Alan Kelso seeks Bryan’s commission seat

Historic City News learned at last night’s delegate selection meeting of the Republican Executive Committee that Alan Kelso intends to run for County Commissioner from District 5.

County Commission seats for Districts 1, 3, and 5 are all up for election next year and constitute a voting majority of the Board.

Kelso is the second person to enter the 2012 election process as a potential new commissioner; in March, Brian Iannucci filed to compete for the District 1 seat currently held by two-term commissioner and former Chairman, Cyndi Stevenson. Although Stevenson has not filed for re-election as of yet, she told Historic City News that she does intend to seek a third term.

Kelso ran unsuccessfully in 2010 against incumbent Dr. William Proctor for the District 20 seat in the Florida House of Representatives.

In making his intentions known, he did so, “as an American, as a patriot, proud to be of the party of Lincoln, proud to have always been labeled Republican, to have known no other political designation than that of a conservative”; a sentiment that hit home with many Republicans in the meeting .

That sentiment was especially true for those who consider Kelso’s opponent to be a “RINO” (Republican in Name Only). Joseph “Ken” Bryan was elected as a Republican to his first term on the St. Johns County Commission in 2008 — only two years before, having run unsuccessfully as a Democrat.

In his announcement, Kelso said, “The key to restoring the health of the economy in America, in Florida and in St. Johns County lies in reducing the size and scope of government and returning our neighbors to work.”

Taking exception to the recently proposed budget from County Administrator Michael Wanchick, Kelso opined, “This does not mean sacrificing essential services, nor do we need to destroy the system of benefits which support the most vulnerable of our county,” referring to the 44 mental health workers who the county will no longer employ.

Citing what Kelso calls “a failure of imagination” he says the county administration is seeking to raise taxes “in the most inopportune of times — creating a real and imminent threat to economic recovery”.

Pointing out that unless there is a change in the culture of spending and a willingness to cut spending even more, the plan to increase the millage rate this year still will not cover the projected thirty-five million dollar shortfall that is anticipated for 2013.

“Our budget exploded in size beyond what reasonable leaders should have allowed,” Kelso told the audience. “The fact is our current leaders still do not understand that the problem isn’t about revenue — it is about spending beyond what is reasonable.”

Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News staff photographer