County Commission Forum - District 1 Primary Candidates

June 20, 2012

On June 18, eight grassroots, civic and political clubs came together to sponsor a candidate debate for the County Commission District 1 primary on August 14. Moderated by local radio personality Tom Boyhan, the three candidates were asked six questions of county-wide interest, chosen from a list of twelve that had been given to the candidates in advance. They were also asked for a brief opening and closing statement. Below you will find a summary of the event, with the questions, their answers, and a link to a video of that section of the forum.

Click on the candidate’s picture for a short biography.

The event was well attended, and quite a few elected officials joined us, including: District 1 Commissioner Karen Marcus, from Palm Beach Gardens Mayor David Levy, Vice Mayor Bert Premuroso, and council members Joe Russo and Marcie Tinsley, Juno Beach Vice Mayor Bill Greene, Tequesta Mayor Tom Paterno, Lake Worth Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell, Jupiter Inlet District Commissioner Patricia Walker, Republican State Committewoman Fran Hancock, and PBCGOP Chair Sid Dinerstein.

Sponsors of the event were the PBC Taxpayer Action Board and their coalition partners South Florida 912, Palm Beach County Tea Party, and Singer Island Civic Association, along with the Republican clubs of Palm Beach, Northern Palm Beaches, the Palm Beaches, and the Jupiter/Tequesta Repbublican Organization.

Dan Amero

Harry Gaboian

Hal Valeche

Opening Statement:
Dan Amero: Thank you Karen, I will pay attention to Business (cornerstone of our success), Budget (no tax increases at all), Integrity (bring back “IRA”: Integrity, Responsibility, and Accountability) Harry Gaboian: Filing fee is a very high obstacle for entry, hope I can be a good candidate Hal Valeche: Local elections are important, thank you to Commissioner Marcus for all she has done, big shoes to fill
Question 1: Recently, a proposal for a half cent sales tax surcharge that would raise $100M per year for Palm Tran expansion and other uses was proposed by staff and a decision was postponed for a year. What is your view of this tax and how would you approach it next year if elected, and what other new sources of revenue would you consider appropriate?
Dan Amero: Oppose, we need public transporation but not at the cost of 90% subsidy Harry Gaboian: A long way off before we have mass transporation here, need something in the city (museum?) to draw people in Hal Valeche: Oppose, Palm Tran is inefficient – make it more rational, increase ridership (fares only cover 8%), make it work better
Question 2: Palm Tran is currently 92% subsidized, with fares making up only 8 cents of every dollar in operating costs. Ridership is down and many empty buses travel the existing routes yet staff and some commissioners would like to expand Palm Tran. A recent consultant study recommended (among other things), privatizing Palm Tran and/or raising fares. How would you approach this issue?
Dan Amero: Keep throwing money at it without a plan is ridiculous use of taxpayer money, experiment like the free golf cart transport in Delray Beach Harry Gaboian: Use small vans run by small business like in the Caribbean Hal Valeche: Privatization would not eliminate subsidy – need to make profit, don’t raise fares because low-income riders depend on it
Question 3: Attracting businesses and jobs to the county is approached in a number of ways. One is to provide tax incentives and outright payouts for infrastructure development like with Scripps. Another is to subsidize private business like with the convention center hotel. Another way is to make the county attractive as a place to create or expand a business by reducing the tax burden and simplifying the permitting process. What is your preferred approach to economic development?
Dan Amero: Companies are coming anyway, same reason many people have – the lifestyle, beaches, greenspace, etc., Max Plank / Scripps – was lot of money, little to show, lower taxes, lower fees will help our own people as well as attract new businesses Harry Gaboian: Make the county an attractive place to live and work and that will attract businesses and keep them better than monetary incentives Hal Valeche: easier permitting, lower taxes as incentives – business friendly environment
Question 4: The county has adopted the “sustainable development” agenda that promotes urban concentration over suburban development, mass transportation, and other “green” issues. Some would say that this will result in erosion of property rights and limits to the way we are allowed to live our lives. What is your understanding of “sustainable development” and how would you deal with the issue if elected?
Dan Amero: Florida Growth Management Act we have to follow, 11M pop growth by 2030, need 1M acres, need to start planning Harry Gaboian: Agenda 21 is bad, but plans can be flexible – need to build things and work around obstacles Hal Valeche: The comprehensive plan is a blueprint rather than mandatory, sometimes conflated with Agenda 21 (which is coercive, command and control, not good), county has done good job so far
Question 5: Shoreline erosion and beach replenishment is an ongoing problem for Palm Beach County. Recently, a plan to implement groins to protect the beach at Singer Island was rejected after complaints of the Surfrider Foundation and other environmental groups. What is your view of the Singer Island groin proposal and what should be done about this problem?
Dan Amero: More than just Singer Island problem, 47 miles of coastline, with tourism, “no beach, no dollars”, groins work in Ocean Ridge, need to try something Harry Gaboian: Against the Corps of Engineers on that one, spent too much on study, go slow, try pilot project, let property owners pay for mitigation Hal Valeche: Spending millions a year on replacing sand is stupid, we need a long term solution, groins/jetties are the way, Allen West is on board and will help
Question 6: The voters overwhelmingly approved the Inspector General and Ethics Ordinances and their application to municipal as well as county government. 15 cities have sued the county over the planned IG funding mechanism, but many would say it is an attempt to thwart the wishes of the voters. How should this standoff be resolved and what role should the county commission take in resolving it?
Dan Amero: Even though 72% of the voters said we want it, cities don’t want to do it, IG is a good thing for us, she’s making us a better government, I support 100%, you should too Harry Gaboian: Stay away from it, its not our business, cities rightfully object when someone wants to look at their books Hal Valeche: Cities should pay what they owe, it is a weak case against it, IG funding is good use of taxpayer money
Closing Statement:
Dan Amero: I’m the small business guy who wants the best for everyone in small business – the backbone of any successful community Harry Gaboian: Commission doesn’t understand the free market system, lot of people and corporations with their hands out, need to fix that Hal Valeche: Have record I’m proud of, spent my time on PBG Council looking out for the taxpayer