Letter: Romano won't embarrass city as others are doing

Letter: Romano won't embarrass city as others are doing
Publication Date: 10/28/06
Editor: Our city commissioners embarrass all of us. I'm supporting Peter Romano for St. Augustine Mayor and Commissioner. Peter's our Lincolnville Neighborhood Association president. I've seen how well he works to represent us.
We need his experience and creativity. Peter's an expert on detecting financial fraud, experienced in investigating both corporate and government wrongdoing.
Peter won't cower to power. He will ask questions and expect answers. He supports electing commissioners by individual districts to restore democracy.
He won't tolerate secret meetings or illegal pollution.
People in this beautiful city are uniting to protect our history and our environment.
We must stop out-of-control "developers" from ruining our town while helping solve homelessness and poverty.
Peter spoke to a Homeless Coalition meeting and emphasized restoring dignity, teaching skills, creating jobs and cost-effective housing.
At that same meeting, Gardner talked only about himself. Gardner recently said St. Augustine "has no housing problem," reportedly walking out of a tour of decrepit housing conditions and assailing Jeremy Dean's documentary film, "Dare Not Walk Alone," as too critical. In 2005, Gardner stated he only supported "positive history." History doesn't require Gardner's approval.
City commissioners' reprehensible record of arresting artists, entertainers and musicians (who once attracted tourists to St. George Street) has ironically opened the way for beggars, who now scare tourists away. Gifted musicians must be allowed back on St. George Street, with a guild.
Our city government's hostile to small businesses, frustrating us, while favoring commercial landlords, "developers" and national chains. We should ban chain stores from our historic area (as in Nantucket and Sun Valley), and promote a more authentic, quality historic tourism experience like Colonial Williamsburg.
Government waste, secrecy, illegal dumping, Sunshine violations and other problems proliferate, without answers.
Solution: let's defeat City Manager William Harriss's political machine. Elect Peter Romano mayor and commissioner.
Judith Seraphin
St. Augustine

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