One of my "fans" posted here yesterday telling me to "get a life." This person is incensed about everything I write as we do not agree politically and he does not hide his hatred. However, "having a life" means different things to different people. It's not always about painting houses or volunteering at your local hospital or clean-ups in your neighborhood association. Sometimes it is just about contributing to the overall democratic process or anything you deem worthwhile.
Belonging to two political action committees has been an honor for me over the years. Save Our Neighborhood, Inc. and the situation in Lake Osborne Heights is still going on. This is what got me interested in Lake Worth in the first place. This land use has been political from the beginning--two outside land flippers wanting to obtain a favorable zoning to allow building against our code and an entire neighborhood trying to retain a single family neighborhood. We have had many factors against us but primarily it has been the politics behind the development crowd. This is something we have fought for years in Lake Worth. We believe that the single family neighborhood is sacrosanct.
Due to this last election, the developers have, once again, a stronghold on Lake Worth. They have had consistent campaigning for their side over the past five years and now are in control of our city. The anarchist element, although extremely minute, was blown out of proportion (a political maneuver) but helped their cause immensely. They recently kicked Panagioti Tsolkos off the Community Relations Board and then voted to sunset the entire board. They are now in the process of one final act of their own anarchism, getting rid of Cara Jennings on the Planning & Zoning board by making sure that appointed members are "qualified" even though it is the very same qualified people who made horrendous decisions in past years and are, in my mind, special interest groups/types. This political group has a cunning spokeswoman who does have a life and volunteers for everything imaginable. She is right out there and admired by many.
The other political action committee to which I belong is Citizens Come First. The last cause was the ballot initiative in Riviera Beach. Chair, Laurence McNamara, advised them on the language, on the number of words allowed in the ballot title and ballot summary and gave them the Public Land/ Public Vote charter amendment as a template for them to follow. On April 4, 2012, a final opinion, favorable to the people, was rendered by the Appellate Court.
It takes a lot of time, energy and money to win a cause and be on the right side of democracy. But more than that, it takes a profound belief that your cause is just. Emma Bates in Riviera Beach did just that when she petitioned the voters to have the right to vote on the marina development and keep the City of Riviera Beach from selling it. It was my pleasure to help demonstrate for her cause.Here is the final opinion from the District Court of Appeal, 4th District.
Laurence McNamara said, "This is a victory for the people aided by Citizens Come First."
