Cindi Hutchinson for Fort Lauderdale Mayor 2009

01-11-08 COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS, BUSINESS LEADERS AMONG CINDI HUTCHINSON MAYORAL CAMPAIGN DONORS

Fort Lauderdale – Fort Lauderdale mayoral candidate Cindi Hutchinson’s campaign has attracted the support of a broad cross-section of the area’s community activists and business leaders, according to the campaign’s fourth quarter filing.

“I’m gratified that such a diverse group of residents supports my campaign for mayor,” Hutchinson said. “Everyone knows we need to heal Fort Lauderdale. My message of providing positive leadership to reach our common goals is resonating across our city.”

Business leaders: Donald McCloskey of the Ruden McCloskey law firm; Anne and George Platt of Shutts and Bowen; Terry Stiles of Stiles Development; Ina Lee, publisher of Travel Host Magazine; and Peter Feldman and Jack Loos of the Downtown Development Authority.

Community leaders: Michael Albetta, president of the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus and vice president of the Dolphin Democrats; Ralph Clark and Joe Shover of Croissant Park Civic Association; Elizabeth Hayes of River Run Civic Association; Glenn Patterson of Edgewood Civic Association; David Rose and Andy Ziffer of Tarpon River Civic Association; John Terrill of Colee Hammock Homeowners Association; Elisa and Michael Natale of Chula Vista Homeowners Association and the Southwest Coalition; Jeanne Burke of Harbordale Civic Association; Bob and Annette Ross of Harbor Beach Homeowners Association; and Joan Sheridan of Lauderdale Isles Improvement Association and Southwest Coalition.

The campaign raised $23,450 during the quarter from business leaders, community activists, citizens and residents.

A Fort Lauderdale native, Hutchinson has represented District 4 on the Fort Lauderdale City Commission since 2000. She is a longtime community activist, and on the Commission has spearheaded a number of reforms to make government more responsive to its citizens. As mayor, Hutchinson will provide positive leadership for Fort Lauderdale.

Seven-year City Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson held her kickoff fund-raising event Monday night, towards her run for the mayor's seat in spring 2009.

(Mayor Jim Naugle can't run for mayor again in 2009 because of term limits that started in 2000 and set a max of three three-year terms.)

Hutchinson is the only announced candidate in the race, though state Rep. John P. "Jack" Seiler said he plans to run. First he has to move into Fort Lauderdale from his current residence in Wilton Manors. He has to live in Fort Lauderdale six months before the election, according to the city charter.

Hutchinson said her family, friends, supporters and her fifth-grade teacher came together at Brasserie Plaza on Las Olas Boulevard Monday night to kick off her run.

Fifth grade teacher? Yes, Sister Vivian Gomez, principal of St. Jerome Catholic School, was her teacher back then. But she had no secrets to tell. Hutchinson was reported to be a pretty good
kid, and always up for a challenge.

The candidate said she had a "great time,'' to the background music of the Ares Flores Symphony from Fort Lauderdale High School.

She talked to the crowd about wanting Fort Lauderdale to become an "All-America City" before the city's 100th anniversary in 2011.

"We have a lot to showcase, and that award and recognition will instill pride in our residents and reinvigorate our sense of community,'' she said.

She reminded the crowd that she made the motion in 2003 to fire former City Manager Floyd Johnson, during the budget crisis. She mentioned her support of campaign finance reform and lobbyist registration, and a new part of City Commission meetings where residents can sound off. She said she wants to resolve traffic problems, help get power lines buried, and bring about economic revitalization along east-west roadways like State Road 84, Davie Boulevard, Sunrise Boulevard, Oakland Park Boulevard, and Commercial Boulevard.

City contributions are a maximum of $250. Hutchinson will have to raise more than she raised for her district seat; this race calls for citywide advertising.

Click here to read what the city charter says about eligible candidates for mayor:

City Charter ... To be eligible to hold the office of mayor-commissioner of the City of Fort Lauderdale, or to qualify for nomination or election as such, the candidate shall have resided in the City of Fort Lauderdale for six (6) months immediately preceding the date of the election, shall continuously reside in the City of Fort Lauderdale, and shall be a resident of the State of Florida and a citizen of the United States of America; shall be duly qualified to vote at city, state and national elections; shall be over the age of twenty-one (21) years; shall be otherwise qualified as in this charter provided; shall hold no other public elective office; and shall not be an officer, employee or serving any capacity with the city government, except that a city commissioner serving may qualify for election to the office of mayor.

FORT LAUDERDALE -Candidates and political activists are already looking past Jim Naugle's long run as mayor.

The election isn't until March 2009, but Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson became the first official candidate last week. And state Rep. Jack Seiler, who also plans to run, said Hutchinson's decision isn't going to alter his timetable.

"It's not a presidential race. You don't need a 15-month election," said Seiler, D-Wilton Manors.

Hutchinson's communications consultant, Stephen Gaskill, said his candidate wanted to begin organizing and raising money. "People knew that Cindi was running and we just wanted to make it official as soon as we could get things together to do a launch."

Naugle has been mayor since 1991. He can't run again because of term limits, opening the high-profile post.

Though it's a part-time position, only one vote among five on the City Commission, it commands attention — as Naugle demonstrated this summer when he generated a torrent of attention for characterizing gays as promiscuous and unhappy.

Hutchinson said she'd be "inclusive" and a "mayor for all of Fort Lauderdale."

But she didn't want to dwell on Naugle. "You know what? I'm not running against Jim," she said. "I don't want to compare what I will do to Jim Naugle. Jim has his own style and likewise I have mine, which is very inclusive and working at the neighborhood level and working with the business community."

Hutchinson, 50, has served on the commission since 2000. The Edgewood neighborhood resident was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale and lives in the home her father built in 1954. She takes care of her 86-year-old mother, Virginia, and works on Fridays for her church, St. Jerome, doing odds and ends. She no longer has her office-cleaning business, Queen of Clean.

The timing and forum of Hutchinson's formal announcement on Tuesday were unconventional.

She made the announcement in a telephone news conference, rather than an in-person news conference or a rally with supporters. And she made the announcement two days before a big holiday, when many people aren't concentrating on the news.

Gaskill said Hutchinson wasn't attempting to avoid exposure to tough questions through the more controlled environment of a conference call. "She answered questions from reporters on the call," Gaskill said.

Seiler said he plans to concentrate on his work in the Legislature. He's the chairman of the Broward Legislative Delegation for what will be his last year in Tallahassee.

"I represent Fort Lauderdale and five other cities in Tallahassee. The people of Fort Lauderdale would rather have me do my job in Tallahassee and do it well than campaign for some future job," he said.

Once the spring legislative session winds down, he said, there will be plenty of time to make a formal announcement and gear up a campaign.

Seiler, 44, moved to Florida the year after he was born. He is a lawyer and lives in Wilton Manors, where he used to be mayor. His House district includes part of Fort Lauderdale north of Oakland Park and a section of neighborhoods south of Wilton Manors, including Victoria Park. He plans to establish residency in the city.

Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson filed paperwork Monday indicating she will run for mayor in 2009.

Hutchinson switched her party affiliation from Republican to Democrat in October, fueling speculation that she planned to run for citywide office.

Technically the race is nonpartisan, but 49 percent of the city's voters are Democrats, while 29 percent are Republicans.

Hutchinson declined to comment about how she would run the city differently than Naugle.

''Jim has his own style, I have mine, which is very inclusive and working at the neighborhood level,'' Hutchinson said in a conference call with media Tuesday announcing her campaign.

Many candidates are expected to run for the office, including State Rep. Jack Seiler, who has said he will run but hasn't officially filed paperwork. The Democrat has said he will move to Fort Lauderdale from his home in Wilton Manors.

Hutchinson offered no specifics when asked about how she will cut the budget next year if voters approve a tax reform package on Jan. 29.

Hutchinson, 50, lives in the Edgewood neighborhood. She was elected in 2000 after losing a City Commission bid in 1997.

The city commissioner has hired Stephen Gaskill, a well-known campaign consultant who helped Ken Keechl unseat an incumbent county commissioner last year.

Edgewood neighborhood resident and seven-year city commissioner Cindi Hutchinson, 50, officially announced today her intent to run for mayor of Fort Lauderdale. The seat is open in

2009 for the first time in 20 years. Mayor Jim Naugle will be term-limited out. (He could always come back and run for Cindi's seat; he lives in her District IV.)

“For too long, we’ve gotten into the mindset of focusing on what’s wrong with Fort Lauderdale. I want to talk about what’s right with Fort Lauderdale,” Hutchinson said. “I’m running for mayor because I want to provide positive leadership for the city.''
She has a Website: www.ourcindi.com and will be campaigning and raising money for the next 15 months.

Hutchinson was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale and lives in the home her father built in 1954, she said. She takes care of her 86 year old mother, Virginia, and works on Fridays for her church, St. Jerome, doing odds and ends. She no longer has her office-cleaning business, Queen of Clean.

She said she's proud that neighborhoods have been empowered during her tenure. She thinks it's time for residents to get together and tell the city their new "vision'' for the future.

She also said she'd be an "inclusive'' mayor, a "mayor for all of Fort Lauderdale.'' Those were references to the huge controversy Naugle stirred up this summer when he made comments that upset the gay community.
But Hutchinson didn't want to dwell on Naugle.

"You know what? I’m not running against Jim,'' she said. "I don’t want to compare what I will do to Jim Naugle. Jim has his own style, and likewise I have mine, which is very inclusive, and working at the neighborhood level and working with the business community.''

She's the first to file her campaign account paperwork. She turned it in Monday. Wonder who will be next?