While an estimated 244 million Americans can vote in the upcoming presidential election, Key West’s District 6 city commission race could be determined by about 2,500 people.
As of 2022, there were 2,549 registered voters in District 6 — 1,356 Democrats, 531 republicans and 586 non-party affiliates.
The downtown district stretches from Bahama Village to the cemetery, over upper Duval and through the residential neighborhoods encompassing Catherine, United and South streets.
Marci Rose and Aaron Castillo are competing in a runoff election to fill the District 6 seat being vacated by longtime commissioner Clayton Lopez, who is term-limited out. Neither of them achieved more than 50% of the vote to win the seat outright in the Aug. 20 primary, which also included a third candidate, Thaddeus Cohen. Castillo received 49.8% and Rose received 39.8% of the votes.
So as the top two vote-getters, Rose and Castillo headed to a runoff.
The two faced off at the Oct. 1 candidate forum, presented by Hometown Key West at the Tennessee Williams Theatre, where the candidates expressed different views about the question of whether Key West should issue $200 million of bonds to provide long-term funding for major projects and priorities over the next 30 years.
The bond question will appear on all Key West ballots in November, asking voters to approve or deny the issuance of general obligation bonds for various categories of expenditures, including infrastructure, transportation, sustainability and public safety.
Rose expressed tentative support for the bonds, likening them to a line of credit that would be available if needed to get priorities completed in less time and without having to delay them year by year when the city budget can’t afford it.
“And interest only starts accruing when we draw down some of the funds to be used,” Rose said, adding that every use of bond money would still have to go through the same review and approval process as any other city project. “So I do believe the bonds could be a good thing, especially because it wouldn’t prevent us from still seeking grants or budgeting funds to pay for the projects.”
Castillo said he wasn’t on board with the bond issue, and questioned the wisdom of putting Key Westers “on the hook” for hundreds of millions of dollars. But he also emphasized the importance of getting certain projects, including street paving and sidewalk replacement, completed in a timely manner, although he didn’t offer an alternative funding source to pay for the paving without bond money.
In terms of campaign funding, Castillo has raised about $88,000, garnering significant donations from leading business owners, including Ed Swift, owner of Historic Tours of America, hotelier Mark Meisel and the Spottswood family’s businesses.
Rose’s donations have come mainly from individuals, including $1,000 donations from residents Amy Bondurant, David Dunn, George Cooper, Doug Hamilton, William Regardie and others.
When asked on Oct. 1 about how he would balance the needs of residents with the priorities of his business supporters, Castillo pointed to the role his donors play in providing local residents with jobs and employee housing and emphasized that he is a lifelong Key West resident who will listen to and work for the people of Key West and District 6.Read more about each candidate at voteaaroncastillo.com and votemarcirose.com.