Today, January 2, 2014, our new mayor, Rick Kriseman, was sworn into office. Seeing as iLovetheBurg.com‘s headquarters is located across the street from City Hall, we took a stroll over to the public outdoor ceremony to see what the crowd, police cars and news reporters were gathering to see.
Here are the top six things that Rick Kriseman wants you to know. 1 – He is tearing down the “unfriendly” fence at the Pier to allow recreational access around the Pier’s head. People should be able to ocean gaze and fish on the Pier within a week!
2 – The future of the Pier and the Rays are two “high profile” challenges, but a new police station, sustainable jobs and economic stimulus plans for Midtown and South St. Pete may be even more important.
3 – One out of five people in South St. Pete are unemployed and 25% are at or below the poverty line. This is “unacceptable” and he is pushing a plan that should reduce unemployment in St. Pete by 30% by 2020.
4 – Tampa Bay is the largest urban area in the USA without a cohesive public transit system and we must act to avoid an “infrastructure crisis.” Bus improvements and light rail are immediate parts of the solution.
5 – He wants St. Pete to not only be known for the bustling waterfront, arts and baseball, but also as “a beacon of progress” in regards to marine science, healthcare and clean energy.
6 – We are “truly on the cusp” of a renaissance. “Private and public dollars won’t be enough,” it is going to take hard work from all of us to honor our past by securing our future.
We’ve got a new mayor for a new year. Time will tell if the hopeful buzz of today can last through his time in office.
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Article by Norris Comer, Writer/Editor for iLovetheBurg.com
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