Candidate responds

By Times Staff Writer
Published January 23, 2008

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Editor's note: Rita Garvey, a candidate for mayor in Clearwater's Jan. 29 election, submitted the following response to the St. Petersburg Times' editorial recommendation of her opponent, incumbent Frank Hibbard.

Rita Garvey

It is easy to lead the city in the "right direction." It is easy to lead the city in the "right direction" when you are working from a firm base because of good decisions made by past city commissions.

When I was in office we approved and implemented:

-Community policing.

-A citywide library system.

-Neighborhood recreation centers.

-A recycling and reuse program.

While I was in office we had a strong international tourist trade coming to Clearwater Beach. Do we have that now?

While I was in office we had viable businesses in downtown Clearwater. Do we have that now?

The challenge of the future is working with less. The city budgets of the past two years reflect a millage decrease, but that is misleading because the value of the mill had increased so there was little decrease in the amount of monies collected. That will not continue. Our challenge is to review every department and, with the help of citizen input, determine what are essential services.

Do our citizens want expensive facade projects for downtown, or the neighborhood libraries and recreation centers that serve more people? Should we subsidize developers, or keep our excellent police and fire services? The citizens within our community know that they have to live within their budgets and they expect no less from the city. The question is, what are their spending priorities? I intend to ask.

I look forward to the challenge.

Vote Rita Garvey on Jan. 29.