Campaign Promises Not Kept!
August 24, 2020
When Keith James was running for Mayor of WPB 2 campaign promises he made were to help the homeless (also a promise of Commissioner Lambert) and not raise taxes. James was sworn in April 2019 and 16 months later lets see how he kept his campaign promises.
Homelessness: Below are excerpts from the PB Post and the entire story can be read below.
“The last of the homeless population at John Prince Memorial Park’s “Tent City” could be moved out as soon as Friday, Palm Beach County officials have confirmed, offering hope to neighbors vexed by the encampment and generating fear among those living there who say they have no place else to go.
To make the forced removal legal, county commissioners invested $8.6 million in a homeless shelter at the former county stockade off of Southern Boulevard west of Florida’s Turnpike.
At the annex, on a 17-acre site next to the South Florida Fairgrounds, homeless people have access to substance abuse treatment and mental healthcare. From there, county staff members try to help homeless people move on to permanent housing.
The 125-bed annex, which the county is paying Gulfstream Goodwill Industries to operate, is part of a $8.6 million project to help address homelessness in the county.
Some of the first homeless people taken there said they initially were frightened by the barbed wire surrounding the facility, a throwback to its days as a jail. But they said they grew to appreciate the services and amenities, not the least of which was air conditioning.
“We are looking at a 90-day action plan that would involve potentially alternate locations,” Kerner told The Post in February”
The homeless were moved and now have AC; a bed, washer & drier; computer access; running water and refrigeration. Things many of us take for granted. Read the story below, and if you have a desire to send a thank you card send it to the County Commissioners who made this happen. Grateful they didn’t wait for WPB Mayor Keith James to fulfill his campaign promises to help the homeless and not raise taxes.
Taxes:
2018 under former Mayor Muoio
WPB Debt: $7.79
WPB Operating: $507.00 Fire Fee: $50.00
2019 under Mayor Keith James
WPB Debt: $7.55
WPB Operating: $524.56 Fire Fee: $100.00
2020 (proposed taxes)
WPB Debt: $8.25
WPB Operating: $546.23 Fire Fee: $100.00
Tell the voters what they want to hear, and do what you want after you are elected. Where are our tax dollars going? Here’s an example of wasted taxes while they talk of laying off and furloughing workers.
From Jan,29 2018- March 6,2020 travel expense for James and his Security Detail. FLOC(Florida league of Cities) NLOC (National league of Cities) Lobbying firm.
1/29/18- 1/31/18 Tallahassee Fl. $1,003.07 FLOC
3/11/18- 3/15/18 Washington DC $2,685.27 NLOC
8/15/18- 8/19/18 Hollywood Fl. $1,250.00 $7,877.76
11/7/18- 11/14/18 Los Angeles Ca. $2,935.93 NLOC
3/25- 3/27/19 Tallahassee Fl. $1,138.81 NLOC
4/23-4/27/19 Lex Ky. $1,049.73
5/19- 5/22/19 Kansas City $258.93 (invited)
6/10/19- 6/11/19 Wash. D.C. $896.96
staff member $865.96
staff member $707.96
6/19/19 – 6/21/19 Philadelphia Pa. $126.00 (invited)
Security Detail $1,892.95
6/25-7/3/19 Honolulu Hawaii $4,079.30
Security Detail $5,768.27
7/31- 8/03/19 Columbia S.C. $463.96
Security Detail $1,814.92
8/14/19- 8/18/19 Orlando Fl. $1,572.00
Security Detail $1,178.40
9/19/19 9/22/19 Boston Ma $761.89 (Harvard Law)
9/24/19-9/25/19 Williamsburg Va. $825.48
Security Detail $1,056.02
11/11/19- 11/12/19 Tallahassee Fl. $300.00
Security Detail $636.00
11/12- 11/17/19 NYC $878.47
Security Detail $3,410.05
11/20- 11/24/19 San Antonio Tx $2,699.48
Security Detail $2,421.80
1/21-1/25/20 Washington DC $3,227.98
3/6-3/12/20 Washington DC $3,746.65
Security Detail $3,870.56
The WPB Police Department are short 30 Police Officers, but one is assigned to sit in the entrance to city hall along with 2 PSC Security Officers. Why isn’t this officer working the streets where he/she is needed?
Trip to DC cost taxpayers $3,227.98 and I got this swell pen.
