Our Vision of Fort Lauderdale, Chapter 20: Our Future is tied to YOU!
Posted Under: Important Issues for Fort Lauderdale,Our Vision for Fort Lauderdale!
The last Chapter of our Vision must to come to fruition if all the other chapters of our Vision are to succeed: You!
YOU need to get more involved!
So many of the issues that we are grappling with today here in Fort Lauderdale cannot be blamed on anyone except us! With State and Federal elections, we have 40% to 80% voter turnout here in Fort Lauderdale. But with city elections, it’s consistently been around only 10%.
That low voter turnout is due to both voter apathy as well as lack of knowledge about the issues. Many of us don’t even realize there is a City election occurring until we see all the yard signs popping up. We are so involved with our day-to-day issues that we don’t seem to have the time to take an hour out of our schedule on election day to cast our vote.
The anemic voter turnout here in Fort Lauderdale has allowed special interest groups and the “Old Guard” to dictate for years how this City is run:
- That’s why our Budget is almost twice as large as other cities our size, and our spending addiction keeps growing!
- That’s why the City employee unions are successful in getting salary raises every year, even though many of those employees have total compensation in excess of $100,000/year!
- That’s why the City’s employee pension plan is on target to bankrupt our City in less than five years.
- That’s why our City’s dwindling Financial Reserves are being raided each year to cover the widening shortfall in revenues.
- That’s why we have almost 1,000 more employees than other cities our size (2,500 vs 1,600).
- That’s why an “Attitude of Entitlement” exists throughout much of our local government.
YOU need to re-assert your authority! The City is supposed to work for you, not the other way around! If this sounds like a “Call to Arms”, it is. Here are the steps you can do to change things for the better here in Fort Lauderdale:
- Mark your calendars: Tuesday January 31, 2012 will be the date for the State Primary. It will also be the primary date to vote for a Fort Lauderdale Mayor and District Commissioners (if more than 2 people are vying for the same seat). There should also be early voting dates established.
- Get an absentee ballot! If you are not sure whether you’ll have the time to vote on election day, get an absentee ballot from the Broward County Supervisor of elections. Call them at 954-357-7055 to obtain one, or go to www.browardsoe.org.
- Get your friends and family members involved! Set a personal goal of educating 5 other Fort Lauderdale residents about the local issues and get them to the polls! Whether these folks are family members, friends or neighbors, if they are qualified to vote in Fort Lauderdale, their voice will be heard if they vote. Whether they vote on election day (or fill out an absentee ballot), they must vote!
- Join your neighborhood Civic Association! Get active in a project that helps your neighborhood.
- Vote on Municipal Election Day! Tuesday March 13 will be the official day to vote for the Mayor and your District Commissioner. This will be your last chance to have an impact on how this city is run in the future.
Know this: If we as residents do not exercise our authority and vote this time, we will see more property tax increases in the fall of 2012, more increases in your water bill, parking fees, late fees and other bills the City charges you.
The Budget will continue to increase, employees will continue to get salary raises and pensions that most of us will never see. You will continue to allow the “Attitude of Entitlement” to foster here in Fort Lauderdale. This must change and YOU are the one who can make that change happen! Don’t waste it by being apathetic; you’ll regret it in the future!
Earl Rynerson
Reader Comments
Earl – thank you for your time and effort to post thought provoking ideas for Fort Lauderdale “Vision”. Although you will likely get neither recognition or credit on these 20 topics from those down at city hall, many citizens and tax payers appreciate your viewpoints. Its a start and more than I have read in any Vision handout from the city or WRT. Given the lackluster effort by these consultants tasked with the vision study, you would think the elected officials would do town hall meetings, outreach or forums themselves for input from citizens, and make WRT take notes and video. They could even combine this with “Campaigning” so they don’t see it as a huge waste of time. But 4 weeks after the last ‘outreach’ by WRT, nothing.
To the Attitude of Entitlement, yes its clear as day and in writing on the city website http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/business_tax/index.htm
where you are informed
“The Business Tax is a tax for the privilege of engaging in or managing any business, profession or occupation within the city limits.”
Priviledge! What a choice of words.
Thank you Mary!
I always appreciae your comments!
You have always been very thoughtful and fair-
Earl
I like a lot of what you have to say. I live in Sailboat bend and have noticed an increase in crime in our neighborhood. The police when approached said “crime is up all over Fort Lauderdale” that is an excuse not a solution. I have not heard the mayor or city council address any of this.
Thank you Donna!
Earl
Business tax is not the only privilege I have for operating a business,I also get to pay for all kinds of useless insurances too.
Thank you, Earl, for taking the time to put forth your ideas. I think you have made some excellent points and I appreciate the time and thought that went into this work. The questions you raise are pertinent and need answers. Perhaps this race will bring out some meaningful discussions, because we need those, and we need a vision desperately,with competent leaders capable of creating the momentum to succeed in manifesting that vision. Otherwise, we are wasting a wonderful opportunity to build our city into one in which we are excited to be living.