Criminal of the decade?--Bernie Madoff

Bernie has a lot of properties--The Hamptons, Palm Beach and New York for a few. Residing presently at his apartment at 64th and Lexington that cost $7 million, Bernie Madoff, with blood now on his hands, lives the good life, ankle bracelet and all, while his evil has ruined hopes, dreams and lives.

He was heard singing, “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.” When this is all over that’s about all he will have left, as well as his victims who live globally. He told the FBI that there was no innocent explanation.

The shot he fired was felt here in Palm Beach County as well as all over the world. May he rot.

Sen Bill Nelson gets a D-

Senator Bill Nelson
SH-716, United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510


Dear Senator Nelson,

I am appalled that you continue to vote for legislation that would import more foreign labor and disemploy Americans.

Why have you been consistently voting in favor of a policy of importing around 140,000 foreign workers every month while our state's unemployment rate has soared even above the national average?

Most foreign workers who are brought into this country are an incredible drain on taxpayers, especially on those who pay property and sales taxes to state and local governments. The Heritage Foundation discovered that the typical household headed by a low-educated foreign worker uses $20,000 more in public services than paid in taxes -- with most of the net cost on state and local governments.

Our state and our nation is hurting. Please look deep inside your soul and determine whether you can continue to vote for policies that keep your fellow Americans unemployed and deprive them of social services. Many of your constituents are counting on you -- please don't let us down!

Sincerely,

Doggy fun

BAILEY THE UNKNOWN REINDEER

There was NO tax relief, Charlie

Do you remember this?
Our Gov thought he might get a V.P. nod

Do you remember Amendment One in 2007 and the con that we all were going to save on taxes at the tune of about $280 per household? 64% of the voters said YES. As a result, every budget of every city had to look at drastic cuts and innovative ways to save money in order to operate.

Here in Lake Worth, a city with one of the highest millage rates in the County, the 3 to 2 Commission voted to give away our local police department and merge it into the Sheriff’s Department. Why? 1) Because the officers, now deputies, said that they would be making more money…they WANTED IT ALL and 2) the citizens fell for the con that they would be safer. They didn’t care if it was costing us more money like a million dollars more a year and that we were going to have to give over our entire fleet and assets worth millions, etc. to the Sheriff. The City only knew that it was one less thing to deal with...get it off our plate.

Now there is talk about doing the same thing with our fire department. It is strange that no one talks about the pension and retirement payments given to these employees. Is everyone just scared of the Unions? As it was mentioned at one City Commission meeting recently, 47 of the 91 police officers are STILL in Lake Worth’s Pension Plan. They have no intention of moving their plan to the Sheriff’s. We are still paying for these people! Union benefits and wages are killing this city. And our former police officers as well as some citizens, don’t care.

The Social Security system is increasing the retirement age. Civil service employees vest at a much higher figure than 20 years in Social Security. Just compare the two scenarios… a civil service worker at the same wage as a Social Security-invested worker and then compare his contributions and the payouts. In addition, the civil service worker has no additional deduction for medical, pills, dental care, etc., after retirement.

Pretty soon there will be more retirees than workers on Social Security. It could now be the same problem with civil service workers. Also, how many years does it take to be vested in Lake Worth, does anyone know?

We have seen first-hand how the passing of Amendment One has hurt every city throughout the State but especially all of those who voted for it thinking that the City would actually trim the waste. It didn’t work out that way and now we are paying for Storm Water on our tax bill at a higher rate than we paid when it was included in our budget. Now the City wants to do the same thing with fire rescue. The CRA wants to give away our money to people who want us to pay for impact windows and a/c systems because "that's what they do." We have an Employee of the Year who is coming up with higher fees for just about everything and the City believes he is some sort of guru. Once you tax, it never goes away. Once you increase fees, they seldom come down. We know that our budget will continue to grow and so will the millage.

You, the well intentioned citizen who voted for this Amendment is screwed. Did anyone save on their taxes this year? All any city has to do is raise the millage and your $280 savings is wiped out but our City found other ways. It was wiped out the minute that Amendment was passed.

My article at lakeworthmedia.com 2-1-08

Pink Roses

Aside from Orchids, Roses are my most favorite of all flowers. They are perfect in very way and God was in a good mood the day he created them.

My friend Donna brought me some pink roses today for X’mas. She told me that she bought them from an illegal alien and wanted to know if that was ok? :) She makes me laugh, another reason why I like her so much. Thanks, Donna.

Evening on the Avenues

The Cultural Plaza

Evening on the Avenues is my favorite event in the City of Lake Worth. I have written about this before on lakeworthmedia before my name on my articles became eradicated, lost and/or obscured. Friday night’s band was no exception as to why I think this is the best event we have. In fact, I loved this band. According to the Chamber’s web site it lists the name of it as “Jason Collannino.”

There are a lot of good bands but this one is exceptionally good as is the group, Cricklewood. It’s just my taste in music, I guess. It is not only the bands that make this event special. It is the camaraderie; all of our residents in one place enjoying themselves and everyone getting along…no one thinking about politics.

I have to give kudos where they belong so I thank the Chamber and the CRA for Evening on the Avenues.

Wayne Marcinkoski of the CRA raised a legitimate question regarding the administrative fee in order to put on these events. Tom Ramiccio says it costs $700 per event for Evening on the Avenues and that money I understand goes to him and his staff. Mr. Ramiccio requires his staff to be at the Cultural Plaza from 5pm until 6pm on those two nights a month. Wayne asked for a breakdown of that money—who gets what amount. We can’t expect people to work for nothing but the question is fair when it is taxpayer money being doled out. When the Chamber keeps upping the ante in the amount it wants from the CRA, any question is fair.

Contrasts

Diagram of the Earth's seasons as seen from the north

Far right: December solstice

While Commissioner Jennings was having her Winter Solstice Party on Saturday Night, celebrating all good things on the longest darkest night of the year, there was another party one street away on N. D where a person was shot and another stabbed.

The celebration of the Winter Solstice, with an origin of “holy days,” is described as the way human beings mark the sacred times in the yearly cycle of life. The difference in the gatherings is one group attended by many pacifists was talking and thinking about the value of all lives, new beginnings with hope for the future while the other showed that life is not sacred to them at any time of the year.

Locusts are cannibals just like politicians

Enough of the “locust” argument and trying to interpret what or what not Brendan Lynch meant. I have my thoughts on it and you have yours. Everyone gets way too sensitive.

As far as Ed Grimm, another CRA Board member, and if true, stating that he should have stepped on Lynch for using the word Locust to describe some renters and apologizing for Lynch’s statement--who is anyone to “step on” another Board member or for that matter to apologize for someone else. If you are going to go after someone in politics, you go after his voting record, not for something as silly as this.

I remember when Brendan Lynch did that in front of the PB County Commission—apologizing for all of us who were there to speak on our beach. I was ticked off for years…still am. And who cares? There are right ways to do things. We are not Brendan’s parents. We are not Brendan’s school teachers. Brendan is entitled to his ideas just like anyone else. Brendan gave his explanation. And there is nothing further he needs to say.

There are always people who will be offended. So what? Right now they are giving Obama hell for his choice of Rev. Rick Warren, a conservative theologian, to give the invocation at the President’s inauguration. Obama received over 63 million of the popular vote but now the gays and lesbians are offended. Warren is a minister who has personally given and has been directly involved in the eradication of HIV. People never want to see beyond their own agenda and what could be construed as a narrow personal view.

What do cannibals make out of politicians?
Bologna sandwiches.

The Evil Chamber does it again

What once was our main industry, Citrus, was replaced by
Tourism and then Development.
In millions, PB County only produces 4,366 (millions) boxes of citrus yearly with
rural Polk County producing the most, 36,250 boxes.

Also, FHD released the following statement:

Hometown Democracy to ask for rehearing on Florida Chamber of Commerce sponsored, “Vote on Nothing” petition.

In a close, 4-3 ruling this week, the Florida Supreme Court narrowly upheld the constitutional amendment proposed by “Floridians for Smarter Growth.” That Chamber-backed petition was created to foil Florida Hometown Democracy, the people’s reform constitutional amendment that would allow local voters to approve or reject comprehensive growth plan amendments approved by their local elected officials.

In contrast, the “Vote on Nothing” proposal allows a referendum on a growth plan amendment only if 10% of the electorate travel to the office of the supervisor of elections to sign a petition within 60 days of the date of the first signature on the petition. The Hometown Democracy sponsors predict that, because of those impossible logistical hurdles to clear, a referendum occurring under those circumstances would be highly unlikely, which, they assert, is the Chamber’s plan in the first place.

Florida Hometown Democracy will seek rehearing.
..................
It just goes to show you how important FHD is when you have to fight the Chamber of Commerce, builders associations and Judges. Does anyone see how ridiculous this is--requiring 10% of the voters to physically go into the Supervisor of Elections office to sign a petition when the average person can't get off the couch from watching Days of our Lives? This is a joke.

The full opinion is available at this link: CLICK HERE

Today's letter to the Post: CLICK HERE

New relaxed water restrictions

Some areas are going to get to water 3 times a week.
CLICK HERE

Can we get our WASTE WATER back? That was another brilliant decision of the past Commission of Clemens, Vespo and Lowe. Back on March 18th, those Commissioners with ZERO vision, spent too much time discussing whether Wayne Marcinkoski should be kicked off the CRA Board and should have spent more time on this serious 30 year commitment to FPL. As usual, it was a rush deal and we just had to make a decision that night.

Please, Commissioners--don't fall for this bull again.

Headhunter for City Manager

Why bother? What does an HR Director do, anyway? Will we be using Colin Baenziger to recycle resumes again? Nuts. We should be doing this ourselves. Mr. Baenziger did not listen to the public last time. What makes anyone think he will do so now?

The Commission voted 5 to 0 to hire another consultant probably because of the tired lame excuse that city employees either can't do it, won't do it or are too over-worked to do it. Even the Mayor thinks that our HR Director just doesn't have the time to do his job. Recruiting and hiring are two of the top functions of a normal Human Resource Director.

Last time we got a City Manager who did not want us. We kept saying, "but we want you and we will pay you more than any previous City Manager, so pretty please come to Lake Worth and work for us." He did.

Good or bad--it depends upon whose looking

One of our citizens got a call from our City Manager who said to him— I thought you were one of the good citizens. This was after some of the city manager’s practices were questioned.

What exactly is one of the "good" citizens? Is this just a citizen who goes along with any decision that comes out of City Hall? Is it a citizen that never questions, is a doormat to politics and the agenda of the majority in power? I would have been bothered by that remark as well. Thank God there are Sunshine Laws that help protect the citizenry. It’s just one small protection we have and we don’t have much.

The City Commission has made so many awful decisions. A lot of those votes were made as a direct result of information given to them by Staff. After all, who should you trust…a stranger or your paid employees?

Perception is reality. The present CM was supposed to have moved here. His car is rarely spotted in his assigned space at City Hall. One must really live here in order to make fair and objective decisions that affect all the people of Lake Worth and in fact, that is a job requirement. He never moved here. That is a reality.

Jobless rates hits 15 year high

lakeworthmedia.com photo

In November, Palm Beach County's jobless rate rose to 7.6% from 7.5 percent in October and 4.6 percent in November 2007.

St. Lucie County unemployment rose to 10.4 percent from 10.2 percent last month and 6.4 percent a year ago.

Ya'll come on down to Lake Worth. We have an illegal labor hiring hall that says it helps American citizens too!

Prison population just keeps growing

With California having approximately 170,000 prisoners and Texas having 155,000, Florida has now reached 100,000 prisoners. Is it just coincidental that these are the top three states for Illegal Aliens?

Our Beach and Casino property

Ride my bike, walk or take the trolley? Whaaaaaaa trolley?

How long has this been going on now? If you listen to Retha Lowe she says 30 years. The other night it shot up to 40 years. Retha has always exaggerated this subject when it comes to years just like she exaggerates her lack of complicity in election law violations.

This entire mess started when Rodney Romano was Mayor. That is when maintenance stopped on the casino. This is when it was jack-hammered to “prove” that there was so much decay that the building just had to be demolished. This was so all the developer friends of Lake Worth could come in and do the dirty. No money after that was ever put in the CIP to take care of our beach property. Maintenance was so minimal that it was nearly non-existent and in fact, there were many years were no money was budgeted for maintenance. This, in my opinion, was a “criminal” act. Instead of a citizen lawsuit against the City for an outrageous beach lease with and outrageous company, Greater Bay, perhaps it should have been for gross neglect of citizens’ assets.

Obviously, there are still some citizens out here who have their own ideas on what should happen to the beach. Our beach has been designed this way since inception in 1922 after engineering studies concluded that the Casino needed to be erected right where it is today. There have never been any complaints about this and in fact anyone ever asked about the parking wants our upper level access.

Just when we all agree that refurbishing the casino and using the County money to improve the parking, boardwalk etc., is the way to go, we have a CRA member who suggested last year that the casino was dangerous and should be demolished for safety, now coming forward with some "visionary" idea about busing people across the bridge to our beach…no personal cars. His idea-- “encourage trolley, walking or biking to the beach.” He wants the parking for the beach to be downtown Lake Worth. Who wants going to the beach to be inconvenient or an all day hassle? Just imagine Mr. Smith going to the beach with his cooler and his four kids with that idea in place. Sorry, what ever have you been smoking? :)

If there is anyone else out there who just does not understand what the majority of people want for their beach, ask Dave Vespo. I believe that he finally gets it.

Right or Wrong

Everyone has been very quite when it comes to the Chamber of Commerce and the Tom Ramiccio incident. Oh, there's been a lot of rumbling but no action. It was reprehensible but if the merchants who are members can’t give their own sanctions or demonstrate in protest of his action, then why should the rest of us get involved?

Everyone has been mighty quiet on the Retha Lowe elections violations. Why is that? Is everyone really that scared to ask her to step down? Javier, a citizen with whom I rarely agree, stood up for principle at the City Commission meeting and spoke out chastising Commissioner Lowe. He was right. All the rest of us were wrong for being silent.

Both the above actions were wrong. Ms. Lowe’s was more serious.

A new city manager

At the Commission meeting the other night, CM Bob Baldwin said that we should hire someone with City Management experience and that we should hire a headhunter to find that person.

I would like to see us hire the best city administrator in the country. I don’t care the price. We are in serious need of someone who can manage. However, how do you really know who the right person is? Resumes and references are one thing but I have always said that you don’t know what someone is truly about until you sign on the dotted line. Not all caterpillars transform into butterflies just as not all city managers are effective or meet our expectations. There are always surprises and things occur that we never expected, not in a million years.

I don’t necessarily believe that the next city manager we hire has to have city management experience. He should, however, live in this city. We hired Paul Boyer, right? We hired Bob Baldwin who has never really wanted to be our city manager. Perhaps we should consider thinking out of the box.

There are many effective people right here living in our City who could handle this job. I say look closer to home. Give a one year contract with the right not to renew or give out an exorbitant severance package. Listen to the citizens in what they want as a City Manager. You did not do that last time.

Robin Hood was a thug

Don’t even go there. This has nothing to do with my supposed lack of compassion for the downtrodden, the poor, the deadbeats, the homeless, or even the illegals who are in a special category all of their own. We have at least two hundred Socialists as well as the ACLU and their kids in this city that make up for anything I lack in the compassion department.

What this is about is the beginning of handing over our city to every needy group in the universe. Next we will have the entire country of Haiti invited to live here. Who in the heck gave us the right to turn over city buildings or city property to any group because we have commissioners who are bleeding hearts? Who? Oh, you say it is a greater power that our commissioners answer to. They answer to us, the taxpayer.

What this is about is Socialism. Socialism has been a dismal failure throughout the world and those who seem to believe in its doctrine are a lot of intellectuals, the educated, and the social planners who want to tell us what is best for us. They want to take my chips. They want to take what you have worked hard to get and give it to someone who doesn’t want to work and just wants a handout. They feel guilty that they have a pot to pee in and the other person doesn’t. They have told me that I should come back as a Guatemalan in my next life implying that I just don’t understand their plight. My response was, I would come to the U.S. legally.


What this is also about are Commissioners losing focus as to what they are elected to do in this city. One of our Socialistic Commissioners stated the reason she voted for a management company at the golf course was because we have more important issues to deal with in our City. This is what we elect our officials to do—make the tough decisions that are in the best interest of our citizens, maintain our property, be fiscally responsible and not make decisions that are adversarial to the welfare of our taxpayers. The golf course is one of our most important assets--200 acres of pristine waterfront property. It is very important that we make the right decision here. This company wants a four year contract. Did anyone have a copy of it? Were there any other companies bidding on this management deal?

We are becoming more and more of a welfare state. Just because you were born does not give you the right to have it all. Here in this country you are given all the rights under our Constitution. Everyone is given the tools to become successful just by being citizens here. There is nothing in our Constitution that says we need to take it all from those who worked hard and were productive and give it all to the poor. That was Robin Hood.

The Start

MERRY X'MAS to all and to all a good night!

If you are not homeless, don't show up.

This was at the very end of a very long meeting and it was unclear who was putting on this X'mas Soup Kitchen--private citizen or a group. Does anyone know? The Commission voted to waive the normal fee for using our pavilion.

Order of Probable Cause

It seems that the Florida Elections Commission in Tallahassee views Commissioner Lowe's transgressions as not just mistakes as Retha tried to tell us at last night's meeting.

It appears that Respondent prepared and filed false reports for the purpose of preventing the public from finding out the actual source of the contributions discussed herein prior to the election.

CLICK HERE FOR REPORT