Daily Loaf

The City Council of St. Petersburg will make a decision this Thursday that will signal what path the city is taking for the future. The council will vote on spending nearly $700,000 in taxpayer money for more police and special projects for the owners of BayWalk, including privatization of the sidewalk outside the mall entrance.  BayWalk’s ownership, whose controlling interest is held by Wells Fargo Bank, said without the subsidy and the sidewalk, they cannot possibly turn around the failing entertainment complex.

From the standpoint of public policy that promotes sustainable economics, the council’s choice is clear, I think. Will it continue a worn-out policy of subsidies to out-of-town corporations and mainly profit the wealthy few? Or will it adopt an enlightened, sustainable public policy that promotes economic development of all local residents, in every community, not just the privileged ones?
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I thought the fuel injectors on my Jetta Diesel were pricey, until I saw what the Tampa Water Department recently charged the Yankees for a new water meter at George Steinbrenner Field – $42,000. According to the department , the fee is based on the amount of water that passes at peak demand. Water guzzlers are more expensive. Sounds fair to me, given we are supposed to be conserving water.

The Yankees didn’t like the fee so they asked the department to waive the charge. Shoot – why didn’t I think of that when I recently had my fuel injectors serviced at a dealer?  “Hey these injectors are a rip off. Can you just waive the installation?” Right. I guess that’s why George Steinbrenner is the multi-billionaire, and I write for blogs.

 This week my faith in a universe that might contain a microscopic shred of justice was restored, for a brief, exquisite moment, when the water department turned down the Yankee’s request.  They pay full boat, like everyone else.
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With a helping handout from taxpayers, multinational bankers like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan have given themselves record bonuses – billions of dollars – in 2009. What? You didn’t get your record, subsidized bonus in 2009?

Despite those giddy Wall Street windfalls and federal stimulus package, the Florida employed rate topped 10.6% in June – 970,000 Floridians “officially” jobless. How many of your family, friends, and neighbors have yet to be lifted out of the economic black hole that seems to be consuming more and more of us?

In the Tampa-St. Petersburg region, we need our own stimulus package – for us. Read the rest of this entry »