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Politics

Penny tax foes find a silver lining

The opposition made the 10-year tax renewal closer than the earlier polling had indicated.

By WILL VAN SANT
Published March 15, 2007

They didn't win Tuesday, but the critics of the Penny for Pinellas sales tax did affect the election and possibly even positioned themselves for a new degree of influence.

The 1-cent-on-the-dollar tax was never in serious danger of defeat during the low-turnout election. Fifty-seven percent of voters endorsed continuing the tax for 10 more years after 2010, when it was set to expire.

But polling the county did in the months before the vote suggests that Penny opponents - including environmentalists, antitax advocates and a Catholic bishop - did affect the outcome.

"They can't just totally discount us, which they have for some time," said St. Petersburg's Lorraine Margeson, who has tussled with the county over its environmental policies. "The battle is just about to begin."

The county spent $20,298 on several polls on the Penny. In December, support was running at 65 percent. In January, the figure rose to 70 percent and dipped in February to 67 percent.

A final poll March 8, after anti-Penny efforts became more vocal, showed support had dropped to 56 percent, about the same figure as Tuesday.

Among those coming out to criticize the tax in the days before the vote was Bishop Robert N. Lynch, who heads the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg. Lynch faulted the county's spending plan for future Penny revenue as doing too little to aid the poor.

Frank Murphy, who directs Catholic Charities and was involved in talks that prompted the bishop to step forward, said the church's move and the activism of other groups skeptical of the Penny had an impact.

And he said the church will continue its effort as county leaders craft a 2007-08 budget in coming months.

"We need to take the stand further until we do get more dollars for youth services and social services," Murphy said.

Several county commissioners agreed that the church and other groups had influenced the vote. But they were uncertain whether the critics' concerns could be addressed.

"The two issues, cut taxes and fund social services, are worlds apart," said County Commissioner Karen Seel.

One commissioner said the groups that pitted themselves against the Penny may have actually diminished their shot at having a seat at the table when spending and policy decisions are being made.

County Commissioner John Morroni said that was certainly true of the Catholic Church, which rather than having raised its profile, grievously disappointed many of the faithful, including him.

"As the only Catholic commissioner, I was appalled by the bishop's involvement in this," Morroni said. "Where was he when we were out speaking to the public in recent months? He was nowhere."

Will Van Sant can be reached at vansant@sptimes.com or 727 445-4166.

[Last modified March 15, 2007, 06:16:39]