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Publisher’s Comment:
Residents won last night….Monica Mayotte’s victory and Kim Do’s credible challenge has now firmly established that the residents of Boca Raton have been heard. The mantra to not let big money ‘buy’ an election has played itself out three times in the last three years. The Boca Raton question preserving the Intracoastal Waterfront lands in November ’16 was victory one for the residents; not simply a victory but a landslide. Electing Councilwoman Andrea Levine O’Rourke as a ‘resident friendly’ voice on the City Council in March ’17 was victory two for the residents; again not simply a victory but a mandate. And…last night, March 13th , 2018…Electing Councilwoman Elect Monica Mayotte, a fresh new ‘resident friendly’ voice, to the City Council is victory three for the residents; an overwhelming rejection of the developer oriented city councils of the last decade. Thank you residents….thank you for setting the stage for Boca Raton to be a more ‘resident friendly’ place; a place returning to the concept of a ‘city within a park’. Quality of life has returned….Outstanding….With two strong voices now on the council protecting and preserving the interests of the residents, those other voices on the council advancing the ‘developer’s interests’ will continue to be exposed; continue to be rejected. Always remember, your vote is your voice; let your voice be heard at the ballot box. Stay alert, stay informed and do not be afraid to be heard!!!
Al Zucaro, Publisher
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Monica Mayotte Brings Home The Win
The polls opened at 7 AM for Boca Raton’s local election, two seats on our City Council were in contention. It was a chilly morning, but candidates were up at the crack of dawn and making the rounds.
Sniffling children, muscle cars and enthusiastic supporters were all in tow, while authorized poll watchers hopped from polling station to polling station. Boca voters might not turn out in droves but the ones that do take their elections very seriously.
I spent most of my day at polling station 4138 and 4154 also know as Ascension Church on North Federal Highway. Wearing my Mayotte T-shirt and holding posters by my side, I noticed voters would either make eye contact with you or look straight ahead – a possible indication of their candidate of choice.
However I wasn’t campaigning alone at Ascension Church.
I shared that polling location with two other campaigners – Frank Feiler, Past Chairman of the Boca Raton Airport Authority, who held an Armand Grossman sign, and Armand Grossman who is well … Armand Grossman!
We sat together in our lawn chairs most of the afternoon, and I have to say, that was the most delightful part of the experience. Sharing jokes, memories of old Boca and current topics were all part of our day long conversation. Perfectly respectful model behavior – makes you wonder how campaigns can get so nasty because it certainly isn’t the candidates themselves.
By 7 PM it was time for a break and to meet up with my crew at the Dubliner Mizner Park for the Final Watch Party. The Joint was jumping. Kim Do and her family had a table close by, and Monica Mayotte’s supporters spilled out on to the sidewalks.
It’s never over until it’s over but when the final count came in the crowd erupted in a wave of applause. Monica had won Seat D by a huge majority and somehow we all felt like we won too.
Monica was quickly hoisted up to the table to thank her supporters and her first acknowledgement went out to Boca’s Bravest, the firefighters and paramedics who walked neighborhoods and helped spread the good word about Monica.
In a moment of pure graciousness and appreciation, candidate Kim Do was also lifted up onto the table. Kim’s extraordinary tally in the polls ( 45.40% to Jeremy Rodgers 54.60%) was a wake up call to the Old Guard at City Hall, it’s all about the Votes folks not the glam and billboards.
I predict a new era in Boca politics, we now have two resident voices on City Council, Andrea Levine O’Rourke and Monica Mayotte and that dear friends, is a very encouraging prospect.
Congratulations Monica. The residents have spoken with a blow out over Grossman.
Also Kim needs to be congratulated for coming so close with so little financial backing
and being a newcomer. I hope we will hear a lot more from you in the future. Please don’t
give up, The next Boca council needs the 3 Amigos.
Jeremy Rogers take note, this was not a resounding vote for you. You won because of the
financial backing and being the current council member. I would really suggest you become
a true representative FOR the residents before the next election
You said it perfectly. Thank you Monica. Thank you Kim. Thank you everyone that stood up and voted.
Rogers and Singer take notice. Your developer based agenda is coming to an end. The disgraced Mayor and the arrogance of the Chamber of Commerce has been your undoing.
It was a great night for the City of Boca Raton!
KATIE Barr is a delightful person and I enjoyed our time together
Congratulations Monica. Please do as great a job in communicating with us as Andrea has. My wife and I look forward to your residential friendly understanding and direction for Boca’s future.
Thank you BocaWatch , Al and everybody behind the scenes for doing what you do ! I contribute the large voter turn out to you. The word that needs to be spread is that every citizen should subscribe to BocaWatch.org. They will continue to keep us educated and informed. Not sure where we would be without all this valuable information, you certainly won’t read it in the newspapers.
Congrats to the candidates.
BOCA residents have had enough overdevelopment and traffic.
Hopefully more resident friendly candidates run for office.
Congratulations to BocaWatch for keeping the Resident Friendly candidates front and center along with the coalition of people who believe that Boca deserves better!
Monica you will do an amazing job. Good luck.
Kim, you showed courage to challenge an incubant and with virtually no money but more than enough
“Guts”! Get on the school board or make yourself better known. Only 2years until the next election – maybe sooner!
Excellent outcome. Congratulations Monica AND Kim! And Boca Watch is proven, once again, to be a positive influence on our city’s politics.
Congratulations, Monica!
You won, even though a torrent of lies and misinformation, was filling our mail boxes!
The time has come for us to take our government back from the corporatists and the monied interests.
We thank you, in advance, for your service to our community!
Congratulations Monica. You ran a.great campaign. I know you and Andrea will represent the citizens well. Congratulations to you Kim Do. You ran a great campaign on little money and gave Jeremy a run for his money. Thank you Al for providing the citizens a voice in our city and keeping us all informed daily. We had more voters this election because your Boca Watch has brought the silent majority to the polls. I commend you and your staff.
I don’t believe the average residents realize how hard the BocaWatch volunteers work. They put in long hours.And we have to thank Al Zucaro for giving us a platform to make a difference in Boca. If BocaWatch didn’t exist the developers would still have ironclad control of the city council. We would still have guys like Mullaugh who voted for The Mark downtown and said “let’s put up a bunch more and see how they look”.. Arrogant jerk taunting all the speakers at the council meetings. Making fun of the speakers and cutting them off. Or several past members saying “if you don’t like it move”. Or when they tried to jam the restaurant down our throat with a sweetheart 1000 year lease/contract for a restaurant. Or when they took a picture of James Hendry’s house and said there is the bad guy. The donor class is use to intimidation. Calling us Nazi’s, and murderers,and members of motorcycle gangs. The cabal has been terrorizing the residents for 20 years. The residents have finally woke up and said enough is enough. The sheep are now wolves. Can’t wait for the next election. Can’t come soon enough. We are ready. Thank you Al Zucaro.