The mayors of Tampa Bay\u2019s three largest cities tackled national and statewide politics at an annual panel Tuesday evening, sharing their response to federal immigration crackdowns and wariness of a Gov. Ron DeSantis-backed effort to cut property taxes.<\/p>\n
The Suncoast Tiger Bay played host to Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor at the State of the Bay annual Forum. The event was held at the The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art in St. Petersburg.<\/p>\n
While the first order of business was discussing the Tampa Bay Rays<\/a>‘ future in the region, none of the mayors provided any revelatory insight on negotiations. The conversation quickly moved to an animated discussion on immigration enforcement and property taxes.<\/p>\n Minneapolis<\/a> has beenthe scene of unrest this month, making national news as federal immigration agents flooded the city and killed two people<\/a>. The mayors shared how they would respond if an influx of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents came to their city.<\/p>\n Welch said St. Petersburg has received emails from residents asking officials to not participate in the state\u2019s 287(g) program<\/a>, which allows local law enforcement to partner with the federal immigration agency and perform some functions of an immigration officer.<\/p>\n He took time to clarify Tuesday that St. Petersburg police officers are not doing immigration sweeps and none of them have completed 287(g) training.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we saw in Minneapolis is just wrong,\u201d Welch said. \u201cIt\u2019s a violation of our principles.\u201d<\/p>\n Castor, former chief of the Tampa Police Department, said immigration agents\u2019 actions were \u201cun-American.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe agree that individuals that are here, that are committing crime, or harming our country, need to be deported, but what\u2019s happening now is not who we are as a country,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Rector said Clearwater would not interfere with law enforcement. He said the city routinely has demonstrations, and sometimes they have gotten aggressive \u2014 like outside of an abortion clinic, where the city installed a buffer zone<\/a> between protestors and patients.<\/p>\n Local law enforcement has to protect all citizens involved, Rector said, but there\u2019s a line between First Amendment rights and harassment.<\/p>\n \u201cWho I feel for the most is our local law enforcement,\u201d he said. \u201cWhatever the political issue … I don\u2019t want to see our local Clearwater Police Department put in a bad spot.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to discussing immigration, the mayors weighed in on the statewide property tax debate.<\/p>\n Since last year<\/a>, DeSantis has pushed for a ballot measure in the 2026 election that would allow voters to choose whether to cut homestead property taxes. State legislators are working on<\/a> constitutional ballot measures this session.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have big budgets in our three cities, and we can\u2019t turn on a dime,\u201d Rector said. \u201cWhat they do and put on the ballot is significant for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Property taxes pay for core government services, like fire and police.<\/a> They also pay for parks.<\/p>\n \u201cHow are you going to replace the monies that we use to fund our police? Are you going to double the state sales tax, and then send that money back to cities in a timely manner?\u201d Welch said. \u201cThat dog won\u2019t hunt.\u201d<\/p>\n DeSantis\u2019 administration last year created its own Department of Governmental Efficiency<\/a>, mimicking a federal initiative, to scrutinize the finances<\/a> of local governments.<\/p>\n