Johnston looks at higher political office; Romaro files for her Key West seat

 

BY PRU SOWERS

 

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

 

Key West City Commissioner Teri Johnston’s surprise announcement that she will not run for a third term in October brought a flurry of activity to the District V political scene.

 

Mike Mongo filed papers to run for Johnston’s seat the day after her announcement. And Margaret Romaro, a regular fixture at commission meetings where she comments on a wide variety of issues before that body, has filed to run for Johnston’s seat, as well.

 

Romaro, 64, has run for Key West Mayor three times, each time defeated by current Mayor Craig Cates. A retired executive consultant at IBM for 30 years, Romaro has frequently challenged commissioners on a variety of local issues, including affordable housing, the Truman Waterfront Park project and transparency in government. She has not held an elected position but sat on the Key West Strategic Planning Committee in 2010, the Restoration Advisory Board for Naval Air Station Key West, and the Citizens Emergency Response Team, an emergency preparedness committee working with the Key West Fire Department.

 

“Fiscal responsibility in everything we do and transparency in government,” Romaro said when asked what her primary goals would be if elected. “It’s important that citizens’ opinions are heard and respected, not just their pocketbooks.”

 

Johnston, who has served two terms as commissioner, told the crowd at Hometown PAC’s political forum on July 15th that she would not seek reelection to her seat. The reason, she said, was to run for higher office and serve Key West on a larger political platform.

 

Cates’ mayoral seat is up for reelection in 2016 and he has not said whether he will run again or not. And two county commissioner seats based in Key West, currently held by Heather Carruthers and Danny Kolhage, will also come up for reelection in 2016.

 

Johnston said there is a possibility she might run for state representative, although she pointed out that Rep. Holly Raschein has said she will be running for reelection.

 

“I truly haven’t made up my mind,” Johnston said about her future move. “But it’s just not the right thing to do to hopefully get reelected [as Key West Commissioner] and then leave a y ear later and force a special election.”

 

As for whether she would run for Cate’s seat if he decides to run again, Johnston wouldn’t rule that out.

 

“I’d have to take a look at that; Craig’s strengths versus my strengths,” she said.

 

But what she has, Johnston said, is eight years’ worth of experience with Key West, including creating a “comfort level” with the community and an understanding of the city budget and its staff. And Johnston said she has amassed a huge amount of knowledge about the property insurance challenge facing local home and business owners, who are complaining loudly about soaring flood and windstorm insurance premiums. Johnston has been a long-time supporter of FIRM, Fair Insurance Rates in Monroe, which is fighting to convince insurers that they have incorrectly assessed storm risks and are overcharging property owners.

 

“The most frustrating thing is to get people at a decision-making level to understand we have been treated very differently on insurance issues. It will be a defining issue, if it’s not already,” she said.

What Johnston promises is that she is not retiring from politics. What ring she will toss her hat into will be based on the opportunities and her skill set, she said.

 

“I really have a lot to give,” Johnston said. “I think that public service is one of the most important things we can do.”

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