For years, Faith and Action for Strength Together (FAST) has held huge annual rallies called Nehemiah Action Assemblies. Recently, more than 3,000 members gathered at Indian Rocks Beach Church, and this past Tuesday night, FAST officials raised the stakes by renting out Tropicana Field where they called on St. Pete and Pinellas elected officials to say "yes" or "no" to their carefully crafted policy statements.
There were four main topics on the agenda: affordable housing, jobs, education and healthcare, with specific policy requests under each category.
When it comes to affordable housing, FAST members want Pinellas County to live up to its 2007 promise that $30 million of the Penny for Pinellas tax will go toward the affordable housing land trust, with an allocation of $3 million a year for 10 years.
