Who owns Charlie Wilson?

During the Oct. 18-30 reporting period, Vero Beach city council candidate, Charlie Wilson, has taken 87 percent of his campaign contribution from interests and donors outside Vero Beach. — During the Oct. 18-30 filing period, Vero Beach city council candidate, Charlie Wilson, reported taking in 87 percent of his campaign contribution from special interests and donors outside Vero Beach. Those special interests include a Stuart-based construction firm, Straticon, which gave Wilson, Harry Howle, III and Pilar Turner $1,000 each.

In his Oct. 1-17 financial report, Wilson listed a donation from Matt Mohler of Tallahassee. Mohler words with Front Line Strategies, a communications consulting firm working for All Aboard Florida. Conveniently, Wilson has since refunded Mohler's contribution. — In his Oct. 1-17 financial report, Wilson listed a donation from Matt Mohler of Tallahassee. Mohler works with Front Line Strategies, a communications consulting firm working for All Aboard Florida. Wilson has since refunded Mohler’s contribution.

COMMENTARY

MARK SCHUMANN

Wesley Davis contributed $500 to Charlie Wilson's campaign. — Wesley Davis contributed $500 to Charlie Wilson’s campaign.

Outside money is pouring into Vero Beach’s municipal election, and no candidate has received more of it than Charlie Wilson. In total, Wilson has received 87 percent of his contributions from donors and special interest outside the city. In his latest report, covering Oct. 18-30, Wilson reported receiving 92 percent of his contributions from outside Vero Beach, including $1,000 from a Stuart-based construction firm and $500 from Indian River County Commissioner Wesley Davis. The Stuart firm, Straticon, also gave $1,000 each to Harry Howle, III and Pilar Turner.

On his Facebook page today, Wilson denied ever receiving so much as “a single dime” from Florida Power & Light, but fails to acknowledge FPL gave $9,000 to an electioneering communications organization supporting him. When it comes to telling the residents and taxpayers of Vero Beach and the ratepayers of Vero Electric they will have to pay more to fund the deal, will Wilson come through for FPL?

When it comes to disadvantaging the residents and taxpayers of Vero Beach in order to “liberate” the waterfront for commercial development, can builders and developers count on Wilson?

Can Davis and his fellow County Commissioners depend on Wilson to capitulate to their demands on Vero Beach to raise taxes on city residents in order to cut electric rates, while the County continues to assess a 6 percent franchise fee on Vero Electric’s county customers. In short, who owns Charlie Wilson?