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Letter to the editor

3 council members get boost from Rays

Two team execs make campaign donations.

By CRISTINA SILVA, Times Staff Writer
Published January 17, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - In the midst of secret discussions with the city staff over a proposed waterfront baseball stadium, Tampa Bay Rays officials quietly donated to the election campaigns of three City Council members.

Matthew Silverman, president of the Rays, and Michael Kalt, senior vice president of development and business affairs, collectively contributed $1,250 to the election campaigns of council members Jamie Bennett, Herb Polson and Earnest Williams.

The three men, along with the rest of the council, are set to vote today on a proposal by the Rays to redevelop Tropicana Field into a retail and housing complex. The plan calls for tax dollars generated by the development to help cover the cost of a new stadium at the site of Al Lang Field.

Kalt and Silverman contributed to the campaigns of Polson, Bennett and Williams in September, two months before the team's stadium plans were revealed on the St. Petersburg Times' Web site, tampabay.com.

At the time, Polson and Bennett were running for re-election. Williams, a Democrat, is running for the state Legislature seat now held by Rep. Frank Peterman Jr., who must step down because of term limits.

Bennett received $250 from Silverman. Williams and Polson received $250 each from both Kalt and Silverman.

Polson, Williams and Bennett said they did not solicit the campaign contributions and that they first learned of the proposed stadium through the reports in the Times. The contributions will not influence their votes, they said.

"I am going to vote for this because I represent the citizens of St. Pete, who are both for and against this project, not because of some contribution," Bennett said.

"I don't see this is a big deal," Williams said. "They didn't pay me off to do anything because I haven't done anything. I didn't ask them for a contribution, and I didn't have private conversations with them about their proposal."

Kalt could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

If the council approves the Tropicana redevelopment plan Thursday, the proposal would be sent out to developers nationwide with a deadline to respond by March 18.

The public will not be allowed to speak during the council debate today.

Cristina Silva can be reached at 727 893-8846 or csilva@sptimes.com.

[Last modified January 17, 2008, 01:07:56]