Who doesn't believe in ethics? Tony Masilotti? Warren Newell?
I listened to some of the CRA meeting Tuesday night regarding the Palm Beach County Ethics Policy. A couple of its members, Chair Cary Sabol and Vice Chair Andy Amoroso actually had trepidations regarding taking an ethics oath. This is the second time that they have met on Ethics and they plan on meeting again.
The voters voted it in by an over-whelming majority. The City of Lake Worth has adopted it. What is the problem with the CRA, a Board that nearly was taken over this year by the city commission due to a mistrust of how it has expended funds in the past and its waste of tax dollars as well as its lack of transparency. The CRA is in charge of $23.2 million in grant money. Any Board ( even if it doesn't have to by law) in charge of any tax dollars whether from a federal grant or city taxes, must take an ethics oath and adopt same. Anything else is out of the question.
Whoever heard of questioning an Ethics Policy? Sounds unethical to me.
I listened to some of the CRA meeting Tuesday night regarding the Palm Beach County Ethics Policy. A couple of its members, Chair Cary Sabol and Vice Chair Andy Amoroso actually had trepidations regarding taking an ethics oath. This is the second time that they have met on Ethics and they plan on meeting again.
The voters voted it in by an over-whelming majority. The City of Lake Worth has adopted it. What is the problem with the CRA, a Board that nearly was taken over this year by the city commission due to a mistrust of how it has expended funds in the past and its waste of tax dollars as well as its lack of transparency. The CRA is in charge of $23.2 million in grant money. Any Board ( even if it doesn't have to by law) in charge of any tax dollars whether from a federal grant or city taxes, must take an ethics oath and adopt same. Anything else is out of the question.
Whoever heard of questioning an Ethics Policy? Sounds unethical to me.
That's interesting. Two people running for office don't like ethics. Ramiccio, running for mayor, was already fined at one time for ethics I believe.
ReplyDeleteJust sign it already. Why make a big deal out of it?
ReplyDeleteWe really need to redistrict our CRA out of the downtown area and into the blighted neighborhoods.Why would anyone not want an ethics policy ? Is princess Joan steering her loyal subjects away from a policy that might hurt her?
ReplyDeleteThe CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) is governed by the State of Florida Ethics policy. Since a handful of Palm Beach County commissioners have proven to be unethical on numerous occasions, the County is creating their own policy to try and course correct. No matter what they do the County and the municipalities within it are still governed by the State’s ethics policy no matter what. To seem holier than thou, the City’s Commission decided they would adopt this new ethics policy as well, even though it hadn’t been published yet. As previously stated this decision does not affect the CRA.
ReplyDeleteAround town recently there have been some rumblings of shady dealings going down between the CDC (Community Development Corporation) and the City of Lake Worth. The CDC’s President sits on the CRA and is the most vocal CRA Commissioner pushing for the adoption of this ethics ordinance. The perceived reasoning is that if this member has a law-suit filed against him for these alleged violations under the County’s new ethics policy the CRA will have to cover the costs of his appeal. However, if the CRA sticks with its current model using the State’s ethics policy, they would not need to cover these legal costs.
Don’t fool yourself into thinking this debate is over who is the most ethical. It’s about money and power. Thank you Andy and Cary for being the only two CRA members to realize this situation and for standing up for what is right.
That is just too wild to comprehend. Spin master. Myth-maker. Call it what you will. Thanks Cary and Andy for being afraid of signing an ethics policy statement. It will cost you.
ReplyDeleteThe CRA has never given any city commission any credit for anything. It continually amazes me that appointed position members can be so arrogant and come out with statements such as anonymous did above.
ReplyDeleteLake Worth adopted an ethics policy that was even more stringent than the County's. They were ahead of the curve in this regard. To put them down about ethics is hypocritical at best. It is they who adopted a policy. It is the CRA who has not and continues to debate the subject.
If there are any "rumblings" downtown as you put it, it is from the rumor mongorer himself. This is politics, isn't it?
I don't think I saw an answer yet....Did they sign it?
ReplyDeleteNot that I am aware. Their next meeting should be June 14.
ReplyDelete