"Torpedo"? Huh? And ideas to fix vexing problems at our Beach: Raise rates "and whatnot"?

"[D]o some things you can do with coats of paint and whatnot."
—Quote by Lake Worth Commissioner Chris McVoy, PhD, at the City's Budget Work Session on August 9th. See below for Mayor Pam Triolo's response. 


The latest claim by McVoy is the City is trying to "torpedo" the Beach. He said this at the City's Special Meeting on the budget last night (9/13). Mayor Pam Triolo set him right saying the City is done with "band aid" solutions. McVoy demonstrates the lack of vision and new ideas from "the other side" who always have the same answer to everything: raise rates. Will increased parking rates increase revenue? Sure. In the short term. But what about long term? The answer to that always is, "We'll have to wait and see." That's why elections matter:

For some it's the same solution to everything: Raise electric rates and other rates as well. So much for "thinking out of the box".

Mayor Pam Triolo, after hearing what McVoy said on August 9th, responded with this:

"I don't think you reacted the same way in the Electric Utility conversation did you? That we should just kind of go wing it and see how we do? I think it's inconsistent. I think it's disingenuous to ask for higher electric rates and larger reserves in the Electric Utility Fund to make sure that we have money to prepare for and to maintain it when you're willing to go willy-nilly on the Beach Fund and not worry about maintenance. I think it's disingenuous. You [McVoy] completely changed your philosophy on how you think a professional organization should run by your conversation on the Electric Utilities from how you're handling this [Beach] Fund. I find that inconsistency is something that the City can't bear as a professional organization as a whole. . ." [McVoy tries to interrupt]

Mayor Triolo continues: "I have the floor. I've sat and listened to all of you all night. I very barely spoke all evening so please give me the floor when I'm speaking. So now going back to it. We have to build in the maintenance. We have to look at it from that direction and be consistent across the board. But we have reserves for things. We have maintenance for things. And this is a fund [Beach Fund] that doesn't have guaranteed revenue increases as they [Burton and Associates, accountants] so eloquently talked about. It's not like a revenue bond where you know you have that money and you get it paid back because that money is coming in. This is something with we actually have to do business to make money in this [Beach] fund. That's all I'm saying. Let's be consistent across the board."