Cops Endorse Four Commission Candidates

 

BY BUDDY NEVINS

 

 

The Broward County Police Benevolent Association endorsed four County Commission candidates today because of their “dedication to public safety and law enforcement, announced local president Jeff Marano.

Those endorsed include:

*Lisa Aronson in District 2.  Aronson is a commissioner in Coconut Creek and the PBA represents officers in her city.  Her two opponents – Charlotte Rodstrom and Mark Bogen – are not in office. All three candidates are Democrats.

*Barbara Sharief, the Democratic incumbent in District 8.  Sharief is an ally of Sheriff Scott Israel, whose deputies are PBA members. Sharief’s opponent Alexandra Davis is a commissioner of Miramar, where officers are also represented by the PBA.

*Joe Gibbons, the Democratic state representative from Hallandale Beach, in District 6.  His opponent Beam Furr was a Hollywood commissioner when the city sought to cut police pay and benefits.

*Ken Keechl, a former county commissioner, in District 4. His opponents – Democrat Ben Lap and incumbent Commissioner Chip LaMarca – are not viewed as supporters of the PBA.

The Broward County PBA represents parts of the sheriff’s office and many other cities in Broward, although not all.

Here is the news release:

 

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:         Jeff Marano

                             

 

BROWARD COUNTY POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION
ENDORSES FOUR CANDIDATES


Broward County, Fla. February 27, 2014 – The BCPBA formally endorsed 4 Broward County Candidates including Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief, Coconut Creek Vice Mayor Lisa Kohner Aronson, and State Representative Joe Gibbons for the general election, along with Fort Lauderdale Attorney and former Commissioner Ken Keechl as the democratic candidate in the primary election for County Commission in District 4.

Citing a “long outstanding relationship with law enforcement,” BCPBA President Jeff Marano is asking voters to consider these candidates when they are in the voting booth. He added “Not everyone can agree with a candidate on all the issues, but one of the primary concerns when electing our officials is their dedication to public safety and law enforcement. If you don’t have a safe place to live in, other issues suddenly become unimportant.”

Mayor Barbara Sharief is running for County Commission in District 8, Vice Mayor Lisa Aronson is running for County Commission in District 2, Representative Joe Gibbons is running for County Commission in District 6, and former Commissioner Ken Keechl is running for County Commission in District 4.

The Broward County Police Benevolent Association is a non-profit organization providing labor relations assistance and collective bargaining services for its members. The PBA’s mission is to promote professionalism in law enforcement and to protect the rights and privileges of individual law enforcement officers and civilian employees, as well as to keep citizens informed of the challenges facing law enforcement today.

 

 

 

 



18 Responses to “Cops Endorse Four Commission Candidates”

  1. Replika says:

    Why would any Union endorse Chip lamarca he openly tried to have the ethics law interpreted in a way that he could on behalf of Replika privatize jobs that are held traditionally by Union Members.

    From his request for an ethics opinion…

    You relate that you are a member of the Broward County Commission and that you are contemplating becoming a part-time, salaried employee of a company that would provide contractual, or “contracted employee,” services to county and municipal government entities located both inside and outside of Broward County. More particularly, you state that the company is interested in providing police services, fire services, clerical services, and a host of other services and functions which are normally, or historically, provided “in-house” via a government’s use of its own employeee

    CEO (commission on ethics) case number 12_13 May 9 2012

  2. bottoms up says:

    Beam Furr is absolutely fantasic!

  3. Replika says:

    Any Union that would support Chip LaMarca would show how little they care about their members

    As you see below, chip wanted to get around the ethics law so he market and lobby for a company that wanted to privatize union jobs.

    Florida Commission on Ethics: CEO 12-13, May 9 2012.

    “You relate that you are a member of the Broward County Commission and that you are contemplating becoming a part-time, salaried employee of a company that would provide contractual, or “contracted employee,” services to county and municipal government entities located both inside and outside of Broward County. More particularly, you state that the company is interested in providing police services, fire services, clerical services, and a host of other services and functions which are normally, or historically, provided “in-house” via a government’s use of its own employees.”

  4. City Activist robert Walsh says:

    What the PBA endorsed Keechl over Lamarca-. Are you serious. What has the “the Barbie doll” done for you PBA. I mean you are way off. Comm.Lamarca is good for our district people. Hang in there Chip. Total BS. Raise all the money you want Kenny. Barbie doll here raised almost a million dollars and still lost last time around. Get his record on the dais Chip. He changes like the wind in that mop of a hair he is sportin. Will dye your hair platinum blond Chip if we have to. Whatever it takes…… And Charlotte Rodstrom get out there and show them who’s boss….

  5. Sam The Sham says:

    Buddy,

    You should amend your headline to read “Cops Union Endorses”. There is a big difference between cops and their union.

  6. Jorge Ortiz says:

    police unions endorse candidates that are good for police pensions. And police and their labor unions do not support other unions or workers, only themselves

  7. Ciar to have my vote says:

    I love to attend law enforcement functions now that my little brother is a sheriff I think he will be promoted soon.

    i

  8. The Critic says:

    In other news, the sun is expected to rise in the morning.

    Did anyone ask Jeff Marano about the process that was used to endorse these candidates? Did any of the candidates who were endorsed fill out a questionnaire and go thru a formal interview, or a screening process? If not, it would be keeping in the grand PBA tradition of making poor and ignorant endorsement choices, and then doing little to nothing to help those endorsed candidates. But hey, at least they can put it on their campaign literature. That and $5, and they can get a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

  9. Independent says:

    Unions, particularly the Police Unions, are not benevolent societies interested in the common good of their city or county.

    No, they are organizations whose sole purpose is to represent their members to get increases in salary, pensions and other benefits. All costing more taxpayer dollars.

    While I may support some of the candidates they Police Union endorses, it gives me great pause when we agree due to their inherent conflict of interest to the greater welfare of those that the elected official is supposed to represent.

  10. Chucky says:

    I support the opposing candidate of anyone that Robert Walsh endorses.

  11. Duke says:

    This endorsement means nothing to me. Police Unions down here are full of it. I don’t like it when they go to bat for bad cops and I don’t like some of their ridiculous demands that end up costing taxpayers millions. Like letting a Deputy who works at the airport and lives in Loxahatchee take his cruiser home every night. Or the guy who works in Pembroke Pines and takes his cruiser home to Wellington every night and has it all weekend and takes it on personal runs to Home Depot. Or how about the way many of these BSO deputies who live in Palm Beach County get to use the HOV lane on 95 when they go home while FHP stands there with stupid looks on their faces but then pull over other drivers using that lane. Maybe the Police Union can get em all tri-rail passes.

  12. Abolish the BOCC says:

    Shairef – fraud
    Keechl – corrupt
    Gibbons – where do you illegally live anyway?

    Marano – what are you thinking? I’ll bet the rank and file will disagree.

  13. agree to disagree and agree, maybe says:

    Like every human, race, religion, and personality, not all are quantitatively the same. Conclusively lumping all unions agendas, ideals, philosophies, and decisions is, by definition, discrimination.

    Many unions in South Florida abide by strict moral codes and processes that strive for greater strength within the very communities they serve. Union members are individual members of our society and deserve the same rights to representation and defense against of alleged wrongdoing. When citizens are accused of wrongdoing they are presumed innocent until proven guilty, however, when a union member is accused of wrongdoing the majority response is that they are guilty and shouldn’t be defended.

    As a whole, the majority of union members are just as angry at their own members when wrongdoing is discovered, however, the members are subjected to embarrassment because of societies immediate discrimination against the entire group. Let’s all pause and realize that there are bad apples in every bunch and not persecuted entire groups for the wrongdoing of a few.

  14. Duke says:

    I saw film footage of a Dade County police officer standing by and doing absolutely nothing as another officer attempted to render aid to 2 individuals who had been in an accident. The officer who was rendering aid was begging the other officer to help him. She did absolutely nothing. The officer who was refused any assistance says she should be fired. The rank and file all say she should be fired. But the union continues to go to bat for this poor excuse for a human being.

  15. Sam The Sham says:

    “Many unions in South Florida abide by strict moral codes and processes that strive for greater strength within the very communities they serve.”

    Best laugh of the day!

  16. Duke says:

    Lets do some simple math. The arena has approximately 7,000 parking spaces. It’s hosting about 200 events a year. Patrons are charged a minimum of $20.00 to park. Just who is getting the 28 million dollars a year cash money that folks pay to park their cars at the arena? Does the county get that money or does the Panthers owner get that money?

  17. Ghost of McLovin says:

    Always vote AGAINST the candidates endorsed by the police or fire unions – Unions endorse the most likely to spend spend spend tax dollars on salaries and pensions.

  18. Ghost of McLovin says:

    A Broward County commissioner’s home health care company overbilled Medicaid for patient services by nearly $500,000, according to the State Agency for Health Care Administration.

    The vice mayor signed an agreement in May to repay the state $540,328 during the next three years, which includes the Medicaid overcharges and additional fines and costs associated with the settlement, according to the Agency for Heath Care Administration.

    Sure PBA, endorse the admitted fraudster