by Beth Kassab | Apr 2, 2025 | City Commission, Election, News, Uncategorized
City Attorney Says Chamber Political Committee Not a Violation of Lease
Commissioners raised questions about the political group operating out of a city-owned building
April 2, 2025
By Beth Kassab
At least two city commissioners want to drill deeper into a long-term lease with the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, after the chamber used a city-owned building for a political action committee that paid for ads to influence city elections.
The comments to the Winter Park Voice came after City Attorney Kurt Ardaman conducted an investigation at the request of the commission and concluded the chamber is not violating its lease. The mayor and four commissioners sat silently during Ardaman’s report at last week’s meeting and did not ask any questions.
But at least two commissioners, including one who the chamber PAC just attempted to kick out of office, and a former commissioner told the Voice that the report did not fully resolve the matter.
“One of the things that concerns me is the political action committee address is the same as the chamber address,” said Commissioner Kris Cruzada, who was challenged this year by a chamber-backed opponent. “I’m still trying to reconcile that. Do we need to go deeper than what someone is telling us? We work under the premise of good will and good faith and does it send the wrong message when there is a PAC operating out of that building, presumably, and maybe trying to undermine the sentiment of residents in the city?”
Ardaman’s four-page memorandum to the commission concluded that the chamber is not in violation of its lease because it has not officially sublet a portion of the building or assigned away any of its legal interest in the building at 151 W. Lyman Avenue across the street from City Hall. The chamber entered into a 99-year lease for the space known as the “Welcome Center” in 2005 after the chamber spent $900,000 on its development.
But a recent payment by Ardaman’s own law firm, Fishback Dominick, to the political committee known as Winter PAC illustrates just how intertwined chamber operations are with the PAC.
Ardaman did not disclose to the commission that his firm is a member of the chamber and paid the PAC $25 as part of the firm’s dues in January.
The PAC is required to file financial reports as part of the city election rules. It’s first report this year lists $500 in total contributions comprised of $25 each from 20 local businesses, including Fishback Dominick. Another report showed another batch of $25 contributions from businesses such as the Volvo Store, Prato, Barnie’s and more.
Asked why he didn’t disclose the payment, Ardaman told the Voice the money was paid “inadvertently” by his office staff.
“The $25 contribution to Winter PAC that you question was inadvertently paid through Fishback’s membership in the Chamber,” Ardaman said in an email. “Unfortunately, our staff did not deduct $25 from our payment of the Chamber invoice amount, and $25 was paid by the Chamber to Winter PAC. We have instituted measures to ensure that does not reoccur. Fishback, along with the City of Winter Park, the Winter Park Library, The Winter Park Events Center, the Winter Park Housing Authority, and others are Chamber members that all support the best interests of the City. Fishback has no leadership position with the Chamber. Supporting the City’s best interests for Fishback, does not include contributing to any candidate in City elections.”
A chamber spokeswoman said members are “given the option to make voluntary contributions to Winter PAC starting at $25, which are separate from Winter Park Chamber of Commerce dues.”
She said the option is disclosed to members during “multiple communications during annual billing.”
Money raised by the PAC was spent to help the campaign of Justin Vermuth, who ran against incumbent Cruzada. Winter PAC spent about $33,000 to advocate for Vermuth, according to the financial reports, and raised $85,000 in 2024 and 2025.
Cruzada won a second term last month with 63% of the vote in a landslide against Vermuth.
Some Context Behind the Dispute
The questions over the lease are playing out as the Chamber, known for putting on popular events like the annual Christmas parade or the Autumn Art Festival, has taken a more aggressive role in city elections during the last two years.
The division between chamber leadership and supporters and some commissioners appears rooted, at least in part, in a conflict over development.
Mayor Sheila DeCiccio and Commissioner Marty Sullivan supported a major reversal of a set of development rules known as the Orange Avenue Overlay when they were first elected in 2020. The changes meant that landholders along the key commercial corridor lost the ability to build denser and taller developments.
The Orange Avenue Overlay in Winter Park.
Companies controlled by two property owners, Mary Demetree and the Holler family, sued the city over the changes. The city prevailed in the lawsuit in 2023.
In 2024, the chamber created Winter PAC. Demetree and companies that belong to the Holler family are among contributors to the PAC or to candidates supported by Winter PAC.
The chamber spent about $30,000 in 2024 to advocate for Craig Russell, who narrowly defeated candidate Jason Johnson. Russell said during the campaign that he was open to revisiting the Orange Avenue Overlay while Johnson said he supported the new rules opposed by the large landholders.
Steve Leary, who was Winter Park mayor when the old, more development-friendly, rules took effect for the Orange Avenue Overlay also contributed $500 to Vermuth through his own political committee called Neighbors for a Sensible Orange County. Ardaman gave $5,000 to that committee last year when Leary was running for Orange County Commission and lost to Kelly Semrad.
“We did not know and had no control of that PAC’s later contribution to any City Commission candidate,” Ardaman said when asked about the contribution to Leary’s committee. “We believed that Steve would have well served Orange County and the City of Winter Park as a member of the Orange County Commission.”
What the Report Says
Ardaman’s report focused solely on whether there was a violation of the chamber’s lease with the city and relied on interviews with Betsy Gardner, chamber president and registered agent of Winter PAC; Brian Mills, Winter PAC’s chairman and deputy treasurer and Lawrence Lyman, Winter PAC’s vice chairman.
He noted more than $3,000 in payments from Winter PAC to the Chamber labeled as administrative or professional fees.
But the report did not make any mention of how the PAC collects money at the same time, and as part of a single payment, as when the chamber collects its dues.
The report concluded that Gardner, Mills and Lyman all provided the same information:
- “Winter PAC has not and does not use any physical space in the Welcome Center.”
- “The payments from Winter PAC to the Chamber were either reimbursement for the use of office equipment (as Winter PAC lacks such equipment of its own) or compensation in exchange for the Chamber accepting and holding mail on behalf of Winter PAC.”
- “Winter PAC did not receive any actual right to access the physical property of the Welcome Center beyond that enjoyed by a member of the general public.”
Todd Weaver, who initiated the request for the report on the chamber’s lease before he left the City Commission last month, said some portions of the report don’t make sense.
“I’m not an attorney, but I have been a landlord,” Weaver said. “Let’s say I rent a home to a person and he signs the lease. Six months later, let’s say the guy has his girlfriend move in. She’s not on the lease. But she’s living there. And they should give the landlord notice of that. In this case, the chamber didn’t provide notice. They didn’t tell the city manager that they were going to run a PAC.”
Weaver questioned how the attorney could conclude that the PAC doesn’t have access to the property “beyond that enjoyed by a member of the general public,” while also acknowledging that the group uses the office equipment and collects mail there.
“I think there’s enough proof they’ve [the chamber] used the space outside the parameters of the lease [with the city],” Weaver said.
Commissioner Marty Sullivan said he accepts Ardaman’s conclusion about the lease, but would like to know more such as if there is an official agreement of any kind between the chamber the PAC.
“I’m curious what arrangement or agreement exists between the chamber and the PAC and I would like to know that Fishback Dominick looked at those agreements,” Sullivan said. “We have a legal review that says there is no lease violation. Will that decision continue to stand? I don’t know.”
Sullivan said in his view the chamber has supported “out-of-scale development” at odds with him and at least one other current commissioner “as illustrated by the battle over Orange Avenue Overlay building codes.”
Commissioner Warren Lindsey who took Weaver’s seat in March said he didn’t have sufficient knowledge about the matter to comment. Commissioner Craig Russell could not be reached for comment. Mayor Sheila DeCiccio also declined to comment on the matter.
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by Beth Kassab | Apr 1, 2025 | Uncategorized
See the changes planned for one of Winter Park's most dangerous roads
Commissioners looked at final concepts for the plan to fix S.R. 426, though the city’s share of the cost is still unclear
April 1, 2025
By Charles Maxwell
Final plans are ready for the long talked about improvements to the unusually narrow and curvy 1.7-mile stretch of State Road 426 between Park Avenue and Lakemont Avenue, but it’s still unclear how much the city will pay for its share of the project.
State data shows the busy stretch of S.R. 426 averages six car crashes per month and more than 4,000 speed violations daily. The road is controlled by the state of Florida, but serves as a major east-west passage through Winter Park, winding around and over the city’s chain of lakes.
Residents who live on the lakes and off the side streets have called for years for improved safety features.
Final plans show repaved roads, raised medians, and new high-visibility crosswalks to help prevent collisions, bring down travel speeds and protect pedestrians. Construction of the project is expected to start in early 2026.
City of Winter Park engineer Hongmyung Lim told the City Commission during a work session last week what he’s heard from residents throughout the Florida Department of Transportation’s design work on the project.
“A lot of the stakeholders and residents wanted general support for pedestrian features and safety, and slowing down traffic on 426,” Lim said.
Primary concerns included turning left safely onto S.R. 426 from the side streets and safely turning into driveways and side streets from the main road. Requests also included several additional traffic signals.
The plans include raised intersections with high visibility crosswalks at Chase Avenue, Sylvan Drive, and Cortland Ave, along with three different raised crosswalks with pedestrian hybrid beacons and advanced signage to help pedestrians safely cross dangerous roadways.
Vice president of American Structurepoint and project manager for the project’s design phase, Nick Harrison, addressed the commission and elaborated on each of the proposed improvements. Harrison believes that the changes, such as raised crosswalks, will encourage drivers to slow down and punish the vehicles that choose not to. “If you’re traveling 45-50 mph, it’s going to create a problem for you,” said Harrison.
The city of Winter Park made an initial financial commitment of $1.8 million to support the project on September 27, 2023, but is expected to reduce its investment as some of the scope of work has been reduced.
Due to maintenance challenges and complications, Lim said that some original features, such as brick intersections, landscaped medians, and bus stop pavement markings, have been removed from the plans.
“The city would be responsible for maintaining those bricks whenever they popped out, and also if we were to have landscaping inside the medians our team would have to go out there to make sure it’s maintained and trimmed… we ensured that any of these changes did not impact the intent of the traffic operations of the project,” said Lim. “We’ve been coordinating with FDOT and will determine a final financial commitment soon.”
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Charles Maxwell is a graduate of Winter Park High School and Florida Atlantic University with a degree in multimedia studies. His work has appeared in the South Florida Sun Sentinel and The Boca Raton Tribune, and he is a contributing writer for Keeping it Heel on the FanSided network.
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by Beth Kassab | Mar 16, 2025 | City Commission, News, Taxes, Uncategorized
More commissioners signal interest in raising property taxes
At the board’s first budget work session of the year, city staff pitched a targeted increase to cover transportation or public safety costs
March 16, 2025
By Beth Kassab
With costs for police and fire, transportation and other city services continuing to rise amid stubborn inflation, commissioners discussed last week the idea of increasing how much residents pay in property taxes by a quarter mil.
The talks took place at the Commission’s first budget work session of the year where the elected officials heard an overview of anticipated revenue and costs for next year.
Warren Lindsey, who will be sworn in as a new commissioner in Todd Weaver’s seat later this month, attended alongside Weaver.
Commissioner Craig Russell voiced a willingness to consider a tax increase and pondered ways to get residents on board with the idea.
“It’s just a matter of telling the story,” Russell said. “We still have unfunded projects” and expressed concern about a decline in city services “where we won’t be a destination anymore, we’ll just be run-of-the-mill.”
Russell, who was backed by the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and is up for re-election next year, said commissioners must talk about the needs with residents and “agree on whether we can market it so that the messaging is cohesive across the board with the public.”
Commissioner Marty Sullivan, who is also up for re-election next year and who proposed a property tax increase recently in a written message to residents, responded, “Craig, you stole my thunder.”
Sullivan said he didn’t mind if an increase is unpopular with voters. He said a .25 mil increase for many residents would be about $8 or so a month or “not much more than a cup of coffee at Barnie’s.”
“I’m OK with people hating me for it,” he said. “If 10 or 20 years from now they say they’re glad we did it.”
Commissioner Kris Cruzada, who was just re-elected last week and is often one of the more fiscally conservative voices on the board, said some older residents are “aging in place” and could be more concerned with increased costs.
He said he encountered a variety of viewpoints on the matter when he canvassed door-to-door ahead of the election.
“Some are more concerned,” he said. “I did get other residents who said, ‘I wouldn’t mind paying a little bit more,’ to make sure key performance indicators can be met,” such as police and fire response times.
“So it is a bit of a mixed bag with some of the residents,” Cruzada said.
City Manager Randy Knight said commissioners will be asked to set a tentative millage rate in July, the city’s typical practice. Then, in September when the budget must be approved, the board can lower the rate if there is negative feedback or if revenue estimates change.
Mayor Sheila DeCiccio recalled how the board attempted to push the rate higher in 2020 in response to the pandemic.
“And there was a public outcry and we brought it down,” she said.
Winter Park’s millage rate is 4.0923 and is the only local city that has not increased its tax rate “since the 2009 Great Recession,” according to last year’s budget document. The rate equals about $4.09 in taxes for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value.
City Management and Budget Director Peter Moore told the group that potential new costs in the city’s more than $214 million budget could total as much as $5.6 million, but potential new revenues under the status quo could reach just $3.5 million.
The potential new costs include: $900,000 in general fund operating costs; $700,000 for public safety positions; $250,000 for equipment replacement, which he said could face increasing costs as a result of federal tariffs; $300,000 more in the general fund for building projects; $150,000 for IT software and $140,000 to update the parks master plan.
He said the property tax base for Winter Park is expected to remain strong, though growth could slow or at least level out.
He added that he expects harder-to-come-by federal and state grants and higher electric utility costs down the road.
“We’ve seen cities target specific things,” Moore told the group such as raising taxes specifically for transportation or police as some other local governments have done. “Allocating a quarter point to public safety would help.”
At the City Commission meeting earlier in the week the board voted to pause offering more money for local nonprofit grants until later in the year as they wait to get a better picture of the budget numbers and after DeCiccio raised that federal and state grants will likely dry up.
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by Beth Kassab | Mar 11, 2025 | City Commission, Election, News, Uncategorized
Kris Cruzada elected to second term and residents reject leaf blower ban
The incumbent fended off a challenge from a candidate who was endorsed by the Chamber of Commerce and far outraised him
March 11, 2025
By Beth Kassab
Commissioner Kris Cruzada won a second term on Tuesday night with 63% of the vote, defeating first-time candidate Justin Vermuth, who took 37%.
Cruzada, 51, was outspent by Vermuth, 43, by more than 4 to 1 in the race. Vermuth, who was endorsed by the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and raised more than $86,000 compared to Cruzada’s $28,000, said he wanted to cut taxes and the city’s spending.
Cruzada, an attorney who was first elected to Seat 3 in March 2022, defended his record on the commission and warned that revenue and spending cuts could also mean a loss of quality in services such as parks, roads, utilities and more.
Neither Cruzada nor Vermuth, who is also an attorney and the lobbyist for the association that represents timeshares, immediately responded to requests for comment about the results.
Cruzada’s victory represents a win for a coalition of residents who consider themselves skeptical of new development that could alter the charm and character of the city known for its chain of lakes and the Spanish-Mediterranean architecture of Rollins College.
His supporters largely support the current version of the Orange Avenue Overlay development rules, which limit building height and density.
Cruzada’s donors included $2,000 bundled from Full Sail University Co-Chairman and CEO Edward Haddock and one of his companies; $2,000 from former Mayor Phil Anderson and Jennifer Anderson; $500 from former Commissioner Carolyn Cooper and $250 from David Odahowski, president and CEO of the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation.
Vermuth’s donors included $10,000 bundled by Golden Corral franchisee Eric Holm and his companies, $10,000 bundled by the Holler family’s companies, which own car dealerships and property impacted by the Orange Avenue Overlay; $2,000 from the tourism industry, $1,000 from Jacqueline Siegel, known as the “Queen of Versailles” and wife of timeshare magnate David Siegel and $500 from former Mayor Steve Leary’s political committee.
The chamber’s political action committee spent more than $30,000 for several mailers and other efforts on his behalf. Last year the chamber used a similar strategy to help elect Craig Russell, a football coach and teacher at Winter Park High, who won by 34 votes.
Justin Vermuth
Meanwhile, residents rejected a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers that the commission put into place in early 2022, but never enforced.
Voters said no to the controversial ban, which drew the ire of landscaping companies and state Sen. Jason Brodeur, with 55% of the vote.
The vote means a repeal of the ordinance that was set to take effect this summer.
A total of 4,638 ballots were cast in the Winter Park election, putting turnout at nearly 21%, the highest of the five cities in Orange County that held elections on Tuesday. Winter Park has 22,533 registered voters, including 7,858 Democrats, 8,449 Republicans, 5,590 without a party affiliation and 636 registered with other parties.
The turnout was lower than last year’s in Winter Park, which topped 30% and was boosted by Florida’s Republican presidential preference primary on the same ballot. This year surpassed turnout of 19% in 2022, when Cruzada was first elected.
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by Beth Kassab | Mar 5, 2025 | Uncategorized
Who is funding the candidates? More than $100k flows into Seat 3 race
Justin Vermuth’s campaign is powered by business interests while Kris Cruzada taps those who have advocated for a more reserved approach to development
March 5, 2025
By Beth Kassab
The latest donors to Justin Vermuth’s City Commission campaign include $10,000 bundled by Golden Corral franchisee Eric Holm and his companies, $2,000 from the tourism industry, $1,000 from Jacqueline Siegel, known as the “Queen of Versailles” and wife of timeshare magnate David Siegel and $500 from former Mayor Steve Leary’s political committee.
Vermuth raised $86,290, according to the most recent report filed, and spent $58,933 mostly on direct mail pieces, digital ads and political consultants. Vermuth, an attorney who works as the chief lobbyist for the national association that represents timeshare builders, did not respond to questions seeking comment.
Meanwhile Cruzada, also an attorney, reported a far smaller haul at $27,891 and spent just under $13,000 with the bulk going to mail pieces.
Justin Vermuth
Cruzada’s donors include $2,000 bundled from Full Sail University Co-Chairman and CEO Edward Haddock and one of his companies; $2,000 from former Mayor Phil Anderson and Jennifer Anderson; $500 from former Commissioner Carolyn Cooper and $250 from David Odahowski, president and CEO of the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation.
The donors to Cruzada’s campaign are largely, but not entirely, coalesced around the idea of a more reserved approach to future development in the city.
How redevelopment looks — in terms of building height, density and architectural style — along Orange Avenue, Fairbanks Avenue and other commercial districts will continue as key policy discussions over the coming years.
Each commissioner serves a three-year term as one of five votes who will help shape policy not only on development, but also on the city’s lake water quality, roads and Sunrail, the electric utility, historic preservation and how much residents and property owners pay in taxes and fees.
The election could represent a significant shift on the Commission. Last year Commissioner Craig Russell was narrowly elected with the financial backing of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and its members.
This year Warren Lindsey, a local defense attorney and member of the chamber, was elected without opposition, an apparent testament to his ability to appeal to both enough chamber members and business interests as well as those who consider themselves watchdogs over Winter Park’s charm and future development.
Kris Cruzada
The chamber, however, is funding Vermuth against Cruzada with some of the same donors who helped Russell into office.
For example, $10,000 comes from companies associated with the Holler family such as Holler Hyundai, Holler Honda, Classic Mazda, Audi North Orlando, Classic Honda and Driver’s Mart Sanford. They gave $1,000 each.
So did Frank Hamner, the longtime attorney for the Holler family. The family sued the city over changes to the Orange Avenue Overlay, a set of development rules that governs new construction in the key commercial corridor.
Cruzada said he favors the changes that the Hollers opposed because the new rules limit buildings to five stories and call for more green space.
Holm, who bundled $10,000 for Vermuth in the most recent campaign finance report, is a well-known Republican fundraiser and philanthropist in addition to his restaurants such as Golden Corral. In September, he hosted a fundraiser at his Lake Virginia home featuring now Vice President J.D. Vance that started at $5,000 per couple. Holm did not return a call seeking comment.
Cruzada, who is also a Republican, says he is hoping to show that the biggest campaign account doesn’t always win the most votes.
Warren Lindsey
“For many residents and business owners in our city, they want their public officials to listen to them,” Cruzada said. “And they may not have as much money, but they vote.”
In the fall, for example, former Winter Park Mayor Steve Leary far outraised Kelly Semrad by 4 to 1 in a race to represent District 5, which includes the city, on the Orange County Commission. But Semrad, a UCF professor who also advocated for spending more tourist tax dollars on local resident needs such as transportation, won by a 14-point margin.
Leary’s political committee during that race, which largely centered on potential annexations and development in rural east Orange County, gave $500 to Vermuth.
Leary was also heavily backed by development and tourism interests, who have lobbied to keep control over Tourist Development Tax dollars for the industry. The Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association has two political committees and each gave Vermuth $1,000, according to the most recent report.
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by Beth Kassab | Mar 4, 2025 | Election, News, Uncategorized
Kris Cruzada v. Justin Vermuth: The candidates answer questions
Both men say they want to run an efficient city government but have different ideas about spending and whether cutting property taxes is the right call
March 4, 2025
By Beth Kassab
Next week, Winter Park will choose between Kris Cruzada, an attorney and the incumbent in Seat 3 on the City Commission, and Justin Vermuth, a first-time candidate who is also an attorney and lobbyist for the timeshare industry.
Cruzada, 51, is married with two children and grew up in the area and has owned his home off the Winter Park Pines golf course since 2007.
Vermuth, 43, is also married with two children and purchased a lakefront home off South Lakemont Avenue in 2015.
Justin Vermuth
Vermuth, was endorsed by the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, and has accumulated a large campaign chest funded largely by real estate and business interests.
Cruzada, who was first elected in 2022, says he declined the Chamber’s financial support before Vermuth entered the race and is running a less funded campaign focused on door-to-door outreach.
Here are the candidates’ responses to emailed questions from the Voice. Some responses are edited for length and clarity.
Question: Can you tell me a little bit about your philosophy on parking? Does Winter Park have too much? Too little? What should be done in regards to parking policy?
Kris Cruzada: The city is balancing current needs with space efficiency. The city reduced parking minimums because of the over abundance of parking in some of the commercial office properties. At certain times, mainly lunchtime, there is a demand for parking along Park Avenue. A lot of patrons want to park within 1/8 mile to 1/4 mile from their destination. From a recent city study, data showed that there was sufficient parking within a 1.5 mile radius of Park Avenue and Morse Boulevard. From personal experience, I find myself parking at Capen or Whipple and walking in to Park Ave. In the future, I anticipate declining car ownership, the city has to balance future needs with current needs and multi-modal transportation options.
Kris Cruzada
Justin Vermuth: When it comes to parking, we need to take into consideration the needs of our small business owners in addition to the needs of residents. I believe we can balance protecting what makes Winter Park so unique with smart, well-planned parking options while prioritizing walkability. The Winter Park Chamber brought in Henry Grabar last year who offered up innovative ideas on how to address our parking dilemma.
Q: Do you support SunRail? What should the role of cities like Winter Park be in funding SunRail and wider transit options?
Cruzada: Yes. Currently, the city provides funding support [for SunRail] of $350,000, plus CPI [Consumer Price Index], per year. I would currently not want to fund more from the city due to our needs with our own Transportation Master Plan.
Vermuth: I do support SunRail! Between making it easier to travel to downtown Orlando and bringing in visitors who want to enjoy our restaurants and small businesses, I think SunRail has been a net benefit. I think that maintaining the Sunrail station in Winter Park is something that we can definitely do without raising taxes or increasing spending.
Q: Do you support the half-cent sales tax proposal (that’s been discussed by Orange County) for transit?
Cruzada: I would, if Sunrail and Lynx could coordinate a budget that would prioritize weekend ridership and extended hours that would relieve parking on the weekends in Winter Park (especially when the City has events) and assist the service industry employees in Central Florida.
Vermuth: This issue will once again be for the voters to decide. I would like a clearer plan for how the money would benefit Winter Park residents. Before adding something like this to the ballot, we should do everything we can to meet our needs by reviewing our existing budget, cutting spending, and being more efficient.
Q for Justin Vermuth: Your campaign materials say you want to “lower taxes” and “limit unnecessary government spending.” Which taxes, specifically, do you want to lower and by how much? When it comes to spending, what would you cut and how?
A: Right now, our City Commission is declaring victory because the millage rate hasn’t increased. We need to cut the millage rate and stop spending money on unnecessary items, like additional code enforcement officers.
Q for Kris Cruzada: Your opponent says he wants to “lower taxes” and “limit unnecessary government spending.” Is cutting taxes in Winter Park (lowering the millage rate) possible without cutting services and, if so, and how? When it comes to spending, would you make cuts?
Cruzada: With inflation running high, and no signs of letting up in the near future, it would not be prudent to cut our millage rate. Keep in mind, for every rise or drop in our millage rate by a quarter point, .0025, we would gain/lose approximately $2.25 million in property tax revenue. When it comes to spending cuts, I’d look at two areas to help make us more efficient. Analyze the overtime hours and explore cross-training within some of our departments. In analyzing cost cutting, I’d be pay close attention to how it would affect our key performance indicators. I do not want to jeopardize our level of service that our residents have come to expect.
Q for Vermuth: What are examples of the “government overreach that attacks our small businesses and homeowners” you mention in your campaign materials? Which policies would you change in this regard?
Vermuth: One big example was the ban on gas powered leaf blowers, which caused additional costs for businesses and homeowners. I oppose the ban my opponent put in place and will be voting yes to overturn it! Another is the hiring of additional code enforcement officers–while failing to hire school resource officers! My goal is to protect what makes Winter Park special. We can’t let our government or a few empowered elites become an overly prescriptive Homeowners’ Association, telling small businesses and homeowners what they can and can’t do.
Context provided by the Voice: Cruzada was not yet elected when the ban was adopted as part of an amendment to the city’s noise ordinance in early 2022. Winter Park did not threaten to take school resource officers out of schools. In fact, the resource officers continued to work on campuses throughout the city even without a signed contract with Orange County Public Schools. City Manager Randy Knight has said the issue is not whether the city will pay, but how much. The cost is being negotiated because several cities, including Winter Park, argue the school district should use more of the state dollars designated for safety toward school resource officer costs.
Q for Kris Cruzada: How do you respond to your opponent’s claims that the current commission is engaging in “government overreach that attacks our small businesses and homeowners?”
Cruzada: The City is always trying to find ways to improve our quality of life. The leaf blower ordinance originally came about prior to my term on the dais. It came about because of the many residents working from home, during COVID on Zoom or Microsoft Teams calls, that complained about the noise from leaf blowers. The ordinance had a provision to delay enforcement for local landscapers/lawn maintenance companies to adapt. However, as we came closer to the time to begin enforcement, many of the lawn maintenance crews complained that it was difficult for them to charge electric blower batteries in the field or in shops because of the sheer number they had to have to fulfill their workload. As a result, the Commission voted to have it go to a referendum. We have listened to the residents and the small businesses within the community and brought it to a referendum for residents to decide.
Q: What is the role of arts in the community?
Vermuth: Winter Parks’ arts and culture are a huge part of what makes our community so special. I will oppose cuts to arts and culture while using my platform and relationships to seek state and federal funding sources to reduce the burden on taxpayers.
Cruzada: The arts allows for people to see and hear expressive ideas, which often bridge gaps between people and diverse groups. Arts within a community allows people to connect and grow with one another by reflecting on shared experiences, emotions and values.
Q: Would you support new expenditures to the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center?
Vermuth: Yes, provided they don’t lead to a tax increase.
Cruzada: Not at this time. I’d like to focus on more of our local nonprofit art institutions within the city.
Context provided by the Voice: A previous City Commission voted to spend $1 million on the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando ($100,000 per year for 10 years) and that payment period has now ended.
Q: Any other specific elements of your platform that you want to share with readers? What other messages about your candidacy do you want to get across that help differentiate you from your opponent?
Vermuth: I have three kids who attend school at Brookshire Elementary. That’s why one of my top priorities is to ensure that the safety of our students, teachers, and everyone who works at Winter Park’s public schools comes first. In addition, I think that my campaign can appeal to families who have a story like me and Lindsay’s — people who have worked hard and saved up in order to buy a house here. I recently learned that 4 out of 10 Winter Park students qualify for free and reduced lunch. It’s clear that while Winter Park is a wonderful place to live and work, there is more that we can do to make sure that every family feels safe, supported and secure.
Cruzada: My platform reflects a balanced approach to managing a full-service city. Winter Park residents and businesses expect a high level of service, along with a great quality of life. My goals are to stay focused on maintaining our quality of life. I have taken the initiative to go out to meet the residents by canvassing. As I have campaigned, I have met so many residents on their doorstep. Sometimes, residents talk about their history of living in Winter Park and how they first came to Winter Park. Winter Parkers are passionate about their city and are always seeking ways to improve it. Whether they live in Brookshire Heights, Kenilworth Shores, Waterbridge, Orwin Manor, Lake Bell, Park Grove, Lake Forest Park, Windsong, Arbor Park, College Quarter, Virginia Heights, Killarney Estates, The Shores of Lake Killarney, (so many neighborhoods that are too many to list), I have learned so much from the residents and their neighborhoods and know that they care about the city.
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