Fourteen candidates enter for five hotly-contested Islamorada Village Council seats this November. With the most candidates seen in the village’s history, the hopefuls consist of incumbents and newcomers, Conchs and longtime residents and men and women of all backgrounds. Now through Election Day, the Upper Keys Weekly will ask the candidates a question on key issues facing the village.
Answers are printed exactly as submitted by candidates, with responses limited to 75 words.
The Upper Keys Weekly asked the candidates: What kind of approach would you take in regards to the village budget, especially in times when costs for fuel, materials and labor are rising, workforce issues are prevalent and 2023 is looming?
SEAT 1
Sue Miller
There is plenty of excess for the Village’s necessities. The Village spent almost $6 million in reserves on Hurricane Irma. Nearly all was reimbursed. Council policy established a goal of 25% reserves for emergency response. In the current budget there is 60% in reserve. With many Islamorada taxpayers struggling to keep up with costs, now is the time for the Village taxes to be lean. Stop stockpiling taxpayers’ hard-earned money for undesignated uses.
Buddy Pinder
As demonstrated at the final budget hearing last evening, my approach to the village’s budget is one of fairness and balance. With 2023 looming and many unanswered questions regarding the village’s future liability, adopting a millage rate of 3.000 is a way to adding to fund balance in preparation for the 2023-related obligations of the village while resulting in a minimal financial impact to Islamorada property owners considering the valuation caps established by Florida statutes.
SEAT 2
Mary Barley
Salaries are the largest part of most organizations’ budgets. Governments grow over the years, often without turning around to check if they are headed in the intended direction. There are times when it is appropriate and necessary for a zero-based budget strategy to be undertaken. By doing so, we can ensure all positions are still warranted and/or if more are needed.
Mark Gregg
It is the duty of the Village Council to adequately provide for the high quality public services enjoyed by the residents and visitors, and to be well prepared for foreseeable threats and opportunities. Maintaining a healthy reserve for disasters and imminent property rights claims and retaining employees to operate the government are my essential priorities. With current inflationary pressures, maintaining the existing millage rate would avoid spending reserves and minimize future tax increases.
SEAT 3
Pete Bacheler
I would use a guarded approach to the Village budget. We cannot get into deficit spending. Our budget must meet the needs of the Village without over burdening our residents.
Elizabeth Jolin
A smart approach to budgeting is to create a strategic plan that accounts for short, mid, and long-term goals. There’s no way around building reserves to deal with the 2023 buildout and infrastructure changes that will be needed to deal with sea level rise, but this burden shouldn’t fall entirely on the residents. Exploring options to share this load with our tourist community should be a priority.
SEAT 4
John Timura
- Preserve the budget at all costs. The only exception should be a natural disaster. 2. Immediately void any and all contracts where the supplier expresses the desire to “change the deal” mid-term. 3. Solicit sealed competitive bids from alternate resources. 4. Any council member who has direct contact with the petitioning supplier must recuse themselves from the final vote.
Henry Rosenthal
It is important to understand the needs of all parties, when it comes to allocating the priorities of our budget. I believe there have been many opportunities to reduce expenditures and pass the savings on to the taxpayers. However, it is important to understand that we are all working
toward the same goals. We just have different views on how to get there.
Casey Watkins
We must implement long term, cost efficient service contracts with providers whose increases have annual caps. We have the ability locally, to secure workforce housing only if the Village is willing to work with the community. Imminent issues of BPAS/ROGO coming to a head in 2023 takes more work than solidifying a number in Islamorada. This is an issue that carries weight and requires collective work throughout the county.
Angel Borden
Like all of us and millions of Americans have had to do, it’s time to re-evaluate expenses and make cuts. Just because home values have gone up it doesn’t mean we take more money from our people. Many of our friends/family lost jobs, had hours cut due to the pandemic. Those that kept full pay and worked should not have received raises because it was difficult for them. They were blessed.
Deb Gillis
I am a firm believer in strong fund balance: Do not borrow unless necessary, Reserves set aside, recommended uses (natural emergencies, sewer maintenance, housing issues and 2023). Use CPI as a guide to what should be an increase to expenses factoring Keys limitations obtaining goods and services. In difficult times, services need to remain high to help the citizens. Example: Freebee for free transportation in times of high gas prices. Funds applied to health care services.
SEAT 5
David Webb
Our community is facing some significant challenges. The end of permitting new residential building, hurricanes, critical workforce retention to name a few. I will continue to advocate for a fiscally responsible approach to the budget. This means establishing the minimum millage possible that provides the level of service that keeps Islamorada a premiere community and continues to grow our meager reserves. I will never support deficit spending absent an emergency.
Tom Rafanello
Our budget process is not transparent. Increase the number of workshops and encourage public input and questions. Budget categories are vague and more resident friendly language needs to be used to explain where the tax money is going. Educating the public on the budget details should be a key competency for any public servant. For 20 years I oversaw and administered budgets as a law enforcement executive.
If elected, it will be a priority.
Sharon Mahoney
I have always worked with budgets. My household as well as my business of 27 years, my 501C-3 and my charity tournaments. The budget should be taken apart on a yearly basis and each item gone over to fit the coming year’s needs. Items that once were important might have changed with new issues rising to the top. I believe items should be put out for bid to get current and competitive pricing, shave where we can and build on looking ahead to the importance of our community.
