Northpinellas: Commissioners spell out wish list to state legislators

CLEARWATER -- Your balding Christmas tree may be sprawled at the curb, but Pinellas County commissioners made clear to state lawmakers Thursday that they hope the season of giving is far from over.

Commissioners met with the county's legislative delegation over lunch and outlined their priorities, leaving no doubt about what they want from the 2001 session: money -- to fix traffic problems, renourish beaches, support community mental health programs and promote economic development.

Congress set aside $50-million in October to help Pinellas County fix U.S. 19 this year. Now county commissioners are asking the state to ante up some dollars for the road.

Though they did not specify exactly how much they want the state to chip in, commissioners and several members of the delegation said they are hoping to secure another $50-million, if not more. Gov. Jeb Bush awarded $100-million to the U.S. 19 cause last year, but that money does not become available until 2009.

Turning U.S. 19 into a controlled access road with on-ramps and flyovers from Pasco County to St. Petersburg would cost nearly $546-million, the county estimates. Meanwhile, motorists and pedestrians die on the road at a rate of one each month.

"It's become the most infamous road in Florida, I believe," said Commissioner Karen Seel, who led a task force that suggested improvements to the road.

Seel also asked for $32.7-million to design and build part of an "intelligent transportation system" that would connect the traffic signals now controlled separately by Clearwater, St. Petersburg and the county, thus alerting drivers to traffic tie-ups.

Sen. Jim Sebesta, R-St. Petersburg, who will head the Senate Transportation Committee this year, said he feels confident he can secure state money for U.S. 19. Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Palm Harbor, was more cautious, saying he thought competition from the state's high speed rail initiative might make transportation dollars scarce.

Pinellas officials also made a plea Thursday for state money to serve Pinellas County patients of G. Pierce Wood Hospital for the mentally ill in Arcadia, which is being phased out over the next two years, as well as other mentally ill residents who can no longer be sent there.

Even though the hospital costs $44-million a year to operate, Latvala said he opposes closing the facility.

"Local government is not going to save money," said Latvala. He said he worries that Pinellas County may not get its fair share of state mental health dollars.

"The end result is they'll be wandering around the streets of Pinellas County, mumbling to themselves and screaming at people," he said. "That's what closing G. Pierce Wood is going to mean to Pinellas County."

Martha Lenderman, a mental health consultant to the county, said legislators need to make sure that does not happen by pushing for those funds.

"We're not looking for a turkey here," she said.

Pinellas officials also asked for money to renourish three of the county's beaches: $600,000 for Honeymoon Island, $300,000 for Long Key North and $200,000 for Treasure Island's Sunset Beach segment.

In addition, commissioners asked lawmakers to contribute $8-million toward a $22-million business and technology center. The Epicenter, a joint project of the county and St. Petersburg Junior College, would be built across from the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport.

The 80,000-square-foot complex, scheduled to open in January 2003, would house at least six county departments and serve as a training center for private-sector workers.

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