Baseball and other serious Friday topics

Happy Friday to everybody. Today, in case you somehow missed it, is the final game of spring training to be played on Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg, as the Tampa Bay Rays are moving their spring operation south next year to broaden their fan base. It seems unlikely that the site will ever host a new team, but I suppose you never know.

The bigger question, of course, is whether it will become the site of a major-league stadium, as the team proposes and the city is considering. The group called Fans for a Waterfront Stadium have hired a plane to fly a banner over Al Lang at 1:30 p.m. today. "Our goal," the group's announcement says, "is to make sure our City Council puts this issue on the November ballot." I assume that they mean, "assuming the business deal turns out to make sense, which we don't know yet."

Ah, well. Elsewhere on the public-issue front:

* Florida's growth is definitely slowing down. But it's still growing. Notice the observation in Helen Huntley's article that interstate moves slow down in times of general economic downturn, so it might be too quick to conclude that Florida-specific troubles (insurance rates, property taxes, hurricanes) are the culprit. Then again, they don't help.

* Steve Bousquet's story adds a grim  element to the state budget cuts, such as ending hospice care for 8,000 terminally ill Medicaid patients. Take just a second to think about that: terminally ill patient. Hospice care. Ending. It's part of a much bigger, $1-billion cut necessary in human services, unless the Legislature chooses to raise money elsewhere, or dip into reserves. That's the central debate going on in Tallahassee, with the leaders of the House insisting the entire budget crisis should be met with cuts only. Hard, if not impossible, to do that without cuts to education and human services.

* Speaking of education, the state Senate under president Ken Pruitt remains heck-bent on ripping up Florida's education structure for the third time in 10 years -- and purely as a power grab to destroy the independence of the Board of Governors that the voters created in 2002 to run our state university system. My bias here is total and deep -- I think that putting the universities back under the political control of the Legislature is a wretched, horrible idea that will send Florida backward. Here's hoping the House, under Speaker Marco Rubio, manages not to go along in putting this on the ballot.

Overall, our fall ballot is starting to look potentially crowded, with the same-sex marriage amendment there by petition, and potentially amendments concerning school property taxes, allowing tax dollars to go to religious institutions, a tax break for marinas and other "working waterfronts," this higher education amendment and, well, we're not done yet.

I think my Sunday column will be a critique of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, which is supposed to take a deep look at Florida's tax structure every 20 years, but is acting more like a meddlesome "second Legislature."

Okay, enough issues for now... see you at the game.

Comments

Stop corporate welfare programs (csx, the Rays, ect…), eliminate pork projects, cut wasteful and unnecessary spending, and vote every incumbent out of office.

Problem Solved!

Please see this article on the toxic plume coursing through the St. Pete Azalea neighborhood AS WE READ.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/27/neglected-toxic-waste-plume-worries-neighborhood/

DEP has known about this for pollution for 16 years!!!... without them OR Raytheon notifying the neighborhood!
700 private wells are within a mile of Raytheon. How does this pertain to your blog topics today? Well, in my mind, this is a failure of the Department of Environmental Protection to uphold their duty to keep the citizens IN THE LOOP AND PROTECTED for all who live, work and play on top of this toxic mess.
And you think that the DEP has a good hold on current pollution below the Trop site..............??? I would certainly have my doubts.........so the "mystery" of what breaking asphalt and ground would mean to the environment and required remediation IF the Trop is developed either under the stadium proposal OR under the Air Rights proposal will remain a huge unknown. AND, anything DEP offers currently as opinion would be suspect. End Run??.......NO development should occur with the current situation that exists.....which is that the City of St. Petersburg is responsible for the cost and liability of remediation at the Trop site with the current bids on the table. UNACCEPTABLE..............for our pocketbooks and for our future. At least under the Air Rights contingency (development on the Trop site now and KEEEPING the current stadium) the city would receive 50% of the tax revenues. Not under the current proposal, as we all well know, which gives the Rays all the money to build at Al Lang.

Lorraine

More simplistic drivel from 9:44.

Stop posting intellectually vapid nonsense.

Problem Solved!

[guy]

Who are these people that are closing a 100 year tradition at AL Lang field?
No one asked our permission.
What A shame.
MONEY
MONEY
MONEY

[guy]

Howard,
Please tell us in your own words, how was the parking and the heat at the ball game?
How many innings did you last,
I could only take 4 and had to park almost in Buffalo NY.

More minion staffer drivel from 11:33.

Stop posting intellectually vapid nonsense, straighten up your cubicle, and read a freaking book for God's sake.

Problem Solved!

[William]

Guy, We went to the game, nearly died of the heat. Lasted only 3 innings. And the Rays expect people to sit in Florida's heat and humidity, probably late to the game by 1/2 hour cuz there was no parking? Did you know that several people had to be taken away in ambulances on the first day of spring training? We know. We were there and say them taken out on stretchers. And that was in early March! This outdoor stadium is a fiasco. I want my air conditioned Dome!!!

[Don Mott]

I sure like how they are considering cutting funds for terminally ill Hospice patients. Oh well they won't be voting so what the heck. At the same time they refuse to end all of the tax breaks for corporations and business' who make money off of us and give back to them in the form of contributions, saying that would be a tax increase. A tax increase is exactly what we need but not for the citizens who carry the load. The business' need to be taxed fairly to match the states needs. You can lease a private suite at a sports venue, which only the wealthy can afford without paying sales tax. But I have to pay sales tax when I need to buy a new pair of shoes. For too long many of them have been getting a free ride. Their voting to give CSX over a half million dollars for something that is nothing, I'm sure Hospice could do a lot of good with that tidy little sum. Oh and by the way there are a lot of religious folks out there so lets throw them some money to start up schools. Well how about we start taxing churches? What a wonderful place we live. Sorry for the rant I'm just really getting sick and tired!

[Orville & Wilber]

Having talked with several people who were at yesterday's Bid workshop for the Trop site, a few questions come to mind (you probably have even more):

1. The RFP required a “financial offer, onetime cash sale preferred…” from the bidders. The deadline for bids was 10 AM on March 18, 2008. Why was the Williams Quarter LLC bid even accepted as responsive? It did not have a financial offer. It should have been rejected on March 18. It is easy now for them to make a cash bid, after seeing the other bids.
2. Who do we believe concerning the make-up of the development? Williams Quarter LLC (assuming they are allowed to continue) believes residential is the way to go. At the workshop, they indicated that retail is too risky. This bidder includes DeBartolo, one of the largest shopping center operators in the country. They should understand the retail market.
3. What about contamination at the Trop site? The developers seem to think it’s no big deal. That’s easy for them to say… they all want the City to pay for any clean-up. The City has no idea what that could cost, when the Trop is converted from an industrial site, with parking lots acting as a “cap,” to a residential/retail site.
4. What about infrastructure costs? The bidders want the City to pay for that too. How Much… the City doesn’t know??
5. What about demolition costs for the old Dome? At least one bidder wants the City to pay for that too!!
6. How can the City Council make recommendations on this project on April 23 and May 1st, when the Rays’ “financing plan” (with our money) won’t be ready for 6 weeks?
7. What about building around the Dome on part of the Trop site? The Rays say it isn’t economically feasible. At the workshop, Leslie Curran had the good sense to ask the bidders: “ If the dome stayed would you all still be interested in developing the Trop site?" They all responded with "yes".
8. What’s the rush? The Rays have a lease until 2027. Again, at the workshop, Herb Polson asked if the RFP process was timed properly. Hines said yes, sixty days was adequate (they have actually had months to prepare), and if it had been significantly longer, they would not have been interested. The inverse was stated by the Williams Quarter LLC group who felt the compressed time frame eliminated the possibility of a diverse and sizable number of interested parties to seriously present bids.

Bottom line: the cash bids are now $50M and $61M. The cash payments are phased during the development’s build-out, so only a part of that money is available at the front end. How much of it will be needed for environmental clean-up, infrastructure and demolition?? All of it?? MORE??! Let’s say it is enough to cover those costs (unlikely, but go for it). That means the entire $300M for the City’s share of constructing the new stadium will be in the form of debt… to be paid by tax revenues from the re-development, when/if that ever happens (remember Bay Plaza). How are payments made before the redevelopment is complete?? Not from rent on the new stadium… the Rays prepaid that (their $150M “contribution”) and won’t pay any rent for 30 years.

Given all these unanswered questions, how can our City Council even consider putting a referendum on the ballot in November 2008? How can voters make an informed decision with so little information??

[Howard Troxler]

Orville & Wilber, I agree w/ about everything you just said. One minor thing, I believe TWO of the three want the city to pay for the Dome removal and the third just hasn't said.

These questions you raise have to be answered before the City Council can call an election. Have to be. They simply would be insane to try to call an election without answering them & I literally hope the people would recall the council if it tried.

Re: heat at the Al Lang ballgame: Yep, it's hot. But in fairness, let's compare apples to apples. The new stadium would be shielded by the sail, which would cut back on a lot of heat & the thing would cool off earlier in the evening. Most games are in the evening anyway. The whole thing is supposedly going to be designed in terms of air flow, circulation etc. that it is actually a little cooler than outside.

Yep, it will be warm, and the air-conditioned Dome is more comfortable for my tastes. But it's hot in the summer at a lot of ball parks around the U.S., and Florida is not the worst -- go spend a summer in St. Louie or go watch the Rangers play at home, man oh man.

I'm definitely skeptical on the money end of this deal, but not automatically opposed on the waterfront, enviro or aesthetic angles... not yet anyway.

[guy]

Howard thats the same answer Mayor Baker had yesterday, "the sail"
He was burnt to a crisp and its not hot out yet- everyone Led'OL
When he said that.

[guy]

William,I am not exagerating the heat and if you were there you know it, in the summer mo's it does not cool down at all on some night's.
I could see that the parking was a no can do and I know the downtown area well.
That was 6000, try 35000.
Yet the young rich boy's have all of City Hall abuzz.
I'd like to see Bakers Red Face today, its Literally "Red".

[Thor]

Guy, Thor wonders if you are paying attention. There will be a huge covering over the new stadium. Plus guess waht Guy, looking at the Rays schedule, 66 of the games this year will be at night. Guy, Thor knows there is no sun at night, plus the stadium will be covered Guy, no sun, because it is night and no sun, because it is covered. Guy, guess what, because it is covered, Thor knows no rain, in fact the whole thing will be covered, includeing the seats, and the field. No sun, no rain, 66 night games, come on Guy, Thor asks you to think. Thor has spoken: Thor is brave, Thor is wise, Thor is dry and comfortable becuase she is covered.

[guy]

Thor Go into Tent On HOT Day???
I know, "Mosquito netting"
Thor sounds like Hillary and my Third grade Nun.
Thor make "no rainy season"???
Wind catch sail, sail go to Tahiti.
Thor god of thunder, promise to stay home??
Cook.

Even if the money issue is addressed - a major league sized stadium is too large for the Al Lang site. Period.

Redevelop the Trop site with the Trop on it - as the bidders said they would be interested in doing.

Thor, everyone thinks your boring… and a tad narcissistic I might add.

… out.

Stop corporate welfare programs (csx, the Rays, ect…), eliminate pork projects, cut wasteful and unnecessary spending, and vote every incumbent out of office... and block Thor's IP address...

Problem Solved... and ignorance averted!

[thor]

Thor is amused at the comments about bugs. Thor guesses there are no bugs anywhere else. (Cleveland 2007 playoffs) Thank you for that fact there Guy. As for the posting at 8:54, typical of people who know when people are correct, you just want to shut them up, you don't want to hear the truth, Thor knows the truth, about the new stadium, about the trop redevelopment and its all good. Thor can't wait until 2012 when she will be watching baseball on Al Lang Way watching balls hit into the water. Thor has spoken, Thor is brave, Thor is wise, Thor is sunning herself right now, all bug free.

Thor can shop on Trop site! Bidders told everyone they will redevelop site with the Trop stadium on it.

" What! " voters say, " Rays lie? They must be greedy developers in sheep's clothing. Glad we found out in time to vote NO! "

So, go Thor, shop! We know its the ultimate intellectual pursuit for you. Thor ... fill your bags with junkie stuff. Fly Thor fly...fly like the bugs you are so fond of.

Then Thor go see baseball in Trop at same site - OK! Better for Thor - Thor not fall in water. Thor not too bright.

[Charter]

Thor speaks (to herself), Thor is delusional, Thor is passive aggressive, Thor is borderline schizophrenic, Thor’s puppet strings are too tight and cutting off circulation to Thor’s minion brain, Thor should tell the boys from New York to loosen those strings…

... Thor need our help!

[thor]

Thor asks those who try to copy Thor to please do a better job. The above attempts were very weak and not very original. Try things like this: Hey Poor, Odd, Wicked Wackos, thank you for having Kathy take the lead for you... Thor laughs, ha ha ha, Thor continues to laugh. Former so called lawyer going to run for mayor again, hey Kate, you lost the first time, that's just what we need another run by a person like you, all lemmings get in line behind your leader. Go ahead Kate, drive that ford. what's your platform? nothing? figures. And to think, Thor and you were once friends, oh well, Thor lives learns and shops whenver she feels like it. Thor has spoken, Thor is brave, Thor is wise, Thor is well endowed.

[Paul in St Pete]

See balls hit into the water? That sounds far fetched, won't there be cables, bleachers and big sail in the way? This project is being rammed down our tax paying throats by our City and Council who are turning a deaf ear to us residents. Guess they are looking for a resume boost, because they know they will be long gone if this gets built and they won't have to face the public on the huge waste of public resources this is. We are a small city. We can easily do without blighting our waterfront with a Walmart'ish mega stadium. Heck, you want a 320 foot pole with 1/4 mile of canvas hanging off it? Talk about an eyesore that we'll pay out the wazoo for. Yes, us, we'll pay because just look at the proposals. This rush job couldn't 'sell' the Trop as it said it could. I'm so flippin irked at the City for pulling this, its just not funny.

[Gadfly]

I think Kalt is Thor.