Former Lake Worth commissioner praises leadership in West Palm Beach for efforts to aid the homeless.

However, after steeping high praise on the City of West Palm Beach 3½ years ago (see YouTube video below from Sept. 2015), this same former commissioner said this about the City of Lake Worth:


“If a boat load of refugees came across on our shore here [Lake Worth Beach], how would we feel? I’d be ashamed to say we would probably take out guns and get rid of ’em. [emphasis added] Just like we’re doing with the folks in our city who are homeless and don’t have homes.”

—Quote. JoAnn Golden, former Lake Worth commissioner first elected in 2007 and soundly defeated by Mr. Andy Amoroso (now Lake Worth’s Vice Mayor) in 2011.


Golden, at the 40 second mark in the video below, praises the City of West Palm Beach for all their incredible work to help the homeless there and then goes off the rails at the 1:15 mark with a terribly unfair characterization of the caring and giving people of Lake Worth:





Which begs the obvious question: Are the loudest critics of the efforts to help the homeless in the City of Lake Worth really about helping those in need or just political pandering? For example, do you remember ‘Mr. Snarky’? And since when did the rights of the homeless trump the rights of people and families to use City parks in peace? Business owners and their customers who frequent these businesses?

And think you’ll find this interesting: What happens when citizens, even those supportive of helping the homeless, get pushed to the breaking point:

An email to Lake Worth City Manager Michael Bornstein.

Click on image to enlarge.

From the email: “A rigorous cleaning program might also work with the sleepers on the Bryant Park tables. And we would have a cleaner park.”

And one more thing. . .

A tourist walks past homeless passed out on pier in City park to take photographs. Is this the future you want for our City parks?