Commissioners vote 4-2 to give themselves a 3 percent increase, which will require a hearing. They deadlock over renaming Greenwood.
By SHANNON TAN
Published September 8, 2004
LARGO - After going a year without a pay raise, city commissioners took the first step Tuesday to give themselves more money.
They voted 4-2 to increase salaries by 3 percent. The final vote and public hearing will be held Sept.21.
Last year, the commission initially approved a pay raise of 5 percent, down from the proposed 7 percent, but the final vote rejected the salary increase.
The commission approved a 7 percent increase in fiscal 2003.
"I'm concerned if we don't make some adjustments in the salary, we're not going to get any candidates to run for office," said Mayor Bob Jackson.
If the raise is approved, the mayor's salary would increase from $17,672.66 to $18,202.84. The salary for city commissioners would rise from $11,781.77 to $12,135.22.
Commissioners Charlie Harper and Gay Gentry voted against the pay raise.
Harper said he felt it was inappropriate to give himself a raise in a year with a property tax hike.
The city staff is recommending a property tax increase of $1 for every $1,000 of taxable property value. The first of two public hearings on the budget will take place Sept. 9.
Also on Tuesday, commissioners deadlocked on whether to rename Greenwood Avenue after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
City commissioners will vote on the resolution again at the next meeting Sept. 21. Vice Mayor Pat Gerard, who has said she will support the renaming, was absent Tuesday.
Two years ago, Largo considered renaming a street after the late civil rights leader. They ended up rejecting the idea in favor of a memorial to King in Largo Central Park.
After stumbling upon a street named Greenwood Avenue on the Largo and county side, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue on the Clearwater side, Mayor Jackson asked the staff to determine whether it was feasible to rename the street to maintain consistency.
Clearwater officials renamed their city's section of the road north of Belleair Road. The remaining portion of Greenwood Avenue is about a quarter of a mile long.
"I don't think that renaming this road to make it one name all the way through from Clearwater to Largo pre-empts anything we're looking to do in Largo Central Park to honor (King)," said Commissioner Pat Burke. "I don't care what you call it, as long as you call it one name."
But the city's Martin Luther King memorial committee rejected the proposal, saying it was too insignificant a move.
"You're really not going to do anything to honor Dr. King," said resident Rodney Woods, a member of the committee. "I don't buy this street-naming logic."
The memorial suggested by the committee is on hold while officials decide what to do with the existing library building next to the proposed plaza.
Commissioner Gay Gentry wondered whether the proposal meant that Largo planned to pursue consistency in other streets with two names, such as Starkey and Keene roads.
"I'm not going to support renaming this particular little piece," she said.
Jackson pointed out that if the street is good enough to be named after King in Clearwater, the same should be true for Largo.
"It's not a dishonor," he said.
Commissioner Jean Halvorsen voted against the proposal, saying she received a call from a woman who said the street has always been known as Greenwood Avenue.
Commissioner Harriet Crozier said she would back the proposal if the county supports it. But Pinellas County commissioners first have to receive a request from the city before deciding whether to rename the part of Greenwood Avenue that is in unincorporated Pinellas County. The process is expected to take about three months.
