The City of St. Petersburg lacks First Amendment free speech protections, which hinders its ability to replace recently removed street murals that promoted inclusivity.
Assistant City Attorney Brett Pettigrew said the State of Florida can also abolish St. Petersburg at any time, provided it appeases municipal creditors. His comments stemmed from a hurried city council committee discussion Thursday regarding potential alternatives for public art.
Mayor Ken Welch pledged that St. Petersburg would create “powerful new expressions of who we are” about a week before the Florida Department of Transportation began erasing five murals over Labor Day weekend. Those efforts will likely require private property and funding…