Last night at the city commission meeting we had some unhappy "snowbirds." They were unhappy that some services have been eliminated for Seniors. They were unhappy there was no more Bocce court at Bryant Park. They were unhappy that they can't have a decal parking sticker as "we pay more taxes than you do." They were also disgruntled that they can't vote here. That squawk takes the cake.
None with whom I spoke were United States Citizens.
It is a mystery why foreigners, or any snowbird for that matter, who have winter residences here want to change our rules--want to change county laws or even Federal laws for that matter. The thought that occurred to me was what if I owned a condo in Canada, visited there during the Summer and told their elected bodies that they were unfair, I was picked on because, well gee, I couldn't vote for Stephen Harper or have the exact same advantages that their year round citizens have, they would think I was just another "ugly" arrogant American who was out of her mind.
In our condo complex, it is all French Canadians and some Finns who break the rules. Rules are for "the other guy"--those people who live here all year round.
Snowbirds come down to Florida for a mini vacation. Those from a particular area ban together. They believe that the "resort" should look after their every wish and the hell with Florida statutes and the laws on the books. We have an owner who brought down his own satellite dish and installed it on our property, stealing a signal from some American company somewhere. Aside from that, it is against our rules. It's still there. He will drag out the infraction until he leaves to go back to Quebec in March. We have another one who is renting his unit without paying the City of Lake Worth a rental fee. He ignores my requests to do the right thing and discards the application form. We have another one across the way who sells cars out of the parking area without a business license, etc. He now parks the car in our downtown with for Sale signs or at the county park on the side of the road.
Non-citizens understand our laws; they just don't want to. Now Commissioner Amoroso and Mayor Triolo want to look into the situation for these "poor" people who have to pay $2 an hour to park at our beach instead of being allowed to get a decal sticker. We have sold 1,000 decals for 50 spots. Commissioner Szerdi says he always finds a spot. And Scott Maxwell wants to waste more time with another workshop, the cure all to everything.
Just tell them "no" and get on to business.
19 comments:
Lynn I thought I would come on your blog,and find something sweet. We did get out of the Chamber last night at 7pm with plenty of time to get home to watch the President's State of the Union Address, but it just seems you can't be sweet about anything.
Most people who are snowbirds don't cause problems that I can tell. However, I have met this sort of seasonal property owner. They want their way no matter what. Pushy.
Come here if you are looking for the facts, anonymous. SWEET doesn't cut it. There is nothing sweet about the most non-transparent dais in history.
You think getting out at 7:00 is a GOOD thing? We are totally kept in the dark as to what is going on in this city. Grasp that.
Anony at 8:34--are you out of your mind? You must be a snowbird or someone who is into his own thing, slum, blight and screwing up our city and handing our little city over to the bad guys. Good luck to that one. Didn't watch Obama last night. Why would anyone? He's just another one going around the rules.
Note to Andy Amaroso, Pam Triolo and the rest of our "representatives". -IT IS A RESIDENT DECAL,NOT A VISITOR DECAL !
Lynn , you hit the nail on the head with the militant, arrogant snowbird issue. These people are not residents. Some are not citizens. Cara Jennings totally sold out Lake Worth, agreeing to herd the residents into 50 parking spaces. The RESIDENTS of Lake Worth paid for the upkeep of Lake Worth Beach for DECADES, even tough it was a COUNTY resource ! That 5 million dollar "gift" from the county was paid for by Lake Worth taxpayers in a parks bond. So since we had the audacity to ask for the county to give us back OUR OWN MONEY- we the residents were screwed by willing Commissioners like Varela and Jennings into 50 RESIDENT decal spaces. 1000 Lake Worth RESIDENTS have bought parking decals for those OH SO FRIGGIN GENEROUS 50 parking spaces !!!!!
Is anybody else sick of this pussy Commission that just can't seem to stop craping on their own RESIDENTS !?!? Grow a set, Andy and Pam ! Tell the VISITORS that if they want RESIDENT benefits, they CAN DAMN WELL BECOME RESIDENTS, AND NOT VISITORS !!
Besides the voting here thing, I tend to agree that Snow Birds have a right to complain when services are cut. They do pay taxes, and they are correct that many pay MORE in taxes than year round residents and they should expect some level of services for those dollars. We don't want to alienate our snow birds b/c they do pay more in taxes and only utilize services for a few months. In fact, I think we should be encouraging and welcoming to snow birds as we'd obtain more in tax revenue from snow birds than many year round residents who are eligible for homestead and other exemptions and who end up paying little to no in taxes.
I wasn't aware the Bocce court had gone away, I'm sad to hear that as I like Bocce too. I think if you are a LW tax payer or a resident you should be able to get a decal sticker, perhaps the rules might be different if you are a snow bird, but why not make some accommodation for them, they are paying for the Casino bond. Some cities sell permits to snow birds, Deerfield is one, I don't think Boca does.
Snowbirds need to get a clue and understand that some services are cut because WE HAVE NO DAMN MONEY or.............the commissioners want to travel to some convention for the League of Cities. Who in the hell do they think they are? They want to vote here? Are they that stupid?
@9:57-
It is because we have fifty (50) decal spaces. People can't park anywhere they wish now on our park property with a decal sticker.
ok now, here's the solution. Not sure why Andy Amoroso didn't think of it-
Perhaps they can all go out and get a handicapped sticker so that they can park where they want for free. Don't know what genius dreamed that one up but it is absurd but it fits in with the I deserve a decal sticker because I am here 3 months out of the year and I pay more than you do. Let's get them handicapped stickers. A doctor would confirm that they are truly handicapped anyway.
9:57- THIS HAS nothing to do WITH THE FACT THAT NON-RESIDENTS PAY TAXES. This has to do with the fact that Lake Worth RESIDENTS were slapped in the face and told "GO SUCK IT- HERE ARE YOUR 50 parking spaces".
50 parking spaces. Not park wherever you want with a decal- 50 spaces. For the 1,000 RESIDENTS that bought decals. ARE YOU GETTING IT 9;57? It has nothing to do with who pays more, or who is very , very nice. !
WOW, I'm surprised that anyone would stand up for snowbirds complaining about services being cut in our city that is in dire straights financially and where they do pay taxes they do not live here year round like the rest of us. The percentage of Seasonal residents versus year round is small. One I would like know if these seasonal residents live in condo's or Single Family Homes....Are they REALLY paying more taxes and regardless of the taxes are they investing their time to help Lake Worth through volunteering like the rest of us? If so then Kudos and complain away....If not then worry about what is going on in your condo or development and aggravate your board not our City Commission.
All of us in Lake Worth are bearing the burdens of the past economic failures and WE ALL must bear these burdens with out regard to who pays more.
Complaining is your American Right and your freedom of speech but please make your complaints in a fashion that is standing up for Everyone in Lake Worth and not just your on selfish desires or inconveniences.
I personally love our Snowbirds and let me make this very clear....Come on down and bring your wallets but PLEASE spend locally and spend in small businesses IN LAKE WORTH.
Many Thanks
Robert Waples
Why not charge the snow birds more for a decal. We want to encourage snow birds in our community, they pay more in taxes and they use less services. They also spend more while they are here They are the perfect residents for us and I agree with others we should offer some accommodation.
Fifty spaces
When we had unlimited decal parking, non-seasonal people were charged more--3x more perhaps.
Now we have...
Fifty spaces
Tell them to become an American citizen, stop demanding things and live here 6 months plus one day.
I've never had a problem finding parking at the beach even with only FIFTY SPACES
How ironic that your "best commission ever" screwed you.
Great ending to their reign of terror. You'll be miserable about only FIFTY SPACES at YOUR beach until the day your miserable time on earth ends.
My time on Earth has been great, anonymous. Hope yours is healthy and rewarding but with that hate within you I would suspect you will have trouble at the pearly gates. You really can't handle truth, can you? Take about 100 hail Mary's and pray a lot.
Just for your information which you seem to desperately need, no commissioner screwed up the beach for me. In order to get the $5 mil in bond money (it was NOT a grant) Cara Jennings negotiated 50 decal spaces that was not part of the bond. Personally, I would have told them to keep the money as there were too many strings. However, I have to admit it does look beautiful.
But the question in hand is, should every seasonal property owner be able to get a decal parking ticket when we only have fifty to use? How do we accomplish that, anonymous? Do you want to give up yours to some complaining Canadian?
What "reign of terror" do you refer? Is this more BS?
The poster at 1:50 must really lead a miserable life. What a horrible thing to say. Hope you're knocking on wood anonymous poster. You deserve all the luck you can get in this world as you are going to go out alone and afraid. Thanks for exposing these deadbeats, Lynn. Watch it. You might give me incentive to run.
I have a decal and have yet to find the FIFTY SPACES filled when I come to the beach.
Over 20 years ago you could not park in any space with a decal. THere was a designated area in the far southwest corner of the lower parking lot.
If I come to the beach at 12:00pm on a hot sunny day on a holiday weekend, I would expect to find those FIFTY SPACES filled along with all the spaces in the entire parking area.
My point being: It is what it is. No matter what the parking situation, there will always be people that don't like it. But it works for me, and I made my comment without insulting or blaming anyone.
Agreed. It works for me and I like the decal parking right where it is. I remember years ago when it was down in the southern end of the beach lower level. I would drop my grandfather and Mom off and park their car there and trek up to John G's, their favorite place.
You're getting to that bully. Keep it up Lynn.
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