Janelle Irwin Taylor
St. Petersburg ranks among the top in the nation on integration policies affecting newcomers, including immigrants, according to a new national assessment of policies and socioeconomic outcomes, Mayor Rick Kriseman announced Monday.
Immigrants in the St. Pete area pay $549.5 million in taxes every year, according to the inaugural New American Economy Cities Index. The index found local immigrants accounted for $1.8 billion in local direct and associated spending in 2014. There are 2,166 immigrant-owned businesses in the St. Pete area.
The NAE Cities Index looks at 31 different policies and 20 socioeconomic outcomes to assess cities on their ability to integrate new residents. Categories include government leadership, economic empowerment, inclusivity, community and legal support, job opportunities, economic prosperity, livability and civic participation.
“This ranking is a result of our hard work and commitment to ensuring that all residents of the City of St. Petersburg, regardless of where they are born or what language they speak, are afforded opportunity in America’s Sunshine City,” Kriseman said during a news conference in front of St. Pete City Hall.
The city ranked 13th overall. On a five-point scale, it scored 4.5 in socioeconomic status and five in the categories of economic prosperity, livability and civic participation.
There’s some room for improvement. The city scored 2.8 overall on its policies toward integration and three in inclusivity and economic empowerment.
The ranking comes after Kriseman’s 2016 remarks against then-presidential candidate Donald Trump “banning” him from St. Pete based on the President’s comments about immigration and plans to implement a travel ban on majority-Muslim countries.
Kriseman has also been an outspoken critic of Trump’s zero-tolerance policy that led to thousands of undocumented children being separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. The city’s policies place St. Pete on Trump’s “sanctuary city” list blocking some federal financial aid, a practice Kriseman condemns.
2 comments
Michele Ryan
September 18, 2018 at 5:35 am
I will vote this election for candidates who prioritize citizens over illegal aliens (bet you thought that was a given …not anymore), those who oppose sanctuary cities, amnesty and taxpayer funded in state college tuition discounts for illegals. That means NO Democrats. Gallup poll- almost 60% of Democrats now view socialism positively, little changed from 2010 survey.
Sanctuary cities? Eventually, as cities across the country begin announcing they will NOT be sanctuary the criminals, gang members,Illegal aliens living there will flock to the nearest welcoming sanctuary city. Than city will get an increase in crime and expenses. The only real justice is the people who live in these sanctuary cities will get exactly what they wanted and fought for. A city that is sanctuary to felons, illegal aliens fleeing ICE and fugitives….with more arriving every day.
The current migration at our southern border is costing taxpayers a Kings Ransom. Fleeing persecution? or fleeing for freebies? they sure don’t stay in Mexico when they reach “safety” or ask for political asylum in Mexico. Why? because Mexico will give them NOTHING. So they make the long journey to our border, our generous Democrats and our tax dollars.
When you reward illegal immigration with jobs, amnesty, drivers licenses, discounts for college tuition, scholarships encourages MORE illegal entry.. Just debating DACA in congress is costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars….. thank the parents.
Just a few examples of the more outrageous costs associated with illegal immigration, we will pass this burden on to our children and grand children as has been passed on to us
*The cost of educating illegal aliens children is staggering. From K-12 it costs taxpayers $122,000 for EACH illegal alien student. This does not include the billions spent on bilingual education for illegal aliens.
*Taxpayers in numerous states are funding in state college tuition discounts for illegal aliens. Cost to taxpayers over a billion dollars annually.
*2016 illegal aliens sent home $62 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin. This is why Mexico is getting involved in our politics.
*30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.Does not include local jails and State Prisons. At $21,000 per year expense per inmate in Federal Prison U do the math.
*$3Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate, process Illegal aliens in the Criminal justice system. I repeat 3 MILLION a DAY.
*$2.2Billion dollars a year is spent on is spent on food assistance programs such as SNAP (food stamps) WIC, & free school lunches.
If you OPPOSE illegal immigration, taxpayer funds used for illegal aliens, sanctuary cities, amnesty for millions of illegal aliens, weak border security, tax increases. VOTE NO for ALL Democrats this November.
MicheleRyan
September 18, 2018 at 5:37 am
Liberal Democrat BILL NELSON and Socialist ANDREW GILLUM are running for Senate & Governor respectively. Nelson / Gillum both proudly supports abolishing ICE, sanctuary cities, amnesty for millions of illegal aliens, using taxpayer funds for illegal aliens & DACA. In addition, both are weak on border security and national defense.
If you OPPOSE illegal immigration, taxpayer funds used for illegal aliens, sanctuary cities, amnesty r Please VOTE NO for BILL NELSON & ANDREW GILLUM this November….we can’t afford anymore Democrats.
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