Blast from the Past - Romano blasts Ramiccio - mentions the "C" word

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Even a former mayor, Rodney Romano, called Tom Ramiccio "corrupt."

EX-LAKE WORTH MAYOR PICKED FOR ADVISORY JOB

BYLINE: Scott McCabe, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
April 18, 2001
SECTION: LOCAL, Pg. 4B
DATELINE: LAKE WORTH

This time, former Mayor Tom Ramiccio beat the man that ousted him. Ramiccio, who lost his seat to Mayor Rodney Romano last month, received a bit of vindication Tuesday when the city commission voted 3-2 to appoint him to the planning and zoning board against the adamant urgings of Romano.

In the end, Commissioner Bo Allen, who last week said he wasn't willing to go to the mat against Romano on what he saw as a minor issue, sided with Ramiccio. Allen joined Commissioners Mac McKinnon and Scott Maxwell in support of Ramiccio. Romano and Commissioner Joe Egly voted for Glenn Goldberg.

Also by a 3-2 vote, the commission appointed former Commissioner Retha Lowe to the code enforcement board. McKinnon, Maxwell and Romano voted for Lowe. Egly and Allen voted for Jeff Young.

Ramiccio addressed Romano, the man who once groomed him for the top spot. "I'm pleading for your mercy to stop this hateful rhetoric so that the community can heal and my family can heal." Ramiccio said. "The election is over." Before the vote, Romano tried to sway the commission to vote against Ramiccio, reminding them that an administrative judge found that Ramiccio violated state ethics laws. The judge ordered in August to pay $2,000 for threatening to discontinue the use of a flower shop because the owner displayed his opponent's campaign sign.

Ramiccio is appealing the order. He says the accusation is untrue and purely political, fabricated two weeks before the 1999 mayoral campaign to bolster his opponent's campaign.

Romano Tuesday night continued to use strong language against Ramiccio, calling the judge's order a conviction and saying Ramiccio corruptly used his office. Egly urged him to stop talking and vote. "If there are three people who want their names associated with this," Romano said, "then let's do the deed."