Largo fee chases away many from city ballfields

The decision to charge non-residents more to play in the Greater Largo Little League has led to a sharp drop in the program's membership this year.

By ERIC STIRGUS

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 31, 2001

LARGO -- The Greater Largo Little League has seen a 40-percent drop in its membership this year and officials say the city's decision to charge non-residents more to play on city fields is to blame.

Parents who live in unincorporated Pinellas County now pay as much as $100 for their children to play.

City officials say the additional fee helps cover what non-residents don't pay in city taxes that go to keep the fields in shape. But the decision hasn't set well with parents.

During last week's registration, for example, parents screamed at city employees about having to pay more.

"Feelings have been hurt on both sides and it's unfortunate," said Cathy Santa, the city's recreation and parks director.

Charile Aldrich, a Little League board member, said, "People are bitter."

City officials further alienated parents by having employees distribute information that suggested the answer to the higher fees would be annexing into the city.

"I am for annexation to a point, but when parents are being offered annexation agreements in lieu of paying out of the city cost, I just find that in poor taste," said City Commissioner Mary Laurance. City Manager Steven Stanton agreed to stop the practice.

Last year, about 500 children registered for Little League. At the end of registration, only 300 kids signed up. Registration will be reopened Saturday.

Commissioners agreed to change the fee structure last year, requiring Largo residents buy a recreation card for $3.50 and pay a $5 per-player fee. Non-residents are charged a $20 fee and must buy a six- or 12-month recreation card. Six month cards cost $15, while yearlong cards cost $25. The league did lower its registration fee, for both city and non-city residents, to $55 from $65.

"To a lot of people, it's a lot of money," Aldrich said of the non-resident fees.

For Stephanie Harding, who lives east of city limits, it was too much money. A single parent, Harding did not know about the additional costs until she arrived at the field on Highland Avenue to register.

"I just couldn't (pay) it," said Harding, 42, who works for a company that monitors research on new drugs.

Her son, Chase, 9, had his heart set on playing and left in tears.

The Greater Largo Little League agreed to pay for Chase to play this season. The organization will pay the entire cost for 18 other children, but league officials say those costs add up and they can't do it for everyone.

City officials say they are not trying to be mean to the kids. Santa, the parks director, noted that Largo pays $50,000 for two employees who maintain the fields. There is also the cost to buy sod and other materials for the fields, not to mention lighting costs for night games.

"There is no way myself or city staff are doing this to harm children," Santa said.

Little League officials point to agreements with other cities where the organization pays for maintenance fees, instead of making parents foot the bill.

"They're hurting the kids," said Bob Gibson, administrator of Little League in North Pinellas. "It hurts me very deeply that a city would hurt kids that way."

Santa said city commissioners pulled out of a such agreement because there is no difference in what Largo residents and non-residents pay for their kids to play Little League.

Commissioners "feel very strongly there should be a difference between residents and non-residents," Santa said.

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