City Commission Candidates Frain, Keffalas Discuss Issues

As the Tarpon Springs March election approaches, candidates for Commission Seat 4 are starting to share their thoughts on current issues.

In Tommy Frain's first blog post on Tarpon Springs Patch, he and fellow candidate Tim Keffalas exchanged a number of comments:

• Timothy Keffalas

"The purpose of Impact Fees under Florida Statute 163 and others is to allow for the governing agency to recover the actual costs for those services with an Impact Fee. Things like sewers and water have a definite life and capacity and those impacting them are required to pay for them. As far as a growing book of codes, Mr. Frain may not remember when the city failed to comply with the national building standards and as a result there were people that built homes that were not in compliance with flood insurance requirements as mandated. The City cannot deviate from national building codes that are established to protect homeowners and others from substandard construction. As far as "sluggish to promote Tarpon" the city worked for several years to take over Tarpon Avenue from the state so merchants could close it for festivals and now a group of merchants has asked the city not to allow so many closures. I suggest that without Impact fees, responsible codes (restrictions), and defined and budgeted marketing plans the City would not be a city for long. 
Timothy Keffalas, Candidate For City Commissioner, Seat 4."

• Tommy Frain

"Well I think we will all have a chance to discuss all of these issues at the forum this Tuesday and I look forward to it! All I am suggesting is a new direction for the city to make us business friendlier. By lowering some permitting fees where we can, we will welcome new businesses and more people to the area growing the economy and tax base. Thank you for your input."

• Tommy Frain

"And just to be clear, I am not talking about building codes for safety. I am talking about the overreaching codes like buildings have to be painted a certain way in a business district or other erroneous codes like it. We don't want everything to be completly uniform, we do not want to look like Disney. So, just to clarify, those are the codes I am speaking about, not Federal safety codes."

• Timothy Keffalas

"PS From Timothy Keffalas, While "we" (whoever that is) do not want all the homes to look alike, the neighborhoods that are in the Historic Districts that have any restrictions are ones that sought the Historic designation and yes we will be able to discuss some of these issues Tuesday night , but you chose to open this avenue of discussion here with your original article "The Town with so much potential" I find Disney to be a trendsetter and a industry leader, They maintain their buildings and seek to be one step ahead of the rest of the entertainment industry. I also suggest that you talk to the residents of Pointe Alexis who have self imposed deed restricted/ mandated color ranges and are not too happy with an exterior paint color recently chosen by one resident. 
Timothy Keffalas 
Candidate for Tarpon Springs City Commissioner, Seat 4."

• Tommy Frain

"Well Tim we are talking about businesses. If homeowners wish to be a part of a community with deed restrictions that is great and I encourage that. What we are talking about is growing the local economy and business. I have talked to business owners, just today attending the Chamber meeting. The message I hear is they want control of their business, and they want to be able to conduct business at a reasonable cost. Even our own Economic Development Manager agrees we need to streamline the permitting process. I believe in the people and business owners of Tarpon Springs and do not believe suffocating regulations are needed, and I believe they actually tend to hurt business. I want to represent business owners and residents and what they have told me over and over is we want to be left alone, and they want an easier way to start a business here. If we do not help businesses by providing a positive enviornment, we will not have the businesses we desire come. And as far as Disney, I have admiration for their business plan, but I do not believe in uniformity. Especially in Tarpon Springs where there is so much culture, heritage, and uniqueness, we cannot try to make everything "the same." We are heading in a good direction, but we can do more. And I am the only candidate proposing anything different from the same old views in the city."