{"id":291898,"date":"2026-06-01T16:01:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T16:01:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/291898\/"},"modified":"2026-06-01T16:01:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T16:01:09","slug":"ken-welch-says-charlie-crists-property-tax-pitch-would-leave-st-pete-with-impossible-choices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/291898\/","title":{"rendered":"Ken Welch says Charlie Crist\u2019s property tax pitch would leave St. Pete with \u2018impossible choices\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch<\/a> is criticizing Charlie Crist<\/a> for calling for local property tax cuts while legislators debate property tax reform, warning that deeper cuts could threaten public safety, storm recovery and other basic services.<\/p>\n

Welch\u2019s comments were made in response to a video shared on social media<\/a> by the Crist campaign last week.<\/p>\n

\u201cCharlie Crist is treating property taxes like a cable bill you can just cancel when you feel like it. The problem is these revenues fund critical services,\u201d Welch said.<\/p>\n

\u201cCities cannot run on slogans and wishful thinking. This is the type of policy proposal you get from someone who\u2019s spent more time in Minnesota and Washington DC than someone who is listening to the community.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Crist, however, criticized St. Petersburg for having \u201cthe highest property tax rate in Pinellas County.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cThat\u2019s unacceptable,\u201d Crist said last week. \u201cSo if I win this Mayor\u2019s race I\u2019m committed to a 0.4 reduction in our property taxes. That\u2019s about $14.8 million back to you, the residents of St. Pete. And you know what? Here\u2019s the part that really matters. We will make sure we protect the funds that we need for police, fire, storm recovery \u2014 all of the essentials. That\u2019s what I commit to you. Working families get real relief, and that\u2019s what they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

The jab at Crist comes after Welch recently qualified<\/a> for the ballot, formalizing his re-election bid for Mayor. City Council Member Brandi Gabbard<\/a>, former St. Petersburg Fire Chief Jim Large, former Shore Acres Neighborhood Civic Association President Kevin Batdorf, Maria Scruggs<\/a> and Paul Congemi have also filed for the race.<\/p>\n

Crist leads Welch in funding and polling<\/a> in the mayoral race, although there are plenty of undecided voters left to court in the race.<\/p>\n

Welch has leaned into the power of incumbency and support from a tight-knit network<\/a> of local leaders who say he is still the best candidate for the role.<\/p>\n

Welch continues to push the St. Pete Agile Resilience initiative, a long-term effort aimed at accelerating stormwater, sewer and water system upgrades to protect neighborhoods from flooding.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAt a time when communities need stronger drainage systems and reliable emergency response, doubling down on deeper cuts is reckless,\u201d Welch said. \u201cYou cannot continue cutting local revenue while expecting cities to maintain the services and infrastructure residents depend on every day.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Welch also argued that local first responders have warned that reducing local revenues would affect emergency response capabilities, citing local union leaders.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur firefighters see firsthand what it takes to keep this city safe during emergencies, storms and daily calls for service,\u201d said Richard Pauley, President of St. Petersburg Association of Firefighters, IAFF Local 747. \u201cStable local funding is critical to ensuring departments have the personnel, equipment and resources needed to protect residents.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sun Coast Police Benevolent Association President Jon Vazquez also raised concerns about deeper cuts.<\/p>\n

\u201cProperty taxes are how we are paid. Property taxes are how we put food on our tables and take care of our families. Plain and simple, a drastic reduction or elimination of property taxes means that local governments will not be able to pay, equip, or train their law enforcement officers and fire personnel appropriately,\u201d Vazquez said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen someone is breaking into your house in the middle of the night or when your attic insulation catches fire, what you paid in property taxes will be the last thing on your mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Welch said calls for property tax reductions should include a replacement plan.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout a serious replacement plan, deeper property tax cuts would leave local governments with impossible choices that ultimately hurt families and communities,\u201d Welch said.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Ed. Note:\u00a0Michelle Todd Schorsch\u00a0is the Chair of St. Pete Shines, a political committee backing Crist for St. Petersburg Mayor. Todd Schorsch is married to\u00a0Peter Schorsch, the publisher of Florida Politics.<\/p>\n