Election day is next Tuesday, Nov. 7. Here is our analysis and recommendations concerning the candidates and the issues.
FOR STATE ATTORNEY
Tavernier Attorney Mark Kohl is waging an uphill battle to unseat 20-year incumbent State Attorney Kirk Zuelch. But here's why we think he just might be able to pull it off.
In Key West, Zuelch may be the most despised man in town. His multiple acts of deceit and dishonor have been well documented.
Last year, he orchestrated the taking of a young military couple's two babies and the holding of those children for 200 days to try to coerce the parents into pleading guilty to bogus child abuse charges. Finally, a judge threw the case out of court. Zuelch has yet to say, "I'm sorry."
He tried the same thing with the children of local artist Pat Lloyd. Same result. Zuelch has yet to say, "I'm sorry."
Then, Zuelch sided with a customer who was, apparently, trying to defraud Manuel Marcial, a highly-respected local jeweler. Zuelch's case was so bad that his own expert witness testified for the defense! It took a jury only 35 minutes to throw Zuelch's bogus charges out of court. He has yet to say, "I'm sorry."
NOTE: Marcial feels so strongly about his experience at the hands of Kirk Zuelch, he has purchased a full-page ad to send a letter to the community. See page 7. Pat Lloyd is also financing ads in the local press. See page 29.
These are only a few examples of the abject incompetence, corruption and selective enforcement that is rife within Zuelch's administration.
If you get in trouble in this town— and your daddy's "somebody"— you don't really have much to fear from Mr. Zuelch. If you get caught running from a drug bust or if you threaten to blow up the high school, no problem— as long as you're connected.
But God help you if you're not connected. Zuelch's minions will happily slap you with every charge they can think of, even if they have to make some up. Then, they'll offer to "do you a favor" by dropping some of those charges if you'll plead guilty to the others.
If you're not guilty and you summon up the courage to fight, they will spend thousands and thousands and thousands of taxpayer dollars to punish you— to make sure that, even if you manage to win, you end op broke and in debt. Cases in point: the Nowatneys, Pat Lloyd and Manuel Marcial.
Although Kohl is not well known in Key West, the "anybody but Zuelch" attitude is rampant here.
Up the Keys, however, Kohl is well-known and respected. And up the Keys is where most of the votes are. The Upper Keys was the source of strength that enabled Kohl to defeat Mick Barnes in the Republican primary.
But as you might imagine, Zuelch has the backing of the powerbrokers who badly want to maintain the status quo. They depend on the favors they get from Zuelch's office. You may have noticed that most of the Zuelch signs you see around town are outside the offices of fatcat lawyers.
On November 7, you can play a part in bringing honesty and integrity back to the State Attorney's Office. Join us in voting for Mark Kohl.
For State Representative, we are supporting the reelection of Ken Sorensen. There is really no contest here.
Four years ago, when Sorensen first ran for election, we supported a local attorney who was running against him. But during Sorensen's first term, we have watched him work tirelessly for Monroe County in Tallahassee.
Respected in the legislature., he has been named to three education committees, is vice chairman of the Children & Families Committee, and he is a member of the Community Affairs/Military & Veterans Affairs and Business Regulation & Consumer Affairs Committees.
Because of Sorensen's efforts, Monroe County is the top-funded school district in the state! Because of this funding, our School Board has been able to increase teachers' salaries while reducing taxes.
Sorenson is also a proponent of home rule for Monroe County, rather than having so many decisions made for us in Tallahassee.
For years, Sorensen has been a protector of our environment. When he was a Monroe County Commissioner, he led the fight to create a four-story height limit on buildings, as well as reducing building density. He supported both the Everglades Restoration Act and the Florida Forever Plan which commits $3 billion to protecting and restoring the environment.
Yet Sorrenson}s opponent, political newcomer Ron Herron and others are attacking Sorensen's environmental record. But what is Herron's environmental record? Writing in this newspaper last week, one of Herron's most ardent supporters spelled it out: He has been a Reef Relief volunteer.
Herron is a former Key West Assistant City Manager. When it became clear that he would never be promoted to City Manager, he left to become director of AIDS Help— where he drew a $75,000 per-year salary.
As Assistant City Manager, Herron was a major player in those secret meetings that determined how the City would buy ($18.5 million) and manage the Key West Bight. The State Attorney General ruled that Herron and others violated the Sunshine Law.
Last year, a judge ruled that Herron had again violated the Sunshine Law when he and his pals privatized our community hospital.
Ken Sorensen has a proven record for working— and delivering— for Monroe County in the State Legislature. We recommend a vote for reelection.
MARY KAY REICH,
DIXIE SPEHAR
SONNY McCOY
Citizen revolt, in the form of incorporation, is sweeping the Keys. Why do you think that is? It's because voters in villages and towns throughout the County are sick and tired of arrogant, posturing and, sometimes, just downright dumb County Commissioners. That's why we've been recommending a major Commission makeover.
Three incumbent County Commissioners were up for reelection this year— Shirley Freeman, Wilhelmina Harvey and Mary Kay Reich.
Freeman is already gone. Although she initially announced that she would run for reelection, she dumped out in a hurry when she learned that former Key West Mayor Sonny McCoy would oppose her. In the Republican primary, McCoy defeated Sullins Stuart, Freeman's hand-picked surrogate, by 12 votes.
On Nov. 7, McCoy faces Democrat Sheila Chamberlain and independent Jerry Coleman. Both Coleman and Chamberlain seem sincere. But we have previously endorsed McCoy because he will shake up a Commission that needs to be shaken up.
In part for the same reason, we are endorsing Dixie Spehar, who is challenging 84-year-old Wilhelmina Harvey for the County Commission seat she has held for, well, almost forever.
Wilhelmina told us four years ago that she only wanted one more term, and all of us took her at her word. Now she's changed her mind. And, this time, she's not even promising that this will be her last term.
She says she needs to run again because there are so many problems facing the Commission. Well, duh! After so many years on the Commission, shouldn't she shoulder at least some of the responsibility for failing to head off and/or solve those problems? Shouldn't she shoulder at least some of the responsibility for the current revolt against her and her fellow commissioners?
Dixie was Wilhelmina's aide for a number of years. She understands the issues and the problems. She is smart, dedicated and caring. And, as a Commissioner, she will probably be able to remember how she voted at the previous meeting.
We all love Wilhelmina. But it really is time for a change.
PS: This week, we learned that Wilhelmina has apparently conspired with outgoing Commissioner Freeman to schedule a special meeting today, Nov. 3.
On the agenda: To reappoint Sullins Stuart to the County Planning Commission, a position he had to give up to run for Freeman's seat. We wouldn't want a new Commission to be involved in that decision, would we?
Although this is certainly Shirley's deal, Wilhelmina is listed as the sponsor of that agenda item. But we think there's a good possibility that she hasn't a clue why she was asked (or told) to do it. And, now, we're hearing that, since the press found out about it, Willy may pull the item off the agenda.
There's probably nothing illegal about this chicanery. But it's typical. And it illustrates why our County Commission needs a makeover.
The lone County Commission incumbent we're endorsing is Mary Kay Reich. Commissioner Reich has been criticized for standing alone against the majority of the current Commission on many issues. But think about that.
The reason for the rush toward incorporation up and down the Keys is that the people don't support what the majority of the Commission has been doing! In many instances, Mary Kay's lone vote has represented the voice of the people in opposition to the out-of-touch, out-of-control Commission majority.
We think that our County Commission needs a major attitude adjustment. If you agree, we recommend votes for Mary Kay Reich, Dixie Spehar and Sonny McCoy.
NO RECOMMENDATION
We don't have a recommendation in the contest for Sheriff. We do predict, however, that Richard Roth will be reelected.
But, this term, Roth will simply be a placeholder. You may recall that Roth initially said he wasn't going to run again. He said he was retiring. But county powerbrokers soon realized that they might not be able to control who would replace Roth. The pesky electorate might vote in somebody like Ron Poindexter or Phil Mandina. God forbid! So they told Roth to run again.
But as soon as he has served long enough in his new term to ensure that the Governor can appoint a pre-selected successor, rather than allowing the voters to participate in a special election, Roth will resign. You read it here first.
FOR SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
This race is a replay of the contest four years ago when Michael Lannon unseated incumbent Robert Walker. One reason that happened is that challenger Lannon received the endorsement of the teachers union. This year, the teachers have again endorsed Lannon.
We'll go with the teachers.
Four years ago, Key West The Newspaper was the only paper that endorsed Bill Shaw for a seat on the County Mosquito Control Board. We believed him when he promised to clean up corruption in that agency and increase mosquito-killing efficiency. After all, as a former mosquito control pilot, he had hands-on experience and he knew what was going on "inside."
This year, Shaw's getting virtually all the endorsements. And rightly so. We now have a mosquito control program here that is seen as a model statewide.
No contest here. Bill Shaw is still our pick for the Mosquito Control Board.
Dee Dee Henriquez has been Harry Knight's assistant for years. It's her turn.
On the back of your ballot, you will see two referendums concerning our local judges that may amaze you. You will be given the opportunity, if you choose, to give up your right to elect Circuit and County Court judges.
That's ridiculous. Vote "no" on both of these ballot items. Each county in the state is voting separately, so your vote counts.
SUPREME COURT AND APPEALS JUDGES?
To give you an idea how the "retention" system for judges might work if County voters give up their right to elect judges here, you'll find the names of four Florida Supreme Court and Appeals Court judges on your ballot. These judges were appointed by the Governor sometime back in history, but they must submit to "retention" votes every few years. Because no one is allowed to run against them, "reelection" is virtually certain.
So, we don't have the slightest clue as to how to advise you as to whether you should vote to retain these judges or not. But this situation does reinforce why we don't want to approve the same system for our Circuit and County judges here.
The shortage of affordable housing is one of the most serious problems facing our town. And, on the ballot, way down at the bottom on the back, you'll be asked to vote yes or no on a referendum to borrow $2.5 million to acquire property in Bahama Village for affordable housing.
A noble cause. But we don't think citizens have been given enough information about how the money will be spent and who will be spending it— and who will be sharing in all that cocoa butter. We think it is a disservice to citizens to ask them to vote blindly on such an issue.
We are also concerned because this referendum was approved by the Key West City Commission— and that body's record of accomplishment in the area of affordable housing is a joke. Look at the Fairgrounds project. And, just last week, the Commission allowed the bulldozing of existing affordable housing at the Key West Bight to provide another parking lot.
The Bahama Village project may or may not be a good idea. But, until we're told more about it, we vote "no."
Another item you'll find on your ballot is a question about amending the State Constitution to authorize the use of tax money to build a statewide high-speed rail system. Of course, by statewide, they don't mean the Keys. But, if the project is approved, they would use your tax dollars to finance it.
Such a project would no doubt be good for the urban areas of the state. And it would probably be fun to ride. But nobody seems to know how much it would cost. Some are predicting that costs could be as much as $20 million per mile.
But, if for no other reason, we are recommending a "no" vote on this ballot item because we don't think the State Constitution is the right place to be setting transportation policy.
Key West's own May Chote is running for President of the United States as a write-in candidate. We know and respect May— but we're recommending a vote for George W. Bush. If you need more than one reason, just recall the day President Clinton was impeached. Vice President Al Gore said, with a straight face, that Clinton was one of the greatest presidents ever. Geez!
May's husband, Ray, is challenging longtime Clerk of the Court Danny Kolhage as a write-in candidate. "I'm doing this to simply force an election," Chote said. "No one who has held that office has had to run for election since 1948."
Bicycle Joanie Nelson is also a write-in candidate for Superintendent of Schools.