Broken promises at Lauderdale soccer stadium | Letters to the editor
Hooray for Fort Lauderdale District 1 City Commissioner John Herbst for having the backbone to stand up to the dazzling notoriety of soccer star David Beckham et al and his pricey lawyer-lobbyist.
They can afford the best legal counsel on the market, so they know what’s in an agreement and what isn’t. Cities do not do multimillion dollar business agreements on a handshake unless they’re awe-struck by fame and forget the rules of law.
As a taxpayer, I’m not dazzled. Enough with the giveaways.
Thank you, former Mayor Jack Seiler, for all you are doing to mediate the agreement and not caving to lobbyist pressure.
If people can’t attend games because there’s no place to park, then just cancel the games and send fans home. That’s on Beckham United, not the city of Fort Lauderdale, according to their signed agreement.
They broke their promise to us, and to all soccer fans in Broward County, plain and simple.
Shame on Beckham United and those who represent them.
Amy Hamilton, Fort Lauderdale
Conservative reverberations
As their annual Leadership Blue event approaches, it’s important that Florida Democrats remember the shortcomings of the previous election cycle. With a Gov. Ron DeSantis having carried 62 of 67 counties in Florida, it will take more than just opening checkbooks to support the issues Democrats care about.
As a recent University of Florida graduate, I like to think I have my ear to the ground. Former Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse’s recent implant into Gator Nation inspired me to listen harder, but I am only hearing more and more conservative reverberations — even in Broward County.
If you don’t want it to be assumed that your child is carrying a firearm in a backpack; if you worry that you might not make next month’s rent due to spiking insurance premiums; or if you want the freedom to make your own decisions about your body, you need to make that known. Not just to your family, but to your friends, neighbors and elected officials, too.
Spencer Bober, Hollywood
A warning from Canada
What will it take for our state to legislate against automatic weapons purchases? How many more shootings must we witness in schools, clubs and, most recently, on the Broadwalk in Hollywood? If for no other reason, when will this keep people from vacationing here, considering Canada just issued a travel advisory due to our high level of gun violence?
Stacie M. Kiner, Hypoluxo
The spine that isn’t
In their usual self-congratulations for dubious achievements, such as building “bike boxes” when there is just one, the Boca Raton City Council is taking credit for the downtown spine.
The spine was meant as a wide pedestrian thoroughfare linking Royal Palm Plaza and Mizner Park. It would be lined with stores, restaurants, and entertainment venues — Boca Raton’s version of the Champs-Élysées in Paris, as it were.
It was never seen as just a path, straight or otherwise, because there were already sidewalks in place for that purpose.
But the city council is now championing an achievement that isn’t. City officials claim that a pedestrian path through Aletto Square is the new spine. In no way does this even partially fulfill the spine envisioned by the early giants of Boca Raton planning. They can all pat each other on the back as much as they want, the spine is dead.
Even Mayor Scott Singer can’t pull off this miracle.
Alan Neibauer, Boca Raton