Your Vote Counts

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The many opportunities Americans have, and in my opinion the right to have our voices heard at the polling booth stands out as one of our best opportunities to let government know if they will continue to have our support or not.

We have another election coming on March 17, 2020, and we have heard “lip service” for months from the mouths of 2 commissioners namely Lambert and Shoaf telling us what they are going to do for us if re-elected. They don’t mention the harm they have done in the last two years with their votes to ensure the political agendas and special interest desires are met. Residents, they depend on the public’s short memory to “forget” what action elected officials have taken to dip further into our pockets, make it more difficult to get from point A to point B with the overbuilding and traffic concerns, city streets in disrepair, not to mention flooded areas.

When voting was over in 2018 a friend and I took a trip to the PBC Supervisor of Election Office, and they couldn’t have been more generous with their time and patience. Here’s what we learned.

My district is 7058 and there are 2,363 registered voters. 154 went to the polls and 90 voted by mail. 2,119 people did not vote.

My friend is district 7130 and there are 2,473 registered voters. 177 went to the polls and 86 voted by mail. 2,210 people did not vote.

I have heard the excuse why bother to vote, nothing changes. Well, nothing will change if we can’t bother to show up at the polls and take our city back. I’ve written before and it bears repeating. People vote in a National Election, to choose who they consider the best pick for the Presidency. They vote in State Elections to choose the Governor but can’t be bothered with City Elections. If you have a pothole or your street is flooded, who are you going to call, the President or Governor?

City officials have always pandered to the western communities going above and beyond to ensure their wishes are granted (no extension of State Road 7) WPB city officials grant their wishes, do everything they request and then wait for their reward, which is the western community vote to insure they spend another 2 years in office.

Enough, time for a change, and I have made my decision. I want new leadership, and I don’t want the city to squander tax money claiming they are going to update city parks, when the same promise was made 20 years ago and 20 million gone. Now they want 30 million with the same promises. How many residents remember voting for the park bond 20 years ago?

I am tired of the western communities, voting to reward them for favors granted which is why I am voting for Steve Sylvester, and Martina Tate Walker, while voting no on the park Bond. If we take the time to vote there are enough of us to take our city back,