Election-time statements: True or False?
Dear Editor:
Echoing the most mendacious national campaign in my memory — and I’m no longer young, I find in Deerfield Beach a similar performance by a perennial candidate to preside at commission meetings. In this campaign, I’ve been hearing bizarre departures from FACT.
Large raises in salary to senior staff have been cited as being unwarranted. FACT: there were no across-the-board salary raises for senior staff. Certain positions were eliminated and taken over by staff members who were entitled to more pay for increased responsibilities and longer hours of work. Each adjustment was determined on a one-by-one basis. All in all, the changes have resulted in a net savings for the city.
As to raises in salary for elected officials, this cost-ofliving increase was mandated by an ordinance in 2004.
FACT: Most of these officials put in at least 40 hours per week in serving their districts and the city. Their hours vary since they serve at the convenience of citizens — which can be at all hours.
The mayoral candidate was echoed by one candidate for commission as saying that “this job is part-time and easily can be managed by scheduling” is unrealistic. It is true that parts of some districts have been overlooked by certain commissioners. But it is also true that direct contact by citizens with hard working commissioners and staff have served well since the current administration has been in place.
The fire assessment [fee] preceded by years the recent adoption on the utility tax. FACT: For a candidate, coupling them is truly a disservice to the truth.
The perennial candidate’s campaign against a perception of inequities in water rates for the Century Village complex is not ancient history as was stated. FACT: Those attacks against water rates for Century Village were quite recent. Even more recent is the current about-face. You may watch the candidate addressing the commission on video.
David Cohen
Deerfield Beach
Education = Quality of Life
Dear Editor:
[There are] too many homes with single mothers and fatherless children.
Education is not a racial issue. It’s a social one across the board.
We have lowered the standards for passing grades to facilitate the overcrowded schools and the bureaucratic obesity of school board systems. Yes, education starts at home always has, always will.
We don’t need an Ivy League study to know this. It’s common sense. Oh yes, I forgot, common sense is not common.
And neither are family values. When you have babies having babies in eighth and ninth grade and opting out from school to welfare (remember, not a racial issue, it’s a social one across the board) this equals a poorer quality of life and a burden for all of society.
As we see in today’s time, a diploma or degree is not automatic employment.
What can we do to help single mothers with fatherless children on the way? Seems like a good question for our Ivy Leagues to study.
Ray Bish
Deerfield Beach
