OPINION: It’s Not Conchs vs. Newcomers. It’s Right vs. Wrong.
This election is not about where residents were born or how long they have lived here.
I don’t understand the attempts to paint this election as “outsiders” attacking or trying to destroy “conchs”. Do you? This isn’t about new residents vs. long established residents. It is not about business owners vs. nonbusiness owners. It is a decision about right and wrong. Nothing more. Nothing Less. If this were a true bubba system, then all Conchs should be getting city contracts, favorable permit / code decisions and salaries and benefits above a living wage. I haven’t seen that. The last two years of reviewing the actions of past and current appointed and elected officials show great benefit to a privileged few, at the expense of many.
If you live in Garrison Bight or have a boat at Charter Row how does your rent and expenses compare to those of the Yacht Club? Does your small business pay base rent and the additional revenue adjustment required by Florida law for submerged lands or are you like Pier B Corp and simply say the millions you receive from disembarkation fees is not related to operation of the pier and so they only pay base rent, pocketing millions of dollars that should go to the city and state. I have reviewed city leases, so I know some pay it like the not-for-profit Art Center.
Does your Commissioner immediately email you back like they do employees of the Spottswood companies when they have an issue? Does your child get to practice on city owned fields without paying fees to the private Conch Ball LLC, or they locked out because parents can’t pay for the use of public spaces, something their taxes already pay for. In what world is that correct?
These problems didn’t come from outsiders. No, the rot started on the inside, out of the sunlight. I am sure it started small and little by little grew. People looking the other way, some getting favors, other not and over time it grew. This isn’t from outsiders. It is the people who control jobs, seem to get a majority of city contracts, control lucrative vendor permits and now feel threatened. They should, the upcoming civil and criminal trials will I am sure be informative.
If you think none of this impacts you, you may wish to rethink that. The City is facing multiple lawsuits - wrongful death, wrongful arrests, and also lawsuits from the fired and disgraced former employees who believe the city should defend them for their wrongdoing because it was done under flag of office.
It’s your island and money. But make no mistake it is not about Conchs vs newcomers. It is about protecting favored individuals.
Robert Jensen
Key West, Fla.
AMEN!