It may be said, “All is fair in love and war”; but I guess we have to add in politics. I don’t have good feelings about Heather going negative. She’s a good, smart woman who is being guided by a small group of Dunedin citizens. My admiration goes out to any person who seeks public office. I believe all the candidates have the “best” for Dunedin. A political new comer has a lot to overcome, name recognition, their experience, their vision for Dunedin. Gracy can be a viable candidate without attacking her opponent with name calling. If you have facts to back up the accusations, bring them forward. I want to hear what Heather has to offer Dunedin. I already know what Dave Carson has done. Why does it have to be a war between two good people? State your positions and reasons why you’re seeking office, then let the voters decide. Lets keep Dunedin delightfully different by running a clean, friendly campaign. When it’s all over you’ll know you have taken the high road.

Aside from the photo being not so flattering for Mr Carson, did Heather's bullet points lie.....No! There is nothing Racy about this mailer at all. In fact Heather was somewhat kind in regards to the record. When did facts become viewed as negative? They are just facts! Here's a fact, the group of residents supporting Heather is not a small group at all. Heather's signs have been torn down, defaced and found thrown away. So yes let keep it clean. Friendly? I doubt it! The facts are just starting to pour out and the fireworks are not going to be very comfortable for some. Facts are the High Road! Not facts to suit your version of the truth. Just simple facts about actions taken during the last 4 years.

Yes, Heather's mailer did lie, not only about Dave but about herself as well. She claims to be "a successful business person" but has not been employed in the business world in more than 11 years. She is a stay at home mom, which is a privilege, but that does NOT make her a business person! "No conflicts of Interest" yet more than 50% of her campaign donations are from Dunedin Fine Art Center (DFAC) supporters, board members and top donors. The DFAC has asked the City for more than $500,000 to secure a grant. Her claim of "Respect for City Volunteers" is an out right lie, as she bashes Jack Greenfield, a city volunteer, on her campaign website. As for "Fair, objective and transparent" nothing could be further from the truth! I personally posted on her Facebook my disgust with her campaign mailer. Not only did she delete my posts, she blocked me from being able to post or comment on her pages and worst of all NEVER addressed my concerns. How many other citizens has she blocked and ignored because they took issue with her claims? If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen or better yet, don't go negative to begin with. I think Heather should be ashamed of herself and her campaign. She should be able to stand on the merits of her vision and what she can offer the City. The mailer was an insult to anyone who knows the truth as well as a slap in the face to strong, capable women who have gained power through truth and always doing the right thing!!

I was supporting Gracy, but NOT ANYMORE. This is not the kind of person we want making decisions for our city!

First off I support Mrs Gracy! Everyone I know, related to and go to church with support Mrs Gracy! I loved the flyer because I knew if given enough time people like you Mrs Coyne would come forward and sat things like you did! Thank you Mrs Coyne for making light of all of stay at home moms and dads, I guess you think were all rich and brain dead, WE ARE NOT! The Arts center is where you wanna go? Lets do it! The Arts Center, unlike 3 out of 5 member of our city commission, has a mission of helping the entire community, not just friends and buddies! The Board, members and patrons of the Arts Center are made up of people such as Welders, Plumbers, doctors, lawyers, office workers, firemen, policemen, teachers, lawnmen, city workers, boat builders and deck hands. YES We all support Mrs Gracy and the Arts Center. My husband is in Rotary did you want to insult them too! What about our friends at Hospice that support Mrs Gracy? So far you have made light of so many why stop! In addition are you saying you encourage and support smoke filled backroom politics? Mrs Gracy and Bob Hackworth will put and end to all that Mrs Coyne! Sorry to spoil your rant! Good day and may God bless you!

I provided a donation to the Gracy campaign as I did to other campaigns including her opponents campaign. I did so because I believe that competition is healthy and candidates in most cases need financial assistance to be viable. That being said, I am very sorry that I donated to Heather Gracy's campaign. Her campaign is very negative, she has not been honest and forthright about some of the issures, some of her statements are intentionally twisted half truths. There is no reason to take this approach if you intend to provide leadership for our city,

Further, I donated money, I did not authorize my name to be used on the internet as a donor and definitely not as a supporter. There is no way that I can support someone who is being led by a group that is less than honest in their approach and has an agenda to extract money from the City of Dunedin for their favorite organization.

Mr Coyne,
All donations are public record. Please note, the name "Coyne" has been getting quite a bit of facebook time. Ms. Gray has been using "Kimberly Coyne" while launching attacks on local organizations and businesses. Please address your concern to Ms. Gray and do not blame others for responding in an appropriate manner to her inappropriate public behavior. Respectfully, Tina Steinke

I think the main point has been missed by many...why should Heather need to go negative? Shouldn’t her campaign be about her plan and vision? Attacking your opponent shouldn’t be tolerated in this community...we are better than that!! I’ve done some fact checking to the points outlined by Kimberly regarding Heather’s own claims on her mailer. Heather does have conflicts of interest. In additional to points made earlier (all true), I also found a $250 donation from the fire fighters, which seems inappropriate given their contract is up for renewal. In researching the Art Center, it appears the grant is for $500,000 this year and an additional $500,000 next year. That is more than $1 MILLION dollars that the Art Center will be asking the City for in the next two years. It seems pretty clear that given the magnitude of support from Art Center donors to Heather’s campaign, that she is their candidate, which is a clear conflict of interest, should Heather be elected! Heather did attack a volunteer on her website, but that now appears to be changed. Bottom line...there is NO reason to go negative! Keep it clean, keep it to the facts and issues and take the emotion out of it!!

Feels just like Washington and I have had more than my fill of attack campaigns on TV. Too bad......

I think the main point has been missed! Heather went with the FACTS and the Carson campaign is negative. The actions of the last four years speak louder than any flyer! As for donations "Mr Dunedin Proud" grow up! Anyone can donate and Carson has plenty of high dollar buddies who hide behind others that donated to him. Please keep harping on the DFAC it is one of the most treasured places in our town so the more you attack it the more people realize they should vote for Heather! If you really want to talk about NEGATIVES go see you candidates voting record........oh that's right not all of his votes were on record they were cast prior to the meeting!

This morning, 9 Oct, I and several of my Dunedin Isles neighbors found multi-paged 8-1/2 x 11 flyers stuffed in our front door handles. I find the hand-delivered flyer offensive. It is an anonymous blatant personal attack on Heather Gracy who is running against Commissioner Dave Carson for Seat 3 on the Dunedin Commission. The “Life-long Dunedin resident” claimed anonymity because of a recent vandalism of the home of Carson, his/her friend.
The vitriolic epistle claims Gracy’s “campaign is filled with lies and half-truths.” The only specific cited are campaign donations from members of the fire department, Sail Honeymoon, and members of the Dunedin Fine Art Center. This person believes that these represent “clear conflicts of interest!” I believe that there is no law or statute that neither bars any individual from donating to any candidate’s campaign, regardless of that individual’s reason for doing so nor bars any candidate from accepting said donations, whether or not the candidate supports the donors’ positions. Campaign donations provide the candidate with opportunities to express his/her opinions publically, nothing else. Surprisingly, despite the six negatives Gracy cited against Carson, he/she delineated no other “lies and half-truths” in his/her attack. Perhaps candidate Gracy was right about Carson and his cronies after all. Unlike Carson’s covert friend, I’ll sign my message. Jim Throne.

As a supporter of DFAC with money and deeds I know of no time in which Heather Gracy solicited favor from DFAC. The members of DFAC include people from Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions Club, you name it etc etc etc The Board at DFAC does not and did not seek out candidates to support them. Bob and Heather do seem to support the funding of the Arts. At times Dave Eggers has, I know I've spoken to him at various events. That aside people can give money to any campaign and do! That is not a conflict of interest. We could look down any candidates donor list and jump to conclusions all day. This is a small town and a lot of people love the Arts center, there's nothing wrong with that! So in a small town the same people who love something also give to a candidate who loves what they love! I for one gave no money to any candidate. I looked at the issues and thought Bob and Heather could do better. It is that simple. If you think Dave and Dave can do better vote for them. Either way in the end we all have to continue living here and/or working here together long after this election is past.

As a citizen of Dunedin, I am very disappointed with our local election. Look what negative complaining can do…it can lead to destructive behavior ….signs have been stolen and property has been vandalized. What will happen next? Come on people, lets tone it down a bit.

I am sure both candidates are very aware of the ethical responsibility involved in relationship to contributions by supporters.

Dave Carson
I have seen your home stupidly vandalized. I have seen a friend's character attacked through anonymous venom thrown on door steps. I have seen supporters who made donations to both candidates run through the mud. I have seen the thinly veiled accusation of businesses trying to buy off candidates. I have seen sadly misinformed citizens throwing around “conflict of interest”. Here is some advice to all voters: if you see ethics violations report it to the proper authorities. I am sick of it. How about lending a hand in getting this mess under control. By the way, I plan to vote for you; don't disappoint me by attacking someome elses supporters.