Seeing "red" in Lake Worth

Everybody knows that the economy has gone down the tubes -- literally--from the man who lays down tubes for backyard sprinklers to the city employee who brings lunch and it is world-wide. But now that it is election time, we have Mary Lindsey blaming it on Cara Jennings and Suzanne Mulvehill. Some people will resort to anything but what about the facts?

Downtown rental rates have gone up and those even thinking about opening a business have put it on the back burner. $2.79 for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in a state of double-digit unemployment – it climbed to 11.8 percent in June in Palm Beach County, an all-time high? – and our long-time store across from the Lake Worth Playhouse had to move because of rental rates. Even Porter Paint a year ago saw red in Lake Worth.

Look to the Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce. Wasn't it their job to attract businesses? "The mission of the Greater Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce is to foster and promote business growth through networking, education and leadership while preserving a positive community image." That's why members pay dues. Even the Chamber could not complete its mission during this economy.

Commissioners Jennings and Mulvehill gave the city manager, Susan Stanton a vote of confidence when they hired her. She is working diligently to get our city out of the red by implementing procedures and goals. Our dilemma started over ten years ago, not over the past four years. Our city got sucked into the over-all recession that caused our property values to spiral down.

To blame the worst recession since the Big Depression on two commissioners just shows how down right low and dirty politics can get. So what’s new? We witnessed this in the last election. Now we have Mary Lindsey forming a new political action committee named Businesses Aligned for Change. Good. We hope that the entire global economy will cooperate.

So, let's put the blame where it belongs -- on greedy and dishonest bankers and mortgage brokers, not the absurd allegation that two little commissioners in Lake Worth brought down our economy. Here in Lake Worth, it is landlords charging unrealistic rates during this economic downturn. The only business that can afford these rents is a bar.

Honesty is the most important change we could ever get in Lake Worth. Retaining an honest commissioner of high integrity, Suzanne Mulvehill, is the smartest vote we could ever make.