Monday, March 24

Good morning and happy Monday. I don't know about you, but I have only 9 correct picks in the Sweet 16, and, like a lot of people, lost one of my Final Four teams when Georgetown got knocked out by Davidson yesterday. My bracket said Georgetown but, bein' originally from North Carolina, my heart cheered for the underdog.

I notice that a lively and sometimes nasty debate has continued in the comments following the last post about the baseball stadium. I even deleted a couple and asked other folks to quit calling each other names. Sheesh, there's enough to disagree about just based on the merits, isn't there? At any rate, the St. Petersburg City Council gets its first official look at the Tropicana Field proposals this Thursday. I hope you checked Aaron Sharockman's story this morning about the environmental aspect of those proposals. Me, I am holding off putting on my enviro-hat until I get past the threshold issue of whether the thing even works financially.

My colleague Steve Bousquet had a story this morning about yet another round of cuts in the current year's state budget. The total so far is about $1.6-billion out of a state budget of $70-billion. Not to sound like our pollyanna-ish governor, but that is not catastrophic by itself... the problem, as Steve points out, is that most state spending is in education and human services and if you can't cut them, the cuts fall disproportionately on everybody else.

There is a bigger job ahead for next year, where maybe twice as much in cuts have to be found. On top of this, the Legislature will have to figure out what to do if the voters approve yet another property tax amendment this fall, ordering lawmakers to replace most school property taxes with other kinds of taxes...

Despite all these pressing issues, I will probably bravely stand up to public criticism and write tomorrow's print column about my puppy, for a change of pace -- I mean, I can't just gripe about the Legislature and the baseball stadium full-time, can I? The trick to writing about one's animals, I have found, is to adopt a faux-dispassionate atttiude and to minimize the number of adjectives...

Don't forget Tuesday's weekly live chat here on TroxBlog from noon to 1 p.m., in which I'll be taking live questions and comments about current events... I'll post a full announcement later today.

Comments

[guy]

Dear Howard,
Yes, I am starting to lean towards the stadium, only because they seem to have worked out most of the problems.
I was pleased to see the many improvements that he Ray’s ownership has promised for the new stadium.
They are going to give the first 5000 fans a bottle of sunscreen at every daytime home game, in a Ray shaped dispenser.
They will be serving MSG free, fried sting ray sandwich’s with a bottle of the new Joe Madden Beer, for just $12.00.
They are going to put a laser beam protection barrier over the field to keep out flying pests.
The one thing I do disagree with them about, is displaying Ted William’s frozen head at the main entrance. I think this is tacky and could seem disrespectful and I am sure, many Red Sox fans will be offended.
Their plan to support Wade Boggs for Mayor is outstanding.
He should give them a big boost on the new stadium, and add some notoriety to our little city.

[Kay]

I'm still stuck on "Hybrid vehicle “charging” stations are contemplated for the parking garages associated with the project." (Archstone-Madison) I thought there was supposed to be affordable housing in the mix. People who need affordable housing are not driving hybrid vehicles and people driving hybrids are not interested in living near affordable housing.

[guy]

Kay, Shame on you for not having a Hybrid.
The best part of the plan is to have a new moving sidewalk like the airports have, that will go all the way down Central Avenue.

[Jan]

I was surprised Aaron Sharockman's story didn't mention the whooping crane habitat... you know, for all the whooping cranes that abound in downtown St. Pete. Sheesh.

[Rich]

Trox,

Simple solution to stadium financing. Charge a "use tax" on every ticket sold to an event there. Just as they should charge "use" taxes on parks, museums,public pools, etc. in order to build, operate, and mantain them.

Government should be in place to provide services for the less fortunate not for building their pet projects that benefit wealthy developers and pro sports owners(i.e. stadiums, art museums and riverwalks).

I don't think it's fair for those in St Pete that oppose the stadium to have to pay taxes to build the stadium in order for me to use it(I live in Tampa). Just like I don't think it's fair my tax dollars should be used to build a ridiculous park (Curtis Hixon) downtown that I will not use. If there is an actual demand for it then "use" taxes would pay for it. If the people don't demand something then it shouldn't be built in the first place.

[justme]

Very well put Rich. I think that is a very good suggestion.

Guy, Please get the story right.

The Rays have a giant 100 ft X 100 ft Bug Zapper that will swing from the 30 story poll in center field. When a bug gets electrocuted it will shoot out a giant neon blue spray of bug detritus and the staticky sound will be amplified throughout downtown. Um..you know...kind of an environmental gift the Rays are giving the city.

And please - it is fried Manatee.

Can Wade Boggs play guitar? I'm not gonna be fooled about another mayoral candidate again.

[guy]

No Name Sorry I was confused by all the facts!!!!
I knew it was something like that:-(

"Yes, I am starting to lean towards the stadium, only because they seem to have worked out most of the problems."

... except for that whole lying to the taxpayers thing. But hey, who's counting... on them.

[George Dahlberg]

I think if the Rays want a new stadium they should build one where ever they can afford to build one. But with their own money, not state or county or city tax dollars.