Our mayor and city commissioners-- for the most part-- are totally ignoring the clearly defined wishes of their constituents in favor of moneyed interests.

It's always the case. In this one it's the myopic Chamber of Commerce, which has single-handedly destroyed the character of Duval Street by allowing it to be lined with sleazy strip clubs and crooked t-shirt shops. At another time of the year it's the Sunrise Rotary Club (of which most commissioners are members) and its Poker Run, replete with monstrously loud and clearly illegal mufflers destroying the peace and quiet of our small island. Market Share and its Fat Fest also can do as they wish-- including totally naked, old fat people lining our streets and family neighborhoods for a week every year.

When is there going to ever be a city commissioner who says "Enough!"? Tony "Fat" Yaniz is one of the first I've see-- and I hope he sticks to his guns on this widening issue.

Panico and her Chamber, at the behest of Mark Rossi and his cruise ship industry, have lied up one side and down the other about the impact of declining cruise ship arrivals and fees. Anything we might have lost has more than been made up by the tremendous increase in airport revenues, as recently outlined by Peter Horton in a recent Citizen story.

Commissioners, one more time, the citizens of Key West-- exclusive of Chamber members, duh mayor and bar & t-shirt shop owners-- do not want or need this "study." It would only lead to eventual dredging and the destruction of our National Marine Sanctuary waters and the quality of life of all Key West citizens. Please vote for the people this time-- Vote a resounding NO!

To read the Chamber's letter in today's Citizen, you would think that a reduction in cruise ship disembarkations spells the end of Key West.

But even if their wildest dream came true (i.e. the study was approved and the $35 million required for dredging was found at no cost to local taxpayers), it would still be 10 - 15 years before the project was complete.

If that's the best the Chamber can do, get ready for some prolonged belt tightening. Better management calls for replacing that lost revenue to the economy. Fortunately, according to the Chamber's figures on bed taxes, we already have. Last year was Key West's most successful lodging year ever and we are currently on pace to beat last year by ten percent.

The Chamber looks to the highest cruise ship disembarkations ever, 1.1 million as a golden moment in Key West history. But that level was a fiasco for which we damaged our reputation and are still trying to live down the "Getting Ugly" label that it earned us,

Part of Key West's allure has always been that it is not the easiest place to get to, a little effort and investment is required. As cruise ship passenger counts have declined, Key West's bed tax revenue has more than doubled. Do you honestly believe that our land-based visitors are disappointed when there are not cruise ships in port? Even Disney World is better when it isn't overcrowded.

The overwhelming majority of our economy has voted with their wallets. Let's not disregard the results of the election.