Pier costs

no concern,
poll finds
BY WAVENEY ANN MOORE
Times Staff Writer
ST. PETERSBURG Given Floridas searing
summer temperatures, its probably no surprise
that a majority of residents surveyed about what
theyd most like at the citys pier ranked air con-
ditioning a top priority.
Fine dining was another, along with observa-
tion and viewing areas, an iconic design and a
place to walk, jog, bike and fish.
But one answer to the telephone survey of
1,000 registered St. Petersburg voters likely
was unexpected. When asked whether the tax-
payer subsidy, which averaged $1.4 million a
year for the closed inverted pyramid, should be
increased, decreased or remain the same as the
city proceeds with plans to continue its tradi-
tion of a public pier, a majority appeared uncon-
cerned about the cost.
That got the attention of City Council mem-
Air conditioning, dining and
a view rank as high priorities.
. See PIER, 4A
12 Years, Hustle lead way with seven Golden Globe nominations each. 2B
.
tampabay.com
Deal Divas daily
Theyre on the
prowl for the latest
styles, cool fashion
advice and bargains galore.
Find out what theyve found
at tampabay.com/blogs/
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.
TODAYS WEATHER
AMERICAN
MISSING IN IRAN
WORKED FOR CIA
Details of Robert Levinsons
disappearance in 2007 dur-
ing an unapproved mission
are revealed in documents
and interviews given on
the condition of anonymity.
World, 8A
Program wont
distribute booklets
Alternatives to the pocket
Constitutions are being
explored, a state Supreme
Court justice says. Local, 1B
Citizens wants
to hire $1M lawyer
Critics say it would be an
outrageous expense for the
troubled insurer. Local, 1B
Experts: Winston
inquiry botched
The Tallahassee police
investigation of the sexual
assault allegation against
Florida State quarterback
Jameis Winston is called a
real failure. Local, 1B
Health overhaul
deadlines extended
The Obama administration
announces the changes to
buy people time as they try
to obtain coverage through
the exchanges. Local, 1B
Crist concerned by
jobless site issues
Charlie Crist joins the calls
for an investigation of glitch-
es with CONNECT, Floridas
$63 million unemployment
website. Business, 4B
USDA to battle
citrus greening
The federal agency is creat-
ing a framework to battle
the disease that threatens
Floridas $9 billion industry.
Business, 4B
Edwards ready for
Rowdies new era
Bill Edwards, a member of
the Tampa Bay Business
Hall of Fame, buys a con-
trolling interest in the North
American Soccer League
franchise. Sports, 1C
Lightning tops
Detroit in shootout
Marty St. Louis scores in the
sixth round to lead Tampa
Bay to a 2-1 win. Sports, 1C
Panel recommends
new curbs for NSA
The report says data collec-
tion on phone calls should
continue, but under broad
restraints. Nation, 2A
Interpreter claims
he saw angels
A man accused of masquer-
ading as a sign-language
interpreter during Nelson
Mandelas memorial says
he was a violence-prone
schizophrenic. World, 3A
N. Korea executes
leaders uncle
The nation declares Jang
Song Thaek a traitor who
tried to seize supreme
power. World, 2A
Times Publishing Co.
Vol. 130 No. 142
INDEX
Astrology 4F Crosswords 13A, F
Business 4B Editorials 12A
Classified F Lottery 2A
Comics 3F Puzzles 4F
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Milder afternoon
Rubios
new role:
budget
warrior
BY ALEX LEARY
Times Washington Bureau Chief
WASHINGTON Sen. Marco Rubio didnt
wait for the bipartisan budget accord to drop
before calling it a failure, on Sean Hannitys
radio show.
When the deal approved 332-94 Thurs-
day by the House was
announced this week, the
Florida Republican instantly
issued a strongly worded
statement then continued the
offensive on Mike Huckabees
radio show and Fox News.
Rubio has a new favorite
cause, putting him at odds
with Rep. Paul Ryan and other
Republicans keen to move beyond budget cliff-
hangers, show the public they can get things
done and break the growing stronghold of out-
side groups such as Heritage Action.
Heres the problem: It raises it by $60 billion,
the spending, but it pays it over 10 years, Rubio
told Megyn Kelly of Fox News on Wednesday.
His strong opposition to a deal
reveals political calculations.
House
approval
A compromise
eases across-
the-board fed-
eral spending
cuts. 7A
. See RUBIO, 7A
Analysis
BY CLAIRE WISEMAN
Times Staff Writer
Lori Koch and her husband, Tom, took their
seats in the front row for their kindergarteners
Christmas concert. The Kochs, both deaf, posi-
tioned themselves near an interpreter.
They were expecting their daughter to sing
her heart out, along with the other 5-year-olds.
They werent expecting a YouTube sensation.
Claire isnt deaf, but the Kochs blond daugh-
ter looked straight at her parents and signed
every word of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
so they could understand.
I didnt ask her, it wasnt expected, it was just
a surprise, said Lori Koch, 38.
After the concert, the Kochs couldnt stop
cheering.
And they had plenty of company. By Thurs-
day, a video Koch posted to YouTube was bounc-
Girls signing
shared the joy
Her holiday concert sign
language lights up YouTube.
. See DEAF, 4A
YOU CAN
KEEP IT
LIE OF THE YEAR
To reassure anxious Americans about his ambitious
health care plan, President Barack Obama repeated
a claim that for millions was simply not true.
AUG. 11, 2009
JUNE 11, 2009 JUNE 15, 2009 JULY 23, 2009
JULY 29, 2009 AUG. 20, 2009
MARCH 25, 2010
JUNE 28, 2012 SEPT. 26, 2013 OCT. 3, 2012
MARCH 8, 2010 MARCH 15, 2010

BY ANGIE DROBNIC HOLAN

PolitiFact Editor
I
t was a catchy political pitch and a chance to
calm nerves about his dramatic and compli-
cated plan to bring historic change to Ameri-
cas health insurance system.
If you like your health care plan, you can keep
it, President Barack Obama said many times
of his landmark new law.
But the promise was impossible to keep.
So this fall, as cancellation letters were going out
to about 4 million Americans, the public realized
Obamas breezy assurances were wrong.
Boiling down the complicated health care law to
a soundbite proved treacherous, even for its pro-
moter-in-chief. Obama and his team made matters
worse, suggesting they had been misunderstood all
along. The stunning political uproar led to this: a
rare presidential apology.
For all of these reasons, PolitiFact has named
If you like your health care plan, you can keep it,
the Lie of the Year for 2013. Readers in a separate
online poll overwhelmingly agreed with the choice.
For four of the past five years, PolitiFacts Lie of
the Year has revolved around the health care law,
which has been subject to more erroneous attacks
than any other piece of legislation PolitiFact has
fact-checked.
Obamas ideas on health care were first offered as
general outlines then grew into specific legislation
over the course of his presidency. Yet Obama never
adjusted his rhetoric to give people a more accurate
sense of the laws real-world repercussions, even as
fact-checkers flagged his statements as exaggerated
at best.
Instead, he fought back against inaccurate
attacks with his own oversimplifications, which he
repeated even as it became clear his promise was
too sweeping.
The debate about the health care law rages on,
but friends and foes of Obamacare have found one
slice of common ground: The presidents you can
keep it claim has been a real hit to his credibility.
. See LIE, 10A