Wasserman-Rubin Explains Her Vote On The Commons
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Broward County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin may have cast the vote that ends her career.
A lot of noise is being made about her vote to approve The Commons office and shopping complex since she lives in the area.
To be fair to Wasserman-Rubin, I thought I would print the verbatim transcript of what she said before voting for The Commons.
Western Davie residents living near the project planned for Interstate 75 and Royal Palm Boulevard are livid. They are especially mad at Wasserman-Rubin, their neighbor in Southwest Ranches.
Weston Mayor Eric Hirsch is making noise about running against her in 2010 (More about this at a later date).
The key point: Wasserman-Rubin pledged to vote against the project in the future if developers didn’t find a way to solve the traffic created by The Commons.
The increase in traffic is exactly what has raised complaints from Weston city officials.
Here are Wasserman-Rubin’s comments as transcribed by the county staff for captioning on television. It is all capitalized when transcribed.
Any misspellings and non-grammatical speech are mistakes of the county. The words enclosed by parentheses were added by me.
Here it is:
I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ALMOST A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS TRYING TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS I COULD GET TO BE ABLE TO MAKE AN INTELLIGENT DECISION THIS EVENING.
EVEN THOUGH THE SITE IS NOT IN MY DISTRICT, I REPRESENT THE PEOPLE IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS WHO WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THIS PROJECT.
I’VE HEARD SEVERAL THINGS TONIGHT THAT (WERE) PROBLEMS IN MY PROBLEM COLUMN, (LIKE) THE WIDENING OF DIKES ROAD. FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND MY (DAVIE) COUNCIL MEMBERS THERE, THAT WAS NOT AN OPTION.
NOW I’VE BEEN TOLD THAT THAT’S NOT AN ISSUE. THAT’S BEEN REMOVED FROM THE TABLE.
THE ISSUE OF SHOTGUN ROAD (GETTING MORE TRAFFIC) IS ALSO REMOVED FROM THE TABLE.
THE INGRESS AND EGRESS PARTICULARLY AS IT REFERS TO THE EMERGENCY VEHICLES, I WAS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. AND I WAS GLAD TO HEAR THAT BOTH THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND THE FIRE
CHIEF SPOKE, RAISED MY LEVEL OF (CONFIDENCE) WITH THAT ONE.
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT, THE JOBS AND THE REVENUE THAT THE PROJECT WOULD BRING TO THE AREA, AND THE PROPERTY VALUES PROBABLY WOULD INCREASE IN THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS ALSO.
I WAS GLAD TO HEAR FROM THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE. THEY BOTH SPOKE ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THIS MONUMENTAL PROJECT.
THE SIZE OF THIS PROJECT IS BOTHERSOME TO ME. IT’S HUGE, AND I WAS — I HEARD — I THINK IT WAS COMMISSIONER (JOHN) RODSTROM WHO ASKED SOMETHING ABOUT REDUCING THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT, AND MAYBE THAT COULD BE USED AS A MITIGATING FACTOR.
THE REASON THAT I’M SAYING ALL OF THIS TODAY IS BECAUSE I CAN’T IMAGINE ANY MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE NOT WANTING TO HAVE THE PROCESS BE COMPLETE SCRUTINIZED BY EVERYBODY THAT CAN DO SO. AND I WAS ASKING STAFF IF I COULD POSSIBLY MOVE TO GET ALL OF THESE ANSWERS RATHER THAN GOING THROUGH THE TRANSMITTAL PROCESS.
(“GOING THROUGH THE TRANSMITTAL PROCESS IN PLAIN ENGLISH MEANS APPROVING THE PROJECT AND SENDING IT TO TALLAHASSEE FOR FURTHER REVIEW. A STATE AGENCY WILL NOW EXAMINE THE PROJECT.
IF THE COMMONS IS APPROVED IN TALLAHASSEE, IT FACES FURTHER VOTES IN DAVIE AND AT THE COUNTY COMMISSION.)
AND THE ANSWER WAS NO.
IF YOU WANTED THE ANSWERS AND YOU WANTED THE INPUT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND ALL THE OTHER AGENCIES, WHICH I WOULD WANT TO HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE, THEN THE ONLY OPTION IS TO TRANSMIT (IT TO TALLAHASSEE).
NOW A LOT OF THINGS HAVE BEEN SAID HERE TONIGHT, AND I HATE TO TALK ABOUT THE PERSONAL — AND I’M NOT GOING TO. I THINK THAT’S — I AM A HUMAN BEING, AND I FELT HURT BY SOME COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE TODAY BY THE AUDIENCE, PARTICULARLY FROM FRIENDS.
SO I’M NOT GOING TO GO INTO IT BECAUSE I MAY SCREW IT UP.
I WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT IF I MOVE TO TRANSMIT THIS ITEM, IT WILL BE STRICTLY A MOVE TO
TRANSMIT SO THAT OTHERS CAN WEIGH IN ON THE SITUATION.
IF THE ISSUE OF TRAFFIC, TRANSPORTATION IS NOT AMELIORATED FROM WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US RIGHT NOW, I WILL VOTE NO ON THIS WHEN IT COMES BACK.
I’LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I WILL ABSOLUTELY DENY THIS WHOLE THING. SO ALL I’M SAYING IS IF ANYBODY CAN FIND A WAY WHERE WE CAN GET ALL THESE ANSWERS, ALL THESE ISSUES TAKEN CARE OF BY OTHER AGENCIES OTHER THAN TRANSMITTING, LET ME KNOW.
I DON’T KNOW OF ANY OTHER WAY. SO SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO HELP ME ON IT.
December 17th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Wasserman-Rubin needs to go. She is an embarassment for her district. She ate lunch with lobbyists for The Commons right before the vote. What did they promise her?
December 17th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
They probably promised her husband a job with them in the future… That may be the main reason for sure!!!
December 18th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Diana W-R takes her job very seriously and after reading the transcript, she did nothing wrong, she just wants to get further answers. This does not mean that roads won’t be built or the project may be downsized. I believe she labored over this for sometime before making the decision. Anyway, I don’t care I live on the lovely East side of Broward and wouldn’t live in Weston if somebody gave me a free house with all expenses paid!!!!
Diana is a truly wonderful human being.
December 18th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
IF this is the vote to take DWR out of office, it will be the DUMBEST move by us, her constituants. I am a resident of DIstrict 8 (DWR’s dIstrict) and I am PROUD of the decision she has made. AS a matter of fact, I dont know ANYONE in my district who is not happy with that decision. I think DWR has stood up for US , which is what she was elected to do. I think it was very fair writing to put her speech on there – personally I wish it was not as negative as it was, becasue I am ready for the Commons to be built right away – but I respect that while she had a lot of negative feelings, she knew her constituents wanted this and gave it a chance for transmittal. Good Job DWR!
December 19th, 2008 at 7:10 am
Yes Diana. I think voting her into office is one of the smartest things we’ve done. I am a big supporter of The Commons and I like that Diana hears us, her neighbors and citizens – at least enough to give the other agencies a chance to decide on it…. Thank you Diana – you did the right thing and definitely the best thing for your constituents.
December 19th, 2008 at 10:16 am
For people who know Diana know she will only do what is right on the school board she was for the children and on the commission she works for the people of Broward County. Nobody can ever beat her should she decide to run again. XOXOXOXO to Diana