St. Lucie Chamber of Commerce apologizes after tax collector candidate's email blast sent

Colleen Wixon, Treasure Coast Newspapers
·3 min read

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — A tax collector candidate's email mailer to Chamber of Commerce members sent chamber officials scrambling this week to assure members the message was not a political endorsement.

It also prompted a revision of chamber policy on similar emails.

Christy Romano, a Republican candidate for tax collector, sent out the ad through what's known as an email blast to members. Chamber policy allows members in good standing to send paid email blasts, Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Terissa Aronson said in her own email sent hours later to members apologizing for the email. The policy will be changed immediately, she said.

Chamber CEO 'devastated and truly sorry'

"Please know this is not an endorsement of the St. Lucie Chamber of Commerce," said Aronson, who was unavailable for comment Tuesday. "Personally, I am devastated and truly sorry this happened."

Office staff at the chamber processed the Romano's as they would for any other member "without realizing the gravity of the situation," Aronson said in the email.

Romano was unavailable for comment Tuesday.

Romano currently faces one other Republican candidate, Gabby Rothman, in the Aug. 20 primary for the four-year term. Incumbent Chris Craft has filed to seek reelection, the only Democrat to file so far.

Romano's campaign email, sent around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, was sent from the St. Lucie County of Commerce with the subject line "VOTE Christy Romano for SLC Tax Collector."

More: Tens of thousands of people had data compromised in St. Lucie County Tax Collector hack

Former President Donald Trump attends Monday hearing at federal courthouse in Fort Pierce

It initially resembles a political ad, with Romano's face and contact information, before it then addresses Chamber of Commerce members in a letter asking for their support.

St. Lucie County Tax Collector's Office in Tradition.
St. Lucie County Tax Collector's Office in Tradition.

"Dear Fellow St. Lucie Chamber of Commerce Members," the letter begins before launching into Romano's background and goals if elected. "I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I am writing to humbly request your support for my campaign as a candidate for St. Lucie County Tax Collector."

At the bottom of the email are the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce name, address and phone number.

Steps already taken to guard against a repeat

Measures have been taken so this does not happen again, Aronson said. Craft and Rothman were contacted by the chamber, and both will be provided with email blasts, she said.

Craft said was unaware of the email until Aronson contacted him, he said.

"She said she would make it right," Craft said.

Craft said he believed that one email would not be enough to sway voters, and that he was running on his accomplishments.

"I have been doing this job for a long time. I have quite a track record," he said.

He said he appreciated receiving the call from the Chamber of Commerce before he knew anything about it, and he was grateful for the chamber staff.

"Mistakes happen," he said.

Rothman said she also was contacted by the chamber, and declined the offer of an email blast.

"I declined, citing I will not benefit off another's misfortune nor misuse a public office," Rothman said in a text message.

Rothman said she was "shocked and disappointed that any campaign would hijack the email addresses of a nonpolitical organization like the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce to further their candidacy."

Colleen Wixon is the education reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers. Contact her at Colleen.Wixon@TCPalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: St. Lucie tax collector candidate sends email blast through chamber