At the last County Commissioners’ meeting, they quietly okayed buying 20 electric buses for $12.5 million.  They say the  buses will be pretty much free because Commissioners will use a Federal Transit Administration grant to buy them.  Except, it’s your tax dollars — whether federal, state or county — that funds these grants.

What the grant may not pay for are electric charging stations on US1, US1 bus stop enclosures, several bus depots, giant maintenance garages, electric bus mechanics, dispatchers, bus drivers, administors to run the garages, bureaucrats to oversee the administrators, giant tow trucks for disabled electric buses, and spare batteries (super expensive) for the buses. But don’t worry, County Commissioners already created a Department of Transportation with only one employee — the director at $250,000 annually.   Now, he’ll finally have something to do.

MISSION

The Keys Accountability Project supports Monroe County residents as they press for a smaller, more responsive county government that focuses on fundamental obligations — safe neighborhoods, prompt action on urgent resident-identified issues, and elimination of non-essential spending.

Monroe County Commissioners are addicted to spending ever more tax dollars. After they raised spending by $200 million in the last two years to a record $667 million, commissioners immediately began pushing for a charter government proposal that would give them even more spending and taxing power.

Keys Accountability Center will use research, analysis, education, communication, and advocacy to help citizens push against Monroe County government’s unfettered taxing and spending growth and Its regulatory and programmatic excesses.

THE PROBLEMS

The $667 million ‘23/’24 county budget, the Charter government proposal for higher taxes, the Department of Sustainability, and arrogant Commissioners and true-to type bureaucrats are problems because there has been no forceful pushback. The Keys Accountability Project will inject fiscal restraint, transparency, and accountability into Monroe County governance.

Here’s a recent headline in the local papers: “State Attorney Seeks Grand Jury on Tourist Development Council.” Since politicians and bureaucrats are clueless money managers, a
$667 million budget all but guarantees mismanagement.

COMMISIONERS DON’T LISTEN TO YOU!

Commissioners will increase the Tourist Development Council’s budget this year by $50 million (totaling $125 million). No one reasonably thinks the Keys or US1 needs more tourists.