Casey Desantis defends the program | May 15th
I hope for Florida
If the governor and his wife want to prove that it is nothing more than a “existence” thrown into hope Florida, it’s very easy for them to do so. All they have to do is provide a full accounting of how Florida spent that money. These are not stupid people. If they could prove that money was being used to fulfill the organization’s mission, they would have done so before.
Scott Stoltz, St. Petersburg
A new vision for tropsites without rays? St. Pete Commons | Line, May 8th
Next legacy
St. Petersburg has one chance to do something transformative on its 86-acre gas plant site. You need to get it right.
Former mayor Rick Baker proposed a bold vision centered around a large park and a community-first development approach. He’s right. This site must have Commons, a signature urban park to which everyone belongs.
Imagine a walkable, inclusive neighborhood where people live, work and gather. Local businesses thrive next to art venues and green spaces, and amazing parks like Boston Common and Central Park live civic life in the heart of our city.
You cannot achieve this by handing the entire project to one developer. Instead, the city will need to rebuild its street grids, hire world-class planning companies, hire the public, and spend time selling parcels to a variety of builders. This ensures long-term equity, quality and public interest.
They must also respect the legacy of black families who evacuated the gas factory area by placing work, ownership and opportunity at the heart of their plans decades ago.
There’s no need to rush to St. Petersburg. But leadership that is rooted in vision, transparency and trust is needed. Gas plant sites are too important to misunderstand. Let’s become a home run for everyone.
Ron Diner, St. Petersburg
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