News & Public Affairs

At budget summit St. Pete residents ask for higher taxes, fewer cuts to services listen

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Tags: St. Petersburg, budget, library, Jim Kennedy, Wengay Newton, Bill Foster

The City of St. Petersburg is confronted with a budget deficit of nearly $13 million. Wednesday at the Cate Recreation Center the city hosted the first of three public budget summits. The packed house of 100 residents could only agree that the status quo of cuts without revenue hikes isn’t working.

A group called People’s Budget Review has collected over 2000 opinions from residents and submitted them to [city council and Mayor Bill Foster](http://www....

Hillsborough Commissioner Kevin Beckner speaks with South Tampa constituents listen

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Tags: Hillsborough County Commision, Kevin Beckner, Library, insurance fraud

Elected officials often travel around their districts to hear from a range of citizens. On Friday Hillsborough County Commissioner Keven Becknerheld a sparsely-attended community meeting at the Jan Platt Regional Library in South Tampa.

Only two library employees stopped by to see Commissioner Beckner. He said he started community meetings in 2009 after b...