Broward Commission Candidate Gets Very Early Endorsement
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Former Hollywood Commissioner Beam Furr has snared two big, very early endorsements in his 2014 race for county commission.
County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger and Unite Here, a union, have endorsed Furr.
Sue Gunzburger (left), Beam Furr and a voter during Gunzburger’s 2010 campaign.
Gunzburger’s endorsement is expected to carry some weight in Commission District 6, which Furr hopes to inherit.
She has represented much of the district, which stretches from Hallandale Beach and Hollywood west to Pembroke Pines, for two decades. Before that was a Hollywood commissioner.
Gunzburger must leave office next year because of term limits.
“I think he will do a great job as a County Commissioner. We share many of the same values and vision for the county. Furthermore, he will end his career in the school system and become a full time county commissioner, as I am when he wins the seat,” Gunzburger told Browardbeat.com
“Her endorsement means a lot,” Furr said. “The people who have watched her in action the last 20 years have seen the values she stands for. I believe we share them.”
He cited safeguarding the environment and childrens’ issue as two they agree upon.
Another early endorsement showered on Furr was Unite Here, the union representing hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, and airport industries.
It is interesting to note that Unite Here gave Gunzburger her first big early endorsement in her hard-fought 2010 re-election against former State Sen. Steve Geller.
The union is known for putting volunteers into races of candidates it backs.
“I’ve worked closely with Unite Here,” Furr said. “When we had development projects in Hollywood, I was out front about the workers being able to earn a living wage. Unite Here heard me.”
State Rep. Joe Gibbons, D-Hallandale Beach, also is running for the seat. Hallandale Beach Mayor Joy Cooper is another possible candidate.
District 6 is heavily Democrat so the real contest is the party primary. A previous story on the race is here.
Furr, 57, is a librarian at Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines and was formally a classroom teacher. He was elected to the Hollywood commission in March 2000 and chose not to run for re-election in 2012.
February 7th, 2013 at 5:56 pm
Buddy! Thanks for giving Beam Furr your eyes and ears. I think Beam Furr deserves a lot of credit for his long time commitment and efforts to help all those he represents and hope to see his continued rise in the political arena. He stands for what is right and just. A refreshing youthful yet experienced voice for and of the people. I like him.
Appreciate the opportunity you gave him here. Keep your keen eye on this rising star
-Just Beachy
February 7th, 2013 at 7:43 pm
I believe you forgot one candidate who is surely running and that is Steve Geller.
February 7th, 2013 at 7:45 pm
Furr is from Hollywood. That’s all anybody needs to know because Hollywood has been in thetoilet for years. They are broke and have had to fire employees. He was on the commission that ran it into the gutter. I will never vote for him.
February 7th, 2013 at 7:48 pm
Geller was trounced by Gunzburger last time around. He can spend his law firm’s money however he wants, he has no shot.
February 7th, 2013 at 7:49 pm
I hope Joy Cooper runs for the county commission. That will be the only way we can get rid of her in Hallandale Beach. She is thoroughly corrupt and the exact opposite of Beam Furr on development because she is pro development.
February 7th, 2013 at 9:10 pm
Geller supports Gibbons and a waffle sandwich with double bacon, whipped cream and maple syrup inside.
February 7th, 2013 at 9:42 pm
Finnally getting rid of Gunzburger, she has long surpassed her shelf life, thank G-d for term limits!
I’m hoping Keith London gets in the race, only sorry he didn’t beat Joy Cooper…
February 7th, 2013 at 11:23 pm
What values does Furr share with Gunzburger? Making the County buy your husband’s warped and defective products?
February 7th, 2013 at 11:32 pm
I voted for London. Sorry his ambition took him out of a seat he would still be in.
London can run for BC but it’ll be a crowded field, cooper will smear him and now Sue is in Beam’s corner. So much can happen in 17 months till aug 2013 primary
Lesson here –
if elected, and re-elected by voters, fulfill the term
February 8th, 2013 at 2:10 pm
If Sue endorsed him then I definitely would not vote for him. Between all the illegal contracts her late husband got without any others allowed to make bids and her son who wow he worked full time for Lori and yet was able to spend his whole work hours working for Israel and got a plumb job by spreading all those lies against Al Lamberti. She like other Commissioners are so corupt its amazing how they get by without being caught. Good riddance Sue
February 9th, 2013 at 1:59 am
Quentin Furr helped DESTROY the City of Hollywood and now he wants to take those same “values” to Broward County with Gunzburger’s blessings. He talks about being a union member and working well with UNITE HERE (because it served his own personal interests??? ie endorsement? volunteers? campaign contributions??), but what about the unions in Hollywood???
Quentin SCREWED the employee unions in Hollywood, but we citizens won’t feel the full impact for a few more years when the City can’t attract quality employees anymore. The old employees can’t afford to leave, the new ones are bailing out by the dozens, and only the bottom of the barrel job seekers are going to come work for Hollywood’s crappy benefit package.
Under Quentin’s “leadership”, employees lost between 10-25% of promised wage benefits and 1/3 to 1/2 of pension benefits. Even if you believe benefit adjustments needed to be made (which is a reasonable argument), NO ONE deserves that big of a hit at one time. The commissioners didn’t give up a quarter of their salaries, but it was fine to do it to the workers.
Now that Quentin will receive HIS FULL STATE PENSION, he can afford to go ruin County like he did City. In fact, if a PBA neighbor of mine is accurate, Quentin gets to add his commission salary to his librarian salary and gets his FRS pension calculated on the total amount. What a ripoff!!!
Definition of Hypocrisy: gutting employee pensions while scamming the system to maximize your own pension.
Good riddance, Quentin. If the county is stupid enough to elect you, it deserves what it gets. The only good thing is you can’t drag hollywood down anymore.
February 9th, 2013 at 8:41 am
Geller is dirty…look what he conspired to do with Lamberti about Gunzberger.
February 9th, 2013 at 8:54 am
I’ve known Beam for several years as our District 2 Commissioner. I feel that he truly cares about those he represents and their best interests, and he ALWAYS made himself accessible to the community with genuine concern as a City Commissioner. You bet I’m going to support him as a County Commissioner!
August 9th, 2014 at 5:35 pm
Mayor Joy Cooper is not corrupt. If you have proof lets see it. She has done a fabulous job in Hallandale with Low Taxes, Parks and Recreation areas. The only bitch you people have is there is two much traffic. Yup there sure is during snow bird season. It’s also a bitch in every other city in Florida. Move to the Gables and try to move at 5 PM you pin heads.