Mayor of Key West
Key West mayoral candidates, incumbents Teri Johnston and Margaret Romero, both received cheers and applause from the audience, both with their responses to questions from the cruise ships.
Is there a way, in your view, to strike a balance and get rid of the cruise ship issue?
Johnstone: “By canceling ships at Pier B and (Mallory), we have reduced the potential number of cruise ships per week from 21 to 7. Is this where everyone wants to be? I doubt. But it’s a compromise and it has reduced the total number of cruise ships in the city of Key West. (Editor’s note: Johnston said, “Pier B and Outer Mole,” but we believe she was referring to the city canceling ships at the city-owned Mallory Pier rather than the private Pier B, where cruise ship traffic is not limited.)
Were there any missed opportunities for a compromise on cruise ships, particularly regarding Pier B, before the referendum vote?
Romero: “I would have made sure everyone understood what current contracts we had in place that we couldn’t change and what the implications would be, especially for our smaller businesses, with the reduction in the number of ships. I really think that we needed more clear and precise data and a better understanding of what the questions were based on.I would have asked for more data and facts before the referendum took place.
Key West City Commission, District IV
The District IV City Commission race is the highest-attended race on the Key West ballot, but will only be decided by District IV voters. Outgoing commissioner Greg Davila is not seeking re-election and four political newcomers want the seat: Ryan Barwick, Lissette Cuervo-Carey, Kim Highsmith and Steven Nekhaila.
What would you do to help businesses, including those not in your neighborhood?
Kim Highsmith: I think we all have the same goals in promoting successful businesses that are not dependent on tourism. We have two malls in our neighborhood that lack anchor points. How do we approach this as a whole city? They are private entities, so I think we are limited in what we can do.
As an employee of the commission’s housing authority, should you recuse yourself from votes on Poinciana Gardens, Garden View Apartments, and the Renovation of Public Housing Projects?
Cuervo-Carey smoother: “In fact, I didn’t make the decision whether or not to stay at the housing authority. I’m here to represent the residents of District IV. I think the knowledge that I have, historically, from working for the city, taking that knowledge and turning it into positive things to make good decisions to improve our community. If it’s a challenge that I have to make to give the commission a fair vote, I have no problem with that. But to be honest, I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. … My opinion doesn’t matter as much as the opinion of the people in my district.
What would you do to deal with the housing crisis?
Steven Nekhail: “Workforce housing and labor shortages are the biggest crisis we face. The only way to help this crisis is to increase the supply of housing. For too long we have clung to low density. We need to look at what we can do to encourage multi-family homes, secondary suites and height increase. Soon we will be out of manpower. It happens.”
Do you think Key West strikes the right balance between tourism and quality of life for residents?
Ryan Barwick: “I want to promote positive tourism to increase our quality of life, be it infrastructure, beautification, sea level rise.”
County judges
The Florida Bar strictly limits what judicial candidates can say publicly during their campaign.
Candidates Al Kelley and Jason Smith were not allowed to answer questions about the current shortage of prosecutors in the state’s attorney’s office and how that will affect trials and sentencing.
In a polite and respectful exchange, in response to a question about keeping the peace in a courtroom, the two stressed the importance of treating people with respect, especially in cases of mental illness.
Question: How many jury cases have you attempted to reach a verdict?
Kelly: “I am not a statistician. I’ve done hundreds of tries overall, but I don’t keep track of how many tries I’ve done. I have handled many landlord and tenant cases and small claims cases.
Black-smith: “I tried over 100 jury trials and over 50 felony cases and over 50 drug cases in my first stint at public defender. We need more jury trials, not less. is becoming a dying art, but the system loses its accountability when we continue to plead cases.And the key to jury trials is to have jurors from that community.
United States House of Representatives, 28th District
Democrat Robert Asencio was the only U.S. House candidate present at Monday’s forum. Republican incumbent U.S. Representative Carlos Gimenez is in Washington, DC, and conservative candidate KW Miller told German he was “on his way to the Vatican,” German said.
Ascencio, who served at the Florida House from 2016 to 2018, told the audience, “I seek to be elected to break the BS that divides our country.”
In response to a question from Moore about gun control, Ascencio, a retired police officer who served six years in the military, said, “As a retired police officer who s got shot multiple times, I don’t think open port laws are the answer. . I don’t believe in introducing more guns into the equation. But he dismissed the possibility of a gun ban as implausible.
School tax referendum
The Monroe County School District is asking all Keys voters to approve a tax change they’ve passed every four years for more than a decade. The school district collects an additional half thousand in property tax that can be spent on operating costs, including employee salaries. In exchange, the district reduces the tax by the same amount, which can only be used for investment or construction projects. There is no net tax increase for property owners, but the formula provides more flexible operational funding for employee salaries. School Board Chairman John Dick reminded the audience that the school district, like all employers, is struggling to recruit and retain employees due to the high and rising cost of living in the Keys.
Key West Botanical Garden Referendum
The Key West Rainforest and Botanical Garden is asking Key West voters to approve a 99-year lease for its lush garden on Stock Island, which is owned by the city of Key West. The long-term lease would ensure that the property is never developed and remains a publicly accessible botanical garden for 99 years. The lease would also allow the garden to apply for and receive more grants, which usually requires an entity to control the site for the long term. Misha McRae, Executive Director of the Garden, spoke briefly about the garden’s history, lush flora, rare trees, bird and butterfly populations, and public programs.
Comments are closed.