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On Tuesday night, Katie Mcgiveron spoke before the Boynton Beach City Commission as they had a Resolution on their Consent Agenda (encouraged by Scott Maxwell to do so) to approve of the Atlanta Braves coming into John Prince Park. Following is her public commentary:
Mayor, Commissioners, my name is Katie Mcgiveron. Thank you for allowing me to speak this evening.
I was born at Bethesda Hospital a LONG time ago, grew up in Lantana, and my husband and I made the big move to Lake Worth after we were married. I am the president of my neighborhood association, ROLO, Residents of Lake Osborne. Again, thank you for pulling this item for discussion.
In the packets I sent to each one of you is a map of John Prince Park, a break down of the usable acreage in the park and a card to our Facebook page. I also included an article by Bloomberg News "The Braves Play Taxpayers better than they play Baseball."
To get to the proposed stadium site you must take either Lantana or 6th Avenue South. Right now the 6th Avenue South interchange is such a traffic clogged mess that FDOT has commissioned a study to see how the traffic problems in this area can be solved. The state does not do this kind of thing often or lightly.
John Prince Park is a public park that should never have even been considered for something like this. Once our park is gone, it's gone. You can't just say "we'll put another park over there." There is NO MORE OVER THERE left in Palm Beach County.
But let's cut to the chase: MONEY. Money is always the bottom line isn't it.? Your mission statement here in Boynton is as follows: "To create a sustainable community by providing exceptional municipal service in a financially responsible manner." IN A FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE MANNER!
Baseball stadiums are a bad deal for the communities that have to pay for them. Study after study after study is out there, by economist after economist after economist.
Go to the Facebook page John Prince Park Preservation that I gave to you, scroll down and read the articles. Do your research before you jump into a resolution like this. In closing, if I may be so bold, I have some homework for each of you. This weekend, go to John Prince Park and take some time to look around. Maybe even talk to some people using the park. Once this park is gone, it's gone.
Thank you.
The item was tabled for 90 days.
ReplyDeleteKatie is so articulate and engaging. It's time for her to replace Cmr. Maxwell so that citizens will be represented rather than scoffed at and ignored.
ReplyDeleteGo Katie!
Kind of disgusting, how "government " works in Palm Beach County. All it took was ONE MEMBER(probably Mayor Grant) of the Boynton city Commission to be approached. Then,with NO discussion or information about the item it was placed on the CONSENT AGENDA ! Thank God at least one member of the Boynton Commission had some common sense and pulled the item for discussion. At least this was not just rubber stamped like it was in Lantana, Atlantis ,Palm Springs,Greenacres and Lake Worth. Otherwise ,like Boynton's young Mayor Grant complained, "all of the other municipalities are in favor of this! (Ah GEE MOM,all the other kids are doing it )! This is not representation. It is an incestuous fraternity making decisions that affect their tax payers WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE or CONSENT of those taxpayers !THANK GOD for some thinking adults on the Boynton Beach city Commission! Katie Mcgiveron
ReplyDeleteGreat action, great speech, and Halluliah, some action has been taken rather than the usual rubber stamp for anything resembling more development. I think it's great you did that, Katie! Amazing what an informed and engaged electorate can do. You've got something I admire greatly in a woman: balls. And very articulate ones at that!!
ReplyDeleteI also will not be voting for the county's proposed tax increase as long as this travesty against our park is still lurking in their agenda. Why should any of us be forced to pay more to the county for essentially stealing half our park (owned by us the public) to have it given to a billionaire ball club?? And then get stuck with an enormous bill of ANOTHER $110-$250 MILLION for their new stadium and much more that they want.
I intend to write to the county commissioners and tell them I will not be voting for this tax increase as long as John Prince Park is up for grabs. And I encourage others to do so as well. We have this little window of opportunity before the elections in November for them to listen to us. Once the vote is taken it will be back to business as usual and catering to overdevelopment.
You go girl! We need you on our dais.
ReplyDeleteGreat speech. Smart, articulate woman with a ton of integrity.
ReplyDeleteGreat job, don't understand how public officials can vote for these publicly funded stadiums when study after study shows its a loser for tax payers. Glad to hear it was tabled.
ReplyDeleteExcellent speech, Katie.
ReplyDeleteI hear the new guy at ERM isn't taking the various issues at the county natural areas very seriously.
That charter states nature and the environment first, people (and their horses, dogs, etc) second.
If more young people don't step up to the plate those precious areas will be gone some day.
I can hear it already- "oh those natural area people are just a bunch of old folks who don't like change.
Once it's gone, it's gone!
In other news- did you eat no bear hunt this year? Yay!!!
ReplyDeleteheard that--it is good news.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was beginning to wonder if our wildlife actually needed protection FROM the Fish and Wildlife CONSERVATION Commission. If protecting a species means hunting and killing it, sure hope they don't try to help me that way!
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