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Environmental Protection
The most urgent environmental issue in Pinellas County is its growing population density, the loss of green space due to development, and the threat of losing funding for important services due to the property tax reform referendum. Services for parks and public works programs like inspection and maintenance of drainage systems and stormwater management facilities will be at risk. Policies and programs that reduce the risk of flooding in the county are urgent. Tim and his wife personally experienced the back-to-back hurricanes in the fall of 2024. Helene had a 5–8 ft. storm surge along the Gulf coast of Pinellas County that flooded thousands of homes due to stormwater systems being overwhelmed, and Milton resulted in thousands of trees being lost, damaging hundreds of homes.
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Affordable Housing
Tim believes a county-wide plan for affordable housing begins with listening to the residents, young and old, who are struggling to make ends meet. The county has an opportunity to take the lead on a plan to invest in local, state, and federally funded programs to convert scores of old mobile home parks into modern, affordable condominium parks with green spaces at the center — walkable and bikeable to nearby retail outlets. This plan includes making low income mobile home owners eligible to buy a condo unit. Each condo unit will be designed with energy efficiency built-in to reduce energy demand and costs, improving quality of life and reducing traffic through walkable, bikeable community design.
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Flood Resilience & Insurance
Tim will form a collaborative task force with county staff in Public Works, Planning, and Utilities — and similar staff within municipalities like St. Pete and Clearwater — to share state-mandated Comprehensive Land Use Plans and Vulnerability Studies. The focus: policies and programs that reduce long-term flooding risks by developing an effective action plan with Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely (SMART) action items. The goal is to use a report from this task force to work with the insurance industry on policies and programs that reduce flood risks and thereby reduce property insurance rates for property owners in the county.
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Transportation
Tim will form a collaborative task force with staff in Pinellas County, Forward Pinellas, and neighboring counties like Hillsborough and Pasco to develop a comprehensive transportation improvement policy for the future — incorporating public transit including electric bus lines, a regional subway system, and inner-city trolley systems.