Final Battles For Commissioner Seats!
In less than a week, on Tuesday March 10th, we will know the full make up of the new Fort Lauderdale City Commission.
But before we get to that uplifting news, the bitter battle between District I Commissioner Christine Teel, and former Police Chief Bruce Roberts will have to be settled.
It's been a tense tussle. Here they are debating last week!
If looks could kill !
You might recall that the Teel/Roberts grudge match started heading south a few weeks back when a shadowy group called the Integrity Counts Committee started sending mailers with Teel's face stuck on a package of Oscar Mayer Bologna (and other such indiscretions).
Mayor Naugle complained loudly at the next Commission meeting and demanded that the group sending the Bologna mailer come out of the shadows and claim who they were. Naugle even proposed that the City send out mailers in Teel's defense.
But what a difference a few weeks makes! Now, mailers are hitting mailboxes by a new shadowy group, Fort Lauderdale Responsible Government Committee, that paints Roberts in the most unfavorable lights!
Here is one of the mailers:
If there is a way to find out conclusively who is behind this clandestine effort, I couldn't find it. These groups time their efforts so they don't have to show who they are until after the elections are over. By then, no one cares!
But rumors do abound, and some political insiders told me that they think the powerful Forman family, and developer Jack Loos might be two of the likely suspects behind the new anti-Roberts efforts!
Maybe it's time for some more campaign finance reform!
But before we get to that uplifting news, the bitter battle between District I Commissioner Christine Teel, and former Police Chief Bruce Roberts will have to be settled.
It's been a tense tussle. Here they are debating last week!
If looks could kill !
You might recall that the Teel/Roberts grudge match started heading south a few weeks back when a shadowy group called the Integrity Counts Committee started sending mailers with Teel's face stuck on a package of Oscar Mayer Bologna (and other such indiscretions).
Mayor Naugle complained loudly at the next Commission meeting and demanded that the group sending the Bologna mailer come out of the shadows and claim who they were. Naugle even proposed that the City send out mailers in Teel's defense.
But what a difference a few weeks makes! Now, mailers are hitting mailboxes by a new shadowy group, Fort Lauderdale Responsible Government Committee, that paints Roberts in the most unfavorable lights!
Here is one of the mailers:
If there is a way to find out conclusively who is behind this clandestine effort, I couldn't find it. These groups time their efforts so they don't have to show who they are until after the elections are over. By then, no one cares!
But rumors do abound, and some political insiders told me that they think the powerful Forman family, and developer Jack Loos might be two of the likely suspects behind the new anti-Roberts efforts!
Maybe it's time for some more campaign finance reform!
Buddy Nevins is literally right on the money -- regarding Millionaire Christine Teel’s $250. Campaign Donations – which can easily be found on the Fort Lauderdale City Clerk’s web site.
Why is it that the under staffed pro development Sun-Sentinel and Miami Herald, which have had access to the same information for weeks, have published next to nothing, other than vague totals, about how deeply in bed Christine Teel is with dozens and dozens of Local, South Florida and Out of State developers, builders and real estate investors…including Jack Loos?
Why is it that less than five contributors out of the fifteen thousand folks with a Galt Mile Address sent Christine Teel a check?
Why do the $250. Donations to her campaign, greatly out number the $25., $50., and $100. Donations?
It’s because CHRISTINE TEEL is a DEVELOPER’S TOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Developers Pour Money Into Fort Lauderdale Race
BY BUDDY NEVINS (BrowardBeat.Com)
“Real estate may be in the toilet, but developers are investing for the future – in the northeast Fort Lauderdale city commission campaigns.
Builders, developers and real estate investors are pouring money into the District 1 campaigns of Commissioner Christine Teel and, to a lesser extent, challenger Bruce Roberts.
Because despite the downturn in development, builders always have their eyes focused on the future. Builders are by nature optimists. They see potential dollars where others see only doldrums.
To get to that lucrative tomorrow, they need a friendly city commission. Commissioners who get donations are more apt to be friendly.
Campaign donations are an investment in future development.
Teel has gotten the maximum $250 contribution from real estate industry folks such as Charles Ladd, Bill Scherer and Andy Mitchell.
That doesn’t tell the whole story.
To give them more clout when the contribution level in the city is only $250, real estate investors bundled other money with theirs. That makes their support much more valuable.
Ladd and his partners, the Rahael family, gave a total of $1,250 to Teel. Ladd is behind the huge project west of Interstate 95 along the north side of W. Broward Boulevard.
Two other members of the Scherer family gave $750. Scherer owns property in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Five members of beach property owner Mitchell’s family gave $1,250.
There is $2,500 connected to Turnberry Associates, an Aventura developer best known currently in Broward for controversial Davie Commons project.
Roberts also got at least $1,000 from individuals connected to Turnberry Associates.
The former Fort Lauderdale Police chief got $1,250 from the Deckelbaum family, developers whose project on Bayshore Drive was turned down by the city commission.
Downtown powerbroker Alan Levy gave Roberts $250. So did developer James Motta and his wife, Patricia, for a total of $500.
Former Commissioner Gloria Katz threw a fund raiser for him. Katz was beaten by Teel, who accused her of being too developer-friendly.
Reply to this
PART 2 FOLLOW THE MONEY BUGGY!!
Former Commissioner Gloria Katz threw a fund raiser for him. Katz was beaten by Teel, who accused her of being too developer-friendly.
Ironically, it is now Teel who is getting the bulk of the development industry dollars.
Among others giving money to Teel are real estate investors Jack Loos, Terry Stiles, Doug Eagon, Dennis O’Shea and Peter Feldman ; lobbyist Robert Lochrie III and his family; lobbyist Don McClosky; the Becker Poliakoff lobbying firm and one of its lobbyists, Neil Schiller; lobbyist Aleida “Ali” Waldman and downtown development industry lobbyist Neil Sterling.” Thanks. Buddy Please pass this on to a friend, neighbor, associate or any District 1 voter.
Reply to this
Diametrically opposite to the sleazy, ugly and regrettable tone taken by some in the District 1 race is the District IV Commission race...where our two candidates, Coleman Prewitt and Romney Rogers, have taken the high road during the campaign and should be most highly commended for it!
These men have been articulate, polite and sincerely respectful of each other throughout the campaign and have given voters in our district a rare and refreshing opportunity...a chance to vote FOR THE BEST OF TWO EXCELLENT CANDIDATES rather than the 'lesser of two evils' as seems to be so frequently the case.
In doing so and conducting themselves as they have, they have earned the respect of voters from both camps and have set the stage for a 'win/win' situation in District IV, i.e. a legitimate chance to move forward and support whomever the winner may be in efforts to guide Fort Lauderdale into the future. Provided, of course, the winner actually lives up to the promises and positions made during the campaign...and maybe more importantly...their supporters and followers do, too!
Reply to this
TRUTH IS TEEL VOTES AGAINST DEVELOPERS LIKE RON MASTRIANA BIG SAILS PROJECT SO NOW HE IS STRONGLY BACKING ROBERTS. ROBERTS IS A DEVELOPER TOOL AND THATS WHY ALL THE BIG DEVELOPERS ARE PISSED AND FINANCING ROBERTS LAS OLAS ADDRESSED MAILOUTS...ROBERTS PRETENDS HE IS IN SHOCK OVER THESE MAILOUTS....YET HIS BIG COMMERCIAL SIGN IS ON ALL DEVELOPERS COMMERCIAL PROPERTY....I WONDER WHY????????
Reply to this
Read Teel's contributors....you would be hard pressed to make a decent argument. She takes developers money with no qualms and by the way - check out where her signs are also....in those same big developers properties as well.
In the end - who can do the best job. The voters will decided not campaign literature or signs - neither can vote. It is the ones that go door to door with a message that is corret for the upcoming economic times. Just because you sit in the seat doesn't always make you the best....you have to earn it.
Reply to this