A PIECE OF MY MIND!

At the City Commission meeting , Monday, Feb. 25th,
I asked the City Commissioner to submit
their priorities to the community in writing.
It is only right that I put mine in writing.
Therefore I submit for the public's pleasure
my (ALEX'S) list of priorities
for the City of West Palm Beach:
(Please note that ALL these are equally important
and should be addressed together as one objective.)


A.) Address and correct the water quality issue immediately.
This would mean that at every meeting the topic of where we stand be clearly brought forward for public awareness.
We must keep it in the forefront of discussion so that the Mayor makes it a priority in the budget process and we establish a 5 year strategic plan, based on sound financial resources, be part of all future budgets and strictly adhered to.
It would be my job as City Commissioner to keep the public informed as to the attention, progress and actions this administration is taking as the guardians of our "liquid life", water.
This is essential so we never face a boiled water order again.

We must be able to guarantee,
that the most basic and primary needs of the residents,
that of clean health water, are met immediately.

It is our responsibility as City Commissioners to make sure that the strong mayor continues to place the highest and most important interest of the citizens first. It is, after all, a matter of public health and safety.
Although she has the ability, as mandated by the charter,
to set the agenda for this city,
it is only with the City Commissioners approval of the budget,
that she can fund it.
With a strong commission mandating where the funds be placed,
we can redirect any project she may want to push forward.
The problem has been, that over the past 5 years,
she has had a City Commission which rubber-stamps her expenditures without a clear future plan.


I have a 4 point plan
that makes sense for this City.




1.) Immediately order a customer survey by an accredited university to determine the threshold of payment the water customers are willing to pay for clean water. Without this, we are acting backwards and spending money based not on the markets ability to pay for it but on a self appointed program of spending.

2.) Immediately cost out and fund the retro-fitting of our existing water plant to the highest standards available. Our water plant is old, but needs to work for us until we establish an alternative source. It can, if updated and properly repaired serve us well as we approach our future plans with caution and foresight.

3.) Identify alternate sources of water for our growing population, as well as explore the abilities to drill into the Floridian aquifer with a reverse osmosis or desalination system that will move us into the future with steady resolve.


4.) Professionally and realistically produce and make a public policy of a 5 year strategic plan, which includes a 20 year capitol improvement outline of needs and funding sources.

I will fight for each one of these points to be discussed and promoted by the City Commission so that the Mayor will administer and make it a priority in this upcoming budget.

B.) Determine, fund, and implement an infrastructure plan that HONESTLY addresses our roads, sidewalks and flooding issues.
Again this has everything to do with setting priorities.
We currently have no priorities, let alone neighborhood improvements plan.
Projects and expenditures made have been done based on political favors, election timing; and if researched, are not fully funded, simply implied and started with no long term completion time-lines.
The intellectual dishonesty that I have witnessed with promises made is unacceptable.
Lip service is all it is.
There is no honest, directed, complete time-line approach to the Broadmoor project nor to the issues with Parker Road, Austrailian Ave or North Flagler. A well thought out plan of action with funding is needed for each of these areas, including improved sidewalks and sewage systems.
ALL of these areas have taken a back seat to downtown and City Center.
I for one, have had enough of residents and neighborhoods playing second fiddle to pet projects, as well as being treated as unimportant to the decision process.

C.) Establish a tough zero-tolerance approach to crime
The political will to direct the police's top brass is lacking.
What I see is a knee-jerk reaction to crime, only when the residents get fed up enough.
A continued mandate from the City Commission which sets community partnerships and programs into play is required.
I know this first hand from my involvement in the Northend Coalition of Neighborhoods.
When we rallied as a group, City Hall sat up and paid attention to our problems. WE marched together as a community to take back our streets. It was working. Then came the apathy from City Hall in which we now find ourselves.
It is my strong belief, that crime on the streets needs to be managed with a true relationship between the residents and the men in blue on patrol. This translates into meaningful and real relationship building, so that citizens who are willing to be part of the process have a direct line to, 1. what is happening, 2. who to call and 3. how to handle all situations as they arise, as a whole team working together.
We may never stamp out crime 100%, but this does not mean that there are not deterrents to it, nor does it mean that we throw our hands up in defeat. More visibility is key, but it's the public who can alert police to the hot spots where they are most needed. One tool that worked for us in our zip code (33407) was working to get a continual stream of information out to the residents with information from the department on a daily basis. The alerts were effective and became a valuable way to watch one another's homes and streets. Please check out my web site ( http://www.alexhearsme.com/ ) to see other ideas and solutions which are proven to work. What we lack is the political will to set the tone for meaningful community partnerships and involvement, as well as a policy to take a zero-tolerance approach on specific law-breaking activities.


D.) Work Towards Sound Fiscal Budget Appropriations
In light of the recent article regarding my own property tax issues, one might argue that I am incapable of this directive; I believe just the opposite. (Let me point out that all my taxes are paid and current, including any interest owed.)
I have learned from my own personal experiences, that when people, families, even governments stretch themselves, we can find ourself in tough situations.
Even when we think we are investing for the future, there are simply times when one has to tighten the purse strings, and wait for another opportunity.
The most responsible thing we can do is face the realities of financial constraints and map a conservative course in order to reach financial security, without sacrificing the main necessities of shelter, nutrition and health.

In the case of a City this means placing infrastructure, water and safety first as areas of primary areas of spending.
All of these experiences can be valuable and segue into how I manage city finances:
---Therefore now is not the time to be committing $20 million dollars to a waterfront "overhaul". As my opponent voted to do for this past Monday. We must first deal with our more immediate needs, before we consider any other debt.

---When city leaders are threatening the public with diminishing emergency services, it is time to stop the irresponsible spending of taxpayer dollars to fight multiple lawsuits, as well as other very egregious expenditures that need to be brought to light.

---The City should have faced the realities of its financial constraints and should have saved for a "rainy day"…that rainy day is here, and we need an "overhaul" of the water system, yet the attitude is we'll just bond more debt. Fiscal responsibility is simple when priorities are recognized. My personal priorities are one thing, the City's quite another.

My ultimate goal for the City of West Palm Beach would be, that someday soon, we would be recognized nationally as one of the top 10 Cities which provide REAL quality of life standards, in which we can raise our future generations of proud citizens.

I believe we are at a critical juncture in this City's future.

Whether we come together and bring out the vote for change or not, will be seen on March 11th.

I have been vocally speaking out and advocating for the resident's voices to be heard for almost ten years.

In this election, I have put out my chin and taken the first punch.

Will the community rise up and stand with me?
We must, for all our sakes, recognize the need to bring balance to the City Commission.
Respectfully I submit my service to our City and its citizens,


Sincerely,

I am,
Alex Vizoso Saylor,

and these are my priorities,
and hopefully yours,
for the City of West Palm Beach.