Vero Beach Mayor Richard Winger met with InsideVero editor Mark Schumann this past week for an interview in which the mayor spoke at length about what he considers the most pressing issues facing the city, including the health of the Lagoon, reducing elect rates, forming a utility authority and preserving the special character of the community.  Mayor Winger also address the coming election.

About the coming election, Winger said, “Quite frankly, there are those that are running to serve themselves for one cause or another, or they are serving some ideological cause, like small government or something. You know, limited government is good, but it the public wants it, small isn’t good.  We’ve gone from 526 employees to 396 and we’ve kept the services up. But what was attempted was to get rid of services, like 911 and to go 17-minute reaction times.  I can’t be for that.

“There is one candidate that has an ideological view of the world. There are a couple more that are there to serve themselves. I think there are some very good candidates that, if you listen to them carefully, they are here to do what the public wants and keep this place special. And I think the public is going to have to listen to that, but I think its fairly obvious.”