Eleanor Sobel, Broward pol who wanted -and got- Hollywood taxpayers to pay $30k for her new FL State Senate office in 2009 now asks FL legislature for audit of Hollywood!

Pol who wanted -and got- City of Hollywood taxpayers to pay $30k for her new FL State Senate office in 2009 now asks FL legislature for audit of Hollywood!

Oh, "that's Rich."

No, that's just Eleanor Sobel being Eleanor Sobel!

What brings this to mind is this blog post today by Steve Bousquet of the St. Petersburg Times:

Legislature OKs audit of city of Hollywood

TALLAHASSEE -- The Legislature on Monday approved a request by Sen. Eleanor Sobel to step in and audit the city of Hollywood's shaky finances. Sobel appeared at a meeting of the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee in the Capitol to ask for the audit, citing the city's declaration of a state of "financial urgency," a recent 11 percent property tax increase, lucrative pension and health benefits for city employees and overly optimistic revenue projections.

Read the rest of the post at

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2011/10/state-approves-audit-of-city-of-hollywood-.html

Plus, at the time, April of 2009, Sobel's name was already STILL on the same building across from Hollywood City Hall -where Rep. Elaine Schwartz's office was/is also located- from when Sobel had used it as her temporary pit-stop of a Broward School Board office when she pretended to care about kids for a few months while waiting for Steve Geller to be term-limited out of the state senate.

I was at the Hollywood City Commission meeting when this self-serving effort got pushed thru -even updating my photos before going inside- and Balance Sheet Blog co-editor Sara Case was the only member of the public with the integrity to publicly say that Hollywood taxpayer funds should NOT be used in this manner, esp. for a woman who could well afford to pay for it herself, or, even rent one of the dozens of empty storefronts in Downtown Hollywood.

I thought Sara was particularly good in zeroing-in on the problems in her comments that day before the City Commission.

I have to admit, though, I was somewhat confounded that Mayor Peter Bober, having brought up some spot-on reasons that I hadn't even thought of to justify voting against it straightaway, or, continue it to the near future, along with some modifications to it and some added clarity on the ethical and financial issues, then voted FOR it.

I found that confusing on his part and some arguments by Comm. Richard Blattner, and I don't think I was alone in the Chambers in that sentiment.

Until it was mentioned at that meeting, in passing, I didn't know anything about Hollywood taxpayers also having spent $20,000 in 2006 on improvements to Rep. Schwartz's office.

Sara's point in her then-editorial about the real answer to the problem being that they leave their government cocoon and rent a downtown storefront is, of course, something that was completely lost on the woman from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

Instead, this was a done-deal from the word "go," and it passed despite the gaping holes in logic and questions about propriety and extraneous spending.

R-2009-072 - Resolution - A Resolution Of The City Commission Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Authorizing The Appropriate City Officials To Execute The Attached Agreement Between State Senator Eleanor Sobel, State Representative Elaine Schwartz And The City Of Hollywood For Lease Of City Office Space And To Reallocate Funds For The Renovations For New Offices For Senator Sobel In The Old Library Building. PASSED

Good to know that Sen. Sobel is trying to re-pay the PBA members' past help by expressing her new-found concern with extraneous government costs.

But where were those concerns of hers before when it involved her? MIA.

The photos above, all taken by me on September 20th, with the first showing the offices of Rep. Schwartz and Sen. Sobel and the second showing part of the view when you walk out of their office, looking west, at Hollywood City Hall.

In the next few days, once I find those old photos, I'll add them here for an Eleanor Sobel office compare-and-contrast.

Some contemporaneous articles about this story are:

a.)

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Broward Politics blog

Sen. Sobel to taxpayers: Spend $30k cleaning rat-infested space for my office

Posted by Brittany Wallman at 10:57 AM

By Ihosvani Rodriguez, Staff Writer

State Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, wants new office digs in Hollywood, and it will cost city taxpayers about $30,000 for starters.

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2009/04/sen_sobel_to_taxpayers_spend_3.html

b.)

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Hollywood to rent office to state Sen. Sobel

By Ihosvani Rodriguez

6:12 PM EDT, April 1, 2009

Read the rest of the post at:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/community/news/hollywood/sfl-sobel-office-b040209,0,4633755.story

Reader comments at:

http://www.topix.net/forum/city/fort-lauderdale-fl/T7MBKTSCTPCC6IQBT

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Balance Sheet Blog is at http://balancesheetblog.wordpress.com/

http://www.hollywoodfl.org/

"Next year in Jerusalem" is right now for FL-17 Rep. Frederica Wilson, courtesy of AIPAC. But that's bad news for Americans, esp. her constituents

"Next year in Jerusalem" is right now for FL-17 Rep. Frederica Wilson, courtesy of AIPAC. But that's bad news for Americans, esp. her constituents.

The very constituents that she ought to be meeting with in-person right now during the summer recess. In places like ocean-side Hallandale Beach, for instance.

A city in the FL-17 CD that she never had a public event at before last August's primary.

Some of you out there in the South Florida part of the blogosphere may've seen this telling little bombshell in the Sun-Sentinel's Broward Politics blog earlier in the week:

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Broward Politics blog

Congresswoman Frederica Wilson in Israel

By Anthony Man August 8, 2011 01:25 PM

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/08/congresswoman_frederica_wilson_3.html

Notice what it doesn't say?

Correct, who's paying for Wilson's trip.

Only THE most obvious and important question one could ask.

Somehow, and for whatever reason, THAT answer didn't seem important enough for Anthony Man to include in the small post, that over 72 hours later, still has not drawn a single reader comment.

Assuming he didn't first find out about it from a press release from her office, which is entirely likely given how rarely Rep. Wilson's name ever appears in the Broward Politics blog, this is par for the course here in South Florida as far as the press digging for information goes, and Man in particular.

Actually, her own press release about the trip neglects to mention AIPAC also:

http://wilson.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&sectiontree=6,49&itemid=155

Somehow I have a strong feeling that the source of the trip's funding would've come up in the blog post if it had something to do with an oil company PAC for instance, or one representing almost any other corporate interest.

(For the record, I disregard almost everything Anthony Man writes, in large part because over the years I've found so much of what he has written or said on public policy TV shows to be factually incorrect, lacking crucial context, completely unpersuasive, or, as if that wasn't enough, when it comes to the dreaded Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, he's seemed like her trained pet poodle.

Her Boswell.

What Man has written about this FL-20 House member -who has never run in a non-gerrymandered CD and never faced a competitive opponent in a general election, a most-charmed situation!- seems so over-the-top that it was embarrassing to read.

Not unlike Alex Leary's recent story in the St. Pete Times that I commented on recently.)

I first learned about the departure of nearly one-fifth of the U.S. Congress for Israel in The Washington Post on Tuesday and wondered how in the world that could possibly be a good idea for either American public policy, esp. foreign policy, or, their own constituents suffering the slings and arrows of Obama's economic malaise.

Does Rep. Wilson really think going to Israel for the first time is more important than meeting with her constituents?

"Asked and answered, your honor."

Washington Post

House members travel to Israel, courtesy of AIPAC lobby, not taxpayers

By Al Kamen

Published: August 9, 2011

A record 81 House members, about a fifth of the chamber, are spending a week in Israel this month, courtesy of a foundation set up by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobby.

Read the rest of the article at

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/house-members-travel-to-israel-courtesy-of-aipac-lobby-not-taxpayers/2011/08/09/gIQA8xOU5I_story.html

I hadn't had time to read the Broward Politics blog on Monday due to being so busy, but even if I had, which article tells you more?

The Post didn't neglect to discover the source of the funding, they put it right there in the headline so nobody could miss it.

As I have here, too.

The next day, my daily Morning Brief email from Foreign Policy magazine arrived and one of the posts there made all the points I made in my head and planned on sharing here -better than me.

Foreign Policy

How the World Is Really Run blog

The congress is in session, it turns out … in Israel

Posted By David Rothkopf

Wednesday, August 10, 2011 - 11:44 AM

This week's reports that 20 percent of the U.S. Congress will be visiting Israel this month are stunning. Eighty-one members of Congress -- two thirds of them Republicans, 47 of them freshmen -- apparently think it is more important to be visiting Israel than it is to be at home dealing with the worst economic crisis in modern memory. America's economy is in flames and these guys are taking lobbyist-funded trips to what, watch Israelis take to the streets to protest the high-cost of living in that country?

Read the rest of the post at:

http://rothkopf.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/08/10/the_congress_is_in_session_

it_turns_out_in_israel

I acknowledge that it sounds petty but I'd love for someone with a TV camera rolling to ask Rep. Wilson what she thinks of the success or failure so far of Operation New Dawn.

No, it's true, I don't think very highly of Rep. Wilson, and I don't think this cipher in Congress that represents the people in my part of Hallandale Beach would know what that operation is, that is, without prompting.

But it hardly matters.

Frederica Wilson will fight tooth-and-nail over the next year to make sure that she can keep this cushy, no heavy-lifting (or thinking) job of hers that pays $174k a year, and will do anything she can to make sure that the FL-17 congressional district remains nice and gerrymandered so that she NEVER has to run against a competitive candidate in a general election and can stay in office as long as SHE wants.

More soon on what's happening with congressional redistricting and whom I'd love to see run against Wilson next year in a new, more logically-drawn CD that more accurately represents the interests of this area of south Broward and northeast Miami-Dade counties.

And while I'm at it, let me just state that it sure would be nice if a single legitimate reporter or columnist in South Florida reported on what group former City of Miami City Manager Tony Crapp, Jr. is working for now in the redistricting battle on behalf of his new bosses at

GrayRobinson, P.A.

Why is nobody asking or reporting on this?

I feel like I'm pulling teeth sometimes.

-----

See also:

Foreign Policy magazine: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/

The Crespo-Gram Report: http://www.crespogram.com/

Florida's 2012 redistricting meetings in South Florida are only two months away, so where are the competing maps? Or the pre-event info meetings?

Do you know any more specifics about the upcoming legislative redistricting meetings in South Florida?

http://www.fairdistrictsnow.org/home/

http://www.floridaredistricting.org/

For instance, whether there will be any sort of PUBLIC informational meetings held in advance of the official meetings run by the Florida Senate -by public interest groups/elected officials/political party/activist groups- to 'educate' voters beforehand?

In other parts of the country, that'd be a no-brainer, but here, during the sweltering summer, well, not so much.

(Of course, in other states I could name, the legislative redistricting process takes place BEFORE summer ever starts in order to make sure that there are no schedule conflicts with work, family vacations and summer camp for children.

This seems like a novel concept to the folks running this show up in Tallahassee, who have set a deadline of June 18, 2012. Garbage in, garbage out!)

In any case, in my opinion, whether it's in Broward or Miami-Dade or even one in each county if one could hope for common sense, there'd be a well-organized meeting at a large facility where competing/prospective maps can be publicly shown so that South Florida residents know what's what and can see what the range of possibilities truly are.

Speaking of maps, seriously, on what map, exactly, is Davie centrally-located for Broward residents to attend their one-and only meeting?

Tuesday, August 16, 2011 10:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton

Tuesday, August 16, 2011 6:00- 9:00 p.m., Broward College, Davie campus

Wednesday, August 17, 2011 10:00 a.m-2:00 p.m., Miami Dade College, downtown Miami

Wednesday, August 17, 2011 6:00-9:00 p.m., FIU College of Law building, South Miami

Complete schedule is at http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Redistricting/Hearings

(What's the back-up plan if there's a hurricane warning then?)

If you know of a pre-event informational meeting tied to these redistricting hearings, please let me know and I'll post it on the blog.

-----

Orlando Sentinel

Central Florida Political Pulse blog

FairDistricts leaders ask for changes in redistricting meetings

posted by khaughney on June, 14 2011 12:11 PM

Fair Districts, a grassroots group that successfully pushed for new constitutional provisions last year that dictate redistricting, is asking the Legislature to revamp the procedures it has set out for 26 redistricting hearings that are set to be held around the state this summer.

Read the rest of the story at

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2011/06/fairdistricts-leaders-ask-for-changes-in-redistricting-meetings.html

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Orlando Sentinel

Central Florida Political Pulse blog

FairDistricts folks to offer their thoughts on redistricting

posted by bshaw on June, 13 2011 1:55 PM

A week from today — on Monday, June 20 — the Florida Legislature’s redistricting committee will be gin a series of public hearings that will take members all over the state by the time they end Sept. 1 in Clewiston.

Read the rest of the story at

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2011/06/fairdistricts-folks-to-offer-their-thoughts-on-redistricting.html#more-25335

The Florida Independent

Transparency questions dog upcoming public redistricting hearings

By Cooper Levey-Baker

06.14.11 | 6:00 am

An “unprecedented” part of “the most open, transparent, interactive” redistricting process ever, or a “sham” designed by Florida lawmakers to placate the public while they work to draw new district lines to benefit themselves? That’s the question dogging the set of 26 public redistricting hearings scheduled by the state Legislature to kick off next week.

Read the rest of the story at

http://floridaindependent.com/33768/redistricting-transparency-public-hearings

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Broward Politics blog

New districts affect South Florida clout, voters' ability to influence elections

By Anthony Man

June 12, 2011 09:40 AM

The numbers are proof positive. Broward and Palm Beach counties are about to lose some of their political muscle.

And that’s not all. Residents throughout the region could find themselves represented by far-away politicians they’ve never voted for and may never even have heard of.

Read the rest of the story at

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/06/new_districts_affect_south_flo.html

Los Angeles Times

Map: How has your district been redrawn?

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-redistricting-map,0,6145644.htmlstory

Detroit FreePress

Politically speaking: How will the GOP draw new districts?

http://www.freep.com/article/20110612/OPINION05/106120446/Politically-speaking-How-will-GOP-draw-new-districts-?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p

John W. Scott unanimously selected as Broward's Inspector General: An ethical journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

South Florida Sun-Sentinel Politics blog video:
Sun-Sentinel reporter Brittany Wallman speaks with former Broward States Attorney Phil Shailer, a member of the Inspector General Commission that was chosen to help select a new IG for Broward County to restore ethical reform and integrity in county and municipal government, per the overwhelming vote of Broward County voters in November 2010 to the culture of corruption here.
March 9, 2011.
http://youtu.be/8-rk4O4XxF4

South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Broward Politics blog
Broward's first-ever corruption watchdog Inspector General selected
By Brittany Wallman
April 16, 2011 07:30 PM

John W. Scott, a man who says he has spent his career "fighting corruption, fraud, waste and abuse,'' will be doing that for Broward County, as the county's first-ever Inspector General.

Read the rest of the post at:
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/04/browards_firstever_corruption.html

-----

To quote myself in my last post:

There's a new sheriff in town who goes by the name of John W. Scott.
The eyes, ears, mouths and memories of Broward County activists and bloggers are about to be deputized.
Time to Cowboy up!



Enter The Lone Ranger: The Lone Ranger, Season 1, Episodes 1-3 (1949)
http://youtu.be/jNtJ6wFdHis


And who would know better when it's time to cowboy up than someone like me whose ancestors were in south central Texas in 1855?

Scott Wyman in Broward Politics blog: Red-light camera accident data & behavior in Fort Lauderdale comes under new scrutiny as car accidents INCREASED

Above, a photo I snapped of the red-light camera Warning sign on the north-side of west-bound Hallandale Beach Blvd. at NE 9th Terrace in Hallandale Beach, February 27th, 2011, a bit past sundown. The only reason you see it is because I'm standing on the curb, using my flash.

Below this three-hour old blog post from the Sun-Sentinel's Scott Wyman is a link from the Google Alert on Hallandale Beach I received yesterday to the most recent gullible newspaper that Mayor Cooper was able to peddle her self-serving Florida League of Cities red-light camera talking points to.

Yes, another newspaper that has no idea how truly mendacious she was last year in twisting the true facts on this subject here in Hallandale Beach, when her desire for money could hardly have been more appallingly obvious.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/apr/04/joy-cooper-florida-lives-depend-on-red-light/

Last Friday, it was the Miami Herald's turn to play the part of the stooge.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/01/2145934/red-light-cameras-save-lives.html

Make sure you read the reader comments!

By the way, the red-light camera WARNING sign on west-bound Hallandale Beach Blvd. -two blocks east of 1-95- is STILL almost completely hidden to passing traffic, hidden as it is behind the two trees it was placed between.
The sign that also ISN'T near a street light.

I was there again last night, and it was as ridiculous as ever.
But then they already knew the sign was hard to see even before it went operational on March 1st.

On this issue in HB, as with so many, self-evident facts don't really seem to matter much, do they?

---------

South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Broward Politics blog
Fort Lauderdale accident data cast cloud over reliance on red-light cameras
By Scott Wyman
April 5, 2011 07:13 PM

The use of cameras to catch red-light runners may not be as effective at improving traffic safety as expected, according to an early review of accident data by the city.

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department told city commissioners Tuesday that accidents increased in the last four months at two of the six intersections with cameras, compared to the same time a year ago. Collisions declined at three and remain the same at the sixth.

Read the rest of the post at: http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/04/fort_lauderdale_accident_data.html

Controversial red-light camera issue on Tuesday morning's Broward County Commission agenda at 10 a.m.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Broward Politics blog video:
Broward County Clerk Howard C. Forman says mushrooming red-light cameras -and tickets- will create new pressures on resources/finances of Broward Courts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B-n3bKZnZs4

Article at: http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/02/broward_courts_clerk_forman.html

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Broward Politics blog is at: http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/

-----
Tuesday morning's Broward County Commission agenda includes the red-light camera issue, which is why I will likely be there on Tuesday IF I can switch some things around in my schedule.

Regardless of whether I can attend Ruesday morning in person or not, I will post the information and photographs I want to make them aware of here on the blog by 9 a.m. and email it to them.
Please come back here Tuesday morning so you can see for yourself what this program looks like in Hallandale Beach, and judge whether or not it seems reasonable or well-executed.

Red-light cameras in Broward County is agenda item #23 for March 1st, starting at 10 a.m.
http://205.166.161.204/agenda_publish.cfm?mt=ALL&get_month=3&get_year=2011&dsp=ag&seq=233#ReturnTo0

My friend and fellow Hallandale Beach activist Csaba Kulin penned this email earlier this afternoon about this issue.

Honorable Mayor Gunzburger, Vice Mayor Rodstrom and County Commissioners,

I am not a supporter of "red light" cameras not because I want people to break the law and get away with it. I am against it because my city, Hallandale Beach has done such a poor job installing a red light camera about a year before the State actually allowed them. The City made it a "code violation" and collected about 2 million dollars for not stopping twice or three times prior to turning right on red. That is not the issue I am writing about now. We will fight that battle with our City Commission.

I understand you will vote on allowing the cities to tie into the County's traffic control system. I am not in favor of it but if you do I urge you to make a small amendment to the ordinance.

If they want to tie into the system, any intersection with traffic cameras should have a "count down" device next to it, similar to the one you see at cross walks. That would warn law abiding citizens to get ready to stop and avoid rear end collisions. Cities collect plenty of money from fines to absorb the additional expense.

I hope you decide to consider my suggestion, it would make red light cameras safer and more palatable to the residents of Broward County.

Sincerely,

Csaba Kulin

Vice President

United Condominium Associations of Hallandale Beach

Late this afternoon, a post by Brittany Wallman bout the red-light camera issue was posted at Broward Politics blog.

Broward's Rodstrom offers counterproposal to red light cameras
By Brittany Wallman February 28, 2011 06:11 PM

Drivers already hate sitting at red lights. Maybe they’ll get to hate it for two seconds longer. One Broward County commissioner suggests that would be a better way to keep motorists safe from red-light runners than watching them with enforcement cameras.

Read the rest of the post at:
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/02/browards_rodstrom_offers_count.html

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The bill in the Florida State House to repeal red-light cameras is Bill 4087, which was filed by State Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-New Port Richey, and the companion in the State Senate is Senate Bill 672, filed by Sen. Garcia, whose district is based out of Hialeah.

Broward Politics YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BrowardPolitics

Touché! "Dear Lois" adroitly zeroes-in on Lois Wexler's defense of lobbyist Ron Book and blindsides her something silly over her pal, Judy Stern

Touché! "Dear Lois" adroitly zeroes-in on Lois Wexler's defense of Ron Book and blindsides her something silly over Judy Stern

For weeks, I've been sitting on an already-written blog post after engaging in some candid conversations with Broward County community activists and elected officials throughout the county that have taken me to places that are NOT usually part of my routine.
But live and learn...

The subject of these conversations was the very curious (and disturbing) public stance towards effective enforcement of strengthened ethics laws and standards in Broward County by someone that, until two years ago, I had generally assumed was one of the more dutiful and well-grounded public servants in South Florida.

And who is this mysterious person at the center of this discussion? Broward County District 5 Commissioner Lois Wexler.
http://www.broward.org/Commission/District5/Pages/Default.aspx

A woman that Daily Pulp blogger Bob Norman painted to a 'T' in an October 2, 2008 post titled Billed for Bull, Broward County Commissioners want you to pay for their pet projects, writing in part:
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2008-10-02/news/billed-for-bull-broward-county-commissioners-want-you-to-pay-for-their-pet-projects/

The fun part was listening to county Mayor Lois Wexler defend the money drain. Wexler has slowly transformed herself into a human version of spackling paste, helping to hold together the commission's longstanding culture of waste and mismanagement.

For whatever reason -boredom, tenure, general antsiness- the formerly-astute Wexler increasingly seems tone-deaf to things that once upon a time...
Well, let's just say that I'm far from the only person in this county with 20/15 vision who's noticed the slide towards the slippery side of the slope.

I will have that post here on the blog in the not-too-distant future -Operation Mentos- but until then, I wanted to share with you all the delicious and spot-on lacerating wit of Dear Lois, who has quite properly put Wexler back in her place today on the Sun-Sentinel's Broward Politics blog in a way that just causes me to simply step back and admire it from a distance.
I salute you.

Game, set, match, "Dear Lois."

South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Broward Politics
Broward's Wexler defends lobbyist Ron Book
By Brittany Wallman
January 14, 2011 03:35 PM

As Broward County commissioners weigh what to do about a prominent lobbyist who represents the county and the county's political foe on a huge issue, one person who came to the lobbyist's defense is County Commissioner Lois Wexler.

At issue is lobbyist Ron Book's work for the county and for the Miami Dolphins.

Read the rest of the post at:
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2011/01/browards_wexler_defends_lobbyi.html#comments

See also:
Mentions of lobbyist Judy Stern in the BrowardPalmBeach NewTimes
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/search/index?keywords=%22Judy+Stern%22&x=10&y=10
and of lobbyist Ron Book:
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/search/index?keywords=%22Ron+Book%22&x=0&y=0

Are you sure you don't have a Mentos?



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdTe9AuqoT8



The Coke Zero & Mentos Rocket Car
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-hXcRtbj1Y

http://www.youtube.com/user/EepyBird

Broward Comm. Stacy Ritter plays her indignant card -again- in Sun-Sentinel's Broward Politics blog video of her sounding off on "paparazzi''

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h5d2utn39w&hd=1

Broward Politics YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BrowardPolitics
Website: http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/

Below, some other politically-oriented or current events-themed YouTube Channels you may want to peruse or subscribe to, like yours truly.

I'm still subscribed to The Hotline TV and Sayfie Review, but neither has posted anything new in one month and four months respectively.
http://www.youtube.com/user/HotlineTV
http://www.youtube.com/user/sayfiereview


MyActsofSedition YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/actsofsedition
Website: http://www.myactsofsedition.com/

Change Hallandale Beach YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Butler1Mike
Website: http://www.changehallandale.com/

BrowardPalmBeach NewTimes YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BrowardPalmBeach Website: http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/

Newt Gingrich YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ngingrich

Red Eye Recap YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/RedEyeRecap
Website: http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/red-eye/index.html
Red Eye airs weeknights at 3am ET, 12am PT, on Fox News Channel.

I'm always saying here that "seeing is believing" -yes, you can quote me on that- but since so many South Florida print/TV reporters I've talked to in the past have expressed interest in shedding a well-needed light on some of these problems, often after hour-long, in-person conversations at their studios, news rooms or over at Panera's, only to actually do nothing
about making that story idea a reality, more direct action is necessary.
Well, I'm eliminating the middle-man -the South Florida news media.

After Thanksgiving, as part of some changes and additions I'm making to the blog and to the Hallandale Beach Blog YouTube Channel, which I have greatly under-utilized thus far, I will finally get those videos I've been promising here since... well, quite a while ago.

I plan on finally posting key highlights (or low-lights) of not only Hallandale Beach and Hollywood City Commission/CRA meetings, Broward County Commission meetings, and the myriad South Florida civic meetings I hit, but also video of some longstanding Quality-of-Life problems throughout SE Broward and NE Miami-Dade that have proven troublesome or irritating to local citizen taxpayers, and which in many cases, have largely been ignored by the appropriate authorities, or incompetently managed.
No more.

While that will principally be in Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Aventura and the odd world north of North Miami Beach, Home of the Chargers, I will also be posting video of what I observe and find troubling in Miami, Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale and other parts of South Florida as well.

Please check back there again soon: http://www.youtube.com/user/HallandaleBeachBlog

Second Broward County 2011 budget meetingTuesday afternoon at 5 p.m.; Broward budget watch: Brittany Wallman in Broward Politics blog: Find the fat!

Above, January 26, 2010 photo of Broward County Government Center, 115 S. Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL by South Beach Hoosier

2011 Fiscal Year budget meeting

Tuesday September 28 at 5:01 p.m.

Public testimony in Room 422 in the Broward Governmental Center, 115 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale.

The hearing will be Webcast live on www.broward.org/video but you have to use Internet Explorer. Budget documents, including the County Administrator’s recommended budget
reductions, are posted online at http://broward.org/budget.

Before you walk into the Broward Government Center, be sure to walk to the SW corner of Broward Blvd. & Andrews Avenue and look at the County's so-called Personnel Building.

Back on March 12th, I first wrote about this disgraceful example of local government apathy and incompetency squared, here at http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/errant-drivers-crash-highlights.html but I had first noticed it last year, dumb-founded that less than one block from the County HQ, literally, in the building next door, a govt. bldg. was allowed to become a public nuisance.

After years of being one of the most unsightly govt. eyesores in all of South Florida, have the folks running things finally figured out that having a county building caked in dirt is NOT the sort of thing give taxpayers any confidence in the management iof this county?

As I remarked at the time, "It's almost like Broward County is channeling the management geniuses at Hallandale Beach City Hall! And by geniuses, of course, I mean the motley crew of incompetents who make our city a laughing-stock."

January 26, 2010 photo by South Beach Hoosier


Same building a month later. February 25, 2010 photo by South Beach Hoosier


January 26, 2010 photo by South Beach Hoosier


February 25, 2010 photo by South Beach Hoosier

Our collective guiding principle for cutting government services and employees should be the same as the one that was mentioned by Victoria Derbyshire on her always excellent program on BBC Radio's 5 live this morning on the funding levels of British quangos, many of which are being killed outright: Is it nice to do or essential?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tw8ms
http://www.bbc.co.uk/5live/#two
http://www.bbc.co.uk/5live/connect/index.shtml#comments

What has a quango ever done for you?

This morning, we're going to take a look at quangos, or quasi autonomous non-government organisations, to give them their full title.

Last week, we learned that 180 taxpayer-funded groups will be scrapped, and a further 180 will either be reformed or have their budgets cut. It's all part of the Chancellor's, plan to cut six hundred million pounds in a "bonfire of quangoes".

It's estimated they cost somewhere between 34 and 60 billion pounds a year. They employ more than 100 thousand people, and 68 quango chiefs earn more than the Prime Minister, with some salaries as high as £624,000.

We want you to tell us what they've ever done for you.

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Be sure to take a look at the Florida Taxwatch website, even though they are incorrect in opposing Amendment 4: http://www.floridataxwatch.org/

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Broward Politics
Broward budget watch: Find the fat!
By Brittany Wallman
September 27, 2010 08:00 AM

This is another tough year for Broward County government. Commissioners are standing over the budget with carving knives. Do any of you know where there's fat to be found in the county's $4 billion budget?

Read the rest of the post at:
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/09/browards_budget_find_the_fat.html

Broward County Comm. Sue Gunzburger's email to Broward civic activists about ethics reform and Tuesday's Commission meeting

On Thursday, Broward County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger, who represents me here in SE Broward, sent the email brlow out via her campaign office to her supporters, Broward civic activists and the South Florida news media to make them aware of what was afoot with next Tuesday's Commission meeting, the subject of my blog post yesterday, concerning Buddy Nevins comments at Broward Beat.

Outrage: Commissioners To Debate Gutting Ethics Reform
http://www.browardbeat.com/outrage-commissioners-to-debate-gutting-ethics-reform/

The email below was sent to super-activist Charlotte Greenbarg, the President of the Broward Coalition, who thoughtfully forwarded it to me. http://www.browardcoalition.org/

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Stand with Sue for Ethics Reform

** Urgent Action Needed **

Dear Charlotte,

It seems County Attorney Jeff Newton, working again in stealth coordination with at least one of my colleagues, is conspiring for a second attempt to torpedo ethics reform. Click here to read respected political journalist Buddy Nevins' new column exposing this latest scheme to derail ethics reform.

In the Agenda and backup for next Tuesday's Commission meeting (Item 8 -- and the related amendments -- on the 2 PM Agenda), Mr. Newton is actually proposing that we adopt the proposed Ethics Code (Agenda Item #7) ... and then vote minutes later to totally gut it. This is outrageous!

The County Attorney's so-called "glitch" ordinance proposal (Item 8) is a joke. It is nothing but a thinly veiled political attempt to kill ethics reform. It provides a lengthy "cooling off" period of many months before the ethics reforms would even take effect.

Why is this lengthy delay needed? Do any of my colleagues really need 120 days or more time to become ethical and comply with the new Ethics Code before it takes effect? I hope not.

In reality, the proposed delay is a stalling tactic to allow some of my colleagues to orchestrate lawsuits which would seek to kill ethics reform before the effective date. It would also eliminate any criminal penalties for violating the Ethics Code,

Even worse are the proposed amendments, which are purportedly instigated and authored solely by the County Attorney. These amendments would:

• Totally kill the proposed ban on County Commissioners simultaneously collecting a public salary while also earning big bucks leveraging public office by serving as a paid lobbyist.
• Totally exempt Commission spouses/domestic partners from the gift ban.
• Exempt Commissioners, spouses/domestic partners, and Commission personal staff from most of the new ethics bans.
• Exempt all current commissioners from complying with strictest parts of the proposed new Ethics Code.

With your help in June, we were able to scuttle the plot to kill ethics reform with a ridiculous "declaratory judgment" lawsuit. In response, the County Attorney hired -- at taxpayer expense -- attorney E. Bruce Johnson to weigh in with a "legal opinion" denouncing the proposed Ethics Code. Mr. Johnson's lengthy opinion letter seemingly parroted the County Attorney's absurd stance that any real ethics reform was unconstitutional.

What the County Attorney and Mr. Johnson failed to disclose was that Mr. Johnson has a significant financial conflict of interest that should have prevented him from rendering any opinion. You see, Mr. Johnson's own law firm earns money from having one of their attorneys (State Senator Chris Smith) engage in the same shady "lobbying down" conduct that we are seeking to ban. Thus, it was no surprise that Johnson put forward an opinion that the questionable conduct -- the same conduct which puts money into his own pocket -- is fine with him.

On my own, I inquired last month of respected former Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth on this issue. He told me he reviewed the proposed Ethics Code and saw no problems with it. In fact, Attorney General Butterworth told me there was no reason he saw for bringing any declaratory judgment action against it nor for legitimately questioning the constitutionality of the ethics proposals.

Despite this, the County Attorney (and presumably one or two of my colleagues) will not stop until ethics reform is killed. With the sad and disappointing headlines of the past year -- the arrests and convictions -- I couldn't think any better argument would be needed to urge adoption of a tough code of ethics.

HERE IS WHERE I NEED YOUR HELP. NOW.

Please call or email the Broward County Commissioner who represents your district. Demand that s/he vote on Tuesday to adopt the proposed Ethics Code (Public Hearing Agenda Item 7) and reject the so-called "glitch" ordinance (Public Hearing Agenda Item 8) and ALL of the County Attorney's proposed amendments to Item 8.

If you stand with me in support of real ethics reform, please contact your own Commissioner and let him/her (or all of them) know your views on this important issue. Here is the contact information:

District 1 - Ilene Lieberman - 954.357.7001 - ilieberman@broward.org
District 2 - Kristin Jacobs - 954.357.7002 - kjacobs@broward.org
District 3 - Stacy Ritter - 954.357.7003 - sritter@broward.org
District 4 - County Mayor Ken Keechl - 954.357.7004 - kkeechl@broward.org
District 5 - Lois Wexler - 954.357.7005 - lwexler@broward.org
District 6 - Sue Gunzburger - I already stand with you 100% for real ethics reform.
District 7 - John E. Rodstrom, Jr. - 954.357.7007 - jrodstrom@broward.org
District 8 - Vacant
District 9 - Albert C. Jones - 954.357.7009 - acjones@broward.org

Be very clear in your comments to them. Let them know you will not be fooled by any slick political spin or intentionally complicated legal gibberish offered as excuses. The bottom line: Any Commissioner who votes in support of the "glitch" ordinance (Item 8) or ANY of the proposed amendments to Item 8 is an ENEMY OF ETHICS REFORM.

There can be no compromise on ethics. No matter how upset some of my colleagues may be with me for continuing to advance this most honorable cause.

Please get involved right now. I need your help. This cause is too important for anyone to stay silent. Will you stand with me for ethics reform?

Sincerely,
Sue
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This email was the subject of Bob Norman's Daily Pulp blog column Thursday.

BrowardPalmBeach NewTimes
Morning Pulp
By Bob Norman Thursday, August 5 2010 @ 9:04AM

In the latest outrageous bit of behavior from our delinquent Broward County Commission, there is a new plan afoot to gut the new ethics reform. The insidious plan (as it appears on the agenda): The commission will pass the ethics proposals put forth by the Broward County Ethics Commission as they are, as required by law, and then immediately vote on amendments that would exclude themselves and family members from having to follow some of them. Among them is the key provision to bar them and their relatives from lobbying in Broward County.

Read the rest of the post here:
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2010/08/broward_county_ethics_reform.php

The subject of the Broward County Commission possibly gutting the Broward County Ethics Commission's work was also the subject of a number of posts by Brittany Wallman at the Broward Politics blog of the Sun-Sentinel.
These are in chronological order.

Ban on doing business with the county could hit Broward commissioners
By Brittany Wallman August 5, 2010 08:00 AM
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/08/ban_on_doing_business_with_the.html

Proposed county ethics "glitch'' law lets commissioners go after their complainants
By Brittany Wallman August 5, 2010 11:45 AM
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/08/commissioners_still_could_acce.html

Ethics reform dismantling draws quick foes in Broward
By Brittany Wallman August 5, 2010 05:30 PM
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/08/ethics_reform_dismantling_draw.html