Summary

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SUMMARY

As I have pointed out, some of the other candidates have raised red herring issues that have no bearing on this campaign. This is not because they are irrelevant or unimportant, but because they are handled at the county, state, or federal levels. The mayor's job is to focus city resources on city issues and leave the other issues to our qualified representatives at those levels. He or she must also have a clear understanding of the authority that the office does and does not have. Here is a summary of the important issues that I have addressed with some issues that I haven't yet discussed.

Our laws are only as good as our ability to enforce them. They are best enforced by highly trained professional
police officers under a strong leader who will earn respect from the law abiding citizens and fear from the criminals. That is one way for a police officer to prevent crime. As a U.S. Marine, the men under me were highly trained and professional.

Since most of the crimes are committed by the same people over and over again, the best crime prevention tool
is arresting and incarcerating those people. There should be no crime too small to investigate and to prosecute. When Rudolph Giuliani was Mayor of New York City, he began arresting panhandlers for jay walking and found that many of them were wanted for much larger crimes. By simply enforcing minor laws that were on the books, he was able to reduce major crimes in his city.

A few years ago I was at a local drug store around closing time. I took my purchase up from the back of the
store to the cashier who was talking on the phone. The door was already locked and I saw a police officer looking in and I informed the cashier. It turns out that she was in the process of reporting a robbery. In addition to my surprise about the robbery, I was quite amazed that the Saint Petersburg Police Department was on the scene before the cashier had finished reporting the crime.

This is the kind of professionalism that you will expect from me when I am your mayor. Once the criminals know how close the nearest police officer is, they'll think twice (those that have some semblance of critical thinking skills) before committing a crime.

While crime is a serious issue, and due to the current economic situation, it has been going up lately, I would
prefer it if you would focus on the overall goodness of the people of Saint Petersburg. Then when you look at what I have done, you will believe that I can and will secure this city.

Homelessness is not a crime, panhandling is - sometimes. And the law will be enforced. We will do what we can to help those who are willing to do what is necessary to improve their situation and we must have compassion for those who are physically and mentally handicapped.

We should tax only enough to pay for necessary services. Depending on the economic situation at the time, taxes will be prone to rise or fall. That is the reality and history of taxes in Saint Petersburg. Taxes are limited by the Florida Constitution. Furthermore, when taxes get too high, revenue decreases. Preparation is a necessary service. During times of prosperity it is prudent to set money aside for emergencies or times when the economy is on a downward trend and people can least afford the taxes necessary for municipal services. It is the responsibility of the mayor to review all city departments to ensure that none of them are over managed and under staffed and that they are given enough resources to carry out their mission.

I will continue to market the city, attracting visitors and businesses. We will accomplish this by keeping the city
beautiful and fun with attractions like The Pier. We will keep the city safe with a highly trained police force under a strong leader. We will keep taxes reasonable. And we will promote education by continuing Mayor Baker's mentoring program and recreation.

Supporting recreational facilities for youth has numerous benefits. It enhances the overall attractiveness of the city by making it a fun place, thus attracting families to visit and live here. Plus they help to develop the moral character of our children and they reduce crime.

I am in favor of single stream recycling and as mayor, will implement the program. Not only because it's the right thing to do, but because my son won't give me a moment's peace until I do. The average environmental activist won't call me at home at 2:00 AM. He will. Besides, this is being done in many communities across the country and it's something that we are capable of doing.

Support

If you wish to financially support this campaign, please send a check or money order to:

Richard Eldridge
435 13th Ave North #4
Saint Petersburg, FL 33701-1136

My other contact information is

(727) 498-0074

Richard@Eldridge2009.com

By law, you cannot give more than $500.00 to a municipal campaign. Yeah, it surprised me too that people have to be told not to give more than $500.00 to a municipal campaign. But apparently there are people who actually give that kind of money, so the state had to pass a law.
The legal limit for cash or cashier's check is $50.00, so if you want to put a few dollars into an envelope and mail it, feel free. But don’t do it anonymously. I am not allowed to use anonymous donations.

Donations must include your name, address, and specific occupation or type of business when in excess of $100.00. Specific occupation or type of business is not required when the donation is less than or equal to $100.00.

There are other rules for people under the age of 18. But seriously, if you're under 18, I don't want your money. Enjoy your summer.

Forwarding the link to this site and dropping my name to friends, family, and even total strangers will help out more than you will know. The more word of mouth advertising that I get, the less advertising I will need to finance.

Please visit my site often to look for updates and responses that I may post from time to time.
Thank you for visiting my website.

Richard Eldridge