People Are Asking

Residents spoke out about Key Colony Beach Commission Activity:

Here are last Month's comments.

10% per Year Increase in Taxes?

To: Concerned in KCB
Subject: Inflation or More?

If I didn't screw up, that is an average of 10% per year increase in taxes. (Rule of 72.) California is "only" 7% compounded. I am thinking taxes, averaging 7-10%/year, are AT LEAST as inflationary as diesel and gasoline and steak!

The numbers may look worse than this correspondent thinks they do.

And on top of that, the budget is half again more than the revenues and such. What is THAT all about? It's Key Colony. What makes us think they need the books to balance?

Name Withheld
Key Colony Beach

License Plate Readers

Florida DOT has revoked permits for all Automated License Plate Readers on roads in the state highway system. The devices must be removed by September 30. The order does not affect LPRs on patrol cars or on county or city roads or on private property. Read the Executive Order here.

In addition to the data privacy and other concerns, ALPR systems including Flock have faced scrutiny for misreading plates and contributing to wrongful arrests.

The order affects only two roads in the Keys. State Road 5 is the unsigned state road running the length of the Keys concurrent with U.S. 1 from Key West to the mainland. State Road A1A runs along Roosevelt Boulevard in Key West as a local state-maintained route. State Road 90 and State Road 975 are also in in the county but are mainland Monroe.

No announcement from MCSO Sheriff Rick Ramsay and, of course, KCB has no state rights-of-way so the city is not covered by the order.

Citizen Request to Reconsider and Remove ALPRs in Key Colony Beach

Dear Chief Jamie Buxton ,

Below please find a letter I sent to the KCB Commissioners, John Bartus and Silvia Roussin.

As you may recall, I spoke during the citizen comment period at the February 2026 meeting in opposition.

Governor DeSantis comments and actions removing the ALPRs are consistent with my opposition.

Please take action to remove the ALPRs in Key Colony Beach.

Sincerely,
Barbara Haag-Heitman
Key Colony Beach

To: City Commissioners
CC: Silvia Roussin and John Bartus
Subject: Request to Reconsider and Remove Flock Safety Cameras in Key Colony Beach

Dear Key Colony Beach Commissioners,

In follow-up to my concerns expressed at the KCB Commission meeting in February 2026, I am writing to urge the Commission to reconsider our community's use of automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, commonly referred to as "Flock cameras." In light of recent Florida state actions and growing privacy concerns, I believe it is time for our local government to step back from this invasive surveillance technology.

Recently, Governor Ron DeSantis's administration ordered the immediate removal of all ALPRs, often referred to as Flock Safety cameras, from Florida state roads and interstates. Governor DeSantis rightly warned that this type of technology is becoming "out of control" and expressed a strong desire to prevent Florida from turning into a digital surveillance state.

Furthermore, other state leaders have taken similar steps by blocking public funding for these specific camera networks.

Our state's leadership has highlighted several critical issues that we must address locally in Key Colony Beach:
  • Mass Surveillance: These AI-powered cameras track and log the movements of everyday citizens who have done nothing wrong, creating a permanent digital trail of our daily lives.
  • Data Misuse and Lack of Oversight: There are serious risks regarding how private companies store our data and who can access it. State officials have pointed to alarming instances where law enforcement officers misused this tracking data for personal reasons, such as stalking.
  • A Shift Away from Public Property: Following the state's directive, numerous local law enforcement agencies across Florida have already powered down and removed their ALPR systems from public roads.

Our close-knit island community deserves safety, but we should not have to sacrifice our fundamental right to privacy to achieve it. As Governor DeSantis advocates for an AI Bill of Rights to protect Florida citizens from digital tracking, I ask the KCB City Commission take a proactive stance to protect our small-town way of life.

Please protect our privacy by initiating an immediate plan to remove existing units from Sadowski Causeway.

Thank you for your time, leadership, and dedication to the people of Key Colony Beach. I look forward to your response on this important matter.

Sincerely,
Barbara Haag-Heitman
Key Colony Beach

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