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Fort Lauderdale voters: Keep Mayor Dean Trantalis
June 28, 2024
12
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In Fort Lauderdale, voters will elect a mayor and three city commissioners on November 5th. In Districts 1, 2, and 4, we made endorsements. As previously stated, District 3 commissioner Pam Beasley-Pittman was re-elected without opposition. In this contest, incumbent Mayor Dean Trantalis, first elected in 2018, is running for a third and final term as Mayor. Running against him are four individuals separated largely by style. They are attorneys Ken Cooper and Jim Lewis, lobbyist Barbra Stern, and activist Chris Nelson. In this election, we urge Fort Lauderdale voters to return Dean Trantalis to city hall. The stakes could not be higher, and the seriousness of this moment could not be greater.
Ken Cooper, 71, is a Fort Lauderdale Attorney who previously ran for Mayor against Trantalis in 2020. Although he had a good showing in that race, he was defeated by Trantalis who got 57% of the vote. In this contest, Cooper lists sustainability, housing, and protecting the waterways as his top priorities. In his questionnaire to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, he said "What separates me from my opponents is my unwavering commitment to protecting Fort Lauderdale’s future by opposing reckless privatization and overdevelopment, while ensuring transparency and accountability—qualities absent in their record." We agree with Cooper's priorities, and his calming demeanor, but he is not the right man for this particular job.
Jim Lewis, 67, has run for several offices unsuccessfully — Florida attorney general twice, Broward state attorney twice, and a litany of other offices on the state and local level. He has run as a Democrat, Republican, and Independent in the past. The passion is certainly there. Anyone who cares to run for office that many times, certainly has a passion. His campaign focuses on mismanagement, waste & abuse, and homelessness as his top issues. "I’m just an old Fort Lauderdale guy who loves this city and wants to defend it from the developers and special interests that want Fort Lauderdale to be a concrete jungle" he told the Sun Sentinel in his questionnaire to the paper. Lewis is well-meaning, but he doesn't have all the facts. At this point, it appears that he's shopping for a seat, any seat that voters will have him in. Voters should outright reject him, for the tenth time.
Barbra Anne Stern, 50, is the daughter of controversial Fort Lauderdale lobbyist and political fixer Judith "Judy" Stern. She lists her campaign priorities as public safety, flooding, and infrastructure. Stern claims that she is "the candidate most capable of leading our city into the future in an inclusive and fiscally responsible manner", but her negative focus on the city says otherwise. In forums, Stern has made focusing on black communities a priority of her tenure if she should be elected. Admirable, it seems. But Trantalis believes this is pandering. So do we. We believe that it would be incredibly bad judgement for Fort Lauderdale voters to elect a lobbyist to the top post in the city. Lest we forget, the Sterns were major problems in the city until 2018, as lobbyists ran this city a la carte. We question her mother's behavior in previous campaigns that resulted in the false, set-up, (click to read here) arrest of a member of this board. That is an act that has never been atoned. This is the hardest of NOs this board will ever give.
Chris Nelson, a DJ and right-wing activist who made headlines for opposing COVID-19 vaccines and lockdowns. He's running an anti-development, pro-neighborhoods campaign.
If you listen to these candidates, you'll believe that Fort Lauderdale is facing all of these horrible problems, and that by electing ONLY THEM, it will be fixed. Sounds familiar? This Trumpian nonsense has got to stop. Fort Lauderdale is an incredible place on the move. Anyone seeking to lead this city must have positive tings to say about it, and a record to show for it.
Dean Trantalis, 70, was elected Mayor of Fort Lauderdale in 2018, at a time where residents needed change and a new vision for a city that had problems and potential. He became the city's first openly gay mayor, after serving a few terms as the District 2 City Commissioner. During his tenure, he has led the city through the COVID-19 pandemic, a once-in a-thousand year flood that tore through the city, and has presided over the rapid growth and development of the city's downtown and surrounding areas. Trantalis lists managing growth, infrastructure, and homelessness as his top issues for his next and final term. "These past several years, Fort Lauderdale has experienced a true renaissance in opportunities in job creation, exciting choices in entertainment and recreation that the whole family can enjoy. I believe that my experience, my goals and my accomplishments distinguish me from my opponents, and this is why I am the best candidate to choose from."
Fort Lauderdale voters say that overdevelopment is a top issue for them. Developments such as the pickleball courts at Snyder Park, the One Stop Shop in Flagler Village, and the Lockhart Stadium are highly-talked about issues in the city. They bring cause for concern, yes, but this board is not anti-development. For Trantalis, who voted for these projects, smart growth is the way. "Yes, overdevelopment is a problem in any city. That is why we continue to engage in smart growth efforts to embrace the popularity that we are now experiencing and to ensure that new developments are appropriately integrated into our existing fabric. No new development should compromise the integrity of our single-family home neighborhoods." We agree. The answer to overdevelopment is not to stop developing completely (that would be silly), but instead to manage that growth responsibly. This includes infrastructure investments, affordable housing, and protecting our waterways.
"These past several years, Fort Lauderdale has experienced a true renaissance in opportunities in job creation, exciting choices in entertainment and recreation that the whole family can enjoy. I believe that my experience, my goals and my accomplishments distinguish me from my opponents, and this is why I am the best candidate to choose from." -Mayor Dean Trantalis
A once-in-a-thousand-year storm hit Fort Lauderdale in April 2023, destroying homes, and upending the lives of residents in the city. The storm tested our infrastructure and our readiness to respond to these emergencies. The storm also highlights the importance of tackling climate change and sea level rise. These are all issues Mayor Dean Trantalis has made priorities. Through the city's Fortify Lauderdale initiative, $1.6 billion dollars is being invested in the city's infrastructure and towards combating sea-level rise. Trantalis told the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board that this was a major priority of his: "These past several years, Fort Lauderdale has experienced a true renaissance in opportunities in job creation, exciting choices in entertainment and recreation that the whole family can enjoy. I believe that my experience, my goals and my accomplishments distinguish me from my opponents, and this is why I am the best candidate to choose from."
Homelessness continues to be a major issue for cities all across the United States, but especially in Florida. The state is facing an affordability crisis. Rents are up, property insurance rates are out of control, and this is all occurring as hurricanes become stronger and deadlier. On October 1st, a new Florida law went into effect banning sleeping or camping in public statewide. Under this law, cities must remove or arrest homeless persons engaged in these prohibited activities. Starting January 1st, cities can be sued for not enforcing this law. Fort Lauderdale is already enforcing it. We urge Trantalis to exercise caution as he enforces this law. This board does not believe that homelessness is a crime, and arresting homeless persons only exacerbates their problems and further strains the criminal justice system. On this issue, Trantalis' opponents woefully lack compassion, with one individual saying "lock them up" in a grotesque, Machiavellian fashion. This is unacceptable. Trantalis wants to focus on affordable housing, too. He acknowledges the influx of young people into this ever growing city. "We have done more than any other city in the county to encourage affordable housing and must continue to do that. If we don’t the cost of housing will skyrocket. Still, we must be smart and strategic about growth and ensure our wonderful neighborhoods are maintained."
This city faces massive problems, but it has massive potential. Common issues in this race are overdevelopment, a county-proposed elevated rail through downtown Fort Lauderdale (which we OPPOSE), and the city's response to the April 2023 floods that resulted from torrential downpour. Challengers say Trantalis isn't focused on the needs of the people of Fort Lauderdale. That couldn't be further from the truth. Trantalis says there is no better candidate that "best promotes the best interests of our neighbors and neighborhoods, as we find ourselves reaching into the 21st century, with only our fears to hold us back." We urge voters to reject the nonsense and keep him in the job.
The winner of this race will receive a 4-year term and a $106,920 salary.
Endorsements are the viewpoints of The County's Editorial Board members Elijah Manley, and Luc Saint-Genies. Endorsement may or may not reflect the personal beliefs and preferences of individual members of the Editorial Board, or The County's writers.
