Letters to the editor

Vote yes for fairness

As Winter Park citizens head to the polls on Jan. 31 — or opt to use an absentee ballot at an earlier date — to select the mayoral candidate of their choice, they may want to reflect on the words so eloquently drafted by this nation’s founding fathers in 1787 that constitute the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America”. Two of the most significant words in the Preamble are “we” and “justice”. The United States of America was founded on the principles of inclusiveness and fairness or justice, and the Revolutionary War, which led to the United States of America, was triggered in part by citizens’ reaction to a perceived unfair tax on tea without representation.

As I reflected on the political turmoil both internationally and nationally that has occurred during 2011 — from the Arab Spring uprisings to the recent protests by affluent Moscow citizens over election results and Chinese villagers regarding land confiscations to the various Occupy movements throughout the U.S. — I realized that all of these protests had a common thread. This thread was the perceived lack of political justice or fairness in the societies and governments of these protestors. I also realized that the issues that have been the most contentious and polarizing in the city of Winter Park over the past five years have been principally fairness issues.

Was it fair for Winter Park’s Central Park, the only significant patch of green in the downtown area, to become the backyard for a multi-story condominium project irrespective of the positive impact on the city’s tax revenues?

THE CARLISLE PROJECT

Was it fair for one of Winter Park’s largest parks both in terms of acreage and direct water access to be principally utilized by dogs without leashes rather than to serve as a family-oriented park, as it once was, and to be enjoyed by both humans and dogs, albeit leashed?

FLEET PEEPLE’S DOG PARK

Was it fair for an elected city official to vote on a project in which his employer has a vested economic interest rather than recusing himself from voting although the voting was legally permissible and in compliance with conflict of interest provision, 112.3143(3)(a) of the Florida Statutes, as determined by the State of Florida Commission on Ethics?

SUN RAIL

Was it fair for the city’s elected officials to veto a land lease transaction that would have permitted one of Winter Park’s oldest companies, RLF, an architecture firm that was founded in 1935 by the internationally renowned architect James Gamble Rogers II to remain in Winter Park notwithstanding a lease structure that did not maximize the city’s return on investment? The firm has now decamped for the more-welcoming Baldwin Park, and the land is being sold to a major Orlando real estate developer for the development as a commercial office building, which a Lake Mary corporation will use as its new headquarters.

STATE OFFICE BUILDING

Without fairness in government, at the extreme there are revolutions and violent street protests and at the margin there are political apathy, outward migration of long-time citizens, and ineffective and inefficient government proceedings where meetings of elected officials turn into forums in which special interests pursue narrow objectives.

Fairness is first and foremost a personal perception and embodies both legal and ethical concepts. What is held to be fair by citizens and what is legal are not necessarily synonymous, and throughout the nation’s history, citizens have periodically decided that existing laws and actions pursuant to such actions are unfair. One’s perception of fairness may be very different from that of his or her neighbor. To some Winter Park citizens, fairness may mean voting for projects that will produce the most favorable revenues and tax base for the city of Winter Park. For other citizens, fairness is helping long-standing businesses and community members thrive in their home town. Hence on Jan. 31 or earlier, in the case of absentee ballots, when citizens of Winter Park cast their votes for their desired candidate, it is hopeful that they will remember the ideals of the founding fathers and vote for the candidate that they feel will best promote the type of government envisioned in the Preamble to the Constitution.

—Barbara S. Bytell

Winter Park

Elect Miles

It is time to return the decisions and leadership for Winter Park back to all the residents by electing Nancy Miles mayor. She has been engaged in our city for over 10 years. That is unlike her opponent, who moved into Winter Park and a few months later ran for mayor of his new residence. Nancy will return balance to board appointments, giving all residents a chance to serve, not just people with special agendas. Nancy believes commissioners should have work sessions to evaluate important issues and legal agreements. Unlike the recent State Office Building swap agreement where our city attorney said “it is not a perfect agreement, but is it good enough for three of you to vote for it?” Nancy believes “good enough” does not meet the high standards residents deserve. Her opponent has made major cuts to the forestry budget during his term, putting the maintenance of our tree canopy in jeopardy. He also wants residents to be responsible for their right of way tree maintenance. Pension liability reform, Park Avenue parking and funding for items such as ball field lighting still need consideration.

Nancy gives credit to and will carefully listen to our professional city staff that is responsible for the balanced budget, grants for things like the new Baldwin Park Trail and the new electric vehicle charging stations, and innovative ideas like the new police crime mapping.

If you agree it is time to return fair leadership back to all residents of Winter Park, get your friends and neighbors to vote Nancy Miles for mayor.

—Nancy Shutts

Winter Park

Communication strong

In your recent article "Winter Park Campaigns", the following excerpts left me curious.

In referencing candidate Nancy Miles: "Though she didn’t name Bradley when speaking at her campaign kickoff party Dec. 5, she said the current administration has seen ‘an expansion of the mayor’s powers and his ability to silence the opposition.’ … Miles is taking a different tack with her campaigning, focusing on improving cooperation among commissioners and fostering more open dialogue between the Commission and residents. … She said she would work toward having more citizen input on important decisions in the city.”

As a citizen who takes a proactive interest in our city and its government, I find Ms. Miles' perspective very surprising. While listening to Commission meetings online, I am continually impressed at the efficiency and professionalism demonstrated by our mayor and most commissioners, much-appreciated traits that have been absent and longed for by many citizens for years.

Ms. Miles' desire for more citizen input and more open dialogue presents an implication that these opportunities are lacking today. Again surprised, I did a bit of checking and discovered that the city of Winter Park provides more than 30 ways for a resident (or anyone for that matter) to both give and receive communications, information, ideas, thoughts and complaints with our mayor, Commission and city staff. Some of these are:

• City Commission Meetings: The Mayor and Commission receive public comment on any item that is before the Commission. Additionally, there exists a designated time during each meeting, at 5 p.m., for the public to address the Commission on any issue not before the Commission. (This has been in effect since 2009 when Mayor Bradley took office.)

• Coffee Talk, Town Meetings, and Community Conversations: All providing an open forum for anyone to address their issues or concerns.

-Community Conversations: online, allowed residents to share input via and electronic survey, email, mail and our first city blog

-AskWP: an online service accessed from the city website that allows residents to ask questions, post comments, search through the knowledge-base library or submit a service request

• Appointments, email, telephone

In all fairness, Winter Park’s administration has never been more communicative with its citizens, and citizens have never been availed of more communication methods with our elected officials and city staff. If Ms. Miles was unaware of these opportunities, hopefully the above list will be of help to her!

Meanwhile, many, many of us thank Mayor Bradley for his efficacy and strong leadership. We’re wearing big smiles because of the increase in our general fund reserves from 6 percent two years ago to a projected 26 percent at the end of this fiscal year — with no increase in taxes! Best of all, Winter Park has never been more demonstrative of its charm and desirability!

—Patty Heidrich

Winter Park

Bradley’s accomplishments

(Re: “Bradley’s claims need clarification”, Jan. 5)

Ms. Boyer,

First, allow me to say that far too many people are willing to accept and never question the validity of statements made by politicians and their supporters, which is why I applaud your willingness to question my assertion that Winter Park Mayor Ken Bradley’s accomplishments since he took office three years ago have exceeded many of our expectations. And how ironic that in the same Jan. 5 issue of the Observer, the editorial staff addressed many of the claims you asked me to corroborate. A few brief quotes: “A new Community Center rose from the rubble of its predecessor, and the budget balanced out… Popular programs remained and services stayed at their lofty standards… Knight and the City Commission also skillfully balanced the budget during a rough year…. With revenues still low compared with four years ago and with pension liability still growing, city staff and the Commission managed to keep the city’s budget even, and did so while helping grow the general fund and while avoiding a property tax increase…. Considering the hardships other cities have faced, Winter Park could easily have fared far worse.”

However, in fairness to your questions, the following are some of the facts. Perhaps you can pass them on to Ms. Miles as she prepares to debate Mayor Bradley regarding the importance of past experience when it comes to running a city the size of Winter Park. Maybe Ms. Miles would be best served to take the “look before you leap” approach in the future since many of the claims I made could have been easily corroborated by attending more than one or two Commission meetings during the last year.

General fund increased by:

• $5,823,775 unreserved balance increase over three years

• Unreserved balance in 2008 were $2,731,283

• Unreserved balance in 2011 were $8,555,058

(Source: Winter Park City Financial statements)

Property taxes decreased:

• $1,560,649 property taxes decreased

• Property Taxes in 2008 were $15,919,159

• Property Taxes in 2011 were $14,358,510

• The property millage rate has not changed since Sept. 28, 2008.

(Source: Winter Park City Financial statements)

City services costs lowered:

• $ 3,151,364 general fund expenditures decreased

• General fund expenditures in 2008 were $41,806,599

• General fund expenditures in 2011 were $38,655,235

(Source: Winter Park City Financial statements)

Number of new businesses:

• 549 new business establishments

• As of April 2009: 3,065 business licenses

• As of April 2011: 3,614 business licenses

(Source: Metro Orlando EDC statistics sheet on the city of Winter Park)

—Ed Sabori

Winter Park