"My role as mayor is to protect the interest of taxpayers, Mr. Sternberg's role is to protect the interests of the Rays. They don't always line up, but we're still trying to bridge the gap" said incumbent mayor Bill Foster.Few would disagree with the above statement, yet the Tampa Bay Times editorial board continues to pile 100% of the blame for the Stadium Stalemate on Foster. This morning's editorial {link to Times' site} calls for new, "bold leadership" on the eve of the city's mayoral election, once again citing the Rays negotiations as one of the reasons.
Foster - and thus St. Pete - are "damned if they do, damned if they don't." If leaders look out for the interests of taxpayers, the newspaper tries to replace them. If they compromise on their current contract and negotiating position with a "retail" business like the Rays, the newspaper will rip them like it has to so many other local governments.
Which is why the Rays have incentive to merely hold their position on the issue. They don't want to "pay to stray," they don't want to open their books to prove financial need, and they are currently turning profits.
Sick of feeling sorry for Foster. His city and residents are a joke. They claim the beaches but they belong to pinellas amd beach towns. They claim world class restaurants and skyline. What a joke. The rest of the country, the sports media, Tampa, and the Rays know St.Pete is no place for MLB. Why cant st. pete finally accept that?
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