Tuesday March 22, 2022, is a runoff election in Lake Worth Beach. The PBCEC is asking you to vote and volunteer to get others out, by making phone calls/texts, waving signs, and working your social media network.
All districts vote. Polls open from 7am to 7pm.
As you may have noticed by now, there is a problem with Craig Frost. You might have read about it in the newspaper, or gotten mail, calls or text about it. Some of it has gotten confusing, and its possible there is a straight up disinformation campaign attempting to garner support for Frost by making people feel bad for him. Its a pretty weird strategy, but it seems worth taking a closer look at before going to the polls.
It should be made clear that, in our opinion, the problem with Craig Frost is not that he didn't answer the Post or Sentinel questionnaires or respond to the requests for interviews. It's not that he has a criminal record (which is very common), or that he said he didn't know about it (which is pretty strange). And it's also not about there being too much trash in the garbage can from the picture there on D Street.
Craig deserves the sympathy and support for his battle with cancer that he has shared publicly. And he deserves respect for his community involvement despite having a criminal record. But that doesn't mean that he should have a position of representing the people of Lake Worth.
The problem with Frost as a commissioner has little to do with Craig at all. It doesn't really even have much to do with the Gulfstream. (While that is certainly a project worth scrutinizing from various angles, we feel it is also being overplayed to drive division between neighbors. There is a much bigger picture to be thinking about. Props to former candidate Daniel Morgan—who is supporting Diaz—for giving voice to that position.)
The problem with Craig is who is behind him, and who he will be beholden to; who is contributing funds, putting up yard signs at the properties they are speculating on, who is pushing for him to get elected in order to further their business interests. The problem is people supporting candidates that will make them more money at the expense of driving people out of neighborhoods in pursuit of the twisted demographics changes that previous commissioners have heralded, and long term impacts to the planet, that shortsighted real estate greed and overdevelopment result in.
Such as is the case of the photo here, property on the corner of D Street and Lucerne owned by real estate speculator Greg Rice displays signs for Frost. (This is confirmed by the PAPA record pictured below.)
The campaign contribution forms here show donations from the Realtors PAC and CDS Int'l.
These are the type of entities that funded the commission majority over the past 10 years, facilitating corporate giveaway to developers in the form of variance, zoning increases, "sustainability" bonuses, tax abatements and selective code enforcement policies.
In response to having this pointed out, Craig Frost's campaign strategists have attempted to divert attention to a local architect, environmentalist and smart growth advocate, Anne Fairfax, who has donated to the campaign of Reinaldo Diaz.
Craig Frost's, pro-development supporters seem to be feigning concern about this supposed conflict to confuse voters on the fence. Or they may be taking a cheap shot at Fairfax, a part-time local who helped found a group that is challenging downtown development, because she has been an outspoken critic of the CRA planning process, presenting counter visions of development plans that better integrate with the existing neighborhood. (Note: PBCEC doesn't necessarily agree with Fairfax proposals.)
Hopefully that helps you decide how to make your decision tomorrow.
