December 22, 2008

Hard as it is to believe, it's not just Deerfield Beach that has problems in Florida with public officials in trouble.

Yes, they've got two in the headlines — Mayor Al Capellini, suspended
after being charged with unlawful compensation for voting on projects
when he was also a paid consultant, and Steve Gonot, who resigned from
the commission after being charged with stealing campaign contributions
and filing false paperwork.

Both men deny wrongdoing, and it's for the legal system to determine if they are innocent or guilty.

In Florida, however, allegations of public corruption are hardly rare. According to Department of Justice figures, Florida has had 824 local, state and federal officials convicted of
public corruption from 1998 to 2007. No other state is close to that
sum, not even Illinois. New York is a distant second to Florida with
724.

Hardly a reason for Florida pride. And certainly, Palm Beach County has contributed, with two West Palm Beach city commissioners and two
county commissioners pleading guilty to federal crimes in recent years,
almost enough to start their own political wing of the prison.

The Palm Beach County troubles are hardly soothing to Deerfield Beach residents, who gave a
$315,000 severance package when embattled city manager Larry Deetjen
left, and have seen constant squabbling. There have been a variety of
fueds, there have been cops called when City Hall arguments broke out,
allegations of a female city employee being pressured to date the
mayor, and all sorts of shenanigans.

If that's not a call for leadership, what will it take?

Amazingly,
Capellini still plans to run for re-election to a fifth term in March.
Gonot may also run for mayor. And the rest of the dais in Deerfield
Beach — there are barely enough commissioners to have a meeting these
days — also faces re-election.

The citizens of Deerfield Beach,
who must be tired of the soap operas, can only hope there are enough
capable candidates in March so they can start over with fresh attitudes
and ideas. And then they can wait and see if those Department of
Justice conviction numbers grow.