Friday, December 30, 2011

Mayor Bill Foster Procrastinates on Selling New Police HQ

Mayor Bill Foster is accepting blame for low approval numbers in St. Petersburg to build a new $60 million Police Headquarters. According to the St. Petersburg Tampa Bay Times article, Foster said "That one's on me... We're early in the process, but we need to do a better job educating the people."

Early in the process? He knew 10 years ago when he was on City Council that the police station needed to be replaced, and again over seven months ago when the City Council voted to proceed with the plan, so how exactly are we 'early in the process' Mr. Mayor? Maybe he should spend less time writing plays and traveling on the taxpayer's dime, and more time on critical projects like the new police station.

Doc Webb over at The Patch presses the need for a new police HQ, as does the St. Petersburg Tampa Bay Times in their recent editorial, but it seems as though the cost is what most people are finding hard to swallow, especially after seeing what we are being forced to settle for in the New Pier and the $40-$140 million that project is going to cost, at the same time we will be building the new police HQ. In the comments on the St. Petersburg Tampa Bay Times articles you will see many calling for a reevaluation of what is really needed in the new Police HQ, mostly since the price seems a bit inflated, especially for a city that is decreasing in size.

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