It’s Just Politics | Political Events and Happenings

If you happen to live in EASTERN Tamarac, this blog post is directed at YOU !!! YOU are paying taxes to the City of Tamarac. Your Police & Fire services (supposedly) come from Tamarac. You do pay a sizable Fire Department fee. YOU need to know what’s happening in your City.

It seems as if every major thoroughfare in the City of Tamarac is under construction: Way out West Commercial Boulevard; Pine Island Road; Nob Hill Road. Then there are the “parks”: The old service station at Pine Island & Commercial; Waterside (???) Park at University and NW 61st Street; little pieces of green adjoining major roadways. I wonder if the grass will survive, given the auto emissions polluting their environment.

Major development is under way…in WESTERN Tamarac. Do you wonder what’s happening EAST of NW 70th Avenue? Well,
let me give you a few clues.

There is NO Fire Station in Tamarac that is east of State Road #7, (441). The closest Tamarac Fire Station is just east of the Turnpike, on Commercial. THAT station, however, is set to be abandoned. Another station is being considered on the Northeast corner of Rock Island Road & Commercial. Certainly being west of the Turnpike, on a roadway that is notoriously backed-up, does not bode well for fire protection in EASTERN Tamarac.

In fact, if you check the records, you’ll see Lauderdale Lakes and Oakland Park Fire Departments responding often in the City of Tamarac, (east side only). I wonder if those departments have the same staffing as does Tamarac, (3 people, at least 2 paramedics, on a rescue truck). I wonder if the “Fire Department fees” in those municipalities are less than Tamarac’s. If I am paying a fire department fee, I want THAT fire department to respond if I have an emergency.

I wonder why Tamarac was so eager to annex that unincorpor-
ated area just off of Prospect Road, and north of Commercial Boulevard? You do know, don’t you, that the first annexation plan did not pass? NOT ONE PERSON came out to vote for it, or against it.

Maybe THAT’S why the City of Tamarac seems to be ignoring the area…the area has ignored the City. If those residents continue to do so, it just may impact their health and welfare.
They’re part of the “OLD” Tamarac, the retirement Mecca of 70 and 80 somethings, even though Tamarac residents east of 441 are somewhat younger than those on the west side.

Here’s another clue that city officials are dismissing the eastern area of Tamarac. They’re modifying the strict restrictions placed on Prestige Homes, the company that has taken over the Sabal Palm & Monterey Golf Courses.

One of the restrictions required the developer to pay the City of Tamarac $500,000. before the first building permit was issued, (that might be the first Certificate of Occupancy). Well, we know times are tough, and we’re willing to bend…BUT, the City is NOT playing fairly.

Originally, that $500,000 was marked for use for only two, (eastside), properties; A park that Prestige was donating land to construct, on the north side of Commercial; and, the “Fire Station” property, at Rock Island & Commercial. Prestige applied to modify the agreement.

Instead of the entire sum, up front, Prestige proposed to give the City a proportioned amount for each CO obtained for the residences. That’s fair. The economic situation is tough. The aim is not to bankrupt Prestige, but to find a workable solution where all of the conditions are met, but offering the developer more time. That’s okay.

Tamarac officials, though, had another idea. Another swipe at the “eastsiders”. Instead of committing the money to the eastside locations, the City of Tamarac inserted a little “escape clause” in the modification of restrictions. They want that $500,000. to be used for ANY municipal purpose. SLAP.

Perhaps they’re planning a block party, or an election victory party. What they’re NOT doing is treating eastsiders with dignity and respect. They need to leave their Pine Island Road offices, their Nob Hill Road offices, and take a good look at Tamarac, EAST of NW 70th Avenue. They are the redheaded stepchildren of the City of Tamarac. Paying taxes to a city that treats them like Cinderella’s stepsisters treated her.

Sooner or later, eastsiders are going to open that window, stick their heads out, and shout, “I’ve had enough, and I’m not going to take it anymore.” That day will come. And, there’s an election in November. The eastsiders WILL vote for the Mayor. Part of District 2 is on the eastside. We’ll see if “politics” wins, and the City continues to ignore the east side. We’ll see if those on the east side decide to finally DO something.

They Gave Us the BIRD !!!!

In the last election for Tamarac City Commission, District 2, I was the “unsuccessful” candidate…that means I lost.
One of the items that residents had told me that they thought important, was the televising of city meetings. I also thought that that was a priority, and I used that fact as part of my campaign. Like I said, I did not win.

HOWEVER, the successful mayoral candidate ALSO said that she wanted televised meetings. In fact, when she had run, 3 years prior, that was a major part of her Commission campaign…transparency through TV.

I, as an individual, certainly supported the current Mayor’s initial Commission campaign. I walked the streets; I knocked on doors; I supported the candidate for Commissioner who was supporting televising meetings; I supported the candidate who wanted to make the government more transparent; I supported the first time candidate. She said to me, and to other voters, that she wanted the City Commission meetings televised. Well, that hasn’t happened.

When questions popped up in the public comments section of city commission meetings, the answer was simple. It’s too expensive.” At one time, the amount of $100,000. was thrown out as the cost of televising. So, I suppose that the “Commissioners” thought that that was too great an amount to spend on keeping citizens informed.

In a Sun-Sentinel story a few weeks ago, (March 9, 2009), reporter Lisa Huriash reported Commissioners’ salaries at$27,000. per year, (the Mayor’s salary was reported at $31,000. per year). Lisa went on to report that, in addition to the salary, there was additional compensation.

There’s a $700. per month car allowance, (add $8400. to the salary of $27,000. per year =$35,400). Then, there’s the $50. per month cell phone allowance, (add $600 to the accumulated salary of $35,400=$36,000.) Then, there’s the MEDICAL benefits, the PENSION benefits, the DISABILITY benefits, and the RETIREMENT benefits.

Using a MINIMUM possible dollar amount from those benefits, let’s judiciously add no more than $8,000. to the already accumulated salary. That means that each Commissioner is reaping, (I REALLY wanted to say RAPING), $44,000. each year from THE TAXPAYERS IN TAMARAC.

Gee, if each of them cut their salary in HALF,(5 X $44,000= $220,000 divided by 2 =$110,000), that would leave $110,000. available to fund the TELEVISING OF CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS. Of course, that would mean that our poor city commissioners would be forced to live on a mere $1834. PER MONTH, for a PART TIME JOB!!!! (That’s almost $500. per week, with an entire STAFF to do the real work). And…the residents of Tamarac would be able to watch their government in action…on TV…Comcast, DirecTV, or Dish…transparent government…right before your eyes.

But no. Transparency, universal access, ease of use, we’re talking basic television set, was NOT in the City Official’s plan. I mean, how EASY could it be? The citizen, (voter), turns on the television at 7:00 PM on the second Wednesday of the month. If the voter isn’t going to be home, there’s the VCR, TIVO, or whatever is developed next week. Come the 4th Wednesday, at 9:00 AM, SAME SCENARIO !!! Either watch it or tape it.

Either way, the students, taxpayers, and other residents of Tamarac can actually WATCH how our city government works. What a beautiful thing!!!

Is that what the city government of Tamarac did? HELL NO !!! They went with something else. Something that the city employee who devised the plan called, “…something for the technically elite” TWITTER !!!!
TWEET !!!! TWEET !!!! TWEET !!!!

It sounds like exactly what it is…a BIRD!!! The citizens wanted to see their government in action. As if lifting a middle finger to their constituency, the elected officials of Tamarac denied the citizens’ request. Instead, they gave their taxpayers THE BIRD !!!

Goodbye “Home Rule”
Welcome “Communism”

Oh boy !!!! As a feminist, I could not have ever envisioned myself defending Ronda Storms. She is anti every program that empowers women in the State of Florida. However, she touched a nerve in Tamarac, and hopefully, the backlash will bring a microscope into the City’s budget, salaries, and spending.

The bill being offered by Storms would cap some elected and appointed city officials’ salaries. The base line was $65,000.
In Tamarac, I think that the only person affected would be the City Manager, Jeff Miller, and I’m not even sure that his “hiring” counts as an appointment…maybe. The bill demands a 5% pay cut this year and eliminates any possibility of a bonus. Okay, so…

Commissioner Harry Dressler went into his “performance”, decrying home rule, autonomy, the invalidation of contracts, (there’s the Jeff Miller connection), and wage control. I’ve seen these histrionics before…when he was castigating Broward Legislative Delegation leader, Senator Jeremy Ring,

Dressler called him, “A first term Senator”, and questioned Ring’s ability to know exactly what was going on in the City of Tamarac. Dressler actually shed (crocodile) tears at that meeting. He, better than anyone else, knew this place. After all, his mother had lived there for awhile. He called Senator Ring’s perception of the Active Senior Living Residence, on NW 57th Street, totally wrong. He stated, (this is not an exact quote, but close), that, “Those people living there have no idea where they are. They all have Alzheimer’s. They don’t consider this their home, they don’t even know where they are.”

His dramatics then are being mirrored by today’s episode. He underestimated both the citizens of Tamarac and State Senator Jeremy Ring. People demonstrated against a city proposal, endorsed by Dressler & every other elected Tamarac official, which would have placed an enormous assessment on the Active Senior site & two or three others in the area. The purpose of the assessment was for “infrastructure” in the city’s “vision” for Main Street. The terms were draconian. If the entire City Commission were not of the Jewish faith, the term “Shylock” may have come into play. That is how drastic the terms of the assessment were…notice I said were.

Public protest worked. The first term elected official, Senator Jeremy Ring, actually did know what was going on in the City of Tamarac…and he put a STOP to it. Thank you, my Senator. If Commissioner Dressler ever apologized to Senator Ring, he did it in private, it was never publicly aired.

As an aside, Commissioner Dressler did not act alone. Every one of the City Commissioners went along with the City Manager’s plan…to tax those properties standing in the way of Main Street…right out of existence. Fortunately, Jeremy Ring stepped in to prevent this terrible miscarriage of justice by a government out of control.

So now, Commissioner Dressler is not happy with a proposal to limit salaries of some city officials. Might that have something to do with the guarantee that the Commission wrote into the City manager’s contract?? You know, the 5% raise each year until he decides to retire?? This addendum to his contract being written and enacted in the midst of the greatest economic crisis that our country has seen in more than 70 years??? Well, maybe not. I’m sure that Commissioner Dressler is aware that at least 95% of Tamarac’s residents are unaware of the guarantee.

To add a little fuel to the fire, the Sun-Sentinel reported that, “…Commissioners’ salaries are $27,000. per year.” The mayor’s being $31,000. Gee, when presented that way, the salary seems reasonable. HOWEVER, that figure does not in-
clude the rest of the $$$$$.

There is a $700. monthly automobile allowance. That kind of money makes you want to go out and buy a new car…after all, the taxpayers will make the payments. Add $8,400. to the Commissioners’ salary…brings it to $35,400.

Then there’s the cell phone allowance, $50. per month. Add $600. to the annual salary, total is now $36,000. Let’s not forget medical insurance, (a/k/a HEALTH BENEFITS). Let’s say that it’s the best possible plan…the MINIMUM will be $250. per month. Let’s add $3,000. to the annual salary….$38,400.

In reality, if we were to actuarially add the retirement, life insurance, and disability benefits, that would add up to another $3,500. annually, added to the part time commissioners’ salaries…a total, estimated,(on the low side), $42,000.

I am able to understand why Commissioner Dressler doesn’t want Ms. Storms poking around in the Tamarac salary structure.
She might make an example of Tamarac. And, Goddess forbid, the taxpayers of Tamarac might find out that they are sub-
sidizing the lives of a few people who are not looking out for the Tamarac citizenry. Rather, they are trying to protect the cash cow that they have enacted into salary law.