The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 76
Local Democrat activists want Ramos as candidate instead of Mahoney
As Martin County Democratic party leaders sit frozen, deer-in-the-headlights style, local rank-and-file members have begun pushing for disgraced Congressman Tim Mahoney to step aside. They want the Florida Democratic Party to name Bill Ramos as candidate in Mahoney’s place.
It’s too late to change the printed ballots, but if a switch were made, votes cast for Mahoney could be credited to Ramos or another replacement candidate. Ramos recently lost the state rep primary because of huge Palm Beach contributions and St. Lucie votes garnered by his opponent. However, Ramos did win the vote in Martin County , where he lives and works.
Representative of the effort to replace Mahoney is the following e-mail being sent by Democratic activists to Florida Democratic Party Chair Karen Thurman (email@fladems.com):
Please remove Tim Mahoney from the ballot and designate Bill Ramos to run in his place. We will work very hard in District 16 to let the voters know that a vote for Mahoney on the ballot is REALLY a vote for Bill Ramos, an intelligent, dedicated, well-known, honest, moral politician. We do not want Mr. Mahoney's recent record to prevent our local Democratic candidates from winning their elections in Martin County .
Mahoney should recognize that he is a politically walking deadman, same as Foley was two years ago. He should step aside, but so far he’s hanging tough, It’s a good day for Republican Tom Rooney.
WE’RE GETTING (UNWANTED) NATIONAL ATTENTION
The sight of another elected official dragooning his wife to sit - Spitzer-like - in pitiful silence as her husband tries to weasel word excuses, combined with the coincidence of Mahoney’s sex scandal immediately following one by former Congressman Mark Foley, seems to be too delicious for the national media to ignore.
In commenting on the situation in Florida ’s 16th Congressional District, Fox’s Greta Van Susteren wryly observed: “It must be something in the water down there.” Over at NBC, Jay Leno heaped some scathing humor on Mahoney.
Hearings on legality of two pro-sprawl amendments to the Comp Plan
The majority on the County Commission passed two amendments to the Comprehensive Plan that were favored by developer interests. One is the so-called Valliere Rural Cluster Amendment that allows cluster housing development in agricultural areas. The other is an amendment allowing the extension of public utilities outside the primary Urban Services Boundary. Both undermine the protections of the Comp Plan, and are likely to foster the kind of sprawl that has been so harmful to other counties.
The Martin County Conservation Al liance and the 1000 Friends of Florida have filed legal challenges to the two amendments noted. According to the Conservation Al liance, hearings will be held next month. The first, on Nov. 17, 2008, will be held in the workshop meeting room, fourth floor of the County Administration Building , at 1:00 pm. The next two hearings will be in the Armstrong Room of the Blake Library on Nov. 18 & 19. The final two are scheduled back at the workshop meeting room on Nov. 20 & 21. Meetings are open to the public.
The hearings could become moot if the commission candidates supported by the DEFENDER are elected on Nov. 4 because they are committed to rescinding the Valliere Amendment, and may also do so for the utility extension amendment. The preferred quality-of-life candidates are: Joan Wilcox (District 1), Martha Bennett (District 3), and John Patteson (District 5).
Recapturing the Commission by electing these three best commission candidates is achievable if slow growth advocates don’t split the vote.
•••NO MORE 2004•••
Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment ready for 2010 ballot
Despite the incompetence or obstruction of election officials in other counties, the not-me irresponsibility of the Florida Secretary of State, and unsavory tactics by the state’s developer growth machine, the petition drive for the Florida Hometown Democracy (FHD) Amendment has gathered the required signatures to be on the ballot in 2010.
To get on the ballot, the petition drive requires 611,009 verified signatures statewide. FHD submitted some 850,000. Furthermore, the law requires that the petition include 8% of registered voters voting in the last presidential election in at least 13 of the state’s 25 congressional districts. Over 611,009 signatures have already been verified. Small additions may be needed, depending on the upcoming Nov. 4 election.
The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 77
The frozen-out Republicans
HALF OF THE COUNTY’S REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THE PARTY’S INSIDE DECISION MAKING
About half of all Martin County registered voters are Republicans. Though they may differ on the details, they generally favor business support, environmental protection and limited spending. However, based on the District 1 and 5 Primary Elections, about half of those Republicans favor more restrictive development, greater protection of neighborhoods, and opposition to Comp Plan amendments designed to accelerate growth. Those are the Republicans who are finding an increasingly unwelcome reception by the other half - sometimes subtle, often brazen - in the party’s inner councils.
Let’s be more specific about those inner councils. Within the party, there are such influential groups as the Republican Executive Committee, the Council of 100, and the Republican Club of Martin County. Many of the financiers and foot soldiers come from such organizations as the Chambers of Commerce, Economic Council, and Future Group. Speak up in some of these groups as being in favor of rescinding the Valliere Amendment, or increasing impact fees, or not extending public utilities beyond the primary Urban Service boundary, or keeping giant warehouses from looming over homes – to take a few of many examples – and you are likely to be treated like the proverbial skunk at the garden party.
With new Democratic voter registration outstripping that of Republicans, this exclusionary sentiment does not bode well for the Republican Party in the years ahead. And that is a shame because the basic Republican philosophy has so much merit. A bigger political tent is needed, not a smaller one. We don’t need reformers to be mislabeled “not real Republicans” by insiders in control.
The long term solution is balance, compromise and working out differences between opposing views. Both sides need to welcome each other in their inner councils. The short term solution is to send a strong message to those now at the top of the Republican power structure that money from Big Sugar, the growth machine and its allies can not buy our votes.
About half of voting residents in the recent Republican primary voted for quality-of-life candidates Henry Copeland, Ian Pollack and John Born. They – and independents who did not get the opportunity to do so – can make sure their voices are heard by voting for two long term active Republicans running without party blessing: Joan Wilcox (District 1) and John Patteson (District 5). And for those Democrats willing to support the best qualified candidates, irrespective of party affiliation, Wilcox and Patteson should be appealing.
This is the year of national Republican maverick reformers who stood up to the old establishment to improve the party. It can happen in Martin County as well.
BLIND LOYALTY DEPARTMENT
“We do still support Tim Mahoney” - Pat Emmert, President,
Palm Beach-Treasure Coast AFL-CIO
Undecided voters really aren’t
A recent issue of Science carried a research report that people who think they are undecided about an issue often have made up their mind at an unconscious level. Using a computer-based psychological tool called the “implicit association test,” the researchers were able to predict with a high degree of accuracy whether study participants who sincerely considered themselves undecided would later be for or against a candidate or political viewpoint.
Participants were asked to respond as quickly as possible to word and picture cues by pressing a negative or positive key as directed. The reaction time difference between groups was small, about 100 to 200 milliseconds. However, the delay was long enough to predict their eventual positions.
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For a free subscription to The Martin County Defender, send request with “Subscribe” in the subject line to: mcdefender@gmail.com
Comments and requests to unsubscribe may be sent to this same address.
Al
Al Forman, Editor 10/25/08
The Martin County Defender is published and Copyright 2008 by WordsmithAmerica,
Box 1828 , Palm City , FL 34991 . Al l rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for public or private use, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. NOTICE: Al l correspondence not bearing legal copyright notice which is sent to the Defender or its editor is subject to being edited and published.
All previous issues of the Defender are archived at our website:
The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 78
NOV. 4, 2008
COUNTY COMMISSION ELECTION
Number of candidates: There were 14 initial ballot candidates for the three Commission slots (a write-in and a couple that dropped out early are not counted). 8 were Republicans, 4 Democrats, and 2 No Party Affiliation (NPA). 9 of the 14 were in contested Primary races. 8 of the 14 made it to the General Election - 3 Republicans, 3 Democrats, 2 NPA.
Congratulations …. and Condolences
We congratulate the successful Martin County Commission candidates – Doug Smith in District 1, Patrick Hayes in District 3, and Ed Ciampi in District 5 - on their election victories. The condolences we offer are, perhaps perversely, to the winners rather than the losers. This sympathy is a recognition of the tough job commissioners will face in these difficult economic times; the requirement that they spend the large amount of time necessary to learn the full implications of decisions they will make; and the paramount need for patience and understanding in dealing with citizens who feel passionately about our community. It’s a weighty obligation.
Financial analysis of the election
Campaign expenditures: A total of about $765,000 was spent by all of the Primary and General campaigns, including an estimated $35,000 which has not yet been reported. This is a record amount, especially notable in this depressed economy. About 60% of the total was spent during contested primaries.
Not included in the $765,000 are substantial amounts spent by independent groups. For example, the Keep Martin Green committee spent $129,065 this year for various issues and candidate positions.
Biggest spenders: For the Primary and General Elections, Doug Smith is expected to have spent about $200,000, Ed Ciampi and Lee Weberman over $100,000 each, mostly from business/developer related sources. They have claimed that such generous contributions will not affect their decisions on the Commission. These three alone accounted for more than half of the campaign expenditures by all 14 candidates. The median total campaign expenditure for the eight final candidates was $43,910.
Money matters – but not always: In the District 3 Primary, incumbent Lee Weberman outspent fellow Republican challenger Patrick Hayes $108,305 to $25,489, but still lost. So if enough people are fed up with a candidate, even a 4-to-1 money advantage will not save him. But in all General Election Districts, it was the biggest spenders who won.
Voting analysis of the election
THERE IS NO SINGLE FACTOR THAT DETERMINES VICTORY.
The four factors that seem to determine who will win are:
– Running on the Republican ticket
– Spending the most money
– Having multiple opponents split the vote
- Being better known
In District 1: Running on the Republican line, Doug Smith spent more money by far than his two opponents combined. As an eight-year incumbent, he is well known. Furthermore, those two opponents split the Preservationist or slow-growth electorate. Since there is no runoff thanks to the state law of several years ago, which one can call The Incumbent Protection Act, Smith was elected by a plurality (49.29%), not a majority.
In District 3: Running on the Republican line, Patrick Hayes outspent his Democratic opponent, a lesser known political newcomer.
In District 5: Running as the official Republican candidate, Ed Ciampi also spent far more than his opponents.
This election underscores the importance of the Primary election. So much money was spent on it because it turns out to be the election.
Wrap-up
Even with two new faces, the new Commission will have more or less the same composition as the previous one – 4-to-1 in support of Expansionist or faster-growth proposals. If Preservationists want to prevail, they will need a more unified leadership.
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For a free subscription to The Martin County Defender, send request with “Subscribe” in the subject line to: mcdefender@gmail.com
Comments and requests to unsubscribe may be sent to this same address.
Al
Al Forman, Editor 11/5/08
The Martin County Defender is published and Copyright 2008 by WordsmithAmerica, Box 1828, Palm City, FL 34991. All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for public or private use, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. NOTICE: All correspondence not bearing legal copyright notice which is sent to the Defender or its editor is subject to being edited and published.
All previous issues of the Defender are archived at our website:
The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 79
A closer look at County Commission election results
We all know that the three Republican candidates for the County Commission won the 2008 election, the three Democratic candidates lost, and the two NPA (No Party Affiliation) candidates lagged far behind. However, there is something to be learned by examining the voting patterns more closely.
Despite numerous General Election dissimilarities from District to District – with and without a third candidate; with and without an incumbent; vast differences in funding and personalities - the vote differentials between the Republican and Democratic candidates were remarkably close to one another: 11%, 12% and 15%, respectively. Even though the District 1 Democrat ran a more aggressive campaign and had twice as much campaign money as the District 5 Democrat, they polled almost the same number of votes – 38% and 39%.
The Primary Election was a very different situation. The generously funded Republican incumbents in Districts 1 and 3 faced challengers with different ideas, and much less money. Nevertheless, The District 1 incumbent barely squeaked by with 188 more votes, while the District 3 incumbent was upset and beaten handily.
WHAT PRACTICAL LESSONS ARE TO BE LEARNED FROM THIS FACTUAL HODGEPODGE?
Registered voters: Republican-50,460 / Democrat-29,299 / Other-21,442
1 – Martin County is Republican. Even with a massive 2008 national and state shift toward the Democrats, the local election proved that the path to election is through the Republican Party. It has been many years since a Democrat sat on the Commission, and it may be many more before it happens again.
2 – The place to duke it out over policy differences between different segments of our residents is in the Republican Primary election. 60% of campaign money was spent there, and for good reason. In effect it determined the winners. For more voices to be heard, more Democrats and Independents would have to make the easy switch in party affiliation to Republican – at least temporarily – no doubt much to the chagrin and displeasure of leaders of both parties. If more citizens had done this, there surely would be at least one different person sitting on the Commission. This is hard-nosed political reality.
ADVICE TO FASTER GROWTH EXPANSIONISTS
To win, keep doing what you’ve been doing, and hope that the slower growth Preservationists continue to split their vote election after election. However, you will be better served in the long term by staying away from a grow-at-any-price philosophy. In working to attract the right type of new businesses, it would be wise to reject the kind of costly incentive subsidization that has placed great financial burden on taxpayers in other counties, with minimal benefit. Keep pushing the Life Science Initiative. We need that kind of growth, not rooftops in rural land. To minimize divisive ire, do not let industry encroach on residential neighborhoods.
ADVICE TO SLOWER GROWTH PRESERVATIONISTS
Don’t keep doing the same thing over and over and expect different results. Einstein called that insanity. For the present, shift your focus away from slow growth – there is no growth now – and oppose only those developer promoted changes that will erode our Comp Plan and eventually bring sprawl and harm our quality of life. The majority of residents support such protections. However, in these depressed times residents also want to hear positive plans to improve the economy, not knee-jerk negative reactions. Continue your vitally important good fight to protect the environment, to oppose spot zoning, and to make growth – when it comes – pay for itself.
ADVICE TO ADVOCATES OF ALL STRIPES
Be flexible rather than intransigent. Martin residents want both to improve our economy and to maintain our quality of life. To achieve this goal, we need to consult with one another, and to moderate our more extreme preferences. It’s for the common good. The greatest obligation to improve our community falls on the incoming Commission. Commissioner receptivity to a multi-partisan consensus will determine whether constructive cooperation or bitter antagonism will prevail.
After all, they represent all residents, not just those who financed their campaigns.
NOTE: The above advice is not just the fuzzy minded counsel of one editor. Rather it is a compilation, a condensed quintessential essence of many views expressed in e-mails received by the DEFENDER.
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? The answer in computerese is “404” – unknown. But allowing accommodation to replace greed and anger will go a long way toward achieving constructive solutions. We can do it!
WINNERS ANNOUNCED
2008 Political Seer of the Year
To stir voting interest in Issue No. 75, the DEFENDER presented the “2008 Political Seer of the Year” contest for readers to predict who would win election to the three Commission seats – and by what percent of the vote. Prizes include an award plaque plus First Prize $75 cash; Second Prize $25 gift certificate for Manero’s Restaurant in Palm City; and Third Prize $20 gift certificate for Carrabbas Italian Grill in Stuart.
FIRST PLACE award goes to Jim Dragseth who was born in Stuart, lives there, and is president of Whiticar Boat Works. He correctly predicted the winners within an average of 2.95 percentage points of the District vote. Mr. Dragseth has directed that his prize be donated to the Environmental Studies Council in Jensen Beach.
SECOND PLACE award goes to Daniel Churchill of Jensen Beach, a marketing and management consultant, and a three year resident of Martin County. He correctly predicted the winners within an average of 3.36 percentage points of the District vote.
THIRD PLACE award goes to Dave Kuiper of Palm City, a business owner, and a sixteen year resident of Martin County. He correctly predicted the winners within an average of 3.97 percentage points of the District vote.
Congratulations to the winners, and an appreciative Thank You to all who participated.
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For a free subscription to The Martin County Defender, send request with “Subscribe” in the subject line to:
Comments and requests to unsubscribe may be sent to this same address.
Al
Al Forman, Editor 11/11/08
The Martin County Defender is published and Copyright 2008 by WordsmithAmerica, Box 1828, Palm City, FL 34991. All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for public or private use, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. NOTICE: All correspondence not bearing legal copyright notice which is sent to the Defender or its editor is subject to being edited and published.
All previous issues of the Defender are archived at our website:
The Martin County
Defender
The e-newsletter for aware citizens – No. 80
New County Commission needs to pursue these four vital goals
In April 2008, a survey of 1,500 Martin residents found that 78.2% thought the County Commission was doing a poor or very poor job. We hope the incoming Commission with two new faces will do better.
1 – UNITE RESIDENTS AND REDUCE DIVISIVENESS
Our commissioners will have to make critical and difficult decisions in the days ahead. They will need the goodwill and support of residents, which they can earn by accommodating a range of diverse views. On the occasional major issue that splits the community, give a referendum serious consideration. Commissioners must demonstrate that they are fair and open-minded, not scripted by special interests or personal vindictiveness. On their first day, Nov. 18, the new Commission was off to a rotten start. [See article below.]
2 – WORK TO PRESERVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE
Our commissioners must refrain from actions that harm residential neighborhoods, cause traffic jams, induce sprawl, or negate the protections in our Comp Plan. Try hard to minimize the pain that reduced services will cause. Recognize that decisions that harm the environment are often irreversible.
3 – IMPROVE OUR ECONOMY
Coordinate your efforts with civic, business, financial and educational groups to bring desirable new industry to the county. The Life Science Initiative is a good start, but it will take time. There is plenty of industrial zoned land ready for new and expanding businesses. Recognize that the old economic model, which fostered low pay service jobs and overbuilding, must be substantially changed.
4 – STOP WASTING TAX DOLLARS!
Watch every dollar as if it comes out of your own pocket. Learn from the mistakes of the previous Commission that spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on needless consultants. Don’t make another costly sweetheart labor contract with a politically influential union, while other employees get the crumbs … and layoffs. Follow the sage advice of the Martin County Taxpayers Association: Use a professional labor negotiator to deal with unions. Shouldn’t you be collecting rent for county buildings used for free by private organizations? Can departments be combined to save money? Which capital projects can be postponed? Have you fully explored public-private partnerships?
We count on the Commission to keep Martin the best county in Florida.
Stuart News urges Commission to name Sarah Heard chairman, but majority makes small-minded decision…again
On numerous occasions we have criticized the Stuart News for its candidate endorsements and for its favorable positions on issues that Commissioner Sarah Heard opposed. However, we salute their editors as a class act for its editorial that “the two-term commissioner should be given the gavel and allowed to lead the meetings.” Since 2003, the Commission majority has denied Heard this position, while all the other commissioners assumed the chair once or twice. This is nothing but a petty vendetta because Heard voted Nay on various decisions approved by the majority.
The News editorial pointed out that “It matters little that Heard advocates slow growth … because the chief responsibilities of the chair are procedural.” We are sadly disappointed that the new Commission majority, instead, chose Susan Valliere again. There may be two new faces on the Commission, but the small-minded rejection legacy lives on.
State hears appeal to overturn amendments allowing rural clusters and utility extensions
Florida Administrative Law Judge J.L. Scott has come to Stuart for Nov. 18, 19, 20 and 21 hearings to determine the legality of two amendments to the Comp Plan: The So-called Valliere Rural Cluster Amendment, and the amendment to extend public utility lines outside the Primary Urban Services Boundary. The hearing is based on a complaint as to the legality of the amendments which were filed by the Martin County Conservation Alliance and the 1,000 Friends of Florida.
The main players were the complainants’ environmental attorney, Richard Grosso, of the Everglades Law Center, and David Acton, Senior Assistant County Attorney. Witnesses and intervenors were allowed to speak, but not the public. Present were 13 lawyers, assistants and others connected to the complainants. The hearing was well publicized in the newspaper and via many e-mails, yet only six uninvolved citizens attended – a dramatically poor showing in the Blake Library’s huge Armstrong room.
During a break, I asked the judge when a decision could be expected. He said his recommendation would not go to the state in a week, and then other authorities had to consider it.
BUSINESS RECESSION FIELD REPORT
My grandson’s lemonade stand is failing because of lower cost competition from the supermarket. He plans to extend the life of his business by asking for a piece of the federal bailout-rescue fund.
For a free subscription to The Martin County Defender, send request with “Subscribe” in the subject line to: mcdefender@gmail.com
Comments and requests to unsubscribe may be sent to this same address.
Al
Al Forman, Editor 11/20/08
The Martin County Defender is published and Copyright 2008 by WordsmithAmerica, Box 1828, Palm City, FL 34991. All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for public or private use, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. NOTICE: All correspondence not bearing legal copyright notice which is sent to the Defender or its editor is subject to being edited and published.
All previous issues of the Defender are archived at our website: