Following are my top favorites on decisions by the Lake Worth Commission--some driven by lofty political goals or simply believing that development is the answer to all our ills--perhaps just a desire to go down in the history book as the "visionary" commission that finally "fixed" Lake Worth--
The Lake Worth Razzie Awards for 2013--
Heights Amendment
The developer backed commission fought the Heights Referendum and directed the city attorney to find a way to overturn the March 2013 vote that was won by the people to keep our downtown a low-rise city of no more than 4 story buildings east of Dixie and 3 stories west of Dixie. They pulled every trick in the book to defeat the Referendum with their final bogus ploy saying is was all about a hotel. Whether what they did will legally stand will be decided by the Court.
Electric Utility
Voted in a 5 year plan on an Ordinance weaning us off the city's dependency on the Electric Utility. They want to lower electric rates and feel that our high rates have deterred business. This is funding we need to stay afloat and to operate our city (anywhere from $6 million to $9 million a year). They made it a super-majority vote from the dais in order for any future commission to over-turn it. Selling the Utility is still on their minds. According to the city and the mayor, we are the poorest city next to BelleGlade and they voted to reduce our operating budget by millions. Our Uncontrollable costs are $20,769,790 or 69.49% of our budget. Controllable costs are $8,863,638 or 29.66% of budget...do the math...there will be few funds left to operate the city if their vision is fully implemented, unless, of course, property values sky-rocket.
Greater Bay
Bad and inferior advice from their outside attorney who "played" them for years racking up legal fees, coupled with their fear of losing (a seed planted by our legal eagles), they settled with the flim-flam man for $1.6 MILLION dollars...blaming their decision on everyone but themselves and Greater Bay. Scott Maxwell and Pam Triolo wanted to get "to the bottom of the Greater Bay lawsuit" and what got us to this $1.6 million settlement to get them off our beach for non-performance. Maxwell was outraged and went political" and even called for a public workshop. Good thing for them that idea died.
Road Infrastructure and Give-Aways of public buildings
Wanting to repair or repave 50% of the roads in Lake Worth and wanting the taxpayers to pay for it all plus the infrastructure at the Park of Commerce to attract development, the commission has talked about a General Obligation bond to finance this vision. Millions has been discussed on the renovation of city buildings. The Palm Beach Post reported it could be a 100 million dollar dream. There has been little talk about this lately and it will probably wait until after this March election. They have to raise capital because with their reduction in electric revenue, it will leave us millions short to operate. Raising taxes, especially an amount this large and for a long term, is not a good idea for any politician. The city can't account for all of the last Bond money and where and how it was spent. We still owe $56.8 million that was refinanced in 2013. They have decided that Lake Worth will be an artists destination, attracting more starving artists competing against each other for that precious dollar. And they are giving away city buildings for that end.
Code Enforcement
With everyone screaming about slum, blight and crime, the commission listened to its new internal auditor and his report on our code department-- heads rolled. After just passing 20 or so ordinances that finally gave the department some clout to do their jobs, they decided to outsource it. Then all of a sudden, they changed their minds. It will be in-house after all. As it turns out, they don't have enough staff to enforce the laws. One of the areas they are supposed to enforce involves Illegal flags, banners, streamers and signs. We know how that one went during the March height election. Look for illegal banners on the Gulfstream or other places to happen again, when convenient, by the development at any cost crowd.
This commission was to bring people together. Thanks for this and Happy New year. Our streets are in deplorable condition with all the blight. It does get discouraging with the crime and all.
ReplyDeleteIs this the worst commission of all time? What do you think?
ReplyDeleteNo. I can name a few that were really terrible and have on past blogs. The Commission that got us into the Greater Bay deal to begin with is one.
ReplyDeleteI think the Commission that got us out of the Greater Bay deal is the worst. Look what that cost us.
ReplyDeleteDo your homework, 10:14.
ReplyDeleteI know one thing for sure, that the Code Manager resigned because the Internal Auditor used 10 year old information for his report to the Commission. I suspect Bornstein was behind how the report was handled. Unfortunately for them, due to poor planning, they could not afford outsourcing Code and most of the staff has resigned. Mr. Waters is now stuck with running Code, not his cup of tea.
ReplyDeleteTheir belief is that they have a good City Manager,while in fact he
ReplyDeletecannot and does not manage.You cannot disguise and hide the City's problems to correct them.Most of the Financial problems are because they
DON'T know how to handle money.They count on dreams that never materialize with no back up plans.
Hopefully 2014 will be better for Lake Worth and this Commission will make their New Years Resolution to
ReplyDeletedo a better job of not bowing to developers and to use their heads when making a decision, listening to the residents and voting a clear concious for the residents who live here. Happy New Year to us all
Anonymous at 10:22--that does not surprise me. They have been known to use faulty data before to arrive at a conclusion that they want to achieve. Code was getting so many complaints on a daily basis, it was easier starting from scratch...fibbing to do it? Mr. Timm was the only resident who stood up for staff after having worked with them for years on code issues. If the commission wants it to happen, it does and the CM goes along with the program...or vice versa Who knows.
ReplyDelete@10:44 above--it won't be better. Why do you think they might possibly want to listen to the residents all of a sudden? If it fits their development or business oriented operandi, they might.
10:22 wrong information
ReplyDeleteWhat about the City Manager paying in excess of $6,000 for a false and deliberate report on the swimming pool? Turned out it was the pool that was destroyed 40 year ago and quoted City Personnell who had died
years before on this report. Again
the City Manager wasting tax payers money.
Why the City has no money is because
ReplyDeleteof how they handled money. They have spent millions of dollars and sued by Palm Beach County over water they used for only back up when we already had a connection with West Palm Beach that only required openibg the valve. Now remember this is only for back up in case we needed it, The Former Mayor, Clemons said he would not drink WPB water while a friend witnessed him drinking a glass of West Palm Beach water at John G's
Guess he didn't know that WPB supplies water for Palm Beach which in turns sells it to Lake Worth Beach complex.Another reason why LW has no money.
That was succinct. No one running against them? That would be tragic.
ReplyDeleteI see all you chronic complainers here complaining all the time about how bad this commission is. Well then run and do something about it. The fact of the matter is all you guys are good for is complaining and blaming. You all know there is not 1 decent candidate among you that could win any elected office in Lake Worth, or anywhere else. The blogger has 300,000 followers. Surely there must be 3,000 people in Lake Worth that believes what she posts and would vote for her over the devil Maxwell.
ReplyDeleteRight?
How long ago was Clemens Mayor? A "friend" saw him drink a glass of water at John G's? How does your "friend" know it wasn't bottled water poured into a glass? Well my "friend" the local t.v. news reported that the WPB water supply was contaminated with fecal matter. Drink all you want. The blogger obviously does as she is completely full of fecal matter.
ReplyDelete1:18 and 1:22--same person I see...you are starting off the New Year still wearing those rose colored glasses, defending the indefensible and name calling as usual. Just wondering if you got passed 4th grade?
ReplyDeleteI'm not a candidate, 1:18 but I would, as a resident, appreciate all those who are elected officials doing their damndest to honor the people they serve. I suppose people could get a candidate similar to Sharpe or Blackman to save the city. Would that make you happy?
As you always say, truth hurts. The reason we are in so much trouble are all the sheep who follow every commission that is ever elected without asking one question. We deserve it all. I think the mayor is, for the most part, well intentioned but she needs to listen to the other side of the story. At least she's not hanging out at Dave's.
ReplyDeleteI'd run... but I have a life. I also have intelligence enough to know that in today's market, you either grow or you stagnate and wither away. lake Worth is stagnate and has been for years. The only building that has happened in the past 5 years is from the NSP-2 grant. Then a bunch of you mental giants propose further stagnating our city with no hope to ever come out of it by limiting in ANY fashion what someone stupid enough to invest in Lake Worth can do on their own property. Even if it is next to an already 6 story building. Compromise???? No friggin way. We want no building taller than you can spit over. Even shorter if some had their way.
ReplyDeleteYes 35 feet tall gets you a two story structure with architectural significance, or a 3 story box.
45 feet gets you a 3 story building with architectural significance or a 4 story box.
Let's keep Lake Worth POOR people! Vote for more of the small thinkers. Vote against fixing the roads and underground if it costs you one cent more on your tax bill. Looks like we might just make un-incorporation a possibility. At least the County will know what to do with all you negative small thinkers.
The people voted. How come you think you are the smart ones who want developers to take over our city? You think the CRA building affordable housing is good for the city? What a dunce. What's keeping this city poor are all of you not addressing the slum all over this city. Who in their right mind would build here? Name one frigging person beisde4e someone scamming off the government.
ReplyDeleteNo one wants to keep this city poor as you said at 2:55p. How come you have to resort to sensationalism on this? Unless you are some immigrant or low wage earner, who in the hell wants this city in the condition it is? You honestly believe that we want to live in a third world city? Grow up and grow a pair and if you are running for office, start knocking on doors. Get out in the trenches and listen to the people.
ReplyDeleteJohn,
ReplyDeleteYou are factually incorrect. There are a group in this city, many fans of this blog, who wish the city to stay poor and a haven for the farm worker type of immigrant, here either legally or illegally. (the third world city you refer to) What is sensational is to drive down Lake Ave., our center "Main Street" at the E Street intersection and not consider this a third world country.
The poster before you cites the CRA's success at knocking down scores of dilapidated houses and replacing them with home owners instead of renter (four men to a bedroom in many cases) and not consider that an elimination of slum and blight.
This blogger also denounces "affordable housing" as some sort of disease on Lake Worth as if she thinks an intelligent home buyer or builder would put a high end home on one of our alphabet streets. "We already have enough affordable housing" like we don't need any more. Well we do need more. The type that contributes to our city economy with homeowners/occupiers and not overcrowded with farm workers. It doesn't take "a pair", it takes a brain.
The ONLY people who might want this city to stay "poor' as you say might be a handful of anarchists (not even sure about them) or slumlords (they like to rent to illegal aliens and buy up cheap houses).
ReplyDeleteAs far as "fans of this "blog" as you put it, there are all types of people who come here...mostly conservatives who believe in lesser government and can't stand what the Democrats are doing to our country. As this city is mostly made up of Democrats, I would say that on a local basis, most of you disagree with a lot of what i write on Lake Worth.
The type of blog I write which exposes or emphasizes truths within our city and nation, brings a cross type of folks politically. I have always found it rather ironic to have a local government that wants to support more affordable housing as an example which attracts the poor and is a Democratic belief and a commission that wants to do nothing about the slum, blight and the crime that it breeds but give us lip service but then talks about Republican values of more jobs and supports the Chamber.
The free enterprise system is the most effective engine of economic progress--not giving away city owned buildings for government hand-outs/grants or subsidizing developers for infrastructure putting the wealthier of people in our city in big debt so that they MIGHT come here and have a business. that all sounds like Democrats.
So, if we don't have enough affordable housing as you say, why is it that 80% of the city is affordable? I can well understand why the poor want new housing--new is nice--but we have over 2,000 properties that could be available here after some renovation. What do we do with those? Board them up. Let the homeless take them over, crime, etc, etc. And how do you get rid of the "farm workers" as you put it? They are here, bringing down our city and loitering on our streets committing crimes sorry to say.
C'mon Lynn. Get off the affordable stuff. You live in affordable housing. Lake Worth is affordable in all but college park and alongthe water. So I agree. 80% sounds about right. But affordability doesn't have to mean slum properties. Most all of the Habitat for Humanity home purchased by pre-qualified families are being well taken care of. There are also exceptions but even those are better kept than what is around them.
ReplyDeleteThey are buying them for around $80K. So even with homestead exemptions, they are contributing to the tax base. The CRA does NOT get all that tax revenue regardless what you've heard.
Even if it did, stable families impact less on our services than overcrowded farm worker rentals or foreclosed rancid abandoned houses.
I also disagree with your assertion that the farm workers are responsible for most of the crime. Peeing in the bushes and public drunkenness aside, they are generally hard working people who send much of their dinero back to family in Central America. Ask anyone who has moved into one of the NSP homes in that area and they will tell you it is mostly quiet and peaceful.
Still doesn't do much for the property values with everyone hanging out on the street and drinking. And since your heroes made us a Sanctuary City, there is not much we can do unless they REALLY screw up legally.
So if you don't think we should build more affordable housing as infill to these neighborhoods, the only options are un-affordable or do nothing, which are both unrealistic.
Did I say that illegals were responsible for "most of the crime?" If you are going to quote me, please get it right.
ReplyDeleteNext, you are entitled to your opinion. 80% of the housing stock in Lake Worth is under $100,000 a year. My condo has gone down around 63% through the last 8 years. Retirees, a special category, usually downsize as their income, in most cases, is far less than it was when they were working. Are you putting me down for living within my means?
If you want to raise the tax base in LW, it is not by attracting the poor as that is what you will always get. We have enough poor people, don't you think?
It was not meant to be a put down. It is a fact. The condos there are affordable. Nothing wrong with that. What I do have a problem is you putting down affordable housing as if it were a disease. If you look at the Urban Arts Lofts or any of the Habitat Houses, you would not consider them to be slum properties, however they were intended to be affordable. And what's even better, they were intended to be Owner Occupied! That's the best thing and just exactly what we needed in our alphabet streets.
ReplyDeleteThe reason there is a need for affordable housing is just as you stated, "Retirees, a special category, usually downsize as their income, in most cases, is far less than it was when they were working". There are other special categories of working poor through no fault of their own. They need affordable housing just like the retirees.
We don't have enough poor people.... We have TOO MANY POOR PEOPLE. And we need to find a way for them to help themselves attain the next level up the rungs of the ladder. That could include home ownership. It worked for me.
So yes, I want to see all kinds of QUALIFIED homeowners displacing the undocumented democrats that rent and pile as many people in a house as they can, sit on the front porch drinking cervesa and peeing in the bushes. As home ownership increases, it'll hopefully push some of the rental slum that way as people will invest where they see other families investing.
We all have to live more frugally now, thanks to Obama or Bush or Wall Street or the Unions or China or whoever you choose to believe and not acknowledge they all played a part in it.
YES... we need to infill our vacant lots with affordable qualified home owner occupied families. They need to get busy making their neighborhood a better place to live through their neighborhood association and watch their investment grow. Just like, dare I say it.... Delray Beach... Oh no, that dirty word.