Reconsidering Frugal Jim

     In my last musing, I shared some thoughts about the upcoming Tuesday election. I even had the audacity to do a little endorsing.

     Well, no good deed goes unpunished, and I heard from one of the candidate’s supporters that I did not endorse.

     The call was about local infamous lawyer and perpetual candidate Jim Lewis.

       Jim became famous when he represented    
                                                                                                             child, child killer Lionel Tate

     The caller asked me to consider the following strong points about Lewis,

     1.) Lewis doesn’t take any money from lobbyists, idealogue, partisans – actually no one! 

     2.) Lewis wants to reform the bloated, overwhelmed crime and punishment system by legalizing

                                                                                        
                                                                                                  

     3.) Lewis is the most fiscally conservative of the candidates. Some proof of that is made by the two pictures below.

                                 Lewis’s sign in a field of sign blight 

                      

                            Lewis proof that he knows how to save on sign lumber costs!

                           
                                    

           Note:  the sign buried underneath Lewis’s sign is for Judge Skolnik who won re-election last August   ……..

Cheat Sheet !

     Funny thing about being an elected official and even a former elected official. Come election time, lots of your friends and acquaintances will ask your opinion on the ballot choices.

                                                     

    
     Here’s my take ( sort of) :

                                                  … United States Senator
…… your real choice here is between a far left guy, a far right guy, and a guy who will be whatever you want him to be! ….some think Meeks will drop out and Crist will have a shot…I say no way that will happen….

     I’m not offering an opinion on this race, but one thing I am sure of … you should steer clear of this fringe U.S. Senate candidate pictured below.

                                                          
                                           U.S. Senate candidate Bobbie Bean

     Bean’s running on a kind of “fear the Muslims” platform, and says it’s reasonable to think that Christians will soon have to hide in the closet to read the bible.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
                                                              …….. Governor
……….between the Democrat Alex Sink and the Republican Rick Scott.

     Scott totally lost me when he had his mother attend one of the debates for him because “everybody was picking on him”  …..  Vote Sink
      ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
                       
                                                         Attorney General

…… not a lot of pizazz in this race, a Dem and a Repub, but third party candidate and hometown boy Jim Lewis is running for it…. Of course Jim’s run for about every elected position possible!
 
                                                              
                                                                    don’t vote Jim – again

     …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
 
                                                                Supreme Court Justices

……….  the ballot asks us ” if we’d like to retain them”  …. what kind of choice is that? ..I said NO

    ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

                                                                     Issues

     ………… should we repeal campaign financing reform  ……… No

    ………….  should we give our military serving overseas extra homestead exemptions …… hell Yes

    ………….  should we have to set a referendum every time a city wants to change a Land Use Reg? … No 

    …………  should we stop politicians from changing boundaries around so they can get reelected… hell Yes

    ………..  should we go back on our decision to keep classroom sizes small? ….. hell No 

    ………..  new Ethics laws for everyone?  …..hell Yes

   …………  should we review the County charter less often than we do now?  ….  a final hell No 

                             now you know what I think  ….. if you cared !  …..Tim

                                                                    

Joggin with Jack !

    Mayor Jack Seiler wants YOU ! 

    …… to join him in a workout ! ….  Seiler’s newest effort promotes a healthy Fort Lauderdale. He says he well knows that it is “easy to say, but not the easiest to do”. So he plans on “walking the walk”, literally, not just “talking the talk”. 

                     Here’s the deal !

      Jack invites you to come along on his new work-out plan. He figures he can get healthy, meet new citizens, and inspect the neighborhoods, all at the same time. His first jog/walk workout will be next Monday, Oct. 18th, at 7 P.M……  Meet at Huizenga Plaza at Las Olas and Andrews.

     Now, just in case you don’t think you can keep up, cut the mustard, here’s a picture Jack jogging! ( and this was back when he was in shape!)             
                                    
                                                         “Joggin” Jack
    
      And if you need more proof, I’ll be jogging along side Jack – and here’s what that tortured view looks like !

                                                          
                                                               barely jogging Tim

      Some of the areas health professionals will be there to warm us up with stretches first.   And to keep us all safe, Chief Frank Adderley will be jogging along with us.

     The Mayor will also have staff along, so if you tell him about a problem to fix, or you have a great idea that he’ll want to investigate, someone will be there to put it all down.  

     Here’s how Seiler’s staff will come along – 

                                     
                                       Oceanview Rickshaws will carry the secretary !   .. thanks Jay  

     And if your idea of exercise is by bicycle, or skates, or pogo stick, just come along as you like.

     And if you need more motivation, the 2 mile course will wind through the Historic neighborhood of Sailboat Bend and end here – 

                               

                           Tarpon Bend…..where a tall frosty one will await all who complete the course!

           ….. for more info, e-mail me at Tim@TimSmith.com , or call the Mayor’s office.

        
            
    
 

Horse Sense

     All great cities have a Police Mounted Unit   …….  We do!
                                                 
                                                      
Fort Lauderdale’s four legged finest !

     They are unique in the things they do…….  The problem is – they ain’t cheap!

                         

     Nearly every budget season, the Unit is on the chopping block, only to be saved by the bell at the last minute. Some year, sooner or later,they won’t make the cut. But what if the Unit could pay for itself? 

             Here’s what I’m thinking  

     We have a wonderful Mounted facility in Holiday Park, an 80 acre park right in the middle of Fort Lauderdale.

                              
                                                    the horsey facility in Holiday park

     The Unit does what it can to cut costs – here’s amazing proof !

                                  
                           Fort Lauderedale Cop with plunkards ( that’s what the stuff in the pitchfork is called!)

     How about we try and find a horse stabling/riding business that would like to locate next to the Cops in the Park.

     They could  offer rides all around the giant park on the weekends, board horses for our citizens. They could even take over the plunkard digging duties!
    
     There’s plenty of horse businesses out in Davie, and I’ll bet one of them would pay real money for the opportunity to go east to the big city Fort Lauderdale!

     
                                                                  
                                                                               picture yourself here
    
      

Budget Busting 101

                                                      A cost cutting idea for the City of Fort Lauderdale ! 

                                       

                                                       Delray Beach Traffic Enforcement Division
                                   EZ Go Golf Cart – less than $5000. totally tricked out!

                     
                          Fort Lauderdale Traffic Enforcement Division
                                Ford Escape – totally tricked out $25,000 

     
                                     Savings per vehicle = $20,000