While their delivery styles are different, both City Commission candidates outline many of the same problems - and offer similar fixes.
By MEGAN SCOTT
Published February 11, 2004
CLEARWATER - Despite the fact that Carlen Petersen and Don Casey are opponents vying for the same City Commission seat, they share the same concerns about Clearwater Beach: parking, balancing condos with the motel/hotel industry and developing the beach walk.
Even the solutions they suggest for the city's major problems, such as a $2.6-million potential budget shortfall, were the same.
During a candidates forum Tuesday evening, they both called for no new taxes, and challenged the city's departments to come up with creative ways to save money. "When you add taxes and fees Clearwater citizens pay, we're one of the highest municipalities in the county," Casey said. "I've talked to two different people in the last week. It took one of them a year to get a permit. What if they had been a builder?"
It seems the most obvious difference between the two candidates for Seat 4 was in their delivery styles. While Petersen came across as polished, Casey at times appeared to search for the right words, and at one point, suggested the city should close down the Pinellas Library Co-op on Cleveland Street, mistaking it for a Clearwater branch library.
During the hourlong forum, which was moderated by Joseph Childs, the St. Petersburg Times' managing editor/Clearwater, Petersen and Casey, the only two candidates vying for Seat 4, discussed everything from the possibility of a new movie theater to problems with the Memorial Causeway Bridge.
Petersen, 49, formerly an attorney for the city of Chicago, has had more experience in politics than Casey. She has attended every City Commission meeting since November, studied the budget and had discussions with the city staff to discuss the inner workings of government. She has also raised more than twice the amount of money as Casey - more than $16,000.
Petersen appears to have the support of the local business community as well. She has received two major endorsements: one from CLEARPAC, a political affiliate of the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the other from the Pinellas Realtor association.
Casey, 66, was an administrator with Pinellas County schools for 40 years. He has said he is counting on his former students to make up the bulk of his support. He said during the forum that he has lived in Clearwater since 1963, longer than his opponent.
While both agreed a movie theater would be great for the city, Petersen wants to see one downtown, while Casey worries about the lack of parking. Petersen also thinks the city has been moving at a good pace with its projects, while Casey, more critical, would like to see it slow down.
Casey and Petersen both said they are satisfied with the city's plan for downtown. They want to redevelop the site of Jack Russell Stadium, improve the fire department and increase wages for police officers.
The forum made a difficult choice for Saundra Curry, 61, who has been a Clearwater resident for 12 years. She thought she already knew whom to vote for on March 9. "Now I'm not so sure," she said. "I think they both did a good job. I wish the audience could have asked questions."
