One of the oldest and most popular ploys in politics is giving voters the impression that you are supporting a measure you really are not in favor of, and many programs have passed into law only to fail for lack of funding…
In Royal Palm Beach, our current mayor and council can’t get together and fund $17,000 for the inspector general’s office. Now, some might say that’s because these are hard times and great care must be taken, and the reason for the amount thoroughly discussed and proven to be in the best interests of the good residents of Royal Palm Beach. Of course, by the same token, they had no trouble allocating about $57,000 for fireworks on the Fourth of July.
This is clearly another example of pretending to support an issue that 70 percent of the residents and at least one county commissioner, Jess Santamaria, are in favor of, and then postponing meetings and voting. The current mayor obviously feels that he will be more popular entertaining the residents of Royal Palm Beach than putting in place a much-needed watchdog whose job it is to change the name of “Corruption County” to a name more fitting the residents of Palm Beach County.
Richard Nielsen
Royal Palm Beach
Have no fear. The Inspector General’s office will be funded by the county at taxpayer expense. If anyone should be criticized it is the county commission that approved a $3.5 million dollar budget for the IG’s office.
There is absolutely no way that the original funding plan will be sufficient to support a $3.5 million dollar a year IG agency. And I was perhaps the first voice to say that the funding mechanism was flawed and should be struck down by the courts.
The promotion to create the IG’s office was that it would not cost taxpayers one red cent. The funding was advertized as one quarter of one percent of the cost of “building permits”. Now perhaps I got that wrong and it was suppose to be based on the contract price; in any event, I am dubious that the IG will not cost taxpayers.
Some municipalities are still in court and withholding funds is prudent in my opinion. I expect the municipalities to win the law suit.
Palm Beach County gained the dubious reputation of being corrupt because of outstanding police work and a brilliant State Attorney. Ask yourself how much corruption goes undetected in other counties. 70% of the voters had no more a idea about what they were voting for than they did when they voted for “change”. Just because 70% of the voters want something it doesn’t mean it’s necessary or even smart.