On Tuesday night, city commissioners learned the city must raise its water and sewer rates by an additional two percent each year through 2019 to make up for revenue shortfalls and remain in compliance with bond covenants. ...more

November 21, 2009

Only a few years ago, Pinellas County and city officials were worrying aloud that condo developers were going to snatch up all the county's waterfront property, driving off the Pinellas tourism and hospitality industry. Long before that could happen, the state's real estate market collapsed, bringing the condo development craze to a halt. ...more

May 30, 2009

Although anti-tax sentiment remains strong in Tallahassee, Gov. Charlie Crist is showing leadership by proposing the state begin charging a fee to bottle water companies that each day siphon millions of gallons of Florida's water for free. ...more

March 7, 2009

The 2009 regular session of the Florida Legislature is under way. The issue dominating the proceedings is the dwindling state government revenue stream. According to current estimates, planned spending for the state's 2010 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, will have to be cut by $5 billion. If not, there would be a budget deficit, which the state constitution bans. The Legislature could reduce the future red ink potential by asking the Florida voters to do away with the class size amendment to the state constitution they approved in 2002. Unfortunately, lawmakers may only delay class-size compliance a year and ask voters to approve a change in the way compliance is determined next year. ...more

March 4, 2009

Kudos to Commissioner Carlson for asking "Where's the money coming from?" and then voting "no" to voluntarily reducing county revenue. The other commissioners should have followed the rookie's lead. Instead, the majority approved measures (senior citizen tax break and combat troop stipend) which had been turned down or tabled back when the county had the money to spend. What's the logic; now that we can't afford it, we'll do it? I'm not addressing the merits of either proposal, but neither should the commission have. The county should simply not entertain requests for exemptions or expenditures from special interest groups until its revenue stream is stable; tax reductions have consequences. ...more

November 25, 2008

Voters in much of Pinellas County will cast ballots for their representatives in the Florida House of Representatives this November. Five district races are being contested. One features a write-in slot, and in another, a challenger has withdrawn even though her name remains on the ballot. ...more

October 27, 2008

When Barbara Terry fell behind on her mortgage payments earlier this year, she did the previously unthinkable. Through a local housing organization, she and her daughter, Imani, 9, rented part of their single-family house to a stranger. ...more

August 3, 2008

TARPON SPRINGS - - Water and sewer rates in the city will go up each year for the next decade. The question is by how much? ...more

June 7, 2008

One thing's for sure: The state did not fulfill its promise to hold education harmless. ...more

June 4, 2008

One thing's for sure: The state did not fulfill its promise to hold education harmless. ...more

June 3, 2008