Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer faces the voters in November and his main rival is starting to hit his economic record. The Dyer campaign has been touting the mayor’s accomplishments over the years including advocating a new performing arts center, a new arena for the Orlando Magic, a new professional soccer stadium and large-scale renovations of the Citrus Bowl.
But Dyer’s record is drawing fire from Paul Paulson, who is challenging Dyer for the mayor’s race.
Paulson, an army veteran who has worked in the home building industry, has a simple reason for his bid.
“Dyer is far too costly for Orlando,” Paulson told Sunshine State News, pointing to some projects under Dyer’s watch.
Paulson noted the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts was supposed to cost $400 million but, now over budget and behind schedule, the price tag has moved up to $515 million. So far Orlando has contributed over $190 million to the project.
The new Orlando City Soccer Club Stadium also drew Paulson’s fire. Dyer backed spending $15 million to help in its construction and wanted the Legislature to kick in an additional $30 million.
Paulson hopes to focus on Dyer’s support for a 17.7 percent increase in property taxes approved next year.
“For me, this issue, the tax increase, is what really got me into this race,” Paulson told Sunshine State News. “It was really a breaking point.”
Some political observers have questioned why Dyer needs to raise taxes. One of those is East Orlando Post editor Jacob Engels who covers Orange County politics, including the Orlando mayoral race.
“With all the tax revenue that has come into Orlando with Disney, tourism and the rise in property values, it’s astonishing why this mayor is even raising them (property taxes) to this level,” Engels told Sunshine State News.
According to the Orange County property appraiser, Orange County will see taxable property values around 7.8 percent and Orlando’s property values will be even higher at around 9.1 percent.
Despite this criticism, Dyer’s allies are confident he will not be turned out. Longtime Florida Democratic strategist Steven Schale insists voters will re-elect Dyer.
“People can criticize Buddy for his tax stance and his spending, but Buddy does what everyday mayors are supposed to do,” Schale told Sunshine State News.
Saying he has avoided “ideological politics" as he “put Orlando on the map,” Schale praised Dyer’s record.
“He’s been a success and will continue to be a success," Schale said about Dyer.
Dyer is a Democrat and Paulson is a Republican but this is a nonpartisan race.
Ed Dean, a senior editor with Sunshine State News whose talk show can be heard on radio stations in Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Daytona Beach, Orlando, the Space Coast, the Treasure Coast and South Florida from West Palm Beach to Miami. It can also be heard in parts of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. You can reach him at ed@sunshinestatenews.com. Follow him on Twitter: @eddeanradio.
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Thanks for the catch Ed. On
Jacob,