Daily Loaf

Leonard Schmiege is running for the St. Pete City Council seat currently held by incumbent Jeff Danner in District Eight.

Speaking to CL this afternoon, he called the Council’s decision on Thursday to revisit their vote from on allowing BayWalk to vacate the sidewalk where protesters have gathered “terrible.”

“This is about showing who’s boss,” he said referring to Mayor Rick Baker, who strongly supports the concept that the owners of the struggling shopping complex be allowed to vacate the shopping center as an incentive to bring retailers back.

“He wants to say, ‘I’m running this show’ and the input from the public is just a facade.”

After deadlocking on a 4-4 vote last week, denying BayWalk their request to take control of the public sidewalk , much of the St. Pete establishment has reacted with outrage, with editorials like this coming from the pages of the St. Pete Times editorial board last week.

The difference between last week and this week was that Council member Herb Polson reconsidered the vote, allowing council to discuss the issue at next week’s meeting, sans public involvement.

Three Council members reversed their vote last week on allowing for the vacation of the sidewalk, prompting CL blogger Chris Hrabovsky to write that those legislators were feeling the heat from their opponents in next month’s election.

Schmiege says that “the candidates with challengers are siding with the Constitution.  Without an election cycle, the public doesn’t have a chance.”

The St. Pete City Council will discuss the BayWalk issue next Thursday, October 15, at 3:00pm.

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