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The candidates, from left: Jim Large, Charlie Crist, Kevin Batdorf, Maria Scruggs, Brandi Gabbard and Ken Welch.<\/p>\n
St. Petersburg\u2019s six mayoral candidates spoke Tuesday evening at Bayboro Brewing, invited by the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance to explain their views on the importance of the arts in the community, and what they will do should they win the Aug. 18 election.<\/p>\n
The audience of 200 or so included artists, performers and administrators, as well as representatives from many local arts organizations.<\/p>\n
Each candidate was given five minutes to address the crowd. Several used the occasion to deliver more or less generic stump speeches; some appeared off-the-cuff and tentative. All agreed, repeatedly, that the arts are a key economic driver in St. Petersburg and Pinellas County.<\/p>\n
Another common topic was the need for affordable artist housing, as living within the fast-growing city is becoming an economic hardship for artists.<\/p>\n
\u201cWriting a check is not the only thing that we can do as a city,\u201d said candidate Jim Large. \u201cWe can look at unused city property that we own, and what can we do with that to help the art community in some form or fashion?\u201d<\/p>\n
Large, the city\u2019s longtime fire chief, talked about his passion for public service. \u201cI think you have a passion for the arts,\u201d he told the audience, \u201cand I think it\u2019s so important that we continue to support our passion and do the things that we love. And it makes our city better.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Brandi Gabbard speaks, as St. Petersburg Arts Alliance executive director Helen French watches from the wings.<\/p>\n
Said Brandi Gabbard, a nine-year member of the St. Petersburg City Council: \u201cWe have to find a way not only for our makers and our creators to be able to continue the work they do every day, but to be able to live right here in our community that they do the work for.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabbard leaned into the need for affordable live\/work spaces for artists. \u201cBecause affordability overall is depleting for everyday people in our city.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kevin Batdorf received the biggest laugh of the night when he told the audience he once played trumpet on Broadway \u2026 in the Macy\u2019s Thanksgiving Day Parade.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are the new tourist attraction,\u201d he said, addressing the creatives in the room. \u201cPeople come to St. Pete to see what you\u2019re doing, to check out our museums, our art walks and our murals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Getting right to the point, Maria Scruggs said \u201cWhen we say the arts is an economic generator, we have to put the numbers to that. We have to move beyond looking at the arts as an afterthought or an appendix, And when we say that we are looking at it as an economic driver, we have to have that in our strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cThe arts to me are very simple: The arts are the soul of your community. And if your community is not dancing to the beat of some kind of artistic expression, then you\u2019re not serious about the arts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Florida governor Charlie Crist said that the city\u2019s current administration is not doing enough. \u201cCity Hall has not funded you, in my humble opinion,\u201d he declared. \u201cAnd why is that happening? Because the administration doesn\u2019t make you a priority. They say put your money where your mouth is \u2013 well, you get some crumbs. But if we really want to make St. Petersburg the arts capital of the world, instead of just the southeast of the United States, we gotta get moving.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we mean it, let\u2019s do something about it. And let\u2019s have a mayor who\u2019s a champion for the arts.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI want you to know, you do have a champion of the arts in your current mayor,\u201d incumbent Ken Welch began. He then laid out his record as a supporter of the arts, starting with his time (2002-2022) as a Pinellas County Commissioner.<\/p>\n
Welch also noted that the city\u2019s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026-27, submitted to City Council last week, includes $1.2 million in funding for the arts. \u201cAnd we\u2019ve increased that every year that I\u2019ve been mayor.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also issued a warning: \u201cYou need to understand that when someone is talking about cutting property taxes, the first thing that will be cut will be the arts.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if we get a property tax referendum that passes this November, our investment won\u2019t be possible. So when someone talks to you about cutting property taxes, ask them specifically what they will cut.\u201d<\/p>\n
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