Baker never picked “his” solution over the solution the citizens wanted.

St. Petersburg, Fl

Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD

Author: In Search of Robin, So You Want to Blog.

Previously Posted August 27, 2017

To get a feel for how Rick Kriseman sustains his positions read these two Posts from a 2013 interview I did with the then potential candidate Rick Kriseman.

From May 2013 The Kriseman Legacy – Rick Kriseman Lied to me and he lied to you – Part 1

From May 2013 The Kriseman Legacy – Rick Kriseman Lied to me and he lied to you – Part 2

Looking at what has transpired in the last three-plus years of the Kriseman administration it can truly be called unprecedented. Beginning within hours of his swearing, Rick Kriseman began a deliberate process of politicizing the office of Mayor of St. Petersburg.

Hiring his two longtime political cronies, Kevin King and Ben Kirby, who remain on the city payroll through this election cycle, to populate his office of the mayor was just the beginning.

Kriseman’s attempts at making the political stage by tweeting a ban against now President Trump while possibly cute was really stupid. It had no place in City Governance and only made St. Pete look small not the City it is.

Kriseman’s careful manipulation of the Pier Selection process to get “his Pier” approved not the voter’s choice clearly indicates his complete disregard with how the citizens of St. Pete feel.

This should be a warning that all those south side leaning platitudes are just another Kriseman scam. All he wants is your vote, if you don’t believe that ask yourself this question: what has he done for you in the last three-plus years?

Finally, there were the lies. The sewer system the sewage leaks, the nature of the problem and never taking responsibility. And a hastily constructed plan with no currently long range dedicated funding.

And now an endorsement from Barack Obama that is very hard to believe because there is no doubt the former president has little or no knowledge of what Kriseman has done or the lies he has told or the promises he has failed to keep.

More misdirected partisan politics from Rick Kriseman.

Rick Baker has done what he said he would do. He put practical solutions in place for south St. Petersburg. He had a significant impact on quality of public education in all of St. Petersburg. He worked to fix the infrastructure problems existing during his two terms.

Baker never picked “his” solution over the solution the citizens wanted.

Baker choices for his staff were never made on cronyism but on competency.

Rick Baker built the strongest neighborhood association structure the City of St. Petersburg has ever had.

Most of all when Rick Baker gave his word, you could believe it.

Four more years of Rick Kriseman and his politically inspired approach to local government will leave the City of St. Petersburg in the biggest mess we have seen since the beginning of the strong mayor form of governance.

Your vote for Rick Baker can put St. Petersburg back on the path to a higher quality of life, better schools, sustainable infrastructure, respect to all citizens and recognition of the world-class city St. Petersburg is.

E-mail Doc at mail to: dr.gwebb@yahoo.com or send me a Facebook (E. Eugene Webb) Friend request. Be sure to follow me on Pintrest (Doc Webb), Like or share on Facebook and follow me on TWITTER @DOC ON THE BAY.

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Disclosures: Contributor to Rick Baker for Mayor Campaign

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