Rick Kriseman Comes Out In Support of Gay Marriage

Equality Florida made this statement on Facebook.

We applaud St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman for signing the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry initiative today! "By signing this pledge, we’re taking one more step towards creating a city of opportunity where the sun shines on all who come to live, work and play.” Click "like" to thank Mayor Kriseman for supporting marriage for all Floridians!

Rick Kriseman Endorses Alex Sink

You really didn't think St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman was going to endorse Republican David Jolly? The Alex Sink campaign sent out this email.

“I am proud to support Alex Sink because I know she will bring the bipartisan, results oriented values she’s practiced all her life to Washington and finally get Congress focused on solving problems that matter,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman. “At City Hall, we know firsthand that the challenges facing our community are not partisan issues – that’s why we need a leader like Alex Sink who will bring Republicans, Democrats and Independents together to tackle our most pressing problems, and I know we can trust Alex to take the voices of every Pinellas resident to Washington.”

“Every day Mayors and local leaders across Pinellas put problem solving over politics to serve residents – and I’m running to bring this same brand of bipartisan leadership back to Washington,” said Alex Sink. “From protecting Social Security and Medicare, to cutting wasteful spending, to helping businesses create jobs, the challenges facing are community are too important to let partisan finger-pointing stand in the way of getting results. I am honored to receive the support of Mayor Rick Kriseman, and I look forward to serving as an effective partner for Pinellas residents in Congress.”

Sink is running for the Florida congressional District 13 seat. The seat is currently empty after the passing of Bill Young.

John McCain's Unwise Endorsement of David Jolly

Sen. John McCain has endorsed David Jolly for the late Bill Young's congressional seat. Jolly has worked in Washington as a lobbyist. I find McCain's endorsement of Jolly interesting. Especially since McCain once negatively called lobbyists "birds of prey."

“Whenever there’s a corrupt system, then you’re going to have these birds of prey descendon ittoget their share ofthe spoils,” McCain saidin a half-hour interview with Politico following a town-hall meeting in the southern part of this swing state.

According to McCain, Jolly and other lobbyists were feasting on a "corrupt system." That makes me wonder what exactly are the "strong convictions" that Jolly has that McCain is referring to in his endorsement. I certainly would like to know. I'm sure the residents of District 13 would like to know what are Jolly's convictions.

Perhaps Jolly's conviction is candor about his past as a lobbyist. Jolly claims he never lobbied for offshore drilling. Unfortunately for Jolly his lobbying disclosure form says otherwise.

Jolly lobbied for Free Enterprise Nation. Jolly even wrote a blog post on Free Enterprise Nation in support of H.R. 909. The legislation would expand offshore drilling.

Rising Gas Prices to Force Congressional Debate. Anytime gas prices rise dramatically, Congress begins anew to examine our nation’s energy policy. FEN members who have read Jim MacDougald’s book UNSUSTAINABLE will remember his call for a long-term energy plan that creates private sector jobs through the building or expansion of new refineries, including expanded drilling for natural gas. FEN will stay closely involved as Congress begins to debate this issue in the coming weeks, including advocating for legislation recently introduced by Rep. Devin Nunes (CA), the Roadmap for America’s Energy Future (H.R. 909). As stated in a letter of endorsement from Mr. MacDougald, “The Roadmap for America’s Energy Future promotes an energy policy that is both market-based and is technology neutral. It provides a thoughtful national energy policy that promotes the economic interest of the private sector by reasonably expanding permits and licenses for companies to engage in energy exploration and production, and by encouraging private sector development of new energy sources in an economically sensible way.”

Jolly lobbied for offshore drilling and then denies it. That must be the kind of straight talk John McCain appreciates.

It really isn't a good idea for John McCain to be endorsing a lobbyist.McCain came under fire for the former lobbyists on his presidential campaign. There were also questions about McCain's relationship with lobbyist Vicki Iseman. McCain is not the best person to be handing out endorsements to lobbyists.

Rick Kriseman's Inauguration Speech

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman was sworn in. Kriseman hit the right notes during his inauguration speech.

It's been a long and winding road, and it's time to put our destination in view.

The form and fashion of the next pier is unlikely to meet with universal approval. We must recognize this now so that our progress isn't impeded later.

However, what we can agree on -and to a large degree already have -is how our signature structure will function. With a renewed sense of urgency and a spirit of collaboration, I am confident that the coming year will be productive and that a final design will emerge.

In the interim, residents and visitors should be able to once again enjoy walking, running or fishing around the pier head.

And that's why this morning we have begun the process of removing that unfriendly fence, allowing the pier head to be accessible within the next week.

The hard work of reaching an accord with the Tampa Bay Rays must also begin, with the primary goal of doing what's in the best interest of the residents of St. Petersburg.

And while I am eager to see this resolved so that we can better plan St. Pete's future, our desire for clarity must not supersede the need for continued diligence.

The Pier and the Rays may be our most high profile challenges, but a police station, a port, a renewed focus on creating sustainable jobs throughout the city, economic stimulus for Midtown and South St. Petersburg, and the revitalization and re-branding of vital corridors -also hang in the balance.

On Midtown and South St. Pete, my remarks on election night bear repeating.

Too many people there are struggling.

One out of every five residents is unemployed.

One out of every four lives at or below poverty.

Property values have fallen 42% since the onset of the Great Recession.

This is happening right here in St. Petersburg. It is unacceptable, especially given Midtown's rich history and potential.

It is good that Kriseman addressed Midtown and the economic problems St. Petersburg is still facing after the Great Recession. Former Mayor Bill Foster would have likely mentioned neither. Foster often seemed to live in a bubble that reality could not penetrate.

Kriseman will not be able to keep the Rays in St. Petersburg. Voters are not going to approve a tax for a second stadium. The sooner Kriseman allows the Rays to talk with the City of Tampa the better.

Swearing in Ceremony For Rick Kriseman

Rick Kriseman will be sworn in as Mayor of St. Petersburg on January, 2 2014. The event is open to the public.

When: Jan. 2

Time: 12:45 PM

Where: St. Petersburg City Hall

Darden Rice Wins!

Congratz to progressive champ Darden Rice, St. Pete City Council winner!' #pfla pic.twitter.com/KYTEcOTchX

— Progress Florida (@ProgressFlorida) November 6, 2013

Progress Florida took this picture of Darden Rice giving her victory speech at the Red Mesa Cantina Mexican Restaurant. Darden Rice was officially been elected to the St. Petersburg City Council. Congratulations to Rice.

Another Gun Tragedy in St. Petersburg

Another handgun tragedy involving children. This time in St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg Police say the girl's mother was in the kitchen of their home on Elkcam Boulevard SE when she heard the shot in another area of the home.

The mother told police a 14-year-old cousin had gotten a handgun and accidentally fired it inside the house. The mother gathered the children and drove to All Children's Hospital. That's where the cousin disappeared.

The 14 year-old cousin has disappeared. Police believe the cousin left the hospital on his own.

Artists for Darden Rice City Council 4 Fundraiser Friends of Guests

Fundraiser for progressive candidate Darden Rice for District 4 of the St. Petersburg City Council.

When: Oct. 3

6:00pm until 8:00pm

Where: 550 24th Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712

Rice is pushing for the city of St. Petersburg to give more grants to the arts.

The city should increase its grants to local arts non-profits from $175,000 a year to at least $300,000, said Rice, adding that she hopes to eventually bring it up to $400,000 or higher as the economy improves. By comparison, Sarasota distributes $1 million in grants to its arts organizations, she said.

You can also donate to Rice online.

Does Benjamin Kirby Want a Job in a Kriseman Administration?

It is no secret that Benjamin Kirby has been Rick Kriseman's biggest online cheerleader. Kriseman is running for mayor of St. Petersburg. Kirby tweeted not one, but two posts on Kriseman's new ad. Kirby spent 8 years in the Clinton administration. Kirby is more than qualified. I'm wondering if Kriseman getting elected his his ticket back into the game.

Rick Kriseman's First Video Ad

St. Petersburg Democratic candidate for mayor Rick Kriseman has roled out his first video ad. The ad is only okay. St. Petersburg does look nice in the ad.

Rick Kriseman's Fundraising

It is safe to say that St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Rick Kriseman has momentum behind him. Longtime Kriseman supporter Benjamin Kirby reports that Kriseman has raised $59,004 in 17 days.

“Once again, I am humbled by the outpouring of support for my campaign for mayor of St. Petersburg,” said Kriseman. “This campaign has grown into a movement for a St. Petersburg with more jobs, better schools, and stronger neighborhoods. The people of this city want decisive leadership from City Hall and I am confident I will deliver that leadership as mayor.”

Translation: Democrats are fundraising their asses off because they feel they finally have a shot at the mayor's office after years of Republican administrations.

Bill Foster Pulls Out His Secret Weapon and It Is Gov. Rick Scott (WTF)

St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster and Democratic challenger Rick Kriseman debated. Mark Puente caught this bizarre exchange. Foster bragged about his BFF Gov. Rick Scott.

He then surprised many with his answer on the importance of higher education when he mentioned Gov. Rick Scott. He boasted about spending a long weekend in Tallahassee securing $5 million for a business school at USF St. Petersburg.

"It's something the governor was going to veto," Foster said. "It helps to have a friend in the governor's mansion."

To give you an idea of how unpopular Scott is in Florida; Vern Schillinger on the HBO prison series had a higher approval rating with the other prisoners than Scott has with Floridians. Scott is less popular than Schillinger was in this video below. NSFW.

Benjamin Kirby wondered why Foster would politically link himself to Scott.

This is the same Governor Rick Scott who is one of the least popular — and by a factor of a lot, most vulnerable — governors in the nation. In recent polling, Scott gets trounced by a man who hasn’t even declared his intentions yet.

Right now Bill Foster's campaign team must really be wishing Kathleen Ford finished second in the primary.

Poll on St. Petersburg Mayoral Race

St. Pete Polls shows Bill Foster with a slight lead over Rick Kriseman. Kathleen Ford is a distant third.

Cates: 2.4%

Congemmi: 1.5%

Ford: 20.4%

Foster: 37.9%

Kriseman: 35.9%

Undervote: 1.9%

678 St. Petersburg voters were polled. An interesting tidbit is Kriseman polls at 0 percent with Asians or Pacific Islanders. That is rather odd.

Bill Nelson Endorses Rick Kriseman

Rick Kriseman, Democratic candidate for St. Petersburg mayor, received a huge endorsement from Sen. Bill Nelson. The only bigger endorsement a Florida Democrat can receive is from Bob Graham.

“Rick Kriseman is a strong leader who will bring people together to find solutions for the challenges facing St Petersburg,” Nelson said in a statement. “As mayor, Rick will do well for St Petersburg.”

Early polls showed Democrat Kathleen Ford leading Republican incumbent Bill Foster and Kriseman. Ford has imploded. Nelson's endorsement of Kriseman is the Democratic establishment abandoning Ford. Kriseman is also much more apart of the establishment than Ford will ever be. Kriseman recently served in the Florida legislature. Ford hasn't held office in years. The Democratic establishment knows Kriseman. The same can't be said of Ford.

David McKalip Implodes

David McKalip has a zero political IQ. Anyone with half a brain knows you don't run for political office and attack Peter Schorsch. At least not without expecting Schorsch to come after your campaign. Schorsch fired off this tweet.

The story in which Dr. David mckalip refers to me as a "political terrorist" via clmitchperry. cltampa.com/dailyloaf/arch… sayfie

Creative Loafing political reporter Mitch Perry blogged about Schorsch asking McKalip about the Obama witch doctor email he sent out. McKalip flipped out at the Suscoast Tiger Bay forum.

"Of course I wouldn't send that e-mail. I apologized for sending that e-mail ... it was offensive," McKalip said.

McKalip then aggressively turned the question around, saying that his fight. to stop 'Obamacare' resulted in people trying to suppress free speech. He doubled down on his comments to Beau Zimmer of WTSP-TV, saying he wasn't going to tolerate "political terrorists" who in his opinion are just shills for big government and want to intimidate everyone else into silence.

Schorsch later responded that "As evidenced by the tone of his campaign, Dr. McKalip has obviously

Schorsch's question about the racially insensitive witch doctor picture that McKalip sent out was perfectly reasonable. McKalip is running for St. Petersburg City Council. McKalip seemed shocked that Schorsch would dare ask him such a question. The question is certainly fair after McKalip's campaign manager made a joke online about President Obama being killed.

Nick Finzer, McKalip's campaign manager, wrote a comment on WTSP's website that said, "I think I'd like to see Obama run down by a bull. Except that would make Biden President."

No serious candidate would have a meltdown after being asked about his most controversial political moment. No candidate with any real skill would hire a campaign manager stupid enough to joke about the death of the President. David McKalip isn't a serious candidate. He is a racist tea party lunatic.

Rick Kriseman Receives Endorsements of LGBT Groups

St. Petersburg candidate for mayor, Rick Kriseman, has been endorsed by the LGBT groups Equality Florida and the Stonewall Democrats.

“I am proud to have the support of the LGBT community,” Kriseman said in a statement. “As mayor, I will ensure that St. Petersburg remains a city that values and celebrates diversity.”

In the Florida House of Representatives, Kriseman filed a bill urging President Barack Obama to end 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'

"It’s past time to end the failed policy of ’Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ There are nearly eighty thousand gay or lesbian veterans who live in Florida. Brave men and women who served honorably, but also in fear. They deserved better, and today’s service members deserve better. I urge our leaders in Washington, D.C., to move quickly in repealing this terribly ineffective law," said Rep. Kriseman.

Kriseman has served as the Grand Marshall in the St. Pete Pride parade and has sponsored legislation to ban discrimination against sexual orientation or gender identity in the Florida workplace. Kriseman has a stronger record on LGBT issues than most members of his party.

A Look At Rick Kriseman's Run For St. Petersburg Mayor

Rick Kriseman in running for St. Petersburg mayor. Kriseman has been piling up some impressive endorsements.

West Central Florida Federation of Labor (AFL-CIO)

Former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink

St. Petersburg Councilman Charlie Gerdes

Pinellas County Commissioner Susan Latvala

Pinellas County Commissioner Janet Long

Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice

Incoming House Minority Leader Darryl Rouson

State Representative Dwight Dudley

Former state Senator Paula Dockery

Largo Mayor Pat Gerard

I like Kriseman's more realistic approach to the situation of the Tampa Rays wanting a new stadium.

St. Petersburg and its residents have invested much time, energy, and money into the Tampa Bay Rays. The African-American Community, and particularly residents of the Gas Plant Neighborhood, made great sacrifices to make way for Tropicana Field. My preference is for the team to remain in St. Pete and to thrive here. If that proves to be unrealistic - if the Rays simply do not want to be here any longer - then they should be given the opportunity to pay an exploratory fee in order to look at other locations, provided those locations are in the Tampa Bay area.

I would like to know what Kriseman means by this statement.

Throughout the negotiating process and regardless of the outcome, I will ensure that our taxpayers are protected.

Kriseman is vague on if he would support funding for a new Rays stadium. The fact that he is willing to let the Rays leave St. Petersburg means he doesn't want to take this to the voters. I don't blame him. Voters don't want to pay off a second Rays stadium.

I wonder if Kriseman is hinting at light rail and other infrastructure projects as economic stimulus. I'm for that. The question is where will the funding come from.

We must do a better job of attracting new businesses and supporting existing ones in order to compete with other cities. Avoiding high taxes, unreasonable regulations, and burdensome permitting is important, but the best way to grow and sustain our local economy is by having a top notch public education system, efficient mass transit, and sound infrastructure. We want to embrace and celebrate diversity. We want vibrant neighborhoods and we want well-trained, properly funded and fully-staffed public safety personnel. These are quality of life issues. Our residents and visitors deserve the best -- and the best will bring businesses looking for a home.

Kriseman is sounding like Ed Turanchik with his idea about a ferry to Key West. Really?

Why not - at last - transform our underused port? Good leadership can turn it into one of our most important assets. Imagine a ferry service to and from Tampa or a high speed catamaran to Key West. The port already is ideal for research vessels; let's generate other uses to serve the general public.

I don't see it.

Kriseman's announcement for his candidacy.

Peter Schorsch Nominated to City Beautiful Commission

Congratulations to Peter Schorsch for being nominated to the St. Petersburg City Beautiful Commission. St. Petersburg City Council chair Karl Nurse recommended Schorsch's appointment. Mayor Bill Foster will ask the City Council to make the appointment official. Since Schorsch has Nurse's backing this should be a formality.

The City Beautiful Commission oversees parks. Schorsch has written about his concerns about Williams Park. Wikipedia has this description of Williams Park.

Williams Park is also known as the city's homeless park. Local residents, college students and shoppers no longer stroll the sidewalks or lounge on the landscaped lawn. Ongoing drug sweeps and police activity are now the features that mar this once prominent gathering place.

As a member of the City Beautiful Commission, Schorsch and other members can recommend ordinances to the City Council. It is already against city law to sleep in the park overnight. There are people that sleep in Williams Park during the day. What is really attracting certain homeless people is the drug traffic in Williams Park. I expect we will see Schorsch get quite vocal about cleaning up the park.

WMNF Interview With Ayele Hunt

Ayele Hunt is the organizer of I Am Choice. The rally in St. Petersburg encourages people to vote. Local Democrats Kathy Castor, Rick Kriseman and Jessica Ehrlich will speak at the event. The highlight of the rally is feminist icon Gloria Steinem making an appearance.

Hunt organized I Am Choice to make citizens aware of Amendment 6 of Florida ballots. This blog has urged voters to vote no on Amendment 6. If it becomes law, Amendment 6 would put more needless restrictions on women seeking an abortion. Hunt pointed out, in her WMNF interview, that Florida operates under the Hyde Amendment. Federal money for abortions is only in the cases of rape, incest or the women's life is in danger due to the pregnancy.

Information on I Am Choice rally.

GOTV Rally When: October 20 Where: Jannus Live, St. Petersburg Time: Doors open at 11:30 AM

GOTV Vote Rally at Jannus Live

Gloriia Steinem will headline the GOTV Rally at Jannus Live, in St. Petersburg. Rep Kathy Castor, State Rep. Rick Kriseman and congressional candidate Jessica Ehrlich will also speak against the rally.

Steinem is at the rally to urge voters to vote no on Amendment 6.

This proposed amendment provides that public funds may not be expended for any abortion or for health-benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion. This provision does not apply to an expenditure required by federal law, a case in which a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness that would place her in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, or a case of rape or incest. This proposed amendment provides that the State Constitution may not be interpreted to create broader rights to an abortion than those in the United States Constitution. With respect to abortion, this proposed amendment overrules court decisions which conclude that the right of privacy under Article I, Section 23 of the State Constitution is broader in scope than that of the United States Constitution.

Never mind previous legal decisions on a woman's right to privacy. Let's make an amendment that turns back the clock on the reproductive rights of women in Florida.

Please vote no on Amendment 6.

GOTV Rally

When: October 20

Where: Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Time: Doors open at 11:30 AM