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Penny projects

By Times Staff Writer
Published March 11, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT Special Report: Penny for Pinellas A question of cost vs. benefit State officials split on Penny Two sides of the Penny tax Resources: What is Penny for Pinellas? Past and future projects Pinellas County Web site The financial underpinning of Bayside Bridge was voter approval of the Penny for Pinellas tax in 1989. [Times photo: Skip O'Rourke] [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. [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. [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.

Penny projects

Paid for by Penny

Among the projects that Penny for Pinellas funds have helped pay for:

- Bayside Bridge.

- Criminal Justice Center and jail addition.

- Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo.

- Pinellas Trail.

- Pinellas County Animal Services facility.

- The Memorial Causeway Bridge and the Harborview Center in Clearwater.

-New fire stations in Lealman, Tierra Verde, East Lake, Clearwater and St. Petersburg.

-New libraries in Clearwater, Largo and Seminole.

-Recreation facilities in Dunedin, Seminole, Palm Harbor, St. Petersburg and Gulfport.

Planned using future Penny funds

- 118th Avenue Expressway linking Interstate 275 and U.S. 19.

- Construction of additional segments of the Pinellas Trail.

- Placing underground the overhead lines and streetscaping on Gulf Boulevard.

- Land purchases to preserve public beach access.

- Expansion and renovation of the Palm Harbor and East Lake libraries.

- New St. Petersburg police headquarters and emergency operations center.

- Redevelopment of Coachman Park in Clearwater.

- New Highland Recreation Complex in Largo.

- Replacement of the Palms and Capri bridges on Treasure Island.

- A new police station and a public works complex in Pinellas Park.

- New roads and road improvements in Tarpon Springs.

[Last modified March 10, 2007, 19:50:34]