Tony Yaniz promises more of the same on city commission

Tony Yaniz promises more of the same on city commission

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

Key West City Commission Tony Yaniz makes no apologies.

Running for a second term in District IV and being challenged by former Circuit County Judge Richard Payne, Yaniz says that complaints against his outspoken – some say “grandstanding” – style of pontificating from the commission dais during meetings, often challenging his colleagues to make his point, are what his constituents want. Even when his simmering feud with Mayor Craig Cates spilled over into public – including a heated exchange where Yaniz told Cates to “man up” after Cates challenged him to run in the 2014 mayoral race – Yaniz was unrepentant.

“The issue between the mayor and I was that the mayor wouldn’t let me speak on the issues my constituents wanted me to speak on. I was silenced numerous times,” Yaniz said, adding, “They don’t like my style because I advocate. I would never trade diplomacy for advocacy. My constituents want me to fight.”

In the past four years as commissioner, Yaniz was sometimes on the losing side of the fight when it came to high-profile issues. He failed to change city regulations forbidding boats and trailers to be parked on city streets. He fought vigorously to reinstate a twice a week garbage collection schedule, which failed to win support from most of his colleagues. And he lost an emotional battle against a new $1.2 million overnight homeless shelter on Stock Island, calling it “a country club homeless shelter” while continuing his long battle to provide only the minimum level of federally-mandated services to the growing homeless population in Key West.

“I can’t condone spending that kind of spending on a shelter when we have, as of yesterday, over 300 senior citizens waiting for an opening in senior housing. I have a hard time swallowing that,” he said.

Despite being a minority vote on these issues, Yaniz points to a long, less publicized, list of accomplishments during his first term. He promised transparency in all his city commission work, achieving that, he says, by holding weekly office house for his constituents, putting his cell phone number on his business card and making regular posts to his Facebook page. He puts “everything on the table,” he said.

Yaniz also supported major “green” projects that came before the commission, including resodding the soccer field at Petronia Street, a move some of his colleagues voted against because that parcel of land is slated to be renovated during the planned Truman Waterfront Project. But the Truman Park plans continue to move slowly, Yaniz pointed out. Meanwhile, kids are happily planning on the field.

Yaniz also challenged the Florida Department of Transportation’s decision to make North Roosevelt Boulevard a one-way street during the three-year repaving project.

“Many small businesses were going under. And there were more accidents,” Yaniz said of the initial plan, which was changed after he and others complained. “They said it couldn’t be two-way. And you know what? It worked.”

Yaniz said another accomplishment was leading the challenge to a consultant’s study that proposed widening the channel in Key West Harbor to accommodate the new super-sized cruise ships. Yaniz insisted that the issue be put to the voters, instead of city officials making the decision. The plan failed by a large margin in the voter referendum.

“And we can’t forget the small stuff,” he said about what he considers his accomplishments during the past four years. “Many of the things have been micro for the district. We can’t forget the cracked sidewalk that got fixed.”

Yaniz says that he doesn’t introduce legislation in city commission meetings based on whether it’s going to pass. He introduces resolutions based on what his constituents want. And often what they want is help with basic needs.

“A roof over our heads. Food on our table. Clean and safe streets and a place for children to play. If we can deal with that on a day to day basis, then everything else is gravy,” he said.

If he is reelected, Yaniz promises to continue to be an advocate for District IV, even if his style sometimes grates on his colleagues.

“Sometimes you’ve got to knock on the door several times. I’m going to continue banging on the door,” he said. “I’m not up there for a popularity contest.”

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]