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Candidate response: Dunedin City Commission
By The Times Recommends
Published February 29, 2008
Editor's note: The St. Petersburg Times received the following letter from Dunedin City Commission candidate Arnold "Tony" Scruton in response to the newspaper's editorial recommendation of his opponents, Julie Ward Bujalski and Deborah Kynes. A detailed editorial explaining that recommendation was printed Feb. 24. The election is March 11. Tony Scruton The described shortcomings of both incumbents in the Feb. 24 editorial recommendation are some of the reasons I am running for Dunedin City Commission. While you mentioned that I need "more familiarity with city business," you also state that one of my opponents had "little experience with government" when she first ran for office. I feel my management and ownership experience handling hundreds of employees and dealing with financial statements will be a tremendous asset to our city. Nothing bewilders me more than the Weaver property saga. If you look back, you see a commission that is doing the same thing here as when they hired the city manager. They didn't like the first answer, so they tried something else. Is this serving the city or is it self-serving? Dunedin will be losing approximately $1.2-million in tax revenue, yet it is proposed that we buy a piece of property, take it off the tax rolls and spend $555,000 in required improvements as well as $27,000 annually to maintain this property. Is this a prudent decision, especially now when we might have to look for ways to keep our services? Our land development ordinance funds can improve our existing parks and pay debts such as the $500,000 debt for Edgewater Park. Our Penny for Pinellas funds need to be used to replace and update our infrastructure, especially stormwater, not projects that may use environmental funding. Don't spend what you don't have. At candidate forums, you will learn that when I speak of a vision, I also have suggestions to accomplish that vision. Hopefully, Dunedin voters are ready for a change on March 11. Your voice counts You may submit a letter to the editor for possible publication through our Web site at www.tampabay.com/letters, or by faxing it to (727) 445-4119, or by mailing it to Letters, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. You must include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.
[Last modified February 28, 2008, 20:30:33]
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by Mike
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03/05/08 10:11 PM
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My feeling is that the city should not be in the land business at this point. It seems there may not be money to maintain what you have so why buy more. "Greenspace" is nice but let it develop and provide needed the revenue. You can't save it all.
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by Deborah
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03/05/08 07:40 PM
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I believe that Mr.Scruton is being very short sighted in his outright dismissal of the Weaver property purchase.The commission can renegotiate a price, if necessary, based on appraisal. All avenues should be explored to preserve our greenspaces.
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by Bill
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02/29/08 08:38 PM
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There are too many who want to "develop" every single square inch as long as they can go around and waste the tax money the development brings on pork barrel spending. Lets save some of the green open land before it's too late.
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by Bob
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02/29/08 04:24 PM
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Interesting contrast between the editorial on the same page about Eagle LaKe park, purchased 10 yrs ago to preserve and only now being developed as a park and the candidates bewilderment. It is called foresight Mr. Scruton.
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by Anne
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02/29/08 11:50 AM
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Very well put. We all know the St. Pete times is a VERY biased newspaper and often backs the wrong candidates. He's got my vote!
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by Sven
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02/29/08 07:27 AM
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And so you are friends with someone who might just want to develop the Weaver property? If such property is not preserved now, there will be none to preserve when financial times are better. Green-space is disappearing; listen to the residents not $!
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