PALM COAST — With qualifying season over, candidates in four races in Flagler County gathered June 25 in Palm Coast to share and debate ideas about growth, property taxes, stormwater, infrastructure and other issues.
The event, hosted by the Flagler Tiger Bay Club at the Palm Coast Community Center, brought together 13 candidates, who are part of two Board of County Commission races and another two Palm Coast City Council races.
Between candidate team members, other officials and members of the public, there were approximately 100 people in the audience.
Running for County Commissioner District 2 are Greg Feldman, Theresa Pontieri and Raymond Royer. In the District 4 race, the candidates are Leann Pennington, Denise “Woody” Calderwood (a write-in candidate), Anna Jones and Drew Moss.
In the Palm Coast City Council District 2 race, the candidates are Antonio “Tony” Amaral Jr., Jeani Duarte, and Jimmy Hengy. Running for the District 4 seat are Dylana “Dee” Galery, John Kvederis, Ramon Marrero and Darlene Shelley.
These and other races will be on the Aug. 18 primary ballot. Mail ballots will be sent out beginning July 13 to voters who request one, according to the Flagler Supervisor of Elections website. Early voting will be held Aug. 8 through 15.
Moss did not participate in the forum.
Palm Coast City Council District 2 candidates weigh on economic growth, conservation
Asked about the opportunities for economic growth in the city, Amaral said the city’s “biggest issue is land.”
“My goal is to get the land that we need first, so that we can drive the people here — show that we are ready for them,” he said, adding that keeping young residents in town is part of the goal.
On preserving the environment, Duarte said the city’s wetlands have the be protected. She also said a review of the city charter is needed, as well as using more city lands to expand recreational opportunities for residents, something she argued is hampered by “overdevelopment.”
Asked about the potential property tax cuts, Hengy said the measure could be a “double-edged sword,” saying revaluating and considering areas of the budget that might be cut “is going to be a daunting task.” He also said providing more opportunities for businesses such as air conditioning specialists, plumbers, electricians, lawn services and others.
Palm Coast City Council District 4 candidates weigh in on issues on small businesses, flooding
Galery said one of her first priorities would be to seek input from the small business community on how to adapt to the growing presence of large corporations in Palm Coast.
Kvederis said the “rapid, out-of-control development” comes with the need for the city to “build revenue from those contractors.” He said property tax cuts would prompt a review of the city’s expenditures and consider which areas were cuts would “make sense.”
“We can’t keep putting everything off on taxpayers,” Kvederis said.
On flooding and stormwater management, Marrero said the city needs to work on economic growth to increase tax revenues and, consequently, invest in infrastructure improvements.
Shelley criticized the city’s current growth rate, calling for more “smart growth” practices. She mentioned residents’ concerns over flooding and high utility costs.
“I believe we can do better,” she said.
Flagler County Commission District 2 candidates weigh in on tourism, tax base
Feldman spoke about the need to continue support for The Hammock community and maintaining incentives toward tourism. He also commented on the need “to build a better tax base” for the county and help provide better paying jobs to the workforce population.
Pontieri, currently Palm Coast’s vice mayor, said special taxing districts should be the last resort for solving a funding shortage issue, though the idea shouldn’t be discarded in principle.
“One thing I advocate for is transparency and how we handle our residents’ money,” she said.
Royer said he didn’t agree with the Board of County Commissioners’ recent decisions on the proposed Seminole Woods Boulevard development.
”Planning and zoning has gotten way out hand,” Roger said.
Flagler County Commission District 4 candidates weigh in on property taxes, urban sprawl
Asked what a potential 10% loss of property tax revenue would mean for the county budget, Jones called for the need of a comprehensive audit to address what she described as “overspending.” She also said current impact fees revenue “is not enough” to help cover infrastructure investments for the county.
Pennington, who currently serves as Flagler County chair, said her district is largely agricultural, which makes her concerned about the urban sprawl in Flagler County.
“My main concern is the erosion of home rule around what we can do to protect agriculture,” Pennington said. “We are going to do everything we can to protect (our farmers), and I think we’re doing a good job at our level.”
Calderwood said she supports keeping the scenic character of State Road A1A, where she lived for 15 years.
“I believe in keeping A1A beautiful,” Calderwood said.
The CEO of the local nonprofit Family Matters of Flagler — which provides housing assistance, family and senior aid and more — also voiced her support for “an efficient and effective government.”
— Brenno Carillo is a local government reporter covering Flagler County, including Palm Coast and Flagler Beach, for The Daytona Beach News-Journal.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Growth, tax cuts, infrastructure dominate Flagler candidate forum
Reporting by Brenno Carillo, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brenno Carillo, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
