Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Palm Beach County commissioners worry about legal nightmare on Election Day

Here we go again?

I am a real fan of White Apron Catering Take-out!

I had the pleasure of having the Greek Pita yesterday with the Broccoli Rabe salad. What a great addition to Dixie Hwy. Stop in when you're on the go for lunch or dinner. Lot's of other treats there, along with culinary items. On North Dixie Hwy, between 17th and 18th Avenues North - east side of road. Please help support this Lake Worth business - make an effort to keep our dollars here.

Tell them Wes sent you!

For those of us who miss Autumn...




These are from a friend in New Hampshire.

County Initiative to Educate the Public on Statewide and Countywide Amendment(s) re: November Ballot - From a Commissioner McCarty's Office

There will be six statewide amendments and one countywide amendment on the November 4th election ballot. To date, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners has only taken a definitive position in support of Amendment No. 6 concerning the assessment of working waterfront property based on current use.

In an effort to help local residents understand the amendments, county legislative staff will be making general presentations to various groups countywide. The presentation is designed to provide a nonbiased and balanced overview of the amendments. Please contact my office at 561-355-2204 if you would like to schedule a presentation by the legislative staff.

The following is a summary of the amendments. (Please know that Amendments 5, 7 and 9 have been removed from ballot):

Amendment No. 1/Relating to Property Rights/Ineligible Aliens:

This measure proposes an amendment to the State Constitution to delete provisions authorizing the Legislature to regulate or prohibit the ownership, inheritance, disposition, and possession of real property by aliens that are ineligible for citizenship.

This amendment will remove an early 1900’s law that was designed to prohibit ineligible Asian-American immigrants from owning land. Currently, Florida and New Mexico are the only two states that still maintain these racially biased provisions in their constitutions. Both states have amendments on the November ballot to remove these provisions.

Amendment No. 2/Florida Marriage Protection Amendment:

This amendment protects marriage as the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife and provides that no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.

A Florida statute now prohibits marriages other than those between a woman and a man. This ballot initiative was proposed by a citizen group in the event that the statute might be declared unconstitutional. It is the only citizens’ initiative on the ballot.

Amendment No. 3/Changes and Improvements Not Affecting the Assessed Value of Residential Real Property:

This proposal allows the Legislature to prohibit the consideration of wind-damage resistant changes and improvements and the installation of renewable energy source devices in the determination of the assessed value of residential property, and repeals existing renewable energy source device exemptions no longer in effect.

Basically, this amendment prevents local governments from increasing property values and taxes as a result of the installation of hurricane-resistance and/or renewable energy home improvements. This will prevent any property tax increases based on “home-hardening” improvements that could result in higher assessments.

Amendment No. 4/Property Tax Exemption of Perpetually Preserved Land; Classification and Assessment of Land Used for Conservation:

This amendment requires the Legislature to provide a tax exemption for property that is permanently dedicated for conservation.

At the same time, if the property does obtain this permanent designation, it will require that the land be classified and assessed solely on the basis of character/use. Consequently, conservation land will be assessed on the basis of character/use and not highest and best use.

Amendment No. 6/Assessment of Working Waterfront Property Based Upon Current Use:

This amendment provides for assessment of certain working waterfront properties to be assessed based on current use instead of highest and best use. Properties include commercial fishing facilities, marinas, boat ramps, and other water-dependent businesses.

Amendment No. 8/Local Option Community College Funding:

This amendment will provide local communities the ability to increase the local sales tax to fund community colleges. If the amendment is approved, each county would need to approve the tax by referendum. The tax would sunset after 5 years but may be re-approved by voters.

Local Referendum: Require both county and municipal approval of charter amendments affecting municipal power or function:

The Board of County Commissioners placed this countywide question on the ballot which asks:

Shall the Palm Beach County Charter be amended to have charter amendments that are approved by a majority of Palm Beach County voters take effect in a municipality only if the amendment is also approved by a majority of voters in that municipality, when the proposed amendment transfers or limits a municipal service, function, power or authority?

The Charter is the “constitution” of the county and can only be changed by voters residing in unincorporated sections of the county. This amendment will provide the residents of local municipalities the ability to vote on future charter amendments affecting a city’s function, services or authority.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Chamber of Commerce - Candidate Forum - 10/15

GENERAL BREAKFAST MEETING

Wednesday, October 15th, 7:30-9:00 a.m.

Sponsored by Flagler Bank

LOCAL CANDIDATES FORUM

Addressing Their Positions on Lake Worth Issues

Atlantis Country Club

190 Atlantis Boulevard, Atlantis, FL 33462

RSVP to lwchamber@lwchamber.com

Email RSVPs: $15.00

All Others: $20.00

Please RSVP by noon the day before

16th Annual Community Awards Luncheon - 11/21

Going through some Internet issues...

I'm in the process of switching from DSL to cable and it turns out it will be about a week before I regain regular Internet access at my house. In the meantime, I will be searching out local haunts that have Wi-Fi access. Right now I happen to be at Howley's in West Palm Beach (I didn't have to show my passport). I'm going to check out the Lake Worth library tomorrow for part of the day and I will report on my experience. It would help me out if you know of any spots in Lake Worth that have Wi-Fi available and I can check those out too. Just e-mail me at wesblackman@gmail.com and I'll start making a list which I can publish as a public service right here!

I can still receive and respond to e-mail with my Blackberry.

Thanks for visiting!

Friday, October 3, 2008

If you left a message via the Grand Central button on right side of blog...

Please call back and try again. Or, e-mail me. For some reason I cannot hear the message. I just tested it and it worked for me.

Thanks!

Bailout plan not much help for struggling homeowners

Thursday, October 2, 2008

"Illuminations" at Les Beans - 2nd Ave. North


Meet Suzanne and Jenny, part of "Illuminations." They'll be back at Les Beans this coming Saturday night starting around 8 p.m. They are quite good and do original songs, along with covers. There is live music there every Friday and Saturday nights - good coffee, light menu. Check it out!

Lake Worth Kiwanis - Texas Hold 'em - 10/4

Green Expo 2008

Palm Beach Community College's Trade and Industry Programs will host the first Green Expo - Green Ideas for Today exhibition Saturday, October 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Click title for link to more information.

Last day to register to vote for November 4th Election is October 6th (Monday)

Click title for link to Supervisor of Elections website for more information and the voter registration form.

For cash-strapped cities, crash fees could be just the start

Interesting editorial take on fees charged by local governments - coming soon to a town near you?

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

New Library Hours

The Lake Worth Public Library will be open the following hours beginning Monday, October 6, 2008:

Closed: Sunday and Monday

Tuesday and Wednesday: 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

(a result of the budget tightening)

Lake Worth Officers Sworn in...

Click title for link to video.

FDR's First Fireside Chat - March 12, 1933 - On the Bank Crisis

I want to talk for a few minutes with the people of the United States about banking -- with the comparatively few who understand the mechanics of banking but more particularly with the overwhelming majority who use banks for the making of deposits and the drawing of checks. I want to tell you what has been done in the last few days, why it was done, and what the next steps are going to be. I recognize that the many proclamations from State Capitols and from Washington, the legislation, the Treasury regulations, etc., couched for the most part in banking and legal terms should be explained for the benefit of the average citizen. I owe this in particular because of the fortitude and good temper with which everybody has accepted the inconvenience and hardships of the banking holiday. I know that when you understand what we in Washington have been about I shall continue to have your cooperation as fully as I have had your sympathy and help during the past week.

First of all let me state the simple fact that when you deposit money in a bank the bank does not put the money into a safe deposit vault. It invests your money in many different forms of credit-bonds, commercial paper, mortgages and many other kinds of loans. In other words, the bank puts your money to work to keep the wheels of industry and of agriculture turning around. A comparatively small part of the money you put into the bank is kept in currency -- an amount which in normal times is wholly sufficient to cover the cash needs of the average citizen. In other words the total amount of all the currency in the country is only a small fraction of the total deposits in all of the banks.

What, then, happened during the last few days of February and the first few days of March? Because of undermined confidence on the part of the public, there was a general rush by a large portion of our population to turn bank deposits into currency or gold. -- A rush so great that the soundest banks could not get enough currency to meet the demand. The reason for this was that on the spur of the moment it was, of course, impossible to sell perfectly sound assets of a bank and convert them into cash except at panic prices far below their real value.

By the afternoon of March 3 scarcely a bank in the country was open to do business. Proclamations temporarily closing them in whose or in part had been issued by the Governors in almost all the states.

It was then that I issued the proclamation providing for the nation-wide bank holiday, and this was the first step in the Government's reconstruction of our financial and economic fabric.

The second step was the legislation promptly and patriotically passed by the Congress confirming my proclamation and broadening my powers so that it became possible in view of the requirement of time to entend (sic) the holiday and lift the ban of that holiday gradually. This law also gave authority to develop a program of rehabilitation of our banking facilities. I want to tell our citizens in every part of the Nation that the national Congress -- Republicans and Democrats alike -- showed by this action a devotion to public welfare and a realization of the emergency and the necessity for speed that it is difficult to match in our history.

The third stage has been the series of regulations permitting the banks to continue their functions to take care of the distribution of food and household necessities and the payment of payrolls.

This bank holiday while resulting in many cases in great inconvenience is affording us the opportunity to supply the currency necessary to meet the situation. No sound bank is a dollar worse off than it was when it closed its doors last Monday. Neither is any bank which may turn out not to be in a position for immediate opening. The new law allows the twelve Federal Reserve banks to issue additional currency on good assets and thus the banks which reopen will be able to meet every legitimate call. The new currency is being sent out by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in large volume to every part of the country. It is sound currency because it is backed by actual, good assets.

As a result we start tomorrow, Monday, with the opening of banks in the twelve Federal Reserve bank cities -- those banks which on first examination by the Treasury have already been found to be all right. This will be followed on Tuesday by the resumption of all their functions by banks already found to be sound in cities where there are recognized clearing houses. That means about 250 cities of the United States.

On Wednesday and succeeding days banks in smaller places all through the country will resume business, subject, of course, to the Government's physical ability to complete its survey. It is necessary that the reopening of banks be extended over a period in order to permit the banks to make applications for necessary loans, to obtain currency needed to meet their requirements and to enable the Government to make common sense checkups. Let me make it clear to you that if your bank does not open the first day you are by no means justified in believing that it will not open. A bank that opens on one of the subsequent days is in exactly the same status as the bank that opens tomorrow.

I know that many people are worrying about State banks not members of the Federal Reserve System. These banks can and will receive assistance from members banks and from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. These state banks are following the same course as the national banks except that they get their licenses to resume business from the state authorities, and these authorities have been asked by the Secretary of the Treasury to permit their good banks to open up on the same schedule as the national banks. I am confident that the state banking departments will be as careful as the National Government in the policy relating to the opening of banks and will follow the same broad policy. It is possible that when the banks resume a very few people who have not recovered from their fear may again begin withdrawals. Let me make it clear that the banks will take care of all needs -- and it is my belief that hoarding during the past week has become an exceedingly unfashionable pastime. It needs no prophet to tell you that when the people find that they can get their money -- that they can get it when they want it for all legitimate purposes -- the phantom of fear will soon be laid. People will again be glad to have their money where it will be safely taken care of and where they can use it conveniently at any time. I can assure you that it is safer to keep your money in a reopened bank than under the mattress.

The success of our whole great national program depends, of course, upon the cooperation of the public -- on its intelligent support and use of a reliable system.

Remember that the essential accomplishment of the new legislation is that it makes it possible for banks more readily to convert their assets into cash than was the case before. More liberal provision has been made for banks to borrow on these assets at the Reserve Banks and more liberal provision has also been made for issuing currency on the security of those good assets. This currency is not fiat currency. It is issued only on adequate security -- and every good bank has an abundance of such security.

One more point before I close. There will be, of course, some banks unable to reopen without being reorganized. The new law allows the Government to assist in making these reorganizations quickly and effectively and even allows the Government to subscribe to at least a part of new capital which may be required.

I hope you can see from this elemental recital of what your government is doing that there is nothing complex, or radical in the process.

We had a bad banking situation. Some of our bankers had shown themselves either incompetent or dishonest in their handling of the people's funds. They had used the money entrusted to them in speculations and unwise loans. This was of course not true in the vast majority of our banks but it was true in enough of them to shock the people for a time into a sense of insecurity and to put them into a frame of mind where they did not differentiate, but seemed to assume that the acts of a comparative few had tainted them all. It was the Government's job to straighten out this situation and do it as quickly as possible -- and the job is being performed .

I do not promise you that every bank will be reopened or that individual losses will not be suffered, but there will be no losses that possibly could be avoided; and there would have been more and greater losses had we continued to drift. I can even promise you salvation for some at least of the sorely pressed banks. We shall be engaged not merely in reopening sound banks but in the creation of sound banks through reorganization. It has been wonderful to me to catch the note of confidence from all over the country. I can never be sufficiently grateful to the people for the loyal support they have given me in their acceptance of the judgment that has dictated our course, even though all of our processes may not have seemed clear to them.

After all there is an element in the readjustment of our financial system more important than currency, more important than gold, and that is the confidence of the people. Confidence and courage are the essentials of success in carrying out our plan. You people must have faith; you must not be stampeded by rumors or guesses. Let us unite in banishing fear. We have provided the machinery to restore our financial system; it is up to you to support and make it work.

It is your problem no less than it is mine. Together we cannot fail.

Note: Barack Obama quoted from this today during a campaign rally in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

A reminder: The Casino Building after the 1947 Hurricane.

Candidate Debates and Forums

Thursday, October 9th
Democratic Club Debates
Brogues at 7:00 pm

Tuesday, October 14th
Parrot Cove Candidate Forum
St. Andrews Church
100 North Palmway at 7 pm

Wednesday, October 15th
Chamber of Commerce Debates
Atlantis Country Club at 7:30 am

Monday, October 20th
Eden Place Candidate Forum
First Congregational Church
1415 North K Street at 7 pm

Wednesday, October 29th
Neighborhood Assn. Presidents Council Debates
Lake Worth Playhouse at 7 pm

Note: I also posted this schedule on the right side column of the blog.