Friday, May 5, 2017

Rick Baker – Fishes, Ponds and St. Pete

Rick Baker loves his City, and it has to be difficult for him to contemplate four more years of Kriseman.


St. Petersburg Fl
Opinion by: E. Eugene Webb PhD
Author:
In Search of Robin

Back in May of 2016 I posted Friday Politics - Rick Baker a different take

The long-awaited Rowdies referendum is over and now the speculation about Baker grows to a frenzy.
Will Rick Baker run for Mayor?
Let’s look at the options.
Kriseman has backed the City into one of the biggest messes in recent history. The Pier, the uplands, a dysfunctional office of the Mayor, South St. Pete, losing the Midtown Wal-Mart, the sewage debacle and the list goes on.
Rick Baker loves his City, and it has to be difficult for him to contemplate four more years of Kriseman.
On the other hand, there is the success of the Rowdies referendum and the opportunity to be a major player in what may be something even bigger than the Pier, and the possibility of being part of a major sports franchise and league growth.
Should Kriseman succeed in gradually nudging the Rays out of town, the Rowdies could end up being the only game in town.
Baker feels the whole Pier thing is a debacle, but in reality, and barring any unforeseen glitches, by the time he took office the project would be likely too far along for him to do anything other than be blamed for what goes wrong.
With the uplands project spiraling out of control, it still makes little sense to build this expensive playground that could easily end up under water if the climate experts Kriseman likes to espouse when it suites his situations are right. Again, Baker would be responsible for a project that his heart would not be in.
Baker could have an impact on south St. Pete, but with the Pier, the uplands and everything else, resources will be limited.
Finally, there is the Kriseman sewage mess, and I doubt seriously Baker is looking forward to swimming around in the Mayoral pond filled with Kriseman’s sewage and his other waste explaining why the City is still dumping sewage into the bay and killing the fish.
I Keep looking for the bright spots and just don’t see any. Baker can serve his City, have a major impact and a lot of fun right where he is without all the stress.
But as I said above, Rick Baker loves his City, and I think it is pretty clear his City loves him.
No matter what Rick does, St. Pete wins.
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