know, those Republican people and what not. First they, hide John Bryan, then they hide the true reasons behind not making Al Lang zoned as a park, then they hide the whole thing until after the election is over. Now they're hiding behind the Republican debate. Be very very careful of these slick Wall Street boys looking to make a record sized land grab on 2 pristine pieces of St Pete real estate. Ohh, and welcome back Howard, hope you enjoyed your time off.
Posted by: Paul | November 26, 2007 at 02:27 PM
Regardless of who knew what and when, I am must upset with (but not surprised at) the owner of the Rays team. He WANTS a new stadium because baseball doesn't feel like baseball unless it is outside. Well I WANT a 5 carat diamond ring too, but that doesn't mean I'm going to go buy one.
Just because you want something doesn't make it right. Want, want, want, buy, buy, buy. That consumerism is driving me crazy. Waste, waste, waste.
Look at what you already HAVE and be happy with it.
Posted by: Jennifer W | November 26, 2007 at 02:35 PM
Memo to Rays:
NOT ONE THIN DIME OF PUBLIC MONEY...
Rinse and Repeat...
Posted by: None of the Above | November 26, 2007 at 02:58 PM
Howard, this whole scenario is a real bucket of worms.
This whole thing dates back to when they first built the original Dome,
Without even having a team.
The same people in the city government are in the wings pushing the buttons.
This time they will not get their way with our money.
guy nash
Posted by: guy | November 26, 2007 at 03:17 PM
Come on people..stop complaining and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT !! If the Homeless in St.Pete can stand up,if the Crooks/Felons from the the South-Side can Stand-up...why can't you? Even the City of JENA stood up !! Everyone needs to show up in force to remind our City Leaders who's REALLY in charge. Why wait till Re-election? Simply show up at the Debate(great audience in attendance)and VOICE YOUR POWER !!! STOP sitting idle in your homes and complaining and move your voice to where it counts. DO IT NOW or stop talking about doing nothing!!
Posted by: Dr_Dug | November 26, 2007 at 03:19 PM
WHY ARE YOU STILL SITTING THERE?
Still complaining?
Voice your concerns or THEY WILL NEVER STOP!!!
DO IT NOW !!!
Posted by: Dr_Dug | November 26, 2007 at 03:22 PM
Nothing will ever change. The next group will be as dishonest as the last. Power breeds corruption and greed, and the only people who enter politics are scumbags with bucketloads of both. Decent, intelligent people are unelectable.
Nothing will ever change.
Posted by: Dave | November 26, 2007 at 03:46 PM
Howard welcome back. Now a question. It is my understanding that a decision by a lower state court must be upheld by the Florida Supreme Court to assure a vote on disposition of the Al Lang property by the voters. If this decision is not upheld, does that mean the City Commission could accept a deal without a vote? Based on the secrecy of this process so far, I think it is DOA before Wednesday's kick off...What do you think?
Posted by: Bland | November 26, 2007 at 04:19 PM
Bland, you are ahead of me on the question of a court ruling -- everything I have seen is a bland assurance (sorry) that there "has" to be an election. I had been thinking they might try to get around the election requirement one way or the other. I will put it on my list of things to find out.
Posted by: Howard Troxler | November 26, 2007 at 05:17 PM
As someone who was sitting in the City
Council chamber when the staff lied to
us about why they would not include Al Lang in the waterfront zoning, it might be legal to do this, but it does not make it moral.
Posted by: Karl | November 26, 2007 at 05:34 PM
Memo to Mayor Baker:
CC: St Pete City Council
Re: Newest Attempt to Fleece the Taxpayers...
Please review the Jim Smith Debacle should an end run be attempted.
So far that hasn't worked out well for 3 of the 10 major players.
Regards...
Your Consituents
Posted by: | November 26, 2007 at 05:42 PM
Memo to Mayor Baker:
CC: St Pete City Council
Re: Newest Attempt to Fleece the Taxpayers...
Please review the Jim Smith Debacle should an end run be attempted.
So far that hasn't worked out well for 3 of the 10 major players.
Regards...
Your Consituents
Posted by: None of the Above | November 26, 2007 at 05:42 PM
Karl, about that: See tomorrow's column...
Posted by: Howard Troxler | November 26, 2007 at 08:26 PM
Politicians assume there is an endless supply of tax money they can harvest whenever a special interest wants the cash.
The Germans pulled the same trick during World War II in the countries they conquered. That is, confiscating every penny to be had, and leaving workers to root hog or die. Lincoln correctly called it the oldest form of tyrany...you earn your daily bread and I'll eat it.
Ordinary people arent smart enough to cope with the tricks; they simply get less and less of what they produce until they can toil no more because it cost more to work than it costs to stay home.
Posted by: Jim Johnson | November 27, 2007 at 02:28 PM