\u00a0St. Pete man dies after being struck by 4 cars on I-275: FHP\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n“I’m tired of crying after every new teenager is killed. I am tired. Are you all not? How many more years, how many more lives, how many more?” said Jay James with Bay Area Dream Defenders.<\/p>\n
“There’s more than double the number of people being killed in car crashes in St. Petersburg compared to homicides it’s horrendous,” said a man who spoke up in public comment about the Complete Streets program.<\/p>\n
Thursday was the first public hearing for the budget. It’s not the first time council has heard from the Bay Area Dream Defenders. The organization wants existing youth programs to be able to help curb gun violence.<\/p>\n
“What we were told by the community is, yes, there are great programs. We can’t utilize them. And a lot of that can be answered by funding intentionally to make those things work,” said Jerry Funt, the lead organizer. “I think it is exactly a lack of will to invest the funds this way”.<\/p>\n
There’s also the Complete Streets Program that got an increase in the budget. But some council members argue it needs more.<\/p>\n
“We should make it a priority that people can get around safely and we’re not doing that. If we were serious about it, we would find the money,” said council woman Gina Driscoll.<\/p>\n
“I think we have to stop treating taxpayer dollars like personal slush funds. Especially when there are needs in this community that some aren’t even tangible. Can’t put your hands on that individual whose life was lost either to gun violence or a lack of pedestrian or bicycle safety,” said council member Corey Givens.<\/p>\n
Driscoll and Givens both voted no on the budget Thursday night.<\/p>\n
Tentatively the operating budget is valued at about $1 billion. City council discussed making quick fixes to operations and a need to be proactive. But they also say there isn’t enough money to fund everything the way it could be. And say funding levels could be interesting depending on the upcoming property tax vote.<\/p>\n
“We are getting it from all the organizations that are not getting money because they’re not getting money from other places,” said council woman Lisset Hanewicz. “There could be some really catastrophic consequences come November.”<\/p>\n
The final vote on the budget is September 17.<\/p>\n
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