Editorial, Lake Worth Herald, 4/30/2015, titled "What have we learned"

     The City of Pahokee recently lost a proposal from the Guy Harvey Group to lease and improve their City Marina. The investor, proposing to invest over a hundred million dollars and provide hundreds of jobs walked away from the deal because of the greed of the commission. 
     The plan would have created a couple hundred jobs in an area that desperately needs them. Part of the reason for the departure was demands by councilmembers for the investor to provide every child under ten years of age with free fishing equipment and tackle. Another reported demand was for every student graduating from Pahokee High School to receive a scholarship from the investor. The deal fell through, mainly because of unreasonable demands placed on a private corporation in an effort to provide something for nothing to the community. Now, Pahokee has no free fishing gear for the children, no jobs for the adults, and no investor who might have made a profit. [emphasis added]
     Here in Lake Worth, we see the same mentality. It is and has been costly to the local economy. The residents of Lake Worth are fortunate to have a Publix nearby for grocery shopping, other grocery stores have left the area. Yet, we came real close to losing the Publix deal because a then sitting commissioner tried to dictate what products the store had to stock and sell. 
     It is not the job of the city to dictate how a private concerns run their business as long as they operate within the boundaries of pertinent codes. If Publix had walked away from the table then, how many jobs would not be in Lake Worth now. Yes, with an unemployment rate higher than the national, state, and county average, Lake Worth continues to listen to those who will do everything they can to keep unemployment high. 
     They, include at least one one percenter, were responsible for blowing through millions of dollars of city reserves with nothing to show for it when they had control of the purse strings. Ask yourself, do we need any more of that type of leadership? Ask the question, Why do they want to keep unemployment high?      Blocking business at the beach will eventually lead to a closed property, or an assessment on the tax bill to keep the beach open. It is a proven failure of a business plan this administration was handed by a previous group of elected officials who were voted out of office and now want back in to derail the train the city is on to improvement and prosperity. 
     Lake Worth needs to work with those who are capable of improving the city. We hear how Lake Worth is much more business friendly to contractors and this is encouraging, but we have a ways to go. 
     Lake Worth needs to cease being intimidated by those who stand on the sidelines and scream foul to every idea that “might” create improvement in the community. 

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