Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Sally SwartzOctober 20, 2015

About 150 of James Hutchinson’s friends braved a stormy night in Stuart last week to hear their favorite celebrated artist talk about living with the Seminoles and Miccosukees half a century ago. Hutchinson’s paintings from those six years, well known statewide and nationally, capture not only a gone-forever way of life, but also the disappearing […]

Sally SwartzOctober 7, 2015

A proposed new gated community of 92 upscale “row houses,” priced from the high $200s to the middle $300,000s, has south Martin County residents talking. The townhouses would be built between U.S. 1 and the predominately African-American neighborhood of Banner Lake, in Hobe Sound’s Community Redevelopment Area. Some wonder whether expensive row houses belong in […]

Sally SwartzSeptember 28, 2015

Two members of Martin County’s legislative delegation listened for hours last week while more than 30 residents buttered them up, begged for money, griped about the Florida Legislature’s recent bad decisions and brought wish lists for 2016. Republican Rep. Gayle Harrell of Stuart turned the annual event, held at the Martin Commission headquarters in Stuart, […]

Sally SwartzSeptember 22, 2015

Deposit play money labeled “Martin mobility bucks” in boxes labeled with road projects. Or play a big screen computer game, voting for projects on a hand-held clicker. Martin County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization gets an “A” for effort in trying to get residents involved in deciding how the state should spend money building roads, bike paths […]

Sally SwartzSeptember 13, 2015

Victories in the ongoing battles between Martin County residents and governments and Lake Point – plus an unrelated win upholding Martin’s protective growth plan – gave county residents reason to celebrate last week. Forbes 400 billionaire George Lindemann Sr. and his millionaire son, George Lindemann Jr. are developers of the Lake Point rock pit in […]

Sally SwartzAugust 4, 2015

It’s skunk week in Martin County. Not to malign Florida’s real skunks, but their human imitators have left an odiferous trail countywide this week. On the hit list: A respected environmental group, Martin County government, and residents who have fought developers who don’t want to follow the county’s protective growth rules. The stinkers: Sugar industry […]

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 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 […]

Tag: Martin County

Sally Swartz: Accomplished artist recalls life with Seminoles, Miccosukees

Sally Swartz: Gated community could set precedent

Sally Swartz: Constituents still want environmental action

Sally Swartz: Are real changes or just distractions coming from FDOT?

Sally Swartz: Lake Point project opponents get some wins

Sally Swartz: Stinky lawsuits befoul Martin County development fights

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

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

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

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