Candidate: Kate Miano

WITHDREW on 5/10/2018

What you will have to decide in the next several months is who you feel is the best person to represent you and make Key West even better. .. I sincerely feel that that person is me. I know I have the leadership skills, solid business experience, desire and commitment to our Unique Island community to be your next mayor and make Key West the Best it can be! I originally moved to Key West in 1982, working as a waitress in what is now Margaritaville. I returned to Key West in 1996 and opened a shuttered 5 room guest house (the Emma Cate's family home on Fleming Street). With Imagination, marketing and people skills, a great staff of dedicated employees, a lot of hard work and a bit of luck, I grew my business into one of the most successful in Key West. I have been extraordinarily blessed to be able to live and prosper here. I always say, I wasn't fortunate enough to have been born here, but I will happily spend the rest of my life here. COMMUNITY COMMITMENT. I believe I am so lucky to be part of this UNIQUE little island paradise and that you are just supposed Pay it Forward! In my 22 years on the island I have been a board member of many non for Profits and hosted dozens of fund-raising events. I am a graduate of Leadership Monroe County and a former Fantasy Fest Queen. I have had the honor of receiving numerous awards including The Samuels House Woman of Valor award and was thrilled to be named the 2018 Florence Spottswood Red Cross Humanitarian of the year. POLITICAL ACTIVISM As a political activist, I participated in The Womens March, Was active in the effort to Stop the Dredging of our Channel, worked with the Mayor in the effort to build the New City Hall. Most recently I served on the Mayors affordable housing Task Force. I believe that many of the character traits in a successful business owner are the same as in a successful Mayor. The ability to build a team that like their jobs and perform in an effective, cost saving manner. Being able to Listen to concerns and find effective solutions. Knowing when to pick your battles and admit if you have made a mistake. Showing appreciation to employees who make it all work. Keeping an eye on the budget and not overspending. A dynamic personality that genuinely loves people and makes them feel welcome. Consensus building Vision of what we need to be doing NOW to be better equipped to face future challenges A positive attitude Leadership skills Decision making Creativity And IMAGINATION. I imagine that Key West CAN be better and have a vision of how to achieve that. ISSUES Most of the challenges we face are QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES Affordable/Workforce Housing Traffic and Parking Homelessness/KOTS Protection of our environment Deterioration Roads and Sidewalks The need for more green space and fields for our children Cleanliness of our town Achieving roll-back on taxes We all realize, these are persistent problems, not easily "solved".. But Leadership, and Commitment can win the day.  I have the knowledge, the desire, and the imagination to tackle these issues and make real progress on solutions. There are many reason why we all LOVE this magical place we get to call home! Does it have issues? Yes, of course it does. I pledge to listen to you. To work together with my fellow commissioners toward consensus and finding solutions to issues that we are facing now and to work toward making real progress, while planning for the future. I am asking for your support in my bid to be your next Mayor. I believe together we can make Key West the BEST that it can be. Kate 526 Angela St Key West, FL 33040 305.923.4617 keysk8e@aol.com