On public urination, unleashed dogs, and single-issue politics in Lake Worth

"It's not that big a deal."
—See video below. Quote by Lake Worth Commissioner Ryan Maier at City Commission commenting on public urination in parks and in front of Downtown businesses.


Stay tuned for much more on this heading into next year's municipal elections for candidates. Maier made comments at a City Commission meeting in September about panhandling, aggressive behavior, and the homeless that had many in the chambers shaking their heads. 

If you recall, we learned at an earlier Commission meeting (during commissioner comments) on September 6th the big problem in Bryant Park these days are dogs left unleashed. The homeless weren't as big a deal to Commissioner Maier. The big problem then was unleashed dogs.

In the video below is Maier at the Commission meeting on January 19th that was all about the homeless and nothing about other community issues that directly affect so many people, families and their children, such as using public parks and the playgrounds (Maier speaks first and then Commissioner Amoroso responds):
It's OK for people to urinate in public as long as nobody sees it?

Commissioner Andy Amoroso, as you heard in the video, had a big problem with that comment by Maier. You might also recall the video below of former Commissioner JoAnn Golden who, at the 40 second mark, praises the City of West Palm Beach for all their incredible work to help the homeless there. Unfortunately, at the 1:15 mark she goes off the rails with a terribly unfair characterization of the caring and giving people of Lake Worth:
All this happened leading up to the elections last March and interestingly, the issue of homelessness until now has been a very quiet one for Maier, Golden, et al.

Thanks in large part to Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Seiler and his political experience dealing with the homeless 'advocates' and one-issue politics (the very same tactics were used here in Lake Worth), it's time to ask the obvious question: Were the loudest critics of the City's homeless efforts really about helping those in need or just political pandering?

I think everyone knows the answer now.

The homeless in Lake Worth were used as political pawns. Now that the homeless are not as valuable a tool at the moment it's on to other things like trying to scuttle the referendum in November and scaring the gullible about what the City's new LED streetlights can do to one's health.

And you might find this interesting: What happens when people, even those out front in efforts to help the homeless, get pushed to the breaking point and had enough of 'single-issue' politics here in Lake Worth:

Interestingly, the 'advocates' only seem to care about the homeless when there are political points to score, and of course, in the weeks and months prior to elections.