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Politics
Two sides of the Penny tax
It could pay for a jail expansion, but some argue the county has enough tax money to work with.
By JACOB H. FRIES
Published March 10, 2007
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Special Report: Penny for Pinellas
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The financial underpinning of Bayside Bridge was voter approval of the Penny for Pinellas tax in 1989.
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[Times photo: Skip O'Rourke]
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[Times photo: Douglass Clifford] Women inmates housed in 2C4, Central Division, gather for lunch in their pod at the Pinellas County Jail in November. If it passes, about $225-million of expected Penny revenue will be earmarked for jail expansion and court improvements.
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[Times file photo (2004)] A cyclist rides on an overpass that crosses the intersection of Tyrone and Bay Pines boulevards. The tax has been used to expand the trail. If approved, it will continue to fund improvements.
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[Times photo: Willie J. Allen Jr.]
The county wants to spend about $7-million in future Penny funds for camping upgrades, improvements to the fort structure, dune walkovers and various facility renovations and improvements at Fort De Soto.
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Wherever he goes these days - government meetings, Republican events, social gatherings - Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats delivers the same message: Support the Penny for Pinellas sales tax. He gives several reasons why, but none more compelling than the need to expand the Pinellas County Jail. The facility, built for 2,400, is grossly overcrowded, routinely holding 3,700 men and women. Each night hundreds of inmates must sleep in portable beds on the floor. Attacks on jail staff jumped 82 percent last year. "If the Penny doesn't pass, I guess we'll have to ask our citizens to take home a prisoner or an inmate for safe keeping," Coats said. "The alternative to jail expansion will be to release people back into the community, potentially compromising the safety of our citizens." The penny-on-the-dollar sales tax going before voters Tuesday is expected to provide Pinellas County and its cities almost $2-billion in revenue if extended from 2010 to 2020. About 10 percent of that, $225 million, would be taken off the top for court and jail projects. County officials have said their first priority would be a new 2,500-bed expansion that would bring the jail's capacity to 5,298. Coats says that critics of the tax have raised legitimate questions about some Penny-funded projects. But he added the county has no choice but to deal with jail crowding, which is expected to get worse in the coming years. The prospect of releasing inmates disturbs Coats. "What kind of message would that send to those who commit crimes?" he said. David McKalip, a St. Petersburg neurosurgeon leading the local group Cut Taxes Now, wonders why the county needs Penny funds to pay for jail improvements, considering how much in property taxes the county already collects. McKalip led a protest outside the Pinellas County Courthouse on Friday. "The government can't be trusted with these amounts of money," McKalip said. "They're simply engaging in political propaganda to get people to vote the way they want. ... When they get serious about property taxes, then they can ask the citizens to support other special projects." McKalip said the county should instead consider a local bond measure for jail projects, rather than relying on the Penny. "I believe we need to make sure that public safety is properly funded," he said. "And if a new jail is essential, they need to convince the voters of that." Jerry Herron, the county's budget chief, said failure of the Penny would not stop the county from addressing the jail issue. It would mean, however, that other priorities like parks or human services would suffer as monies were diverted to jail construction. "There are certain projects - bridges, roadways, jails - that it would be public malfeasance to ignore," Heron said. Coats hopes it doesn't come to that. He plans to continue spreading the word, gathering support until Tuesday. "I think about it every day," he said. "Any time I'm out and about in the community, I'm talking about it." Jacob H. Fries can be reached at 445-4156 or jfries@sptimes.com.
[Last modified March 10, 2007, 06:11:11]
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Comments on this article
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by RHW
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03/13/07 03:16 PM
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I can't beleive this....government is growing faster than anything in the county...government is expensive...vote NO...controll their spending...put a cap on all taxes..I'm tired of the threats!!!!!!!!!
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by John
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03/12/07 10:09 PM
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Governor Charlie Crist is against this Penny for Pinellas 1% tax. He thinks local government has way too much money and should actually cut taxes, not get more.
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by John
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03/12/07 10:03 PM
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Same threats and scare tactics were used by local officials in California before the Proposition 13 vote. It passed, and the sky did not fall. Police, fire department, prisoners were just fine. STOP THE SCARE TACTICS OR WE'LL VOTE THESE FATCATS OUT.
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by Tom
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03/12/07 09:29 PM
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66 counties in Florida have survived without this tax, why is Pinellas so different? Vote No on this tax. Hillsbourough is known for a more efficient court system and sheriff's office (without this tax). It's time for a new sheriff.
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by Jackie
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03/12/07 12:36 PM
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When the penny tax was originally approved, it was supposed to be a temporary solution for needed improvements. How many years does it takes in order to be considered a permanent tax. Its time to consider our needs versus our wants. Vote NO!
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by vdk
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03/12/07 11:19 AM
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Politicians will tell you they'll release prisoners, less police, less fire, and no libraries. How come they always say the same things? Guess it's a tried and true fear tactic. All Dems seem to support the tax. One Repub did. No more taxes!
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by mark
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03/11/07 07:46 PM
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perhaps if the mentally ill were not warehoused in the jails, there would be more room. also what % of jail population is victim less, such as prostitution and marijuana use?
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by John
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03/11/07 06:22 AM
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It is absolutely shameful that Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats is threatening county residents. Maybe it's time to vote him out of office. Former Pinellas Sheriffs have never done this. I urge voters to Vote NO on the tax plus a future NO for Coats
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by Jason
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03/10/07 02:21 PM
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Put these criminals to work. St. Pete is a dump, make these people clean up the area as chain gangs.
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by voteYES
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03/10/07 02:19 PM
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Maybe we can just ship some of our inmates to Ohio, where they obviously have a WONDERFUL prison system;according to the poster at 7:49am.
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by barb
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03/10/07 07:49 AM
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If the jails and prisons were less like a days inn maybe more money would there. Make all inmates work instead of visiting with their "bros". I am from Ohio and prison is a real ounishment not vacation
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