WMG Volume 5 • Issue 19 October 17, 2018
Wilton Manors Gazette Facebook.com/groups/WMGazette
politics
Wilton Manors Candidates Face Off at Forum By Sallie James Development, parking, water quality, left the event with a $25 ticket for parking and police were the hot topics at a recent his flashy, propaganda-splashed pickup candidates’ forum that drew a crowd of truck in a 15-minute parking zone. Corbin said the police chief tapped him more than 120 concerned voters. Community activists who attended on the back before the forum began and the Oct. 4th event said it was a great said, “Boyd you’ve got to move your truck. opportunity for voters to hear the issues It’s in a 15-minute parking zone.” Corbin said he didn’t move the vehicle and meet the political newcomers. and got ticketed. The event was Up for grabs are the organized by the city’s mayor’s seat, a two-year three neighborhood post currently held by associations. Gary Resnick, 58, and “I think the experience two at-large, four-year for the new kids on the commission seats held by block was very helpful. D. Scott Newton, 60, and We are used to hearing Justin Flippen, 40. the others speak,” said Incumbents Resnick Don d’Arminio, a 10and Flippen are seeking year city resident, retired to flip-flop their seats and accountant and vice chair Newton is hoping to be reof the city’s Planning elected as commissioner. and Zoning Board. “It Flippen is currently was well-attended and serving as the city’s vice it’s an important tool mayor, an honorary title to help residents make bestowed by the City a decision. For the - Don d'Arminio Commission. He faces new contenders, it’s an City Resident Corbin, 50, an outspoken important opportunity city activist who previously for them to speak their ran for office twice and lost, in his quest for minds and share their vision.” The event at the Hagen Park mayor. The four-way race to fill two commission Community Center almost went off without a hitch. Mayoral candidate seats includes incumbent commissioner Boyd Corbin, who’s running against Newton, a longtime Oakland Park business incumbent commissioner Justin Flippen, owner and city resident since 1959; Resnick,
“It was wellattended and it’s an important tool to help residents make a decision.”
Gary Resnick, Paul Rolli, Scott Newton, and Kat Campbell listen to the next question. Photo credit: J.R. Davis.
the city’s current mayor and an attorney with 20 years on the commission; political newcomer Katharine “Kat” Campbell, 43, a licensed clinical social worker and mother of a young daughter; and Paul Rolli, 67, a city activist and retired IRS director. Known as the “second gayest city” in the U.S., the upcoming election in this
quirky, upscale bedroom community of nearly 13,000 residents looks to focus on everything from strategic growth and water quality to parking and fiscal responsibility. Martin Nixon, president of the East Neighborhood Association of Wilton Continued on page 5
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opinion
Am I the Westside Curmudgeon?
WMG October 17, 2018 • Volume 5 • Issue 19 2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943
By Sal Torre
Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Chief Executive Officer • Pier Angelo Guidugli Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com Copyeditor • Kerri Covington
Editorial
Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com News Editor • Sallie James
Correspondents
Sal Torre • James Oaksun
Staff Photographers
J.R. Davis • Pompano Bill • Steven Shires
Sales & Marketing This past week I have been challenged to enjoy comedy again, to enjoy being humorous, and to remember that it’s ok to laugh out loud. Earlier in the week I was forced against my will to watch an episode of “Will & Grace.” Being no great fan of TV remakes and revivals of worn TV sitcoms, I found myself laughing and enjoying a moment of fun comedy. The silly slapstick humor of the character Jack McFarland skyping after having used too much facial numbing cream was just hilarious. As I laughed more and more, I was reminded of the classic comedy sketches of “I Love Lucy.” This is one of the wonders of television, to make people laugh and escape the seriousness of life for a brief moment. In the same episode, the new character played by David Schwimmer was introduced as the Westside Curmudgeon. I perked up to possibilities of stealing the label of Westside Curmudgeon for myself and utilizing it as my new “nom de plume.” Just think of the possibilities. Fame and recognition as the Westside Curmudgeon of Wilton Manors, writing and bitching about city happenings, elected officials, water quality, and so much more. Belittling someone new each week, mocking lackluster city events, satirizing elected officials, and finding things to complain about throughout our wonderful city. Oh no! Can it be that I already am the Westside Curmudgeon! After some harsh self-evaluation, I decided that I am not quite to the point of being that cantankerous, full of stubborn ideas and opinions. We will leave that distinction to one of our candidates running for municipal office. Keeping optimistic views about the world around us can certainly be a challenge these days. The House of Saud’s bloodied hands from their possible involvement in the murder of a journalist, the real estate tax schemes that keep billionaires like Donald Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner from paying federal income taxes, the imprisonment of thousands of migrant children in tent camps in a Texas dessert can weigh heavily on one’s sense of justice, fairness, and humorous spirit. However, each of us has a definite choice to make. We can choose to become lost in the downward spiral of Trump-supported pessimism of all that is wrong with the world, or choose to be a beacon of hope, optimism,
and laughter, imparting a smile and some assistance to those in need. Today, as Trump supporters shout out the all too familiar phase, “Let’s Make America Great Again,” I would like to know how many of them would look to pay their fair share of taxes, or perhaps give up some stock options so that the average worker can be paid a decent wage, or have adequate healthcare, or not have to work two or three jobs just to put food on the table for their children. Oh no, that is not what we mean by making America great again. We mean making it white, English-speaking, and Christian. Sorry for the confusion, but we didn’t mean all of you foreigners, poor working folk, undocumented minors; just us angry straight white males who can abuse young women in high school and college and think somehow that’s a normal youthful endeavor. Foolish me. Here in our Island City we are blessed to have such a strong sense of community. We have vibrant volunteer boards, active community organizations and strong participation in our city government. This is what makes our city a wonderful community in which to live, but we must stay vigilant in keeping out the pessimism and the blame game that seems so prevalent throughout our country. There are rumblings beneath the surface of paying our city workers too much, of having to pay more taxes due to rising cost of city government, of the burden of healthcare costs, of homelessness, of traffic congestion, of water quality and so many more topics. Looking to be engaged, to be part of the process and to offer tough solutions are the qualities that we should seek in ourselves and in those running for office this coming election. An educated choice is yours to make, and hopefully most of you will exercise that right in the coming weeks. In closing, I end the day celebrating a dear friend’s 60th birthday. Where has the past 20 years gone since we met that wonderful night in Manchester? Looking forward to the next 20 years and more to enjoy our lives together! Happy birthday, dear friend! Take a moment to smile this coming week, enjoy silly slapstick TV shows, see a comedian do a live show and remember always to just laugh out loud. Laugh out loud without a care of anyone being around to hear you. Laugh out loud so others begin to laugh. Laugh out loud so we can continue to make life just better and happier here. Vote! WMG
Keeping optimistic views about the world around us can certainly be a challenge these days.
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Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Clark Rogers clark.rogers@sfgn.com Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. MEMBER
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Correction In our October 3 edition of the Wilton Manors Gazette we incorrectly stated Paul Kuta was retiring in a headline. That is incorrect. The story, which is correct, stated Paul Kuta announced at a meeting that Finance Director Bob Mays will retire in March. We regret the error.
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Real Estate
A Property Tax Renaissance A closer look at Amendments 1 and 2 By James Oaksun I know this is an odd title for this week’s episode. It came to me as I was walking my greyhound, Koffee, this morning at 4 a.m., with the moon and stars still visible. I have received questions from friends and readers on ballot Amendments 1 and 2. As in any campaign, there are arguments on both sides. Soon enough we will know the winners. Because we have no state personal income tax in Florida, a substantial portion of government funding comes from taxation of property. As a result, instead of the lobbyists being in the halls of Congress hearing Russell Long’s rhyme (from our last column), their Florida “technical adjustments” go into our property taxes. For centuries, astronomers plotted the movements of the Sun, moon and planets according to the system initially developed by the Roman astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. As time passed, however, people observed movements in the skies that didn’t
conform to the original Ptolemaic system. So they made adjustments. Then more adjustments... and more and more. By the end, the predictive system looked like an octopus and no one could understand it. And it still didn’t work very well. Eventually, working independently, Renaissance scientists such as Copernicus and Galileo asked a simple question: What would happen if the core assumption was not that everything revolved around the Earth, but that everything revolved around the Sun? And Voila! (or maybe Copernicus said Tutaj jest; he was Polish). It worked almost perfectly, without adjustment. Which brings us to Amendments 1 and 2. Much like the Ptolemaic model, over the years politicians and the public made adjustment after adjustment to the system for taxing “homestead” (owner occupied) and “non-homestead” (everything else) property. Undoubtedly this was done with the best of
intentions. Yet now we have reached a place where, according to the Florida TimesUnion, homestead property in Florida is taxed in the aggregate at 53 percent of assessed value, and non-homestead at 91 percent! (Of course there are variations from the aggregate depending on county.) Consider what Amendment 1 would do. (I will discuss Amendment 2 on my blog and on Facebook as the election nears.) In simplified form, people with homesteaded properties valued at more than $125,000 will receive, all other things being equal, a property tax cut of about $300. But all other things won’t be equal. Government revenues statewide will be reduced by nearly $1 billion as a result. So services will have to be cut, and/or the underlying tax rate will be increased. The net effect
will probably be about a wash. However, this will add another layer of complexity to the system. Perhaps what we should do, instead, is tell the politicians to take a step back, remove all the preferences and exceptions, take a clean sheet of paper, and construct a simple system of sensibility and equity for all property owners in Florida – regardless of homestead status. In doing so, we can begin a property tax Renaissance. WMG James Oaksun, Florida’s Real Estate Geek(SM), is Broker-Owner of New Realty Concepts in Oakland Park. In addition to having degrees from Dartmouth and Cornell, he is a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI).
BUSINESS
New Vegan Bakery Coming to Wilton Manors …And the cakes are for everyone By Emily Bloch Sweet tooths of Wilton Manors are and being a part of this extremely diverse about to get more treats in town. And as community,” Chiavari said. “It was an ideal landing spot for us because an added bonus? No animals of the diversity. Being raised are harmed in the making of “We are very in a family that was very open them. excited about and welcoming to all people, This fall, PAC Pastries will open at 2348 Wilton opening our first no matter race, ethnicity, sexuality, political views ... Drive, between Johnsons store front in that is always something I Fort Lauderdale and Shades Wilton Manors carried with me as I grew up of Past Antiques. The and being a and especially now with my completely vegan bakery is part of this business.” owned by Shelbey Chiavari, Chiavari hopes to have an Oakland Park resident extremely diverse PAC open by late October who started PAC back in 2012. community.” or early November and said The bakery — which is - Shelbey Chiavari customers can expect a known for its doughnut holes owner wide range of sweets, lattes, and cashew butter cups — brunch options, late-night has sweets available across South Florida. But this is Chiavari’s first hours and ready-to-purchase cakes — and don’t worry, her cakes are for everyone. brick and mortar venture. “I believe in treating people the way “We are very excited about opening our first store front in Wilton Manors you want to be treated, that love is love
and not being an ass!” she said. “We will most certainly have something for everyone and please know, our pastries, desserts and wedding cakes are for everyone. All occasions and for all love.” Not The Only Vegan In Town This isn’t the first vegan option to join the ranks in Wilton Manors. Ice cream parlour, Wilton Creamery (2301 Wilton Drive), offers an assortment of vegan-friendly flavors and toppings. New York Grilled Cheese (2207 Wilton Drive) recently hopped on the vegan train with its Village Vegan Melt — a vegan grilled cheese featuring faux mozzarella, “meat”
crumbles and sweet caramelized onions. The sandwich comes alongside a vegan mushroom bisque. The late-night spot has also added vegan poutine to its menu. La Mexicana Tapas (2430 NE 13th Avenue) offers a vegan taco with tofu and pineapple and one of the newest offerings on the block, GREEN Kafe (2400 Wilton Drive), opened a few months ago. The cafe offers noodle bowls, juices, sandwiches and spring rolls. WMG PAC Pastries is set to open this fall and is located at 2348 Wilton Drive. For more information, follow them on Facebook: Facebook.com/pacpastries.
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this, justin
Looking Back...and Forward By Justin Flippen The grand unveiling of the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce in Wilton Manors. Photo via Justin Flippen, Facebook.
It has been an amazing year in the Island City, and as we start a new fiscal year, I am taking a moment to look back as well as forward. At the end of 2015, the city commission approved and updated the Wilton Manor’s Strategic Plan, which we use as a roadmap for our vision of what our city will look like five years ahead. We have made important progress in achieving the 2020 goals and objectives and I will share some of the specific achievements in the coming months. For now, let me summarize life in Wilton Manors over the last year. Crime is down. 2017 crime rates overall in the city were the lowest in over 20 years. While our dedicated police department will continue to bring it down further, it bears sharing that our community is pretty safe, especially in relation to those around us. Property values are up for the ninth year in a row, and we are in the top ten percentile of cities in Broward County in terms of increases. While we don’t expect
Maintaining the smalltown feel will be our number one priority, with careful economic development a close second.
drastic increases to continue, we do hope to continue with modest growth. Tax rates are down. This was the tenth consecutive year that your City Commission lowered the millage rate. Our infrastructure is sound. City staff works long and hard to keep our infrastructure maintained and replaced at regular intervals. While we will be making upgrades in the next few years to our drainage and sewer systems to accommodate rising temperatures and seas, overall our infrastructure is very sound. One of the key goals of the Strategic Plan is to ensure that the city’s properties and infrastructure meet present and future needs, and we are well on our way. We have a robust leisure services platform, with programs for the young, young at heart, and in between. Last year we hosted more than 500,000 park visitors. If you haven’t done our Wilton Manors Self-Guided Ecotour I highly recommend it. I bet you’ll see something at every stop to make you say, “Hmmm.” Our parks are emerald gems placed in and around our urban village. Looking forward, change is coming to Wilton Manors. Our city will have a new mayor and at least one new city commissioner beginning this month. The Island City’s main street of Wilton Drive is going to soon be transformed into a narrower, much more pedestrian and bicyclist friendly corridor. This has taken almost a decade of engagement with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and other agencies, and almost $4 million in funds from the Broward MPO. Those of you who are on the Drive every day know it can be a speedway, mainly from traffic coming from and going to other places. There have been too many “car vs. pedestrian” accidents, including fatalities, and with all that traffic, few stop to spend time dining and shopping on the Drive, rather than just speeding on it through our city. While it won’t be easy going through the Drive’s
transformation, on the other side of the construction will be a slower paced Main Street with more shade, pedestrians and bicyclists, galleries and restaurants, and an atmosphere that will better encourage business. Maintaining the small-town feel will be our number one priority, with careful economic development a close second. We will be working hard to encourage the development and building of a hotel in close proximity to our downtown and looking at strategies to grow our “class A” office space and diversify our businesses. We will be incentivizing the use of alternative transportation, like ride sharing and other “last mile” options that encourage residents and visitors to leave their cars at home. We will be strategic about how we revise and update our city code of ordinances, to take a more common-sense approach and encourage and incentivize conservation. We will be finishing up our Joint Climate Change Action Plan with Oakland Park, completing our community wide greenhouse gas inventory, and implementing ideas to reduce the city’s carbon footprint. It’s been a year for the books with more growth on the way, and because of where we’ve been and the direction we are heading, I firmly believe “life’s just better here” in Wilton Manors...and hope you do too. In your service,
Justin S. Flippen, J.D. Wilton Manors Vice Mayor and “The People’s Commissioner” WMG
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Wilton Manors Candidates Face Off at Forum Continued from page 1
Sallie James and Michael d'Oliveira.
Manors, was pleased with the turnout and the positive reaction from those in attendance. “I thought it went over pretty well. I think all the questions prompted some good and reasonably responsive answers from the candidates,” said Nixon, whose association represents nearly 70 homeowners. Candidates spoke about everything from the affordable housing project at the Pride Center, development along Andrews Avenue, the narrowing of Wilton Drive, parking issues and mayor is running for the what will happen to the commission and they property at 26th Street wanted to see what that is and 16th Avenue, all areas about. Kat Campbell is new of key concern, he noted. so maybe they wanted to Jon O’Connor, find out about that. But the vice president of the others are all familiar faces Westside Association - Jon O'Connor in one way or another,” Wilton Manors, said he Vice President of the O’Connor said. was surprised so many Westside Association City activist Paul Kuta residents attended but said the questions were was glad to see it. The Westside Association represents about good but thought the event went on too long. Many attendees had left by the time 250 homeowners. “It was better attended this year and the nearly two-hour-long event ended. I am not sure why. Maybe because the WMG
“It was better attended this year and I am not sure why.”
Check out what’s happening
Around Town
A peek at the speakers: Photos by J.R. Davis Justin Flippen For Mayor
Boyd Corbin For Mayor
Gary Resnick For City Commissioner
Paul Rolli For City Commissioner
Kat Campbell For City Commissioner
Attn: Trick or Treaters Attention parents of trick or treaters: Williamsburg Landing is offering a safe, alternative to outdoor trick or treating this Halloween. The senior living community is hosting a “Not So Spooky” Halloween event for kids from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 1776 NE 26th Street. Children are invited to trick or treat and play games in a protected, indoor environment. Trick or treaters will receive safe, individually-wrapped candy and enjoy live entertainment from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The event will include a special guest appearance “from a galaxy far, far away.” For more information, call Williamsburg Landing at 954-566-1775. WMG
Scott Newton City Commission
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