 The Marathon Florida Keys Journal
City of Marathon, Florida Keys, Paradise
2007 † City of Marathon † City Council Election
[Endorsements] [Pinkus] [Mearns] [Vasil] [Nelson] [Bartus] [Cinque]
[Endorsement Q&A Format] [The Dull Stuff] [Advertising] [Subscribe]
The Marathon Florida Keys Journal presents candidate submissions in the order that they were received. Until we receive content, the order of candidate is arbitrary. We do not edit or change anything in these submissions. The content is exclusive to each candidate. Our endorsements appear in the March magazine edition. The Marathon Florida Keys Journal is NOT responsible for the content or expressed opinions from the candidate submissions. We do NOT necessarily agree with any such content or expressed opinions as well. This service is provided for the edification of the voting public and provided FREE for all Marathon candidates. Some candidate submissions used the Keynoter, Journal, and/or Free Press format of questions and answers. Please vote and be counted to improve our city! The Marathon Florida Keys Journal's Endorsements for the Marathon City Council Elections on March 13th. This is by far the most difficult decision we have had to make concerning endorsements. I would really like to endorse all the candidates. They are mature and serious residents of this fine city. All of them want to do what is best for the city and its residents. Yet we must pick two out of the five candidates left. John Bartus is experienced and knowledgeable. He has the connections to do a lot of good for Marathon. He is honest, sincere, and concerned. His talents and skills would be to Marathon's benefit. Marjie Mearns is a strong woman, who does her homework. She takes the resident's opinions seriously. Her viewpoint and perspective is invaluable to the city council and Marathon at large. She is the real deal. Mike Cinque has paid his dues. His stint on the Marathon Planning Commission has sharpened his skills and experience. He is ready to serve and provides a fresh look on the difficult issues coming before Marathon. Don Vasil served on the Marathon Planning Commission as well. He has listened to his constituents and voiced valid concerns. His call to action is a refreshing change and well worth considering. He would make a fine councilman. Joanie Nelson is for the regular person on the street. She speaks their language and represents their concerns. She should not be taken lightly. If she is elected, she would shake up the status quo and hold the council accountable. We can't put off our decision any longer. The Marathon Florida Keys Journal can only look at which two candidates can do the most good. All five are capable and ready to serve. Since we can't elect all of them, our choice for Marathon City Council is John Bartus and Marjie Mearns. Jeff Pinkus in his own words
Pinkus Campaign Press Release 2-26-07
As my current campaign for Marathon City Council progresses, several important issues have become clear to me.
My supporters in this community feel strongly that I should take part in the deliberations and eventual vote on every matter or ordinance which comes before Council. My employment by Cay Clubs, as its Project Manager for Affordable Housing, requires me to recuse myself from voting on any issue that would affect them. Recusing myself also affects issues related to other applicants who wish to develop property in the City. That being said, after much thought, I have concluded that it is vitally important to the City and its residents that all issues be fully examined and voted upon by a Council of five.
I feel that staying in this election and retaining my seat would be a disservice to this community and its residents, as well as the applicants who will appear before Council in the future, because I will have to recuse myself.
I have always tried to bring sound judgment and solid research to every discussion and vote which I cast in my position on the Council. My preparation and thorough examination of all issues coming before the Council have served the City well
I care very deeply about this community. I have served and will continue to serve it in many ways. I have too much respect for the residents of this City to do anything other than what I feel is in their best interest. As a result, I am withdrawing my candidacy for Marathon City Council. After considering all of the alternatives, this is the only way to ensure that the City of Marathon and its residents are best served. This tough decision benefits the community and its residents, and avoids unproductive and unnecessary distractions from the Council's primary obligations.
I apologize to my supporters, my fellow candidates and the residents of this City for any distractions or inconvenience this may cause during this election. Once again, I feel strongly that my decision to withdraw from the race is what is best for the City.
I thank you all very much for the opportunity you have given me to serve the residents of this City by being elected to the Marathon City Council. Jeff Pinkus I've known Jeff for a long time. He is one of the city's best advocates, and Jeff will be missed. His work for the city's residents was invaluable. He cared deeply for Marathon and its residents. This is, indeed, a very sad day in Marathon's short history. Still, he will be around to help us solve the affordable workforce housing crisis. Thanks, Jeff. L. E. Shaffer - The Marathon Florida Keys Journal Publisher
JEFF PINKUS A Working Man Working For YOU!  · 30 Year Resident · Business Owner · Knowledgeable on City Matters · Actively Involved in the Community “I will continue to be responsive to you and be concerned with all the issues facing our city” Dedicated to Building a Better Community! RE-ELECT JEFF PINKUS For Marathon City Council Political Advertisement Paid for and Approved by Jeffrey M. Pinkus for Marathon City Council If elected for 2 years, what will you do specifically to solve the affordable and workforce housing crisis? What actions must the city take to relieve the insurance burden for residents? What actions must the city take to help affordable and workforce-housing landlords keep their rents low enough to keep Marathon’s workforce in Marathon? How should affordable and workforce home ownership properties be assessed for ad valorem taxes? What are the cities various funding sources and which one is the direct burden of the city’s residents?
Ad Valorem Taxes
Building Permit, Planning and Zoning Fees
Half cent sales tax
FEMA Grants
EMS Services
Sales Tax Revenue
There are dozens more, but the one which burdens the residents is the Ad Valorem Taxes directly related to property value.How big is the city’s slice of the overall ad valorem taxes collected countywide? What steps must the city take to ensure the historical preservation of the old seven-mile bridge and Pigeon Key? Do you take all campaign contributions from anyone or are you selective? Why? Should Marathon un-incorporate? Why or why not? Should Marathon build and operate some kind of municipal swimming pool? Why or why not? What are the limits of developments and redevelopments? What are the limits of property rights? How would you beautify the US1 corridor and pay for same? What use should Boot Key [the island] play in Marathon’s future? How should the city prevent the eviction situation that occurred at the old Gulfstream Trailer Park now Sandler at Greater Marathon Bay’s Marlin Yacht Club? What must the city’s policy be on displaced resident mitigation? What position(s) should be grandfathered on city staff? Should there be a hiring freeze at city hall? Why or why not? How do you resolve the calls for lower taxes and increased calls for more high-quality city services? Should the city designate the western portion of Coco Plum Beach as a nude beach following the Haulover Beach model in North Miami Beach? Why or why not? Should building permits be tied to the evacuation time model? Why or why not? Should council members raise or lower their pay? Why? What must the city do to get minorities involved at all levels of the city? There is nothing the city should do to get minorities involved in the city. Involvement in government is something that rises above minority, race, religion or creed. One’s choice to participate in government comes from the desire to have a better place in which to live and raise a family. Issues arise that get the attention of residents. This is what brings new faces to community involvement. A few will continue on to educate themselves on the broader issues. Public and community service are addicting. Those that get involved usually stay involved.
Marjie Mearns in her own words
Marjie Mearns
STRONG WOMAN LOOKING OUT FOR YOU!
· Staunch protector of Pigeon Key
· Real solutions for workforce housing
· Truly listens to all residents
RE-ELECT MARJIE MEARNS
For Marathon City Council
Political Advertisement Paid for and Approved by
Marjie Mearns for Marathon City Council Dear Larry,
Thank you for the opportunity to be published on your site. As you have said in past issues, running a campaign is not easy, but serving on the council is even harder. It is impossible to please everyone as is evident by the e-mails we receive, but we do try to determine what benefits the majority. I have enjoyed the 2 years that I have served and am anxious to continue working to obtain funding to complete the sewer system, to be sure developers contribute their fair share to affordable housing and infrastructure, to control spending and to keep taxes down. I encourage anyone to contact me to talk about any of their concerns.
Marjie Mearns
743-3420
mearns@bellsouth.net
If elected for 2 years, what will you do specifically to solve the affordable and workforce housing crisis? What actions must the city take to relieve the insurance burden for residents? What actions must the city take to help affordable and workforce-housing landlords keep their rents low enough to keep Marathon’s workforce in Marathon? If we can get legislation passed to allow the tax appraiser to reduce the assessed value of homes rented as affordable, it will make a large pool of units available. There is currently a bill in the legislature on this subject. How should affordable and workforce home ownership properties be assessed for ad valorem taxes? Using the Save Our Homes method as a model, we can develop a limited deed restricted plan to keep assessed values down which will enable a landlord to lower rents. What are the cities various funding sources and which one is the direct burden of the city’s residents? The Ad Valorem taxes are the biggest impact on residents. Other sources such as sales tax are shared by tourists. There are a variety of others such as grants, impact fees, building fees and so on. How big is the city’s slice of the overall ad valorem taxes collected countywide? I believe it is 21%. What steps must the city take to ensure the historical preservation of the old seven-mile bridge and Pigeon Key? Do you take all campaign contributions from anyone or are you selective? Why? Should Marathon un-incorporate? Why or why not? Should Marathon build and operate some kind of municipal swimming pool? Why or why not? What are the limits of developments and redevelopments? What are the limits of property rights? How would you beautify the US1 corridor and pay for same? What use should Boot Key [the island] play in Marathon’s future? How should the city prevent the eviction situation that occurred at the old Gulfstream Trailer Park now Sandler at Greater Marathon Bay’s Marlin Yacht Club? What must the city’s policy be on displaced resident mitigation? This is a problem we are trying to address with our affordable and workforce housing projects. What position(s) should be grandfathered on city staff? None. Should there be a hiring freeze at city hall? Why or why not? How do you resolve the calls for lower taxes and increased calls for more high-quality city services? This is a juggling act that government faces constantly. Frequent review of costs and procedures helps accomplish this. Should the city designate the western portion of Coco Plum Beach as a nude beach following the Haulover Beach model in North Miami Beach? Why or why not? No, I do not think we should make designation anywhere which may offend residents. Should building permits be tied to the evacuation time model? Why or why not? This has been debated for years and has been shown to be no more than a model of what experts think should happen. It is merely the effect of the Area of Critical Concern designation and serves to control growth. Realistically, how could anyone calculate the time needed to evacuate without knowing how many people are here and how many will not leave? Should council members raise or lower their pay? Why? Not at this time. The salary was implemented in order to allow people who are not wealthy to hold office. What must the city do to get minorities involved at all levels of the city? I don't think lack of involvement is limited to minorities, there is an apathy among many citizens until something happens that they don't like. Then they call us, email us and come to meetings. After the problem is resolved, we don't see them. Government issues are basically uninteresting. Perhaps, now that we have finished the LDRs, we could hold workshops for community input.
Don Vasil in his own words special interests - had enough? empty storefronts - had enough? unresponsive leadership - had enough?excessive spending - had enough? The council's record speaks for itself. Send the Marathon City Council a message
^ ^ ^ If elected for 2 years, what will you do specifically to solve the affordable and workforce housing crisis? What actions must the city take to relieve the insurance burden for residents? What actions must the city take to help affordable and workforce-housing landlords keep their rents low enough to keep Marathon’s workforce in Marathon? How should affordable and workforce home ownership properties be assessed for ad valorem taxes? What are the cities various funding sources and which one is the direct burden of the city’s residents? How big is the city’s slice of the overall ad valorem taxes collected countywide? What steps must the city take to ensure the historical preservation of the old seven-mile bridge and Pigeon Key? Do you take all campaign contributions from anyone or are you selective? Why? Should Marathon un-incorporate? Why or why not? Should Marathon build and operate some kind of municipal swimming pool? Why or why not? What are the limits of developments and redevelopments? What are the limits of property rights? How would you beautify the US1 corridor and pay for same? What use should Boot Key [the island] play in Marathon’s future? How should the city prevent the eviction situation that occurred at the old Gulfstream Trailer Park now Sandler at Greater Marathon Bay’s Marlin Yacht Club? What must the city’s policy be on displaced resident mitigation? What position(s) should be grandfathered on city staff? Should there be a hiring freeze at city hall? Why or why not? How do you resolve the calls for lower taxes and increased calls for more high-quality city services? Should the city designate the western portion of Coco Plum Beach as a nude beach following the Haulover Beach model in North Miami Beach? Why or why not? Should building permits be tied to the evacuation time model? Why or why not? Should council members raise or lower their pay? Why? What must the city do to get minorities involved at all levels of the city?
Joanie Nelson in her own words
Joanie Nelson
750 46th Street Gulf
Marathon, FL 33050
305-743-5061
Age: 65 Y2
Survived in Marathon: 37 years
In-store product demonstrator. Former waitress/bartender (Marathon), private tutor (Marathon), elementary & high school teacher (Guam), University instructor (Guam & Cincinnati), newspaper columnist (Guam Times Weekly), free-lancer (Upper Keys Reporter), flag girl (Long Key Bridge), tour guide (Pigeon Key), receptionist (AIDS Help). Since the inception of the City of Marathon, I have been protesting that City Council Seat Designation was a musical chair game that lent itself, with no geographical rime or demographic reason, to permitting backroom machines vying for the control of the valuable real estate of our fair city to line up their candidates to the disadvantage of the war chest-less grassroots candidate sprouting up independently. This state of affairs was exacerbated when (shortly after I got smart & played the chair game) a $720 filing fee was instituted. The new rule: Candidates with bucks could pay the $720 & switch seats at the last minute. Candidates limited to qualifying via petition method stuck in declared rime-less seat early on in the campaign. Seat Designation lent itself to candidates tackling their specific opponents rather than concentrating on important issues. Now that the voters have gotten rid of Seat Designation via last November's binding referendum, costly run-offs are unlikely. Rant & Rave [R&R] -- added by Ed. 1. If the past & present compositions of our City Councils had served the residents first rather than rushing to favor the invading GOLIATH developers, we, especially the little David people, wouldn't be so stuck in Monroe with the Marathon City Blues worried about the looming unchosen alternative of Keys Exodus. The last 2 City Council campaigns my rallying cry: No more serving the giant corporate developers the whole enchilada on a silver platter! No more permitting THEM to scrape away us & our existing lifestyle. The New Menu: No right of way giveaways! No development agreements or land use changes without GOLIATH impact fees. Finally we pay big for the Clarion Study which sets up impact fees. Kind of late. The Jolly Rogers & Gulfstreamers have been turned out. Unless we turn the tide. Put on the brakes & switch tracks. What we need is a new breed of City Council persons who have not been party to the sell-out.
Insist on a tough City Peoples counselor (not simply a contracted corporate firm attorney who wisely advises Council on picky legality) dedicated to the cause of saving the people from being squeezed out of the Heart of The Florida Keys. A lawyer that understands corporations are not personhoods privileged the constitutional inalienable rights guaranteed to humans. Demand the Marlin Bays, the Earthmarks, the Indigo Bays & even Tranquility pay impact fees retroactive right now, not when they build or sell.
Institute a development tax specific to Corporations that negatively impacted affordable housing/lodging. Fund earmarked to saving existing affordable housing via appropriate sewage assistance & helping replace displaced housing. The present situation: Marlin Bay pays only 3 Stormwater assessments for their whole fiefdom. I, for my 2 small properties, am assessed 2-thirds of what Marlin pays. We need an ordinance prohibiting 380 agreements. We need to consider reparations for the damage that has been permitted &/ or built. We need a real working/public access water front/affordable housing moratorium, not a pre-election temporary ploy. 2. The City of Marathon was supposed to be a small friendly town hall not a Taj Mahal.
From the I-room operation at Caldwell Banker, City Government has mushroomed into a bloomin' bureaucracy. One way to get rid of excess baggage is to move not into a mansion but into an efficiency. The movement to dissolve the City is afoot. Better to down-size for right now & see what happens. Nonsense for City Hall to outsize the housed population it was created to serve. Now that many county departments are vacating their Marathon Offices at the old Haunted House location, seems that taking over the lease to these empty set-up spaces @ the Marathon Regional Government Complex would be the most efficient cost-effective, sensible choice. But we must negotiate a deal that will be cheaper than what we're paying to rent @ the present 100th Street location. Or else resort to a Sheriffs Hanger-type structure built on already owned City property. 3. The brunt of the cost of sewage to be borne by the developers in exchange for the privilege of having impacted our city. And by our mandators, the State + their big brother the Feds. To put the major cost on the breaking backs of the small longtime homeowner & struggling businessperson will further destroy the fabric of our once affordable small town community. The developers, corporations, billionaire mansion investment homeowners can afford to pay to permit us to afford to stay. And why are we so scared to stand up to the State? So what if Tallahassee puts a hold on building permits. We're already overbuilt. It's a matter of redeveloping blight by attrition & with humanity like the willing deal between D' ASIGN SOURCE & Ms. Davis. Why should a Crown Jewel capitulate to an Unfunded Mandate? 4. We need to protect what's left of so-called affordable housing via special property appraisal & sewage, wastewater breaks not by taking property off the tax rolls to provide city government housing (rumor has it the 104th St. complex will sport a pool). Instead of impacting existing neighborhoods with new in my backyard density, developers & corporations should be held to the fire to pay a living wage to the existing willing to work residents & have necessary workforce housing (with no real estate tax breaks) in place interspersed within &/or built above their compounds before they can build I luxury unit, close their exclusive gates or open their commercial doors. Even busing in corporate workers @ the employers' expense would be better than increasing existing neighborhood density or creating density via untaxed government compounds. If the City Council's behavior regarding affordable housing neighborhood NIMBYism! 104th Street government compound density exhibits a split personality, it's neurotic compared to City staff's psychotic handling of the Coco Plum Ave. I situation which has resulted in severing a condominium of affordable housing boat slips from their necessary bathhouse via the premature shutting down (despite undocumented unkempt promises from City Hall) of. the sewage treatment plant in place (like the firehouse) before the new one is built. One more nail in the coffin of existing affordable housing. 5. [Three] ... Ways to cut spending: Cut the blooming' bureaucracy. Stop wasting more money on studies by outsiders when some of us have been preaching for free what the Clarions at this too late a date have spiffed up into a PowerPoint Presentation on impact fees. Don't knock down firehouses, etc. so fast. Don't give away fill. Make good Jewish deals with architects & contractors, with even KCB regarding providing foe protection. Write contracts that don't set up City Government to be trapped into tolerating overrides/change orders. Accept help from the County. Abandon the policy of taking over parks, bridges. If Boot Key becomes a wetland preserve, require the environmental government agency that takes over to pick up the maintenance & operations Boot Key Bridge tab. The Marathon Florida Keys Journal Q&A -- added by Ed. If elected for 2 years, what will you do specifically to solve the affordable and workforce housing crisis? Alleviate affordable/workforce housing crisis by making it easy for existing businesses to add rent controlled units above &/or next to store. Waive permits. Same for affordable housing permits still in the fix-up process post-Wilma or any other disaster. Protect existing affordable housing in the black neighborhood in danger of being labeled blight to the Greater Marlin Bay by using the save the historic argument advanced in our Compo Plan. See above R & R for additional thoughts via the permitted rape of existing affordable housing by invading developers since Incorporation. What actions must the city take to relieve the insurance burden for residents?
Wind bounced back: But it was a flood. Nature obviously doesn't make such Distinctions. Since The Keys are designated as the State & a Federal Crown Jewel it's appropriate to storm THEM to legislate a pilot Monroe Flood-Wind pool project. Hopefully Nature will co-operate.What actions must the city take to help affordable and workforce-housing landlords keep their rents low enough to keep Marathon’s workforce in Marathon? Grant Affordable & Workforce home ownership properties immediate deep ad valorem tax discount & special property slashed appraisal. Retroactive to year Sandler displaced Gulfstream community. Make up the slack by instituting special impact fees on developers who have been permitted to participate in the nailing of the affordable housing coffm. Give homestead exemptions/tax breaks to resident boaters who own their slips & RV residents who own their lots. Wheels & sails shouldn't be used to disqualify a homesteader. Look into supporting the Governor's proposal to eliminate the real estate tax burden on small homeowners with sales tax replacement. Fight for a toll. If the mainland can have a turnpike toll, we have the equal right to reinstitute the Crown Jewel's toll. Rather than be pushed around by DOT, Tallahassee, the Feds, we need to reassert our Conch Republic right to secede. See above R&R. How should affordable and workforce home ownership properties be assessed for ad valorem taxes? What are the cities various funding sources and which one is the direct burden of the city’s residents? City's funding sources: Ad Valorem taxes (#1 direct burden on residents); permit, planning building & zoning fees; Sewer, Storm water assessments; mobile home licenses, fire inspection, KCB fire & Rescue protection charges; boat ramp & summer camp revenues, court & code fines, Sheriff's Forfeiture Fund, Insurance Recovery, Interest, sales of City assets, grant $ (land, water grants, FEMA, DEP, FRDAP); IDC bed tax, 12 penny sales tax, ad nauseam. If City keeps on wrong track: Sewage will replace Ad Valorem as the # 1 burden on residents. How big is the city’s slice of the overall ad valorem taxes collected countywide? City's slice of County Ad Valorem collected pie: 2% (according to Tax Collector Danise's bookkeeping dept). What steps must the city take to ensure the historical preservation of the old seven-mile bridge and Pigeon Key? Do you take all campaign contributions from anyone or are you selective? Why? Sure I'd take $ from even Cay Clubs. But they'd have to grease my palm in front of everybody & agree with a written handshake & a human embrace that lowed no favors if by a miracle I got elected. When I was younger & a guy asked me out for a Hawk's Cay dinner, I'd say Cool Beans but reserve the right to say goodnight at my front door. An interesting election reform movement making its appearance in progressive communities. All campaign contributions to all candidates put in a pot & divided equally. Should Marathon un-incorporate? Why or why not? If the petition to dissolve the City makes it to the ballot, referendum result -- either to be or not to be -- o.k. with me. Sally Buehler's 10 real beefs printed as letter to the editor (Citizen wants Out) in the December 27th Free Press are legitimate & need to be addressed or else. Should Marathon build and operate some kind of municipal swimming pool? Why or why not? Better a swimming pool than a City Hall Mansion. Be on the lookout for a Ms. Jacobs. Replace the Sheriff s beach front house with a public pool at Sombrero. What are the limits of developments and redevelopments? Redevelopment Development versus Property Rights Limits. Never consider a CAR. What are the limits of property rights? How would you beautify the US1 corridor and pay for same? What use should Boot Key [the island] play in Marathon’s future? How should the city prevent the eviction situation that occurred at the old Gulfstream Trailer Park now Sandler at Greater Marathon Bay’s Marlin Yacht Club? What must the city’s policy be on displaced resident mitigation? What position(s) should be grandfathered on city staff? No city staff positions grandfathered. Should there be a hiring freeze at city hall? Why or why not? Yes City Hall hiring freeze. How do you resolve the calls for lower taxes and increased calls for more high-quality city services? Should the city designate the western portion of Coco Plum Beach as a nude beach following the Haulover Beach model in North Miami Beach? Why or why not? Should building permits be tied to the evacuation time model? Why or why not? Continue tying building permits to evacuation time model to prevent more over-building. Don't reduce evacuation time to 18 hours. Should council members raise or lower their pay? Why? What must the city do to get minorities involved at all levels of the city?
John Bartus in his own words If elected for 2 years, what will you do specifically to solve the affordable and workforce housing crisis? I would continue to support developments like the Sea Grape Villas complex, which actually was initiated during my tenure on Council. I would also like to see the City move ahead with its own initiatives, as well as continuing its relationships with the Middle Keys Community Land Trust and Habitat for Humanity. The City must continue lobbying the State for additional affordable housing ROGO-exempt allocations that are essential to solve this crisis. I have more experience lobbying State and Federal officials than any other candidate or current sitting Council member.
Additionally, we must continue to work with the Legislature and FIRM to keep a handle on skyrocketing windstorm insurance rates, and seek legitimate and real property tax solutions for those who rent their properties out as affordable/workforce housing. We must also hold developers’ feet to the fire and make sure that their contributions to the City’s affordable housing fund go to their best possible use. That also goes for any contributions gained upon what should be imminent DCA approval of the Transferable Building Rights (TBR) Ordinance. We must also encourage the Legislature to restore all the funding under the Sadowski Act back to affordable housing needs. What actions must the city take to relieve the insurance burden for residents? As mentioned above, the City must continue its working relationship with FIRM, the grassroots organization that truly made the difference for all of us. We must also continue to work with our Legislator, and hold the Legislature and Governor to their campaign promises, as well as make sure they don’t forget all of us in the Keys still on Citizens policies. The special session success is but only a beginning of the real solution that all of Florida needs. What actions must the city take to help affordable and workforce-housing landlords keep their rents low enough to keep Marathon’s workforce in Marathon? As mentioned above, the City must keep up the good fight on the windstorm insurance issue, and work with our Legislator to find real property tax relief for affordable / workforce housing rentals. How should affordable and workforce home ownership properties be assessed for ad valorem taxes? Affordable residential rental units should enjoy a protection similar to the Save Our Homes homestead tax exemption. This should be just a part, however, of a larger property tax reform effort that the Legislature and Governor will hopefully address this session. If the Legislature is able to provide property tax relief through an increase in sales taxes, then part of that money should go to relieve that burden. What are the cities various funding sources and which one is the direct burden of the city’s residents? The City reaps the benefit of many funding sources, including various license, permitting, and impact fees, fuel and communications taxes, local, state, and federal grants, user fees and enterprise funds, the State Revolving Fund (sewer/stormwater loans), etc. The largest revenue sources are the infrastructure sales tax and the ad valorem taxes. The ad valorem tax is the revenue source (property tax) that is a direct burden on the City’s property owners, but all revenues are tax dollars of one kind or another, and should be spent wisely.
That being said, it looks like this could be a challenging budget year for other local governments. I believe the City Council needs to commit to doing everything possible to achieve the rollback rate for fiscal year 2008 so that the City’s share of property taxes is not an undue burden on residents and business owners. How big is the city’s slice of the overall ad valorem taxes collected countywide? The total countywide millage is 8.659. The City of Marathon’s millage is 1.7896, approximately 20.7% of the total ad valorem millage. Although the MSTU tax for Marathon sewers was abolished by the county last year, most parcels are charged a stormwater non-ad valorem assessment as well. What steps must the city take to ensure the historical preservation of the old seven-mile bridge and Pigeon Key? The City must stay involved with the County and FDOT as the eventual closure and rehabilitation of the bridge gets underway. Likewise, the City should have a seat at the table with the County and the Pigeon Key Foundation as the future of the island is discussed. The old bridge and Pigeon Key are our direct links to the history of our island chain, and must be preserved so that future generations will remember the past. Do you take all campaign contributions from anyone or are you selective? Why? I am selective; there are those from whom I will not accept donations (as was proved evident in this race). That being said, campaign contributions in and of themselves will not influence my vote on issues. My decisions, like they always have been, will be based on what I believe is best for the City as a whole. Should Marathon un-incorporate? Why or why not? Unincorporation would be the single worst move for Marathon. Right now, the City is able to keep all its own infrastructure tax dollars instead of having them siphoned off to other areas of the Keys as they were before incorporation. With the City, local decisions are made by local residents with a stake in the city’s future. (All five City Council members must reside in Marathon. Currently, only one County Commissioner lives in Marathon.) During my last term as Mayor, I was responsible for leading the successful fight to control our own destiny on the City’s wastewater project. The FKAA’s plan came with a price tag ranging from $180 million to $255 million. The City hired its own team and devised a more practical plan that will come in somewhere between $80 million and $100 million. Why anyone would want to go backward on these issues is beyond me.
That being said, part of the fuel for the unincorporation fire is the City’s spending on large infrastructure projects. Even though these projects aren’t paid for with property taxes, the Council still has the responsibility to spend these dollars wisely and put them to their best possible use. Should Marathon build and operate some kind of municipal swimming pool? Why or why not? Many residents have expressed their desire for a pool, and many have expressed their concerns over the costs of building and operating a pool. City taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for this project by themselves. If we are to ever see a pool built, the school district (a potential major user of a pool) should step up to the plate with their infrastructure (non-ad valorem) dollars, and local developers or other private business interests could come forward to sponsor and offset the annual operation costs of a pool. What are the limits of developments and redevelopments? Those limits are those defined in the United States Constitution and Code of Federal Regulations, Florida Statutes and Constitution, and the City’s Land Development Regulations. This is important: any other limits people may believe to exist likely don’t, and that is why continued public participation is crucial to our vision for the future of Marathon. What are the limits of property rights? Please refer to the above answer. I would expand upon that by stating that the Constitution acknowledged that public good may at times outweigh private property rights, so long as the property owner was compensated at fair market value. This is why, in a nutshell, that the state needs to remain a partner of the City: state-imposed growth management restrictions have caused and will continue to cause major financial repercussions for local governments in the Keys. How would you beautify the US1 corridor and pay for same? FDOT has funds available for landscaping the US 1 right-of-way, and they’ll do so, so long as the City will maintain it. The City must rally the public and business community behind the idea, perhaps creating “sponsored” sections of the highway, and utilizing xeriscaping techniques to minimize potable water use. What use should Boot Key [the island] play in Marathon’s future? There are major environmental concerns that will likely prohibit any real development on Boot Key. The owners of the undeveloped parcels would face huge hurdles in any effort to develop. Resolving the drawbridge issue is one that will take large amounts of money, no matter which path is chosen. Without development options on Boot Key, however, finding a way for the landowners to pay for the bridge will be difficult at best. One idea would be to get the state involved to come in, help clean up the island, and preserve it as a state park. How should the city prevent the eviction situation that occurred at the old Gulfstream Trailer Park now Sandler at Greater Marathon Bay’s Marlin Yacht Club? I’m not sure the City can prevent such a thing from happening if the landowner wants the tenants off the land and follows the procedures outlined in Florida Statutes (e.g., Jolly Roger, which happened even with a redevelopment moratorium in place). Any trailer park residents who haven’t organized need to do so as soon as possible to ensure at the barest minimum the right of first refusal to purchase the park. What must the city’s policy be on displaced resident mitigation? Florida statutes delineate the rights and responsibilities of trailer park owners to their tenants, as well as those of the tenant residents. In light of the statewide affordable housing crisis, the Legislature should revisit these statutes and bring them into the Florida of today. The City cannot pass local ordinances that conflict with Florida statutes, and I believe that this has to be handled at the state level. What position(s) should be grandfathered on city staff? Although the City does need a number of certain essential employees, I’m not sure any positions need to be “grandfathered.” Should there be a hiring freeze at city hall? Why or why not? A hiring freeze is but one possible weapon in the arsenal to cut the budget on our way to achieving the rollback rate for fiscal year 2008. How do you resolve the calls for lower taxes and increased calls for more high-quality city services? Hopefully, with planning and legal staff having put the LDRs to bed, they will have more time to adequately serve the members of the public. The City needs to expedite the permitting process so that simple permits don’t have to spend inordinate amounts of time caught up in a bureaucratic mass of red tape. Let’s use our planning staff for the real work of redevelopment, and get them out of processing basic building permits. Should the city designate the western portion of Coco Plum Beach as a nude beach following the Haulover Beach model in North Miami Beach? Why or why not? Should building permits be tied to the evacuation time model? Why or why not? Absolutely not! It’s way past time to separate public safety from growth management – these are two separate issues. I was on the Council when the DCA and local governments worked on the concept of evacuating non-residents well ahead of any approaching storm, and long before the 24-hour window started. This issue came up during discussions about the City’s hotel/motel redevelopment ordinance, as well as in response to conclusions reached by many that the Miller Model (used to predict hurricane evacuation times in the Keys) was fatally flawed.
Whatever the number of hours it realistically takes to evacuate should be the number of hours stated. I totally support the early evacuation of non-residents as well as the phased evacuation of residents as ordered by Emergency Management. Anyone who has evacuated during storm threats knows that the evacuations proceed relatively smoothly. Suffice it to say that I trust our local emergency managers with these decisions far more than I do politicians or activists with an axe to grind. Should council members raise or lower their pay? Why? At this point, the $18,000 annual salary should be left where it is. Council members put in an inordinate amount of work for the salary received, and they certainly earn their pay.
When the City gets into a better financial position (as when more redeveloped resort properties come online and start easing the property tax burden for the rest of us), we then perhaps might look at a small increase. If only the rich and wealthy retired can run for office, then our Council truly will not be representative of the people of our City. What must the city do to get minorities involved at all levels of the city? Sadly, it’s not just minorities who don’t get involved. When turnout on our municipal Election Day in Marathon averages 28% of registered voters, it shows a real apathy that crosses ethnic and socio-economic lines.
The City – and this should come from the Council itself – needs to take a proactive role in reaching out to all the members of this community. The City needs to let its residents know about the things that it’s doing to make their lives better. The City needs to tell its residents just how their tax dollars are being spent. These efforts have to be over and above what’s said at Council meetings, or what’s reported in the local news sources. If returned to the Council, I will hold informal town meetings in different neighborhoods throughout the City – meetings where residents can let a Council member know what’s on their minds without having to worry about a two-minute time limit.
That being said, residents also have a responsibility to participate in the decisions and issues that affect our community. As it has been said, if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. This community is at its best when people come together to accomplish meaningful things, and that’s what we need to get back to doing as a community.
Mike Cinque in his own words 
Michael A. Cinque
Age: 51, resident of Marathon for 34 years
Employment: Masonry Contractor since 1979
Co-Owner, Stuffed Pig Restaurant since 1983
Owner/Manager trailer park Balanced Representation - City Council is responsible for planning and implementing a balance in future development. This balance should provide a better quality of life and offer new opportunities for all of Marathon's citizens. Spending - City Council must control spending. Our budget continues to spiral out of control and our city need leaders who have proven themselves through experience in the private sector. Irresponsible spending must end. (And a little quote from our friend Mark Twain:) "But in this country we have on great privilege which they don't have in other countries. When a things get to be absolutely unbearable the people can rise up and throw it off. That's the finest asset we've got - the ballot box." - Mark TwainIf elected for 2 years, what will you do specifically to solve the affordable and workforce housing crisis? What actions must the city take to relieve the insurance burden for residents? What actions must the city take to help affordable and workforce-housing landlords keep their rents low enough to keep Marathon’s workforce in Marathon? How should affordable and workforce home ownership properties be assessed for ad valorem taxes? What are the cities various funding sources and which one is the direct burden of the city’s residents? How big is the city’s slice of the overall ad valorem taxes collected countywide? What steps must the city take to ensure the historical preservation of the old seven-mile bridge and Pigeon Key? Do you take all campaign contributions from anyone or are you selective? Why? Should Marathon un-incorporate? Why or why not? Should Marathon build and operate some kind of municipal swimming pool? Why or why not? What are the limits of developments and redevelopments? What are the limits of property rights? How would you beautify the US1 corridor and pay for same? What use should Boot Key [the island] play in Marathon’s future? How should the city prevent the eviction situation that occurred at the old Gulfstream Trailer Park now Sandler at Greater Marathon Bay’s Marlin Yacht Club? What must the city’s policy be on displaced resident mitigation? What position(s) should be grandfathered on city staff? Should there be a hiring freeze at city hall? Why or why not? How do you resolve the calls for lower taxes and increased calls for more high-quality city services? Should the city designate the western portion of Coco Plum Beach as a nude beach following the Haulover Beach model in North Miami Beach? Why or why not? Should building permits be tied to the evacuation time model? Why or why not? Should council members raise or lower their pay? Why? What must the city do to get minorities involved at all levels of the city?
This is The Marathon Florida Keys Journal Marathon City Council candidate package. Our email is xxx. Our telephone number is 305-743-9648. An example of our campaign webpage is at http://MarathonJournal.US/roa/06election.htm. An example of our endorsement page is at http://MarathonJournal.US/roa/030106.htm. An example of a header ad that appears on all 650 of our web pages can be found at the top of any web page right beneath our red Runes of Ao.com banner. The header ad is contained within the yellow oblong box. The Marathon Florida Keys Journal will announce endorsements on March 1st. This question and answers [Q&A] format will be used to determine our endorsements. Your answers will be published on our special elections web page at http://MarathonJournal.US/roa/07election.htm. Please email your question and answers to Email WebMaster. Candidates were provided an email address via email and the printed candidate package delivered to each candidate previously. The Q&A must be in text or doc format. No other format will be allowed. Your Q&A must be into us midnight February 21st. The Marathon Florida Keys Journal will allow candidates on a first come first placed to publish anything they desire that is not beyond the limits of common sense. This is free of charge; no in-kind contribution needs to be reported, because all candidates get this. Just send the information in text or doc format attached to an email to Email WebMaster along with any graphics in jpg or gif format only. Bandwidth costs us money, so keep your photos or graphics as small in file size as possible. We can reduce graphics and photos in file size, if you want to leave it to us. Web size is limited to 300 pixels wide and 400 pixels high. Call us at 743-9648 for more information. Each candidate can modify their web entries anytime up to March 13th. This will be published at http://MarathonJournal.US/roa/07election.htm. Your input can be submitted any time up to midnight March 12th. The Marathon Florida Keys Journal normally charges prime ad space on the top of all 650 web pages at $600 per day for a seven-day period. For this election only, candidates can pay $500 [not per day, total for 7 days] or a negotiated amount not to exceed $500 for an ad to run 7 days of your choice, first come first placed. 600 pixels wide max, 15 lines high max including small photo or graphic. If a candidate negotiates a lower price, the remaining amount must be reported as an in-kind contribution so that the total paid and in-kind adds to $500. Email your ad to Email WebMaster. An example of a header ad that appears on all 650 of our web pages can be found at the top of any web page right beneath our red Runes of Ao.com banner. The header ad is contained within the yellow oblong box. You may submit your header ad any time up to midnight March 11th. Please pick what 7 days you want your ad to show. An ad day is midnight to midnight. Dates are available to the first to submit specific dates and from there on to the last to submit specific dates. Several candidates have already contacted us. So!1. Get your info into us for the free candidate web page as soon as you can.
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If elected for 2 years, what will you do specifically to solve the affordable and workforce housing crisis? What actions must the city take to relieve the insurance burden for residents? What actions must the city take to help affordable and workforce-housing landlords keep their rents low enough to keep Marathon’s workforce in Marathon? How should affordable and workforce home ownership properties be assessed for ad valorem taxes? What are the cities various funding sources and which one is the direct burden of the city’s residents? How big is the city’s slice of the overall ad valorem taxes collected countywide? What steps must the city take to ensure the historical preservation of the old seven-mile bridge and Pigeon Key? Do you take all campaign contributions from anyone or are you selective? Why? Should Marathon un-incorporate? Why or why not? Should Marathon build and operate some kind of municipal swimming pool? Why or why not? What are the limits of developments and redevelopments? What are the limits of property rights? How would you beautify the US1 corridor and pay for same? What use should Boot Key [the island] play in Marathon’s future? How should the city prevent the eviction situation that occurred at the old Gulfstream Trailer Park now Sandler at Greater Marathon Bay’s Marlin Yacht Club? What must the city’s policy be on displaced resident mitigation? What position(s) should be grandfathered on city staff? Should there be a hiring freeze at city hall? Why or why not? How do you resolve the calls for lower taxes and increased calls for more high-quality city services? Should the city designate the western portion of Coco Plum Beach as a nude beach following the Haulover Beach model in North Miami Beach? Why or why not? Should building permits be tied to the evacuation time model? Why or why not? Should council members raise or lower their pay? Why? What must the city do to get minorities involved at all levels of the city?
The Dull Stuff
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