Palm Beach Gardens: Your vote doesn't count unless the old guard wins

In spite of a new voter-approved term limits law that was approved by nearly 80 percent of the vote, 4-term incumbent Vice Mayor David Levy is running for his fifth consecutive election to the Palm Beach Gardens City Council. The 2014 law, which is retroactive, limits council members to two consecutive elections to the council.

City cronies are circling the wagons for Levy, as his city attorney and city clerk, Patricia Snider, are arguing Levy can place his name on the ballot in spite of the new law. Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher is permitting Levy's name to appear, saying it is up to the municipality -- that is, Snider -- to enforce its own election laws.

Levy's defense to irate voters is even more brazen. He is reportedly replying that if the voters don't like his illegal candidacy, he won't be able to win re-election.

In other words, the results of the 2014 elections didn't count and he is entitled to a do-over -- with different voters!

Levy's smugness about a do-over comes from the fact that he knows that March municipal elections attract a very low turnout, from some 7,000 in 2014 to as little as 3,000 in 2011. On the other hand, over 20,000 voted on the term limits law in the general election of 2014.

This is one key reason why municipal term limits are so important. Incumbents can turn out the vote of self-interested special interests in their districts and win repeated, lopsided elections as the bulk of the citizenry are busy taking care of their own lives, families and businesses. It is a classic case of the phenomenon of concentrated benefits and dispersed costs.

Levy's calculation -- based on the pre-term limits math of automatic victory -- is that even though law-abiding citizens won't like it, he'll win anyway. So, to hell with the voters. They probably won't even hear about the fraud until it is too late, if ever.

Please tell Palm Beach Gardens City Clerk Patricia Snider that she works for the voters of Palm Beach Gardens, not for David Levy and other longtime incumbents. She should respect the will of the voters and not place Levy's name on the ballot.

Send her an email by clicking here. Thanks!