Council seats take on new importance
A Times EditorialPublished November 5, 2007
At a time when Florida lawmakers are increasing restraints on city government spending, the budget decisions made by the St. Petersburg City Council are as important as ever. That is reason enough for city voters to head to the polls on Tuesday, when four council seats are on the ballot.
Take, for example, Ed Montanari. He is an American Airlines pilot who is running for his first public office. Like other candidates, he says he would make police and fire protection his top spending priority. But he doesn't stop there.
"One department I would seek to preserve would be youth programming and parks and recreation," he writes. "You don't need to look very far - for example BayWalk on weekends -- to see that there are few structured programs for our young people that hold their interest."
Montanari is right, and many parents are likely to agree. He has a reputation as a thoughtful consensus builder and is the best newcomer on the ballot. His race will be on Tuesday's ballot with three other council races, including one that pits incumbent James Bennett against "New Election" because his opponent dropped out.
In the District 7 race, with two newcomers who are hoping to succeed Rene Flowers into office, questions have been raised about the criminal record of Gershom Faulkner.
Faulkner, a decorated Marine who has worked for state Rep. Frank Peterman and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, has indeed been arrested for driving on a suspended license and passing a worthless check. But he has dealt with those issues in his life, and he has not tried to hide them in this campaign. We think Faulkner has learned from that past, and he has many respected public officials in his corner.
In St. Petersburg's council elections, voters from each district decide the top two candidates in the primary. In Tuesday's general election, those candidates face all voters. The Times recommends:
District 1: Herb Polson
District 3: Ed Montanari
District 5: James Bennett
District 7: Gershom Faulkner