LETTER TO THE EDITOR / A BIGGER BANG FOR OUR BUCK

Roger C. Kostmayer

The city of Key West has a problem, but it also has a solution that shouldn’t affect our taxes.


For years, KW has been trying to centralize, in a single permanent home, all the offices and equipment that are part of community services and city maintenance departments. These offices are now spread over KW and Stock Island, which means disconnected. According to the City Manager, the current situation is unsatisfactory and inappropriate.

The good news is instead of having to buy land and build new facilities, at a very high cost in both time and money, it is now possible for the city to acquire the KW Citizen property on Northside Drive and adapt it to city needs. But this can only happen if the citizens of KW vote on April 16 to approve the acquisition.

The unfunded line item for buying land and building facilities to solve this problem is based on an architect’s estimate which is considered “unrealistically high”. A much lower and more realistic estimate is closer to a total of $14 million. By comparison, The Citizen building will cost the city $5 million, and the necessary renovations another $1 million, for a total of $6 million. In other words, buying the Citizen building and solving the city’s problem would save an estimated $8 million. In addition, this cost level would not effect our property taxes.

If voters vote FOR this referendum, meaning for an acquisition and renovation, the evidence suggests the solution will be quicker, better and cheaper – for all of us.

Roger C. Kostmayer

KW

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