Broward Commissioners’ Unfair, Insulting Election

 

BY BUDDY NEVINS

 

 

The naked face of partisan politics was on display at the Broward County Commission on Tuesday.

And not at the School Board.

Commissioners refused to name their colleague, Chip LaMarca, vice mayor because he is a Republican.

School Board members named Donna Korn as the vice chair.

Korn is a Republican. School Board members didn’t care.

Vice chair is important because almost always the stepping stone to becoming chair next year.

LaMarca should have had the honor.  Elected in 2010, he has served three years.

Instead the job went to Commissioner Tim Ryan, who was elected last year.

Ryan is an exceptional commissioner.  He’s bright and a voice of reason.

That said, Ryan should have waited to be chair.  His election just wasn’t fair.

“I obviously didn’t get the memo on Tim Ryan,” Commissioner Lois Wexler quipped after the vote.

Wexler was one of three votes to name LaMarca, along with Dale Holness and LaMarca.

The other six voted for Ryan.

“I knew he didn’t have the votes….(but) I absolutely believe you take turns.  Chip has been there three years. It was his turn,” Wexler said. “Its fairness.”

Wexler is right..as she often is.

LaMarca got shafted because he is a “R.”

There are 243,801 registered Republicans today in Broward County.

The School Board recognizes this fact.

But The Broward County Commission just told Republicans that they don’t count.

 

New Broward County Commission portrait taken after today’s insulting vote.New Broward County Commission



40 Responses to “Broward Commissioners’ Unfair, Insulting Election”

  1. kathy Dibona says:

    Go Timmie!!!

  2. kathy Dibona says:

    Go Timmie!!! You found your calling!!!

  3. The Critic says:

    Could it be that they just think LaMarca is an ass hole, regardless of party affiliation? Or maybe they didn’t like they way he 2-timed them last year on the vice mayor vote. This crew doesn’t care about partisan. They’ll take money from Republicans, hire Republicans, etc… they just don’t like Chip. And yeah, he’s a Republican too. Important to point out also that school board members are SUPPOSED to be non-partisan. And I wouldn’t look to KCW for any sign of leadership!

  4. Just the facts says:

    Rupert was in line for Vice Chair for the School Board

  5. Oh Please! says:

    1. There are more registered Democrats in Florida than registered Republicans, and have been the entire time that the GOP has been in control of the Florida Legislature. With that in mind, when was the last time the the Republican Legislators elected a Democrat as President of the Florida Senate or Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives? (Hint: It was the last time that hell froze over)

    2. The School Board is a non-partisan body, while the County Commission is not.

    3. It is perfectly fair is some County Commissioners think seniority should be the main consideration when it comes to electing a Vice-Mayor, but the election is based off of a vote of a majority of commissioners. Do you really think that the will of 6 out of the 9 commissioners should be ignored for that or any other reason?

  6. Please! says:

    Lamarca got “shafted” because he is a self righteous prick. He is a decenter not a consensuous builder. That is why Rupert was passed over at the school board and Korn was chosen. Part affiliation aside, when all you do is vote no and stomp your feet like a child the adults won’t take you seriously or want you as their leader.

  7. Ha Ha Ha says:

    Buddy. You told us that the job of Vice Mayor was “meaningless” when Jacobs and Sharief fought over it. Jacobs won the vice mayor post 5-4, and (as shown in the above photo) Sharief is now the Mayor, despite having lost the Vice Mayor title to Jacobs…

    http://www.browardbeat.com/kristin-jacobs-fights-for-meaningless-job-vice-mayor/

  8. Guess who says:

    If the roles were reversed, you think a super majority Republican commission would elect a Marty Kiar or Stacy Ritter Vice Mayor? No. Elections have consequences. These are partisan elected offices.

  9. Come on buddy says:

    First, check your sources or call Nora Rupert, it was her turn to be vice chair at bcsb and was passed over because she speaks her mind and has been critical of Runcie. As for Donna, no elected official has hid from being a Republican more than Korn. Name one event she has been to in support of Republicans or even shown her face with Gov Scott when he comes to town.

    As for Chip, he got shafted not because he has an R next to his name but because he has a J, as in jerk. He has screwed fellow Republicans, Leach, Bogdanoff and Moritias in the past, none of which will lift a finger for him. He is obviously in bed with Judy Stern since as we know Lois doesn’t go to bed at night without permission from her gal pal Stern. The same Stern who believed to be running the campaign against the Mayor at the behest of Holness.

    Only a jerk who is so in need of a title would create the title of “minority leader” for himself. Gee, that is not putting one’s party over the needs of all members of the District .

    If this was Jim Scott, you know there would be no issue and he would have been Vice Mayor. Sen Scott was a statesman and looked beyond party affiliation. Could you imagine Jim Scott calling himself a minority and referring to Gettysberg?

    The Commission didn’t want a jerk representing this county as it’s Vice Mayor or it’s Mayor,in reality who could blame them.

  10. Ana Gomez-Mallada says:

    This is no less than we should expect from the Party of Hypocritical Intolerance.

  11. Wake Up Broward says:

    You get what you pay for

  12. City Activist robert Walsh says:

    Didn’t I tell you all that Comm.Holeness was a stand up guy. Comm.Lamarca got robbed today. Lamarca deserved it, and so did Holeness. Comm.Wexler, once again thank you for trying to do what was right. .Comm.Gunzburger I am surprised @ you, you above all them know what is right. If anything else its tradition. Comm.ryan should have waited his turn, you don’t shoot up to the front of the line. People on the beach, we have no one representing us except Comm. Lamarca is all we have for beach issues. Comm.Ryan is to busy w/ Dania Beach. Total ‘BS’ today guys….

  13. Alice in Wonderland says:

    Marty is keeping a low profile …. All the relatives must have received jobs. Has your little brother been promoted yet?

  14. Owl says:

    Very disappointed in Marty Kiar and Tim Ryan, but not surprised.

  15. Mean Girl says:

    Why would Tim Ryan want to be vice mayor when Gunzberger et. al decided to use him to blatantly disrespect Holness and LaMarca? I would think he would want the position when it’s his TURN. And how dare Sharief bask in the glow of being the only African American female mayor and allow someone else to be passed over who out and out deserved the title? Sharief who never misses an opportunity to remind everyone that she is the vice… now mayor? By the way-apparently there were others in the peanut gallery today who feel the way you do Buddy. I know I heard applause when LaMarca said he’d continue to serve all of the residents of Broward, regardless of their party. Shame on Gunzberger… Jacobs… Ritter…. Kiar…. Ryan. Oh and now I get what Ritter was threatening LaMarca about last week and went on to apologize for it. They made absolute asses of themselves today. Side note: I bet there will be a record breaking amount of comments on this blog entry… as there are whenever LaMarca’s name is mentioned here. The rest of us R’s get a good chuckle at how threatened so many of the “people” here are by Chip. They freak out and scramble around and post a million times under a million names because they are so worried someone may see him for what he is- a good guy who is just trying his best to do the job he was elected to do- with a crapload more integrity than those 6 idiots mentioned above.

  16. Just Saying says:

    Count me as one of the many Democrats who applaud what happened. Do the Republicans in the US House give Democrats any chairmanships? No! This is the purpose of having parties: so the will of the majority is reflected. The majority do not want any Republican holding any leadership role on the commission. Kudos to the six who voted correctly.

  17. intheknow says:

    Chip LaMarca did not deserve to be Vice-Mayor. Unlike Donna Korn, he is not a team player and has played partisan politics. And everyone in the government center knows that he is Holness’ lap dog. Besides, having Holness nominate him made his nomination DOA with other Commissioners because Sharief is the Mayor and Holness is working against her re-election. Buddy, also you miss the fact that the school board elections are non-partisan while the County Commission elections are partisan. That makes a difference. This election was as fair as the other partisan elections in in Tallahassee and DC. Wexler’s comment is disingenuous because she didn’t support Republican Jim Scott for Vice-Mayor when it was his turn. Buddy, as you,like to write, Hmmmmmm!

  18. Paulgiordano's pinocchio nose says:

    Disnt the same thing just happen to Ruppert? C’mon Buddy, fair is fair. Korn should have waited her turn. Talk about breaking sunshine, everyone was plotting on that board but Rupert who was in the hospital fighting for her life. Atleast we know Rupert will have the employees backs still she is free to keep standing up for what is right.

  19. northeast cane says:

    Let’s face it, in the 21st century the Vice Mayor and Mayor should have attained more than a high school diploma.Consdering Chip’s highest level of education is a high school diploma we deserve better.

    FROM BUDDY:

    This is a bogus and elitist comment.

    Establishing an educational achievement test for public office is a slippery slope.

    Are all degrees equal? Is a degree from Keiser University the same as a degree from Harvard or even Florida State? If LaMarca had an associate degree, would that be enough?

    LaMarca was elected by roughly the same number of voters as any of the other commissioners. Voters obviously didn’t care what degrees he achieved. Once elected, he should be treated like any other commissioner.

  20. Get over yourselves says:

    Are you seriously comparing them to the Senate and the House? What a JOKE. It’s been a tradition to do a rotation in order of seniority on the commission for Mayor and Vice Mayor and they skipped over Holness and LaMarca. Like a bunch of high school kids electing the prom king and queen. I am embarrassed for them.

  21. Broward Staff says:

    Buddy misses the larger story which is why the HELL would Holnes make such a stupid move. He continues to alienate himself from other commissioners with his obvious attempts at steering contracts and his support of a candidate running against the Mayor of Broward County. He had just as much right to the position as LaMarca but no one was going to nominate him. Anyone asking WHY? Dales motives may derive from good intentions but they often meander into uncomfortable area for most who understand what is going on in Broward Politics.
    As for Chip deserving the nod, it is absurd. While he claims to be the minority leader of the Board he rarely raises a pertinent issue on any matter before the board. Chip is a FLOATER.

  22. just saying says:

    Buddy is correct in observations and opinion.
    @GetOverYorselves is too

    “…“I knew he didn’t have the votes….(but) I absolutely believe you take turns. Chip has been there three years. It was his turn,” Wexler said. “Its fairness.”…
    Wexler may have had good inentions but this is what happens when the ‘crown’ of mayor is a ceremonial pretense to send even more tax dollars going around calling yourself the Mayor of Broward County when anyone hearing that statement anywhere in the country (or overseas on their Trade Missions with the guv)would not know its a popularity contest scratch my back I’ll scratch yours. Remember the redistricting shenanigans two years ago. Remember the plotting and scheming? Power grabbing to be sure they could get re-elected, or make the district “ready” for the next guy if term limited. those on the dais that didn’t luck out tuesday forgot. no honor among thieves. and voters keep electing the same type of representation

  23. intheknow says:

    Buddy, Just saying and get over yourself – you have it all wrong. Chip was not deserving to be elected Vice-Mayor. Not because he is an R. But because he has not shown any leadership or non-partisanship; just votes against the majority all the time. Korn is a consensus builder and class act on a non-partisan board. Wexler didn’t vote for Republican Jim Scott when it was “his time”. What caused her sudden epiphany? Wexler just voted the way Chip’s campaign manager, Judy Stern told her to. What a hypocrite! Dale’s nomination of his BFF LaMarca killed any chance LaMarca might have had anyway because of Dale’s actions against Mayor Sharief. Ryan is a great choice. He is a leader and will make a great Mayor next year.

  24. consider this says:

    I wonder what the other Republicans in the County think about Chip, a “GOP Conservative,” hanging out with and doing the bidding for Holness, who has children from various women, doesn’t live at his address on file for election purposes and owes the Broward Property Appraiser (ie Broward County) back taxes. Yeah. Family values.

  25. Git R Done says:

    Not fair, Chip LaMarca is a Good Man, “why” would they treat him like that??? ugh!!!

  26. Kiar doesn't care says:

    Kiar is just working with Parrish to arrange it so he is mayor when she resigns and Charlie can appoint the Mayor to be the property appraiser. He doesn’t do anything without her approval.

  27. Mona Lisa says:

    There were no sunshine violations because they all conspired on a plan to get around it.

    The Irish Mafia from the Emerald Society strikes again. Keechl’s campaign manager Mike Ahern is the President of the Emerald Society with Board Members Tim Ryan and Jack Seiler.

    Ahern was seen meeting with the 6 who voted for Ryan over the last two months. Ahern was also seen with his high school pal Kristin Carter, Chief of Staff to Tim Ryan.

    Seems pretty obvious Ahern was the go between with Ryan/Carter and the 6 Commissioners to line up the votes. All who voted are also supportive of Keechl for reelection. This was all contrived to hurt LaMarca and help Keechel

    All that was missing was the playing of Danny Boy.

  28. Redskin, not Chief says:

    Ahearn went to Gibbons and went to to get bachelors degree and a JD.
    Carter went to Ft Lauderdale HS and also went to get a bachelors degree and a JD.
    LaMarca went to North East HS and then um…ya.. that is all.

  29. Middle of the road says:

    Simply put, LaMarca is not a leader so he did not deserve to serve in a leadership role. Leaders rise, you don’t go to the bottom to find one.

  30. Mean Girl says:

    Pretty sure LaMarca was leader of the GOP in Broward for a while. So please tell us all why Tim Ryan was more deserving of the position of vice mayor? He’s been there for what? A year? Please. The most telling vote was that of Wexler because she has nothing to lose or gain by voting for anyone other than who she knows should be VM. She’s termed out so she isn’t interested in brownie points. By the way.. I see my prediction is well on it’s way to becoming true. Another LaMarca post garners more comments than any other subject. All the hand wringing that goes on when it comes to him by the people who post here is as comical as hell.

    FROM BUDDY:

    Lois Wexler won’t be termed out until 2016.

  31. Mean Girl says:

    Oh and as far as that all being done to help Keechl, how is that going to make a difference? Keechl was mayor when LaMarca creamed him in 2010. Voters don’t care. In light of what is coming to the surface about Sharief and her Medicaid over billing scandal- I mean who agrees to pays out half a million dollars after an audit if the didn’t over bill? – holding the title of mayor isn’t going to do anything for her reputation either.

  32. intheknow says:

    Mean girl, get real. Wexler didn’t support Republican Jim Scott when it was his turn to be Vice-Mayor. All Wexler’s vote told was that her gal pal, Judy Stern, got her to vote for LaMarca as Judy is running his campaign. Everyone at the government center knows that Stern gets hired by lobbyists to secure Wexler’s vote and Wexler always votes for the team with Judy on it.

  33. Desperate R says:

    There is only one reason why Lamarca was able to become chair of the Broward GOP, they are as useless as he is.
    Hopefully this will be a reality check for him to look in the mirror and reflect on who he is and how he is perceived. Or perhaps he will continue to swirl his wine and pontificate.

  34. Google it says:

    Google “chip lamarca” and “mona lisa” you will see numerous pro chip posts going back over 3 years. The early posts Mona describes him/herself as a small business owner who lives in Lighthouse Point. As you look through these posts some seem to imply a deep/ possible inside knowledge of things going on with LaMarca relevant to the story.

    Is Mona Lisa Chip? a fromer Aide? a current Aide? no idea but look closely at Mona’s posts over the years and decide for yourself.

  35. Leonardo says:

    @Google it
    You have posted that here before. With the ability to change the name one posts under at any given time, there could possibly be multiple people posting under the name “Mona Lisa”.

  36. DaVinci says:

    Poor Ahearn. He is a nobody… never in his wildest dreams would he have that kind of influence over the commission to steer votes on anything whatsoever, let alone vice mayor or mayor.

  37. City Activist robert walsh says:

    Oh I disagree w/ some of your comments concerning Comm.Wexler, in that Judy Stern is calling all the shots. Although they are friends I think Lois Wexler is a straight shooter and votes how she feels. I do not think Judy Stern or the man on the moon could persuade her one way or another. Oh but Judy Stern marches to her own beat also. I wouldn’t want to piss either one of these ladies off….Bottom line Lamarca deserved it..

  38. intheknow says:

    Wake up, Robert Walsh. Name one time Wexler voted against Stern. Bet you can’t find any!

  39. Wexler family values says:

    I love Lois taking the moral high ground position. Too bad she didnt pass such ethics and high morals on to her daughter who is currently charged with failing to report an alleged rape.

    http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-09-12/news/fl-teachers-child-abuse-charges-20130912_1_child-abuse-teachers-essay

  40. Check the Charter says:

    Hello… Earth to Buddy… There has not been a “Chair” or “Vice-Chair” of the Broward County Commission since 2002. They are the Mayor and Vice-Mayor now!