No Way Back to Sanity

There is so much violent crime here in our City and a lot of these criminals live here as well. We drive down our city streets totally oblivious to it. We walk by a dwelling with no idea who lives behind the door. We have been told that up to 35 gangs live around our city and there is still a handful of people happy with their safety here…happy that the Sheriff has taken over…anything is better than what we had, they say.

On the front page of the Post this morning is an article about drugs, guns and murder and gang members facing federal charges. One lives in Lake Worth. He is just one of many who find our city convenient for their illegal entry and criminal activity.

The truth of the matter is we are not being told about the number of crimes and we certainly are not being told about the estimated numbers of criminals living among us. Even when the Sheriff’s Department comes out with a report, I will be leery. Public Relations are what got the Sheriff its contract with our City to begin with. It is about $15 million to them and will grow every year. The decision was based on public emotion and the determination of two downtown merchants to see that change happened. It got personal with them when their son was attacked in front of the Lucerne.

We all need to speak up and take back our city. It is one big mess. Joe Furner wrote the Sheriff yesterday asking for a sub-station in his Tropical Ridge neighborhood due to all the crime, prostitutes, noise, gay harassment, over-crowding, public drunkenness and the list goes on. Some of these people causing the problem are illegal aliens and they are getting more and more brazen as they are allowed to get away with their criminal activity brought on by their criminal entry to this country. Tropical Ridge is a forgotten area of our city.

It is not being addressed by our city government. Our city manager has virtually eliminated code and now will have a Community Development Director and a Building Official to deal with it. She says that she wants to handle it in a more “holistic” way. When I see that word I think of “holy” and praying. Perhaps that’s all we have left…prayers. Tropical Ridge is just one neighborhood that has gotten out of control and it seems, to a lot of those living there, there is no way back to sanity.

We need more Code, not less. We must enforce the Certificate of Use on Landlords. If they don't pay, they don't rent. We must see that only 2 people per bedroom are occupying a dwelling. We must enforce our Ordinances. This entire problem can be directly related to landlords renting to any Tom, Dick and Jose loser. Maybe criminals pay their rent on time. We need to set some standards and stick to them. Why should we not have a need to know who is living in our city? Criminal background checks should be mandatory and approved by the City. Sometimes extreme measures are in order to protect the whole.

Do not forget this huge problem this election year as it affects everyone in our City and don’t think that it doesn’t.