Imagine Florida's capital city without state government – without the Capitol.
It doesn't register. Tallahassee was carved out of North Florida woods almost 200 years ago because leaders of the state wanted a convenient capital city. It's why Tallahassee is here.

Now imagine Tallahassee without Florida State University. Or Florida A&M. Or Tallahassee Community College.

"Tallahassee without its major universities and community college would be like a three-legged stool with only one and a half legs," said Mike Pate, former publisher of the Tallahassee Democrat. "It would fall over."

After retiring from the newspaper business in 2005, Pate was a John S. and James L. Knight Foundation program director. In that capacity, he helped provide funding and leadership for a variety of initiatives including the Knight Creative Communities Institute (KCCI), Sustainable Tallahassee, the Tallahassee Film Festival, and Get Gaines Going.

Now a private consultant, Pate has spent more than a year laying the foundation for a new initiative that he and other local leaders believe can be a catalyst for turning a terrific community into an even better place to live and work.

They've named it Town and Gown Tallahassee – TAG – and Pate, the project director, already has funding commitments for more than $150,000. Read the whole release HERE.