Rodstrom Missing … Ferber Nuts!

     It was the first, (and only) debate scheduled soley for the District II Fort Lauderdale Commission candidates.

     And only two of the three candidates made it.

     Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom didn’t make the fun.


     According to Progresso Village President Doug Sterner, Rodstrom called a few days before and said her husband (John) surprised her with a trip out of town, and she wouldn’t be making the debate.

     That left her two challengers – Lester Zalewski and Michael Ferber.

    
                                      Zalewski


               
                                                    Ferber ( with hands moving)

   
     Zalewski came mostly prepared. He told the audience about his background, said he was “pro-redevelopment ( the logical and reasonable kind he said), said the neighborhood was “entitled” to leave their homes feeling safe.

     But Ferber was the life of the party !!

     Ferber is an unapologetic, rabid, Libertarian. He started by saying that he knew their area well ( living in the next neighborhood over), had served on many City advisory Boards, but was probably not going to say many things the audience wanted to hear!

     He was right!

     He said he came without any “meaningless platitudes” .

     He said that “there was no Santa Claus”. He said he wasn’t running to “make government more responsive”, but to reduce the size, cut-back, have government “abandon many of the things it was currently doing”. 

     He continued – they’ll be calling me “Mike the Knife”. He said he would “eliminate the Economic Development Department”.  He said he wouldn’t govern by “lynch mob politics”. 

     He finished by saying he would ” go to Def Com III in efforts to reduce the size of the City Government.

     This is probably what most of the attendees liked best about Ferber’s attendance – 

                                    
                                                      Ferber leaving the building