FRED HOWARD PARK FEES
As you are probably aware, Pinellas County Commissioners recently floated the idea of charging a fee at Howard Park once the beach area is opened which should be imminent. The general out-cry of disapproval by the public and individual Cities, Tarpon Springs and my self being among them, have shelved the matter for now. The problem with such fees is the majority of users of the Park during the week are our elderly citizens. Many come just to walk, or sit and read or to enjoy the sea, open air and sunsets.
If the County resurrects this issue the City should and has vigorously opposed it. Still, in our economic situation, this may boil down to having enough money to open and run the park and fees are and have been a legitimate source of revenue for other County parks. If it gets to this point, the least I expect is a petition from the City to the County to allow yearly passes for Pinellas County seniors. The seniors in our County pay a disproportionate share of taxes and this is one way of acknowledging their input and ensuring these fees do not hurt some of our most vulnerable citizens living on fixed incomes. Chris has had discussions with County leaders and is seeking to eliminate any proposed senior fees at the park.
Finally Howard Park's causeway and beach opened Dec 28th. So far there has been no more mention of fees. Still, we must remain vigilant, and given the importance of this issue especially to our seniors, we will constantly monitor it.
