This article, originally published by Al Zucaro on BocaWatch.org, is preserved for historical purposes by Massive Impressions Online Marketing in Boca Raton.
If there are questions or concerns with the content please e-mail info@4boca.com.
Publisher’s Comment:
The article gives a full accounting of Councilman Jeremy Rodgers’ voting pattern for his three (3) years in office. However, the last quarter of 2017 is not available in an Excel format at the City Clerk’s office. this last quarter is recorded simply with individual vote records on individual issues, much to numerous to list in this article. If anyone would like to review the last quarter, 2017, those records are readily available at the City Clerk’ office, Monday thru Friday every week. Thank you. Al Zucaro
Narrative:
In previous local elections for City Council in Boca Raton, Bocawatch has provided residents with the voting records of all incumbent candidates. This year Councilman Jeremy Rodgers is the only incumbent candidate running in the March 13, 2018 municipal election. The following analysis of his voting record while on City Council can be used for fact checking campaign promises as well as an indicator of future voting tendencies.
The voting information summarized in this article was obtained from the Boca Raton City Clerk for the regular City Council meetings. Two formats were provided. One is in Excel spreadsheet format and has voting records from 2015 until the end of September, 2017. The other format is scanned copies of the voting scoresheets from the City Council meetings. We have voting records in this format for the last quarter of 2017. Note that the voting information provided by the City Clerk is the only information used in our analysis and includes all votes cast at the meetings.
Following is Councilman Rodgers voting record from April 14, 2015 thru the end of 2017. Since there are only 14 “No” votes and no recuses, it is rather easy to analyze his voting patterns. That is, out of 524 issues voted-on during this period, he voted ‘Yes’ 488 times and ‘No’ 14 times. He was absent for 22 votes during this interval
Councilman Jeremy Rodger’s Voting Record
The following table includes a description of Councilman Rodgers’ 14 ‘No’ votes since he’s been in office. All other votes have been Yes.
Councilman Jeremy Rodger’s No Votes
The details of the ordinances and resolutions that are listed in the above No Vote table can be found by entering the ordinance or resolution numbers into the boxes of the form in the following link. https://forms.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/weblink/Welcome.aspx?cr=1
We’ll let the residents decide to what extent this voting record is ‘resident friendly’ versus ‘developer friendly’.
I don’t get it. He has voted for every major project for 3 years and allowed many variances giving developers free reign in our City. Now he’s “Mr Nice Guy” while sucking up to the development crowd for their money and your vote, really? It’s all in the public record. RODGERS = NOT RESIDENT FRIENDLY. If you like downtown and midtown with all the negative issues you will love Jeremy.
Interesting view of a candidate. As I recall, having watched meetings, he was mum on schools, mum on having a plan for Midtown and is OK with the Mayor breaking state and Federal law, that is until Ms O’Rourke made him and the other Council members look foolish for taking their eyes off the ball. I believe the vote in March will be: “IS IT OUR CITY OR THEIR CITY.”
What bothers me is he was the only Council member to vote against charging stations for electric vehicles and it took him awhile to support the new Sustainability Office (if you watch the meeting recording).
The point is well taken. The most significant “YES” vote that Boca Watch should be looking at was the permit approval for the two parcels on he ocean front. Another missed opportunity, to preserve green space by all parties involved.
You say his voting record shows he voted for development interests – so prove it vs throwing it out there like you know it all.
Jeremy has also voted against the funding of the Ocean Breeze golf course acquisition even though this will not cost the city one cent, yet he complained about the price which was irrelevant to the city treasury. With his lack of vision the city would have never acquired the DeHornle Park & Spanish River library property which was many years ago at a price above the per acre cost of the Ocean Breeze property. Yet, he will undoubtedly be the first in line to take credit for the new Boca National golf course once it is completed. Definitely NOT resident-friendly!
Chuck Richardson. I wish I knew it all, but following are Councilman Rodgers development YES votes. He voted YES to approve development of 2,470 multi-family residences and 394 hotel rooms.
Vote Date Dwelling Units Name
8/10/2015 25 327 Royal Palm
10/27/2015 8 Pine Circle Villas
10/27/2015 8 Floresta Grove
11/24/2015 829 University Village + 185 Rm Hotel
12/7/2015 104 Via Mizner + 164 Rm Hotel
1/11/2016 8 Oceanside Townhomes
11/22/2016 180 5500 Broken Sound
1/10/2017 55 Boca Villas
4/19/2017 322 Boca Colonnade
8/21/2017 193 375 Royal Palm
8/21/2017 384 Mizner 200
10/24/2017 70 1 S. Ocean
12/12/2017 284 5201 Congress
Total 2,470
These will be completed over the next several years, so the City has not felt the impact of this growth yet. Added to this problem are developments currently under construction that were approved before he was elected, such as Tower 155. Approval of any new residential development projects will further exacerbate the problem. His irresponsible voting YES on the above projects has created a tsunami that will further crush the City with more school overcrowding, more traffic, more parking problems and a reduced quality of life. What was he thinking?
And then there are his votes against the will of the residents who want to protect our waterfront parks from being commercialized.
Mr Wood,
I hope you will reprint your information as a full article on Boca Watch. It may get lost in comments. It’s all about accuracy and you seem to have spent the time on the City website. The general audience does not pay close enough attention to those that work against them like Mr Rodgers. I found your information eye opening.
A review of the voting records for Andrea Levine O’Rourke and Jeremy Rodgers for CRA and City Council consent agendas, resolutions and ordinances, between April 18, 2017 and January 8 2018, indicates the following:
Andrea Levine O’Rourke 99 yes votes, 4 no votes and 1 recues.
Jeremy Rodgers 98 yes votes, 5 no votes and 1 recues.
Wow, thanks for the info on our (hopefully) outgoing incumbent Jeremy Rodgers!