Keep Kennedy On Council

Hi, I’m Jim Kennedy and I’m running for St. Petersburg City Council District 2. St. Pete has been my home for nearly 30 years and there is never a day that goes by that I don’t ask myself, “What can I do to make St. Petersburg a better place?”

I was appointed in 2007 to represent the community in which I had spent nearly 30 years as a member of the City Council. Over the last thirty years, our community has seen many changes. In the last two years, I have worked tirelessly to ensure that those changes help improve our community, from gulf to bay, from Gateway to the Pink Streets.

Our communities—all across the great city of St Petersburg—are linked. Keeping our streets safe is my most important job as a city council member. I have worked so that our police force has the ability to combat crime in our streets, as well as the ability to extend a protective hand to dissuade domestic violence. For the first time in its history, the St. Petersburg Police Department is fully staffed with 545 officers and I have consistently protected our officers’ benefits and pensions. I also supported using federal stimulus money to hire more police offers and stationing them in our city’s most challenging neighborhoods.

I have worked diligently to make sure that we are not burdened by debt. My 15 years as President and Treasurer of Community Action Stops Abuse (CASA) have taught me about balancing budgets, as I helped develop and manage a team that grew CASA’s budget from $250,000 to $3.2 million. I took those skills to City Council, where we have been able to balance the budget. And I promise to work my hardest to keep it balanced.

Protecting the environment is important and we can do it and save money in the process. That’s why I have led the city’s efforts to increase our access to reclaimed water. Good environmental policy begins with conservation and by saving potable water we can save money on our utility bills as well.

I serve on City Council with a steadfast belief that local government matters; building a strong community matters; working to make our city a better place to live matters. That has been my charge since being appointed to City Council. I endeavor to continue working for you, but I understand, as I know you do, that I cannot do this job alone. Improving our community requires all our work and dedication.

That is why I am asking you humbly to join my campaign.

I love St. Petersburg. I have served it for over three decades and would like to continue a little longer. I hope you will help me keep doing this job that I love.

Sincerely,

Jim Kennedy