<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0Ia526_1Gtansiq00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0Ia526_1Gtansiq00" width="1448" height="1086" ></figure>With the passage of Amendment 3 and its expansion of the homestead exemption, St. Petersburg faces uncertainty about where it will get the revenue it needs to pay for city services or what services will it cut. An independent citizen advisory council could help the city address these issues.If the city has less money to work with, what should it do differently? How can we reduce costs while protecting the services that make this a good place to live, or will residents face higher tax rates or fees to make up the difference?For me, that question starts with something I see from my bike.I ride with the St. Pete Bike Club. We ride down Beach Drive and North Shore, and it’s unbelievable how bad these roads are. There are potholes, cracks and uneven patches all along the way. Go out and drive these streets yourself. Then imagine what it’s like on a bike.These are also the same waterfront streets that help shape a visitor’s impression of St. Petersburg. We count on people wanting to come here, and we talk about what a beautiful city we have. Yet these streets are in terrible shape.I don’t ride on every street in St. Petersburg, but here are a few examples of conditions that make a bike ride a challenge.But guess what? Finding the money to fix these streets may soon be an even bigger problem. And streets are only the beginning.<h2>Less Revenue. The Same Responsibilities.</h2>Former state Senator Jeff Brandes, who lives here in St. Petersburg, recently wrote in Florida Politics about the financial consequences of Amendment 3 for Florida’s cities and counties. His point is straightforward: reducing property taxes doesn’t reduce the need for firefighters, police officers, drainage and road repairs.We don’t yet know how all this will play out. But we already have streets that need fixing and services that residents depend on.<blockquote>We shouldn’t wait for a budget crisis to examine how the city spends its money. </blockquote>The work should begin now: looking at the city’s responsibilities, what it costs to fulfill them and how we could do it better.<h2>An Advisory Council Could Take This On</h2>I’ve written before about the need for an independent citizen advisory council in St. Petersburg. Helping the city prepare for reduced property tax revenue could be one of its assignments.It could be the same council Charlie Crist has talked about as a blue-ribbon committee to help figure out what to do with the Gas Plant property. With separate subcommittees bringing together people with the right experience, the advisory council could address both the Gas Plant’s future and the city’s finances.That means more than asking every department to trim a few dollars. It means looking seriously at what the city does, what it costs and what residents get for their money.What are the city’s essential responsibilities? What activities might no longer belong on that list? What could be done differently, shared with another government or delivered at a lower cost?The mayor and City Council would still make the decisions.<h2>We Need to Start Now</h2>We need to begin this work now, rather than waiting until we’re scrambling to decide what to cut or which fees to raise. An independent advisory council could work with city staff and elected officials to help identify the best way forward.Because it’s not just about me on my bike.</div></body>

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With the passage of Amendment 3 and its expansion of the homestead exemption, St. Petersburg faces uncertainty about where it will get the revenue it needs to pay for city services or what services will it cut. An independent citizen advisory council could help the city address these issues. If...

We’re in for Quite a Ride

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With the passage of Amendment 3 and its expansion of the homestead exemption, St. Petersburg faces uncertainty about where it will get the revenue it needs

We’re in for Quite a Ride

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