Clearwater City Council candidate loses endorsement over Garden Avenue fallout — A recent City Council vote on a request from the Church of Scientology has stirred up campaign drama.
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A Clearwater City Council member rescinded his endorsement of a candidate after a tense back-and-forth with her husband, a Pinellas County commissioner, about the council’s vote last week to give a stretch of public roadway to the Church of Scientology.
The council’s decision on South Garden Avenue was more than a year in the making, and its implications are top of mind for residents and candidates as the Aug. 18 election approaches.
Bianca Latvala, who is married to Pinellas County Commissioner Chris Latvala, announced in April she had received endorsements from multiple City Council members, including Mike Mannino. She’s seeking Seat 4 on the council.
Chris Latvala texted Mannino June 18, hours before the council was set to vote on a request from the Church of Scientology to let it have a portion of South Garden Avenue downtown. Mannino and Chris Latvala confirmed the authenticity of screenshots of their messages that were shared with the Times.
Chris Latvala told Mannino to delay the vote and encouraged the council to do the same in a Facebook post because the county is working to lease or sell more than a dozen Pinellas-owned properties in downtown Clearwater.
“Let the county develop a plan for our property and then do what u have to do,” Latvala wrote to Mannino.
Mannino responded that the vote on South Garden Avenue would not affect the county’s effort and that the Garden Avenue discussion needed closure.
Latvala responded: “Well when developers read in the wall street journal that our city council is owned lock stock and barrel by L Ron Hubbard I am sure it will,” he said, referring to the founder of the Church of Scientology. “And dont use God as an excuse for not having any balls and being a sellout.”
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Content retrieved from: https://www.tampabay.com/news/clearwater/2026/06/25/clearwater-city-council-election-south-garden-avenue-scientology/.
