Gulf Beaches may break away from Pinellas?

HARTride 2012 · July 1st, 2007, 01:58 AM

Okay, here's something I think is ridiculous. A St. Pete Beach commissioner wants to have all the Pinellas gulf beaches from Bellair southward to St. Pete Beach to secede from the rest of Pinellas County so that they could keep more tourism dollars. This comes in lieu of impending budget cuts due to the property tax reform mess. Personally I dislike the plan because of the posibility of it failing (and failing miserably). If I can recall correctly, didn't New Tampa try to do the same from the city of Tampa a few years back (try to create it's own jurisdiction)?

Anyways, here's the article from Bay News 9.

A beaches-only county?
Saturday, June 30, 2007

St. Pete Beach has one huge dollar sign attached to it.

And if one St. Pete Beach commissioner gets his way, more of those dollars will stay beachside.

Pinellas County receives funds generated by St. Pete Beach and other beach communities to the tune of more than $15 million every year.

Dollar amounts like that have beach leaders considering a radical plan: secede from the county and form their a beaches-only county.

"We could have our own municipality as far as commissioners,'' said St. Pete Beach Commissioner Harry Metz. "We could have our own law services, we could our own transportation."

And St. Pete Beach wouldn't be alone.

Metz has proposed eight of the other beach communities, from Treasure Island northward up the beach to Belleair Beach break off from Pinellas and become part of a new county.

"It would be a financial windfall for the barrier islands to be their own county," said Metz, who estimated the new barrier-island county could generate $38 million a year - mainly from tourists and property owners.

But some residents are skeptical about cutting ties with the county.

"Then we're going and spending money for every little thing we're getting from the (Pinellas) county,'' said St. Pete Beach resident Anatole Butas of a beaches-only county. "So I'm not too sure where the tradeoff would be. "

And others area leaders have said the overhead costs would be too high for a beaches-only county.

Still, with budget cuts looming for all the beach communities, and $950,000 being cut in St. Pete Beach, Metz insists his plan is a viable one. Metz said he plans to bring up the proposal again at the next budget hearing.

***I-275westcoastfl*** · July 1st, 2007, 03:06 AM

This story makes laugh it really does!!

JBrisco · July 1st, 2007, 05:40 AM

Lol, and lets let Tampa break off from Hillsborough County too!

Jasonhouse · July 1st, 2007, 06:00 AM

lololol... Wait until they have to pay Pinellas County to buy all of the R/W, parks, buildings and equipment presently owned by Pinellas, not them. $15mil a year probably wouldn't even cover those bond payments, let alone all of the added expenses they would face from having to create everything from scratch that they take for granted now.

Tampa610 · July 1st, 2007, 05:47 PM

The state legislature would have to approve this. Never in a million years!!! LOL What a rediculous idea.

Jasonhouse · July 1st, 2007, 07:52 PM

^Let's see these people try to claim fiscal responsibility after wasting time and money on a fool's errand.

tampamobster21 · July 1st, 2007, 08:00 PM

I have an even better idea, Lets have Tampa Bay remove itself from the gulf beaches and the rest of Florida and become its own municipality.

Flybrian · July 2nd, 2007, 11:34 PM

If secession occurs, I want there to be civil (municipal?) war. Pinellas would win; when have you seen an Army-Navy surplus store on St. Pete Beach?

HARTride 2012 · August 7th, 2007, 05:30 PM

Has anyone heard any new news regarding this stupid issue? I bet the plan is flat dead now.

July 1st, 2007, 01:58 AM	#1
HARTride 2012 Let's go... Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 10,112 Likes (Received): 24	Gulf Beaches may break away from Pinellas? Okay, here's something I think is ridiculous. A St. Pete Beach commissioner wants to have all the Pinellas gulf beaches from Bellair southward to St. Pete Beach to secede from the rest of Pinellas County so that they could keep more tourism dollars. This comes in lieu of impending budget cuts due to the property tax reform mess. Personally I dislike the plan because of the posibility of it failing (and failing miserably). If I can recall correctly, didn't New Tampa try to do the same from the city of Tampa a few years back (try to create it's own jurisdiction)? Anyways, here's the article from Bay News 9. A beaches-only county? Saturday, June 30, 2007 St. Pete Beach has one huge dollar sign attached to it. And if one St. Pete Beach commissioner gets his way, more of those dollars will stay beachside. Pinellas County receives funds generated by St. Pete Beach and other beach communities to the tune of more than $15 million every year. Dollar amounts like that have beach leaders considering a radical plan: secede from the county and form their a beaches-only county. "We could have our own municipality as far as commissioners,'' said St. Pete Beach Commissioner Harry Metz. "We could have our own law services, we could our own transportation." And St. Pete Beach wouldn't be alone. Metz has proposed eight of the other beach communities, from Treasure Island northward up the beach to Belleair Beach break off from Pinellas and become part of a new county. "It would be a financial windfall for the barrier islands to be their own county," said Metz, who estimated the new barrier-island county could generate $38 million a year - mainly from tourists and property owners. But some residents are skeptical about cutting ties with the county. "Then we're going and spending money for every little thing we're getting from the (Pinellas) county,'' said St. Pete Beach resident Anatole Butas of a beaches-only county. "So I'm not too sure where the tradeoff would be. " And others area leaders have said the overhead costs would be too high for a beaches-only county. Still, with budget cuts looming for all the beach communities, and $950,000 being cut in St. Pete Beach, Metz insists his plan is a viable one. Metz said he plans to bring up the proposal again at the next budget hearing.

July 1st, 2007, 08:00 PM	#7
tampamobster21 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 1,336 Likes (Received): 0	I have an even better idea, Lets have Tampa Bay remove itself from the gulf beaches and the rest of Florida and become its own municipality. __________________ Jacques Derrida (1930 - 2004) To pretend, I actually do the thing: I have therefore only pretended to pretend.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

July 1st, 2007, 03:06 AM	#2
*I-275westcoastfl* Jestem Hardkorem Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Clearwater, Florida Posts: 5,541 Likes (Received): 30	This story makes laugh it really does!!

July 1st, 2007, 05:40 AM	#3
JBrisco USF Architecture Student Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tampa, FLA Posts: 1,525 Likes (Received): 0	Lol, and lets let Tampa break off from Hillsborough County too!

July 1st, 2007, 06:00 AM	#4
Jasonhouse Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 12,277 Likes (Received): 8	lololol... Wait until they have to pay Pinellas County to buy all of the R/W, parks, buildings and equipment presently owned by Pinellas, not them. $15mil a year probably wouldn't even cover those bond payments, let alone all of the added expenses they would face from having to create everything from scratch that they take for granted now.

July 1st, 2007, 05:47 PM	#5
Tampa610 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ybor City Posts: 188 Likes (Received): 0	The state legislature would have to approve this. Never in a million years!!! LOL What a rediculous idea.

July 1st, 2007, 07:52 PM	#6
Jasonhouse Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 12,277 Likes (Received): 8	^Let's see these people try to claim fiscal responsibility after wasting time and money on a fool's errand.

July 2nd, 2007, 11:34 PM	#8
Flybrian Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 22 Likes (Received): 0	If secession occurs, I want there to be civil (municipal?) war. Pinellas would win; when have you seen an Army-Navy surplus store on St. Pete Beach?

August 7th, 2007, 05:30 PM	#9
HARTride 2012 Let's go... Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 10,112 Likes (Received): 24	Has anyone heard any new news regarding this stupid issue? I bet the plan is flat dead now.