There are important State laws in place concerning conflicts of interest, campaign contribution limits, and campaign financial reporting. The recently established Winter Park Ethics Board was formed at the behest of a small group of citizens more concerned with limiting the voice of interests with whom they disagree than in doing the work required to compete for votes in the marketplace of ideas. The purpose of the Ethics Board in the eyes of those demanding its formation is to rubber stamp campaign finance restrictions more stringent than State requirements under the righteous banner of improving “ethics” in Winter Park. The…
Category: Election 2009
And the winner is…. Ken Bradley.
Ken Bradley won the Winter Park Mayor’s seat today with a vote count of 3400 Bradley to 3016 Strong. I do not offer condolences to the loser. I believe David Strong was wrong for Winter Park and am pleased we will now have the chance to face the our city’s many challenges with a more rational, positive, and professional focus. As much as I disagreed with David Strong’s priorities and policies I came to respect the man for his willingness to serve. I only learned this by running for office myself and coming to understand the vagaries and challenges involved….
Strong or Bradley?
Ken Bradley’s campaign has put forth a specific plan to provide our city with positive, rational, and professional leadship. David Strong’s campaign, in contrast, has been based on misinforming the voters. Every mail piece, every email contains the same incomplete, misleading information. (Sound like another mistake we made? Consistent, isn’t it?) “Our reserves have increased almost $1 million dollars since David became Mayor.” Misleading. The general fund reserves have only increased because David Strong voted to sell off $1,000,000 of city land and cancel $500,000 in city projects in 2008. He also voted to increase the millage rate and to…
Don’t Be Duped!
I received the following from Ellie Warner of Winter Park. I publish it here as a service to my community. Vote wisely on March 10. ___________________________________________________________ Remember the good old days, not so long ago, when sitting commissioners and the mayor remained impartial and thought it uncouth to even place a town candidate’s sign in their yard? That was then. This is now: Winter Park Citizens For Good Government: the anonymous unregistered PAC with a curiously familiar sounding name that sent out the Mayor’s bulk mailing in support of candidate Beth Dillaha with no money trail and with a bogus…
More Dog Poop.
There is an ongoing theme in the mismanagement of Winter Park. It always seems to involve dogs and their leavings. Dog lovers love Fleet Peeples Park. An organization was formed in 2001 to support and promote the park as dog friendly. Learn more about Friends of Fleet Peeples Park. With the Baldwin Park area maturing and more dog owners learning about Fleet Peeples Park there has been an increase in usage that has stirred the concern of some, which is understandable. However, the real issue may prove to be with the people David Strong appointed to the City Parks and…
Why Ken Bradley should be the Mayor of Winter Park.
Several readers have commented about my critique of David Strong and his friends, noting that I have not yet mentioned why I am supporting Ken Bradley. I support Ken Bradley because he is a rational, positive, and professional leader and David Strong is not. I support Ken Bradley because is has a proactive and positive vision for Winter Park where Davis Strong has an paternalistic, isolationist, dogmatic, and negative vision for Winter Park. I support Ken Bradley because he has the proven professional qualifications to lead a city of 28,000 people with a $150,000,000 annual budget while David Strong has…
More Misrepresentation
David Strong recently sent out an email that continues to misrepresent his record. He continues to take credit for projects and accomplishments he had little or nothing to do with and continues to tell an incomplete story about taxes and city reserves. David Strong Claim: Reduced city spending by $2 million in response to reduced revenues caused by the economic downturn. Reality: Original 2009 budgeted city revenue was reduced by $2,000,000 as a result of State mandated reductions and the passage of Amendment One in January 2008. The City Manager letter that introduces the 2009 budget makes this clear (see…
Why did the City Commission Increase Your Taxes?
Please read the Mayor’s Message in the November/December 2008 City of Winter Park Update. David Strong is straining to tell you that the City Commission increased your millage rate for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2008, raising taxes for all Winter Park property owners. David Strong, Beth Dillaha, Margie Bridges, and Phil Anderson voted for the increase. Karen Diebel voted no. If you own a homestead property your taxes may be lower than last year because of the increase in your homestead exemption but they WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN LOWER if the City Commission had not increased the millage…