Mr. Herman Robinson, the Chair of the Lake Worth Yes PAC and the second part of his letter, "We are WORTH it!"

Mr. Herman Robinson, the Chair of the Lake Worth YES PAC supporting the City's LW2020 Bond Vote this August 26, wrote a letter to me supporting the City's Plan. He titled the letter, "We are WORTH it!" I posted the letter in two parts and this is the second part (you can read the first part here)

"We are WORTH it!", by Herman Robinson

The discussion should center on how to pay for the needed repairs [to the infrastructure]. One way would be to take any available, unobligated funds and only do what that money would pay for. The problem is there are too many priorities. A 'Band-Aid' approach such as this exacerbates the problem and also doesn't generate a "real bang for the buck." This Band-Aid approach also may have the unintended effect of visible improvements like street lights and sidewalks getting completed while the unseen water pipes, sewers, and drainage continue to degrade.

The City of Lake Worth CANNOT produce enough revenue to tackle BOTH major infrastructure improvements AND meet operational expenses. It is simply not possible. Which brings us to General Obligation Bonds (GOBs), the reason I ask for your support on August 26. 

Municipalities issue GOBs to finance major projects much as you, a voter in Lake Worth, would finance a major purchase (such as a car, house, home improvement, etc.). GOBs are used to launch most major community improvements in the United States; they are a springboard if you will. The first such bond was issued in the United States in the year of 1812.

The City of Lake Worth has been very conservative with bond financing and our City has never defaulted. The money acquired using bonds has been used as stated and paid back appropriately. When the issue of bond financing comes up in our City there are some who always seek to instill fear and mistrust in the community using phrases as "bonds are an 'open checkbook' for those 'running the show'."

As stated in the paragraph above, the City's history using bonds to finance projects has been excellent. The current bond plan on the ballot this coming August 26 is as basic as a bond could possibly be: keep our water pure, dispose of the sewage properly, and keep the streets safe for all our fellow citizens. 

The parameters expressly limit what the money can be used for with legal requirements that give it 'teeth.' The City also has built into the LW2020 Plan an oversight component with quality control to be done by personnel not employed by the City.

I support the City's Bond Plan and encourage all my fellow Citizens to Vote FOR the LW2020 Bond Plan on the ballot this August 26. The need for infrastructure repairs is immediate. If we don't believe in our City no one else will either.

We are WORTH it!

Sincerely,
Herman Robinson
Lake Worth YES PAC

Paid Political Advertisement Paid for By Lake Worth Yes P.A.C., 114 Ocean Breeze St., Lake Worth, FL 33460