Corruption abounds in the state of Florida. A large percentage centers around development. It's almost like a developer is one big glue trap for its favored politician. The bait? Money.
Here in Lake Worth we have a majority commission that has worked hard in ridding the city of corrupt decisions. It has taken a decade to get where we are with at last, good fiscally responsible decisions, i.e, retention of our beach as a public park, casino restoration that will be paid from revenues and will be the biggest development job in Lake Worth bringing jobs to many and our Reverse Osmosis System. The present commission has managed to over-turn a Planning & Zoning Board that had a different vision with a new Board made up of members of high integrity and responsible decisions.
We are not the only County with corruption. Read about Broward. Even the FBI was brought in. One of the developers, James B. Pirtle Construction Co. was given 41% of the $1.1 billion in contracts there and was involved politically behind the scenes, giving campaign contributions, not only from its lobbyists or highest ranking executives but most from people with ties to Pirtle.
Corruption is nearly impossible to squash unless the law becomes involved or unless the public is informed. Remember the common thread that has hurt this State by politicians in many cities across Florida--bad DEVELOPMENT.
These people have brought Florida to its knees with community after community in foreclosure and/or abandoned.
It is time on November 2 that we vote YES for Amendment 4.
It is also time to remember our local present commission and the decisions it has made for the betterment of Lake Worth, its quality of life and its future. You, as a voter, have the chance to say "no" to corruption and say "no" it will not be business as usual and I will not be going back to the old way of doing it.
9 comments:
Yes indeed. Anyone involved in development as their profession must not be voted in as a commissioner. We already saw Lisa on the planning board and what she did there.
David
Great job, including graphic and metaphor!
Dorothy
Please list some facts, not your opinions on corrupt decisions that have been made in the past and name which corrupt people made those decisons. Why haven't they been arrested yet?
Blight is the #1 issue facing Lake Worth and the main quality of life issue for everyone living in Lake Worth, you have stated this yourself many times in the past. What has the present commission done to address the #1 quality of life issue? The blight? Absolutely nothing. This should be the only issue they should be addressing. What does Jennings, Golden and Mulvehil know about construction, bidding and negotiating. They have proven it in the past. They know nothing. So they should be focused on something they may be able to do. Clean up the city.
Not having to pay a water bill where you live, you have not been affected by the major increase in water bills and utilty bills your commissioners voted to increase to absurd rates. The value of your home is probably so low you don't pay any property taxes which are ridiculouly high, close to unaffordable for many residents, but your commission voted to raise both along with charges for most services. Is this improving anyone's quality of life?
Without naming names you have been directly involved with some of the P&Z members and the sleazy things they have done over the years, can you really say they have high integerity and responsible decisions. Some have no integrity.
And as far as Lake Worth's future if your preferred commissioners are not voted out of office this year and next year, Lake Worth won't have a future. There's nothing your blog, spin or opinion can do about that.
I allowed the above comment only to show readers here how CLUELESS you are.
You think I have water but don't get a bill? Do you think I don't have a Utility bill? As far as taxes, when you become retired, unless you have a lot of money, of course, you look for affordable housing. That just proves that we have brains. Do you want to slam senior citizens for trying to survive the rest of their lives? We are not asking for hand-outs. We are not behind on our mortgages. We are paying our bills.
Last year's commission voted to raise every fee imaginable and raise taxes. Right now, nothing has been voted upon for this year.
Blight is not the only problem in this city but I agree it is a major problem and must be solved. Do you really think that anyone sitting on the dais wants blight and slum? Now that would be nuts.
Your name calling will get you no where on this blog. My friends on P&Z are far from sleazy as you called them...just the opposite in fact.
So, take your bull and your sleazy comments somewhere else.
that college park woman always had problems understanding corruption. She knew how to steal political signs though.
Looks like you hit a nerve, Lynn. Good going. Keep up the good work here.
Lynn,
If last year's commission voted to "raise every fee imaginable and raise taxes", why are you supporting them? (or one of them and the other hand picked by the other)
How can you support Allen West, a common sense conservative, and your picks for commission?
Mulvehill has helped to dismantle our code enforcement department by nine (9) positions and increase our finance department by the same number. How can they say that HELPS blight?
Because our city is in such bad financial shape, no lending institution will stick their neck out for our ill-advised renovation of a dilapidated salt encrusted building, so we are going to steal it from the utility deposits? $6 million later we will have a 100 year old pig with lipstick on it.
@ September 13, 2010 9:41 AM
You said: "Please list some facts, not your opinions on corrupt decisions that have been made in the past and name which corrupt people made those decisions. Why haven't they been arrested yet?"
Let me help you. The reason some of them are not arrested is because they are, or already have been, sent to jail. Cases in point:
1) A $200 million dollar rock pit of water boondoggle, purchased for drinking water that we can’t drink. The very reason former PBC Commissioner Warren Newell went to jail, as well as one of the many reasons former PBC Commissioner Tony Masilotti went away: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/corruption-tainted-200-million-reservoir-brackish-and-wont-381773.html
2) Newell did this with his former partner, Dan Shalloway, who turned on Newell and got a slap on the wrist:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/editorials/a-lingering-smell-from-newell-shalloways-undeserved-break-154618.html
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/local_news/epaper/2007/12/30/a33a_SFWMD_1230.html
3) Tony Masilotti had some other deals going, on the side: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/news/photos/graphics/masilottitimeline.html
4) Set your Way Back Machine to 2007. Does former WPB Commissioner Jim Exline ring a bell? Let’s review: http://www.wpbf.com/news/10795839/detail.html BUT WAIT - THERE’S MORE!
5) We can’t forget Exline’s partner in crime, Ray Liberti: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_8163/is_20070528/ai_n51959635/
So the two largest jurisdictions in this county had the largest number of government officials go to the pokey over development and/or land deals. This is just the tip of the iceberg. It has and is happening all over the state. More dominoes will be falling here. Lynn’s charge here is spot on.
Either you are the most uninformed person on the planet or you read with your eyes closed. In either case, the evidence is clear: Development, unchecked, breeds corruption and greed.
You wanted facts? Read them and weep.
To anonymous above who blamed Mulvehill for dismantling our Code Department--I hope that you were at the TRNA meeting when Wayne Bergman addressed Code. It was rather impressive and now should be a non-issue with you. Sounds like we DO have an excellent Plan in place to clean up the slum and blight.
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