As the 53rd Mayor of St. Petersburg, and the first Democrat in more than two decades, Rick Kriseman makes his inaugural appearance on the 2014 SaintPetersBlog list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians, breaking in at #5.
While a majority of St. Petersburg voters believed the city was moving in the right direction, that didn’t stop them from voting in the former City Council member and two-term state representative, an unabashed progressive, over incumbent Mayor Bill Foster.
Kriseman beat Foster — a principled fiscal manager, but uninspiring leader — in a previously non-partisan event that quickly turned into a political combat zone between Democrats and Republicans. It was one of the most expensive campaigns in the city’s history.
However, for most observers, the 2013 mayoral election can be summed up in two words — The Lens.
Kriseman was an early opponent of The Lens, and his disapproval amplified during the campaign, just as public opinion sank for the ill-fated replacement for the Pier’s iconic inverted pyramid.
An immediate sign that Kriseman was the “anti-Foster,” the fences around the Pier approach came down within minutes of his taking office. Closing the Pier was an issue that dogged Foster during the entire campaign. Foster remained steadfast in refusing to allow pedestrians on the approach, even after the 828 Alliance — his own handpicked committee — suggested he look into allowing controlled access. It ultimately proved to be his downfall.
Although Kriseman wears the label “progressive” proudly (he even met with President Obama weeks before taking office), he is (surprisingly, to some) pro-business. For example, the Mayor named several staff members with strong ties to the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce — including Deputy Mayor Kanika Tomalin.
So far, Kriseman’s administrative dance card is full. He has held meetings in a wide range of interests, from developers to leaders of the LGBT community, to strategize about the future of St. Petersburg. He also meets one-on-one with City Council members regularly, something that Foster was hesitant to do.
Reaching #5 on the list — after only 45 days in office — may be only the beginning.
For a complete explanation of how this list was created and who comprised the panel that assembled it, please read here.
