No red-light camera meetings at Broward County Commission until after FL legislative session ends -if then; SB 672

There will be no continuation of the rather-heated discussion on red-light cameras in Broward County at the County Commission until AFTER the current 90-day legislative session in Tallahassee is concluded -if then.

Basically, at Tuesday's Broward County Comm. meeting, in reference to another question, Comm. Sue Gunzburger, acting in her role as the presiding officer or "mayor," said that there wouldn't be a meeting to follow-up on that rather amazing March 1st meeting that I -unfortunately- missed seeing in person but watched via streaming, that had so many people amused and appalled in equal measures.

(That was the meeting where large mayoral egos collided, as Hallandale Beach mayor Joy Cooper and Pembroke Pines mayor Frank Ortis continually jockeyed to respond via the public microphone to various commissioner's hardball questions and prodding for more information about their respective city's program, and what was and wasn't done in the name of safety. And, of course, the larger issue of whether or not it was all just a smoke-screen to conduct a money-grab in the case of Hallandale Beach's infamous red-light camera on U.S.-1 and Hallandale Beach. Blvd.

My post on that March 1st meeting:
My own little red-light camera 'rainout' at the Broward County Commision this morning; HB begins phase two of red-light camera money-grab today
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-own-little-red-light-camera-rainout.html)

The reason is because the whole issue could well be moot by this summer since there is a very reasonable chance that given the sentiment towards outlawing them, the FL legislature will make that law allowing them a one-year wonder and repeal them.

Florida SB 672, sponsored by Sen. Rene Garcia of Hialeah, would repeal last year's law allowing red-light cameras, moved out of the Senate Transportation Comm. in a 4-2 vote on Wednesday.
http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2011/672

Voting to keep red-light cameras: Arthenia Joyner and Lizbeth Ben­acquisto.

Next up for the bill is the Senate Community Affairs Comm.
http://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/Show/CA/

Comm. members include:
Chair -Senator Michael S. "Mike" Bennett (R)
Vice Chair -Senator Jim Norman (R)

* Senator Paula Dockery (R)
* Senator Anthony C. "Tony" Hill, Sr. (D)
* Senator Garrett Richter (R)
* Senator Jeremy Ring (D) of Margate
* Senator Ronda Storms (R)
* Senator John Thrasher (R)
* Senator Stephen R. Wise (R)

Sen. Garcia is widely-expected to run for mayor of Hialeah later this year, as current mayor Julio Robaina is among those actively running for Miami-Dade County mayor in the race to succeed recalled mayor Carlos Alvarez.

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Bill to repeal red-light cameras squeaks by first Senate panel
http://www.sunherald.com/2011/03/29/2983459/bill-to-repeal-red-light-cameras.html

Brent Batten:
Red light cameras keep company in the black
Posted March 28, 2011 at 4:34 p.m.
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2011/mar/28/brent-batten-red-light-cameras-legislature-672/

http://reason.com/blog/2011/03/30/red-light-cameras-at-risk-in-f

Forum in Hollywood on Amendment 4 slated for Wednesday October 13th at the Hillcrest Playdium, hosted by HLSCA & HHCA

Received this bit of public policy news this afternoon that I wanted to share with you ASAP, so you can check your calendar and make plans to attend.

To be honest, until today, I'd never heard of the Hillcrest Playdium, but just hearing the name, well, it sort of makes me wish that Hallandale Beach had a Hippodrome of its own.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippodrome_of_Constantinople

As most everyone knows by now, I support Amendment 4, since the Diplomat LAC proposal in Hallandale Beach earlier this year made HB the poster-child for why this legislation is NEEDED.
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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Amendment 4 Informational Forum in Hollywood - Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

The Hollywood Lakes Civic Association (HLSCA) in partnership with the Hollywood Hills Civic Association (HHCA) will host a Forum on the upcoming statewide ballot question, Amendment 4. Amendment 4 would require city or county land use or comprehensive plan changes to go before the voters at an upcoming election.

Participating in the Hollywood Amendment 4 Forum will be following individuals:

For Amendment 4:
Bett Willett – Ms. Willett is the South Florida Coordinator for Florida Hometown Democracy, the grass-roots organization that was successful in getting Amendment 4 on the ballot. Bett is also a member of the Broward County Planning Council.

Tom Connick – Mr. Connick is a practicing attorney from Deerfield Beach and works closely with the Deerfield Beach Save Our Beach organization.

Against Amendment 4:
Mayor Frank Ortis – Pembroke Pines Mayor Frank Ortis is an outspoken critic of Amendment 4 and has a long history of civic service. Mayor Ortis was appointed to Vice Chair of the Broward League of Cities 2010-2011 Legislative & Advocacy Committee and has served as a Commissioner and Mayor for Pembroke Pines since 1996.

Cliff Schulman – Mr. Schulman is active with the “Vote No on 4” campaign organization.

Location for the Hollywood Amendment 4 Forum will be the Hillcrest Playdium, 1100 Hillcrest Drive, Hollywood, FL 33021.

Time: 7 to 9 pm.

Free parking.

For information, call 954-923-1940 or info@hollywoodlakes.com

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For the record, Cliff Schulman, mentioned above as one of the speakers who'll appear as an opponent of Florida Hometown Democracy, is considerably more than just someone who is "active" in anti-Amendment 4 activities.

Schulman is a frequent visitor before municipal and county government bodies throughout South Florida on behalf of his clients in his role as an attorney and lobbyist.
He was formerly the co-chair of the Environmental and Land Development Practice in the downtown Miami office of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, down on Brickell Avenue.

Earlier this year, Mr. Schulman left for Weiss Serota Helfman Pastoriza Cole & Boniske PL. http://www.wsh-law.com/content/attorneys/s/clifford-a-schulman/

Tell me, would it ever occur to you to ask for increased density for a client, in this case, Publix, as a result of development credits for underwater land?

Underwater, as in the Intracoastal.
No, really.
Well, Mr. Schulman has.

To wit, whether "submerged lands within an adjacent platted lot owned by Publix can be included for purposes of determining density and intensity of land use under section 265-5 of the City of Sunny Isles Beach Code of Ordinances..."

I have to admit, THAT is one lawyer who thinks 'outside-of-the-box'!

To see more on the particulars, see
http://www.3dca.flcourts.org/opinions/3D07-1895.pdf and http://eyeonmiami.blogspot.com/2007/04/greedy-developersjoe-martinezclifford.html and
http://eyeonmiami.blogspot.com/2009/07/r-allen-stanford-and-miami-based.html

Schulman is also the Chairman of the Board of the Aventura Marketing Council (AMC). http://www.aventuramarketingcouncil.com/

For more information on the individuals and groups mentioned above, see:

http://hollywoodlakes.com/news.htm

http://www.hollywoodcivic.org/modules/wfchannel/

http://www.hccacentral.org/

http://floridahometowndemocracyamendment.blogspot.com/

http://blogbybett.blogspot.com/

http://www.originalsaveourbeach.org/