Deborah Figgs-Sanders is running for reelection to the St. Petersburg City Council. History shows she does not focus on what matters.
While the City of St. Petersburg was considering the proposal from the Rays for a new stadium, City Council Chair Sanders also led the Community Benefits Council – to evaluate the benefits of the proposed deal to the citizens. But she did not follow through when the City Council that she leads ignored the benefits recommended. Why? As you can see in the picture, Figg-Sanders was wearing a Rays team jersey (along with Ed Montanari) even before she had all the information to decide how to vote.
The result – the city approved a deal for a new stadium that will transfer $1.6 billion of community assets to billionaires and among other things got no guarantee of any affordable housing.
Figgs-Sanders, in evaluating the stadium deal. ignored the criticism by the the independent Florida Tax Watch report, and the overwhelmingly opposition to the deal by voters as demonstrated in the highly respected Mason-Dixon poll.
Figgs-Sanders has transferred an enormous amount of St. Petersburg’s assets to billionaires and has got nothing in return. Why wasn’t her focus on what matters – affordable housing, improving reading and educational opportunities for the children who need us most, and flooding. Even today the city does not have the funds for the Phyllis Weatley Rise to Read Program – a program whose mission is to ensure that Black children are reading at grade level or above.
And now, after two hurricanes, it is so apparent that Figgs-Sanders put a stadium over $5 billion of sewer and storm water needs.
Figgs-Sanders has struck out. She is not focused on what matters to help make lives better. She should not be reelected.
