Jacob Ogles
Former U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney will host a fundraiser this week for Naples mayoral candidate Gary Price.
The Naples Republican served in the U.S. House from 2017 to 2021. A former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Rooney also was the longtime Chair of Rooney Holdings, a private investment company with operating interests in real estate development, agriculture, electronics, energy and construction.
A look at an invite for the fundraiser shows leaders in the development and business community serving on the host committee. Price, a former Naples City Councilman, said Rooney organized the event and the committee is indicative of the growing support he boasts.
“The committee knows what I have done here for 20 years, and they know that it’s time to provide a different path,” he said. “They know who I am and the commitment I bring.”
The committee includes industry leaders like former state Rep. Tom Grady, Lutgert Companies Chair Scott Lutgert, Industrial Equities CEO John Allen, Sunshine Ace Hardware President Michael Wynn, real estate sales associate Tom Campbell, Naples Winter Wine Festival founders Valerie Boyd and Jeff Gargiulo and IPC Naples broker David Stevens. The event will be held at the Naples Yacht Club on Jan. 5.
Price is challenging Mayor Teresa Heitman’s re-election, and he also faces City Councilman Ted Blankenship. Heitman first won office in 2020, unseating former Mayor Bill Barnett.
Price said the city in the past couple years has put undue constraints on city staff and hindered services in Naples.
“The most important thing is to get back on a path to supporting staff,” he said. “Turnover was 20% each year the last two years. There have been challenges to property rights after Hurricane Ian. We have a moratorium on building put in place before due diligence. Everything is out of order. People need to come first.”
He also anticipates other fundraising events of various sizes in January and February.
