I have been a businessman and resident of the village for 16 years. During that time, I have attended many Royal Palm Beach Village Council meetings, especially when the council’s agenda included controversial issues. What I have taken away from those meetings is that Dave Swift is clearly the most qualified candidate running in this election cycle.
Dave’s record of service speaks for itself. He has served 29 years as village councilman and vice mayor, as well as former chairman of the Planning & Zoning Commission. He brings a wealth of land planning, development knowledge and village history to the council.
His strong science background and 34 years with the South Florida Water Management District have provided him with a regional view of growth and development issues in the western communities. As chairman of the Western Communities Council, Dave and his WCC board members continue to push for the extension of State Road 7.
During Dave’s tenure, he has voted to reduce taxes (Royal Palm Beach has third-lowest property tax rate in Palm Beach County), improve public safety and emergency response times, and supported key village land sales that have benefited our residents. Today, the village has $87.9 million in reserves, Royal Palm Beach Commons Park is paid off and the village is debt free!
Dave strongly supports the village’s strategic planning process where members of the public and council meet annually to discuss where the village is headed and help lay out a 5-year plan to get there.
I also support his efforts to develop a senior citizens transportation and mobility plan that will allow seniors to stay in their homes when they can no longer drive.
Although all of the above are important, his most important quality is that he listens to and supports our residents. He has demonstrated many times that he is not afraid to stand up to developers, even when they threaten his political future and Royal Palm Beach’s development.
Ron Blicksilver, Royal Palm Beach
