Kathleen Beckman and Mark Bunker (Photos: ClearwaterDaily)
Incumbents running for mayor and council seats in Clearwater were unsuccessful in their bids for more time behind the dais Tuesday night, with the controversial Church of Scientology netting its own victory by subtraction.
Councilwoman Kathleen Beckman, who was running for mayor, was defeated by challenger Bruce Rector, while Councilman Mark Bunker, a Scientology critic and retired Emmy award-winning news reporter, was denied a second term in Seat 2 by Ryan Cotton, a fire department captain in Lealman. Cotton is also the son-in-law of current councilman David Allbritton. In the Seat 3 race, which would replace the seat Beckman vacated to run for mayor, Michael Mannino defeated opponents Jared Leone and Javante Scott.
The unofficial results published by Pinellas County appear in the graphics below.
Though Clearwater elections are technically nonpartisan, Beckman received tacit support from Democrats while both Rector and Cotton received establishment support from Republicans, though the GOP was split in some precincts. Bunker received support from some Democratic sources as well, but ran an issues-based campaign, notably raising significant funds from those opposed to Scientology across the country. He was backed in a series of YouTube interviews by former Scientologist-turned-opponent Aaron Smith-Levin, who previously made a run for city council.
Political observers have said the upset was likely the result of a strong GOP showing by voters in support of Donald Trump’s presidential primary run, which may have benefited more conservative candidates in the local elections that followed. Ironically, voters approved a ballot measure that would move Clearwater elections to the November general election date and allow for runoffs if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote for his or her seat. Bunker, who came in second, would have faced Cotton in such a runoff, however the policy begins with the next election cycle.
Clearwater’s New Mayor
While dueling campaign signs and mailers flooded city residents’ homes in recent weeks, the candidates themselves put forth their vision for the city during a series of candidates’ forums held last month.
Rector said “public safety and infrastructure” would be two key issues if elected, but affordability and maintaining low taxes reigned supreme.
“I think the most pressing issue we have today is keeping our taxes low and keeping our fees low,” he said. “The insurance crisis is hitting hard in Clearwater like it is all over Florida. Elderly people who come to the door told me that’s their toughest challenge – being able to afford to stay in their homes. We need to be careful about spending on anything outside of basics because our citizens can’t afford more right now.”
Rector came out against performing a fresh review of Drew Street redevelopment, stating the busy thoroughfare that has been the subject of debate over whether to reduce lanes should remain configured as-is. A proposal would reduce the road, with two lanes in each direction, to a three-lane road with one lane in each direction and a turning lane in the middle.
“We don’t need another study, but we do need to listen to the people,” he said. “And the people in Clearwater overwhelmingly tell me they are not in favor of reducing Drew Street from four lanes to three. It’s an important thoroughfare and locals heavily use Drew Street. Can we make Drew Street safer? Yes, and we should take measures to do that, but we don’t need to reduce it from four lanes to three when the people are against it.”
On Scientology’s influence downtown: “Eight of out ten people I talk to about Clearwater, Scientology’s dominance of downtown Clearwater is their number one issue,” he said. “They understand Scientology has been here for a long time and is probably not going anywhere, but they want to see a balance.”
Rector notably said that he would be willing to hold discussions with Scientology, whose controversial leader David Miscavige, supported by church staff, has proposed various land swaps in the area.
“Coachman Park is obviously a great start, and we’re going to get some county properties probably in the next three or four years, but we need to have direct conversations with Scientology about the hundreds of properties they own,” he said, declining to expound on what he would request be done about the properties.
The church has some level of control over nearly 200 properties in the downtown district, most of which remain empty, according to reporting by the Tampa Bay Times. Opponents have accused Scientology of intentionally using its members and an intricate web of LLCs and shell companies to purchase the real estate in order to create a buffer between the remainder of the city and the church’s Flag Land Base and Ft. Harrison Hotel, which dominate the downtown center.
In Clearwater, the mayor has the same voting power of council members, however the mayor chairs the meetings and largely sets the tone and agenda for how they are run.
New Faces on Council
Scientology will almost certainly benefit from the lack of Bunker’s opposition. Bunker had strongly opposed holding negotiations with Miscavige, holding that he could not be trusted, and favored using the city eminent domain power – at least in some cases – to force redevelopment of the downtown area by non-church associated entities.
“The downtown, as far as I’m concerned, is a case of racketeering,” he said. “David Miscavige orchestrated a campaign to buy up all these buildings and created a problem that only he could solve. We cannot partner with Scientology because we’re legitimizing all of the negative things they have done over the years. We need to find a way to work with them without being a partner.”
Mannino, for his part, said there should be a dialogue with Scientology.
“The goal is to make downtown sustainable and contribute to your tax base,” he said. “We have to build trust on both sides, find little ways to build, work together and start moving together so we can have a vibrant city.”
He said, however, that the downtown area does not represent a competition with other cities, as some have framed the issue in light of booming downtown districts in Dunedin and St. Petersburg.
“The goal of our city is not to make downtown to become bigger than St. Pete or Tampa,” he said, reiterating sustainability.
Cotton said funding “police and critical infrastructure” would be his priorities.
“I think you could’ve put a good amount of money toward critical infrastructure,” he said, speaking of the current council.
Cotton opposed building a new city hall, a $30 million project, rather than leaving council chambers in the library and administrative functions in other settings. The city hall project, however, has been approved and is moving forward.
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