Business owner, Keith James critic Rodney Mayo files to run for mayor of West Palm Beach

Rodney Mayo, a business owner and frequent critic of West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James, has filed paperwork to run for the city's top job.

"I did not make this decision lightly nor without great thought," Mayo wrote in a Facebook post announcing his candidacy. "After I came to the realization our current mayor would be unopposed in this election, I decided to make the commitment."

Mayo, who owns the Subculture coffee shop on Clematis Street along with a slew of other restaurants and bars, has not been shy in opposing policy initiatives from James, who announced his candidacy for re-election in October 2021.

James imposed sidewalk "cafe" fees on downtown business owners, arguing that West Palm Beach, like other cities in South Florida, should collect revenue from businesses that serve their customers in the city's right-of-way. Mayo opposed the fees, saying they would hurt businesses still struggling to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

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James' administration raised parking fees for downtown, noting that the city had not raised rates in years and that additional revenue was needed to improve the parking system. Mayo opposed that new rate structure, saying the city had not adequately consulted with downtown business owners and that downtown residents would also be hurt.

The city later lowered the rates in the midst of public outcry.

Mayo isn't the only downtown business owner who has been unhappy with the James administration, though he has been among the most vocal.

"I have lived, breathed and worked downtown for 40-plus years and I felt it my duty and obligation to now devote my time to making our city a shining example for every community within and bring some common sense to City Hall," Mayo wrote.

Rodney Mayo says contributions for his campaign won't exceed $100

Mayo said he won't run a traditional mayoral campaign.

"To start, we are only accepting a maximum contribution of $100 for individuals and businesses," he stated. "We will not accept any special interest or PAC (Political Action Committee) money."

James has made public safety, affordable housing and economic development the central elements of his administration, and he has missed few opportunities to tout the city's progress in those areas.

It is not yet clear what Mayo's campaign will be centered upon, though, with his extensive business history, he is seen as an important voice among downtown business owners.

He said he plans to roll out an action plan called "10 Points of Light" over the next 10 weeks.

"These will not be one-liner talking points but rather detailed steps to accomplish our goals for our city," Mayo wrote.

Beyond the parking and cafe fee disputes, Mayo and James have found themselves on opposite sides of other issues.

In 2020, Mayo says he stuck his neck out financing a project to help Clematis Street businesses overcome road construction losses and the city stuck him with the $40,000 bill.

Mayo said a meeting he requested to smooth matters over with James made it clear the mayor was blocking his Clematis drive-in theater project because he and his partners didn’t contribute to James’ 2019 mayoral campaign.

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The June 17 meeting ended with the mayor accusing Mayo of exercising “white privilege” for expecting the city to give him whatever he asked for. A friend who attended with Mayo corroborated his account.

The mayor’s office said the city does not fund private events and that, like most cities, West Palm needed to tighten purse strings because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Police Chief Frank Adderley, who arranged the meeting at Mayo’s request, told The Palm Beach Post he did not recall the mayor commenting about white privilege.

In a text message to a reporter for The Post, Adderley added that he observed no correlation between Mayo’s political support and the drive-in idea.

Despite their history, Mayo said his campaign won't be about attacking James.

"We will run our campaign with full transparency and hold several town halls so you can ask questions and express your concerns for our city," he said. "We will not make personal attacks against the current administration."

The election is scheduled for March 14.

Wayne Washington is a journalist covering West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and race relations at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter @waynewashpbpost. Help support our work; subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Keith James critic Rodney Mayo to run for West Palm Beach mayor