Sally Swartz, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Sally SwartzAugust 3, 2015

Martin County School Board isn’t the only government trying to pick the pockets of retired teachers and other school employees. But stripping retirees of health care benefits guaranteed by previous school boards unfairly burdens those on fixed incomes. The strategy also could wind up costing the school district more money than it saves, School Board […]

Sally SwartzJune 22, 2015

Martin County residents tangled with the Florida Department of Transportation bureaucracy last week over FDOT plans for an ugly, six-lane highway with concrete noise walls as the entrance to the county from Interstate 95. As usual, FDOT – with the help of its copycat bureaucracy, the localMetropolitan Planning Organization — won. Residents who live near […]

Sally SwartzJune 15, 2015

Don’t try to control or shut off public comments at Martin County Commission meetings, residents told commissioners at a workshop last week. Commissioners had planned the workshop — a discussion with no official action — away from TV cameras to talk about new “rules of procedure,” which commissioners adopt each year at a November organizational […]

Sally SwartzJune 9, 2015

As more human-style health care becomes available for pets, veterinary costs are trending into the week-in-Paris realm. I’ve sympathized with fellow pet-loving friends as they opened checkbooks when their dogs and cats got sick. A few years ago, a friend spent upwards of $3,000 when his young dog contracted a life-threatening auto-immune disorder. Another spent […]

Sally SwartzMay 20, 2015

Every few years, someone who doesn’t know how much Martin County residents love their beaches comes up with a new plan. In 2003, joy-killer bureaucrats wanted to limit beach hours and make swimmers, fishermen and surfers conform to a confusing set of ever-changing rules. They finally figured out lifeguards are too busy guarding beaches to […]

Sally SwartzApril 26, 2015

The emails are puzzling. They are misleading. They are sneaky. The subject lines, in lower case letters, are nondescript, such as “funding” or “need this finished.” The sender – the Economic Council of Martin County – does not want to explain them. The emails do not ask readers to back what the Council website lists […]

Sally SwartzApril 15, 2015

They spell out “Buy the Land” in live bodies along a Stuart beach. They gather in standing-room-only crowds at South Florida Water Management District meetings, traveling from Miami aboard Tri Rail and car pools from the Treasure Coast. They travel to Tallahassee by the busload for rallies on the Capitol steps. Last week, singer Jimmy […]

Sally SwartzMarch 25, 2015

A controversial $1.6 million customs facility business owners wanted Martin County to build and operate at Witham Field is dead. The facility would have allowed aircraft and boat owners to pay to clear customs at Martin’s airport instead of checking in for free at federal facilities in West Palm Beach or Fort Pierce. Last week, […]

Sally SwartzMarch 18, 2015

There are good reasons for Martin County to be involved in lawsuits, speakers at the county’s 15th annual Citizens Growth Management Forum said. A few: Defending Martin County’s quality of life. Defending against challengers who say Martin’s protective growth rules don’t apply to them. Standing up to bullies. The forum, held at Robert Morgade Library […]

Sally SwartzMarch 11, 2015

Florida’s newest Critical Wildlife Area, a tiny bird island in the Indian River Lagoon near Sewall’s Point, has survived erosion, hurricanes and the curiosity of boaters and fishermen. Now it faces a challenge – again – from an early dumping of Lake Okeechobee’s murky water. The 1.5 acre spoil island, created from sand dredged from […]

Sally Swartz
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

Sally Swartz: It’s time to keep promises with educators

Sally Swartz: Bureaucracies, like road builders, keep steamrolling along

Sally Swartz: County commission’s new rules fall flat with residents

Sally Swartz: There's no Obamacare for pets, and bills zoom into the thousands of dollars

Sally Swartz: Preserve free parking and open access to Martin County's beautiful beaches

Sally Swartz: Martin Economic Council misleads with sugar-flavored emails

Sally Swartz: In fight to buy sugar land, Joe Negron needs to step up

Sally Swartz: Customs facility at Witham Field 'fails at the starting gate'

Sally Swartz: Why Martin must stand up to development bullies in court

Sally Swartz: Dumping dirty water threatens Bird Island