Candidates’ event draws packed house

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

A lot of information, a lot of fun and a few surprises greeted attendees at the recent Hometown! Call for Candidates event in Key West on April 23.

Two new candidates joined the stuffed campaign for Key West mayor – bringing the potential number of candidates to 13 –  although neither has officially filed with the Monroe County Elections office. Former Key West City Commissioner Mark Rossi stood up on the Hometown! stage to officially declare his rumored candidacy, saying he was a “serious” contender and touting his 35 years as a Duval Street businessman.

“I know what it takes to run this city,” he said. “My campaign will be on quality of life, fix the streets in this town, keep the parks and everything clean and keep your taxes low.”

A surprise mayoral entrant who declared himself a “issues candidate” was Henry Terry, who has turned up at earlier political forums asking candidates to preserve boat mooring fields in the near-shore waters. City officials have been working on plans to strengthen restrictions in the mooring fields, including requiring boat registration and limiting the areas where boats can drop anchor. Terry, who said he is a one-issue candidate, has not filed papers with the county elections office but was eager to take part in the public forum. Hometown!’s event is open to anyone who is running or considering running for office.

“I just want to make people aware there’s a lot of nasty stuff going on out in the mooring field by the government. People are being arrested for the type of mooring they have. They [city officials] are criminalizing a Key West life style,” Terry said.

With only 90 seconds to make their pitch, the candidates, who also included hopefuls for county commissioner, school board and Key West Utility Board, were understandably short on details as to how they would implement their campaign pledges. Greg Davila, however, who is running unopposed for the District 4 city commission seat being vacated by Commissioner Richard Payne, voiced a concern that is increasingly making its way into campaign speeches from several candidates: the growing conflict between residents’ quality of life and the needs of the area tourism industry, which is responsible for many of the jobs in Monroe County but also for increasing congestion, boosting real estate prices and claiming an ever-larger share of public spending.

While acknowledging the need for a balance between the two sides, Davila said Key West has been very successful in its support of the tourism industry.

“I want to capitalize on that success and put a big, heavy thumb on the quality of life for our residents. Every decision that is made before the city commission needs to be decided on how it will benefit the residents of Key West,” he said.

Mayoral candidate, current Monroe County Planning Board Commissioner and former Key West City Commissioner Teri Johnston managed to outline her three primary campaign issues in 90 seconds. She wants to “harden” Key West so it is more prepared for hurricanes, resurface its primary and secondary roads, and clean up the city.

“We need a much cleaner Key West,” she said to applause. “Our streets, our roads, our parks, our near-term waters should be pristine. We should be the flagship of Florida.”

Mayoral candidate Bill Foley said he wanted to focus on the lack of affordable housing and the slow pace of government in Key West.

“I am a problem solver. I’ve left so many city hall meetings wanting to pull my hair out… because nothing was accomplished. People talk in circles and it just drives me nuts,” he said.

Danny Hughes drew a comparison between his relatively short time as a Key West resident and many of the other candidates who were born and raised here. He also said that he and his wife pay benefits to employees at their local restaurant, Two Friends Patio, helping boost business by 40 percent since they purchased the eatery.  

“If you want to see the same face in a different place, you’ve got plenty to chose from,” he said, referring to the other mayoral candidates. “If you want positive change for the people in Key West, like our [Two Friends Patio] employees, vote Danny Hughes.”

Hometown! is a Key West non-profit organization dedicated to promoting “accountability and integrity in our local government.”

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