Letters to the EditorPalm Beach Post
September 13, 2014
Put all projects up for public vote
In his recent Point of View letter, Quin B. Johnson wrote that “our government, both locally and nationally, chooses the influence of money over the voice of the people” (“Official greed doomed Panama Hattie’s,” Aug. 31). That happens so often that councils and commissions appear to be corporate representatives, rather than representatives of the people.
The only results from local commissions’ decisions are less green space (it doesn’t matter that trees protect us from global warming), poor air quality (try taking a walk when the air from the incinerator is spewing out), drinking water in jeopardy and an approaching sea-rise, which is too threatening to even mention.
End this mockery of an illusion that our voice counts. No matter how many people jam commission meetings, the deals are obviously made before the subject is introduced. Try plebiscites — the direct vote of all members of an electorate; representation doesn’t work.
CAROL STRICK
WEST PALM BEACH
Note: We all know too well, that greed is an underlying factor involving many development decisions that go before city governments. Here in Lake Worth, this commission allowed two low cost rental projects to be built just for the future tax base. On one hand, it wants to raise the city from the ashes and on the other it allows affordable housing that is known to bring slum, blight and crime. It did not honor a vote of the people on keeping our downtown no more than 45 feet high even though the city lost this election by nearly 57%. It, along with the president of the NAPC, went against an entire neighborhood when it advocated for or promoted a national league ballfield at John Prince Park at the expense of an entire neighborhood and those in the county and beyond who wanted to keep the park a park. The commission recently lost a general obligation bond where many would have made a lot of money from it and have conducted and/or condoned to what amounts to a smear campaign against the Supervisor of Elections as well as certain citizens.
Development that affects neighborhoods should not be decided by a majority from the dais but by a vote of the people, no matter the government's argument.
2 comments:
This line says it all!
"That happens so often that councils and commissions appear to be corporate representatives, rather than representatives of the people."
The really sick part is that we keep putting these jerks into office.Elections cost so much money that a normal honest person does not even have the chance to run for office ! The really sick part is that most elected officials don't give a damn about anything else but getting campaign donations and holding on to their power.
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