'Ifs' reign as county plans its next steps

Will tourism revenue drop? What will added security cost? Officials have few answers but talk of belt-tightening.

By LISA GREENE

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 25, 2001

Pinellas County leaders heard many questions but few answers Monday as they discussed how the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks will affect county government and industry.

County sales tax revenues, airport schedules and tourism jobs are all likely to drop, county department leaders told commissioners.

Meanwhile, the county faces extra costs, from added security at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport to job training for laid-off tourism workers.

But how much the county's tourism engine will be hurt and how much extra the county will have to spend remains to be seen. So far, few resorts have reported layoffs or reservation cancellations for the county's peak season, from January to April.

"There are so many "ifs.' If there's no recurrence to this insanity, then we probably will pretty much come back to a normal pace," said Walter Klages, chief executive of Research Data Services, which does tourism research for the county. "I expect we will have a solid year but not necessarily a record year."

Still, interim County Administrator Gay Lancaster told commissioners Monday that county supervisors are holding jobs open, canceling travel plans and finding other ways to economize. If tourism falls, county revenues could drop, too.

Meanwhile, the county's job placement agency plans to ask the state for $2-million so that it can train laid-off tourism workers, said Bonnie Moore, the agency's executive director. And the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is ready to use its reserve funds and change the timing or location of its advertising campaigns as officials there see how the crisis affects tourism, said executive director Carole Ketterhagen.

The county needs to tackle such changes head-on, commissioners said Tuesday. Some talked about the need for budget cuts.

"I don't think the scare is over yet," said Commissioner John Morroni. "We have to continue to be very careful and be ready. . . . Since we passed our budget a month ago, the world has changed."

"We're going to have to tighten our belts," said Commissioner Bob Stewart. "We can make some reductions and not have our service delivery suffer."

Others said county airport officials need to exceed, not just meet, new federal security rules. Commissioner Barbara Sheen Todd said she wants officials to review the airport's baggage claim system, access to the tarmac and other key security points.

"I would like to see Pinellas County take a proactive approach," she said. "It isn't business as usual. People aren't going to fly unless they feel safe."

The airport already has added sheriff's deputies, moved parking farther from the terminal and increased baggage screening. Airport director David Metz isn't sure how much the added security will cost.

At the same time, county revenues could fall. Most of the county's building and road projects are paid for by its Penny for Pinellas sales tax dollars. About 30 to 40 percent of that money comes from tourism spending, Lancaster said.

So if fewer tourists visit here, money for longterm projects would fall and some projects would have to be delayed.

But commissioners might want to reorder their project list, Lancaster said. The biggest project likely to be delayed is building a new EMS communications center, something commissioners may now view as more critical.

"These are uncertain times, and we'll have to look at everything on an ongoing basis," she said.

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