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Givens Holds First Meet and Greet in Campaign for St. Pete Council

CoreyGivens|St.PeteCouncilDistrict|Elections

By ANNE LINDBERG, TB Reporter

The event was hosted by Pinellas County School Board member Rene Flowers and former District 6 St. Petersburg City Councilman Frank Peterman Jr.

ST. PETERSBURG – Corey Givens Jr., who’s running for the District 6 seat on the St. Petersburg City Council, has held the first meet and greet of his campaign.

Givens used the event as a way to introduce himself to potential constituents and outline his positions on the issues. Givens said his roots are in St. Petersburg and he wants to place a renewed emphasis on family, youth and constituent services.The event was hosted by Rene Flowers, a current member of the Pinellas County School Board and a former St. Pete council member, and the Rev. Frank Peterman Jr., who formerly held the District 6 seat.

“During this past election cycle we learned that if we become too quick to take our foot off the gas pedal, history has a way of repeating itself and we can’t let that happen,” Givens said to the crowd of more than 60 people. “When people ask me why I’m running for city council I tell them it’s because I want to be a voice of unity for our city. I want to speak to every issue and not just one. I’ll represent the majority, not just the minority.”

Givens said the St. Petersburg should work with the county officials to address “quality of life issues” such as affordable housing, early childhood education, and wastewater infrastructure upgrades; all of which residents have been demanding.

“I will work to ensure that St. Pete has a workforce you can raise a family on; jobs that pay sustainable living wages.” Givens added, “Many people live their entire lives in this city and never become homeowners, simply because they can’t afford to.”

Givens praised St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman for taking the necessary steps to acquire control of  land on which a Walmart was located.

“At some point we have to realize that what works for Beach Drive may not work for 22nd Street S. Through my community activism and service to my neighborhood association over the years, I’ve learned that the best way to identify problems and find solutions is at the district, neighborhood, and street level,” Givens said. “A temporary solution in a food desert is better than no solution at all.”

Givens added, “So far there are seven candidates in my race, but only one of us will emulate the work of Councilman Karl Nurse, who is term-limited. That person is me! I’ll work to find solutions without sacrificing my core beliefs.”

Givens, 25, is a fourth generation St. Petersburg native. He’s an alumni of Lakewood High School and the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. He serves on the South St. Petersburg citizens Advisory Council and as president of the Lakewood Terrace Neighborhood Association. If elected, he would be the youngest council member in St. Petersburg’s history.

Six others are running for the District 6 seat: Justin Bean, Eritha “Akile” Cainion, James Jackson, John Johnson, Sharon Russ and Maria Scruggs. The winner will serve a four-year term beginning Jan. 2.

Qualifying starts at 8 a.m. June 8 and ends 5 p.m. June 23. The primary is Aug. 29 and the general election is Nov. 7.

For information about Givens, go to coreygivens.com.

Corey Givens | St. Petersburg Council | Election | Politics | Tampa Bay News | TB Reporter

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