The St. Petersburg City Council has formally advanced a proposed $600 million General Obligation bond to its next procedural step with the city’s Budget, Finance and Taxation Committee.
The proposal will mainly address stormwater and wastewater infrastructure, which city officials say are urgent needs after recent hurricanes revealed weaknesses in St. Petersburg’s aging systems. The bond would speed up projects already in long-term plans, though the exact priorities are still being decided.
The Committee will let some Council members review project lists, financing options, and possible effects on taxpayers before sharing details with the full Council to finalize the referendum language.
Council member Copley Gerdes leads the Committee. Council Chair Lisset Hanewicz and Council members Deborah Figgs-Sanders and Mike Harting are also on the Committee, with Brandi Gabbard as an alternate.
The Council discussed the item without debate, showing a willingness to move the process forward even though disagreements are likely later. More detailed policy debates are expected once project lists and financing details are shared, but early agreement is a good sign for the proposal. The bond could also appear on a ballot as state officials discuss property tax reform to limit city spending.
Mayor Ken Welch first highlighted the bond when he supported speeding up long-planned infrastructure upgrades in his State of the City address earlier this year. Gabbard, who is also running for Mayor, has shown cautious support but wants clear information on how the money would be used before voters decide.
The City Council will review the measure again after the Committee makes its recommendations. At that point, members could vote to put the bond referendum on the ballot as soon as August, during the city’s closely watched mayoral race.
