PalmTran, Treasure Coast, Gold Coast, Mass Transit

"Mon., Aug. 24: PalmTran to Link Treasure Coast and Gold Coast Together Via Mass Transit" by v. johns

On Monday, August 24, the South Florida region will officially begin to take shape with the formal recognition of its true boundaries as a seven county region spanning from Sebastian to the Florida Keys. That formal recognition coming in the form of PalmTran’s new bus line between Stuart, here on the Treasure Coast, and West Palm Beach, on the Gold Coast.

The Interstate 95 Commuter Express will shuttle commuters, residents and travelers from Halpatiokee Park at I-95 and Kanner Highway in Stuart, to downtown West Palm Beach’s new Intermodal Transit Center (near Tri-Rail), with stops at Jupiter Recreation Center and the Gardens Mall, along the way. There will be two morning runs from Stuart, south to West Palm Beach, at 5:10AM and 6:10AM, respectively, and two evening runs from West Palm Beach, north to Stuart, at 5:20PM and 6:20PM, respectively.

The real significance of this development, other than more choices in mobility for our residents, is that the I-95 Commuter Express will set the stage to form the missing links between two very popular and uniquely distinct-in-character sub-regions of Florida, the Treasure Coast (Indian River, St. Lucie, and Martin counties) and the Gold Coast (Palm Beach, Broward and Miami Dade counties). And, as Martin County commissioner Doug Smith has said, it illustrates that Martin is part of a larger region. While the Gold Coast has enjoyed the benefits of mass transit for quite some time with PalmTran, Broward County Transit, Miami-Dade Transit, Tri-Rail, etc., the Treasure Coast is just really beginning to come into the fold with smaller, more on-demand services like GoLine, Community Transit and Community Coach.

The only drawback to the I-95 Commuter Express, for now, is that it will only connect Martin County residents to West Palm Beach from outside Stuart’s city limits. Residents, unless they live near Halpatiokee Regional Park, will still have to drive or carpool to the park to use the bus. In addition, there are only two exclusively southbound trips very early in the morning (no stops as bus travels back to Martin) and two exclusively northbound trips very late in the evening (no stops as bus travels back to Palm beach). So, unless you work in Palm Beach County, or shop there all day, this bus will be of no service to you. Still, it’s a start and perhaps more trips or routes will be added at a later date to accommodate late morning and afternoon riders.

In addition to forming the long-awaited missing link between the Treasure Coast and the Gold Coast, the I-95 Commuter Express will also, potentially, help bolster tourism and conventions in our area by tying us in with the rest of South Florida through public use commons. Out near Halpatiokee Regional Park, two hotels have sprung up recently, a Holiday In Express near the park, visible from I-95, with a Dunkin Donuts, Wendy’s and a Sunoco nearby… and across the street, on the northeast corner of Kanner and I-95, also visible from the Interstate, a Marriot with a Cracker Barrel, McDonald’s and Chevron nearby. People new to South Florida, staying in those hotels, on business, will have a nearly direct link to the Miami area, via the Commuter Express and Tri-rail, without having to stay in Miami where hotel rates are more expensive.

There is no doubt that people heading to work and doing business in our area will find the Commuter Express to be very convenient. I just hope that at some point in the future, more trips or routes along the same corridor will be added to accommodate more casual riders who travel in the late morning, afternoon and late evening hours, outside the rush-hour flow. In addition, if other routes or trips are added, Martin County would do well stress its desire to be a destination and not just a starting point. Please keep in mind that Halpatiokee is a regional park. In much the same way that New Yorkers enjoy escaping to South Jersey, I’m sure that many residents in Palm Beach, Broward and Dade would love to enjoy a more natural and tranquil setting on the Treasure Coast to relax and unwind. Working in retail, I have seen my fare share of people from those three counties visiting and enjoying Martin County’s clean, down-to-earth beaches and Indian River’s surf-ready waves.

Bottom line: I believe that the Interstate 95 Commuter Express, upon further expansion, will ultimately be a boon to two counties that have had a very long and symbiotic relationship throughout the years. Bringing Martin County into the South Florida fold, via mass transit links, not only exemplifies this relationship between bedroom enclave (Martin) and urbanized hub (Palm Beach), it almost certainly ensures that the rest of the Treasure Coast (Indian river and St. Lucie) will be provided their own nodes on the map that connect to the rest of South Florida. In much the same way that our regional flagship city, Miami, has its own immediate sphere of influence within the region, stretching from the Keys to Boca Raton in Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach also has its own sphere of influence from Boca Raton on up. Thus, the phrase: “The Palm Beaches and the Treasure Coast.”

For more information on the Interstate 95 Commuter Express, log onto http://www.palmtran.org/ or contact South Florida Commuter Services at http://www.1800234ride.com/ (1-800-234-RIDE). These links can also be found along the sidebar of this blog under the heading “South Florida Transit.”

As a final note, even if you don't like or don't currently use public transit, please help keep Martin County -and South Florida- green by supporting public mass transit. Call or write your congressman or local representatives to show your support. The greener we are, the better off we all are and with more and more choices in mobility and lifestyle gained, without overburdening the average taxpayer, the more likely it is that we'll emerge as the one premiere region in the world to live, work, study, play, relax and do business...

Future Group’s Vision

"Future Group’s Vision Ignores a Regional Dilemma" by v. johns

People have a tendency to go where the action is on any given topic. Though you will find local yokels anywhere you go, in areas where multiple municipalities are clustered or aligned in close proximity, people will generally take advantage of that proximity by patronizing neighboring cities, counties and towns for various necessities and amenities not found in their own immediate jurisdiction. In other words, when people can’t find what they need in their own immediate settings, if possible, they’ll venture out to the nearest locale of opportunity to access their various interests and needs.

The need to travel anywhere outside one’s immediate occupied domain for entertainment, recreation, work, education, etc. is a part of a concept I am developing that I call “the Regional Dilemma.” The concept of the Regional Dilemma assumes that people are simply prone to mobility and will travel, near or far, whenever it is convenient, no matter how quaint the want or need to do so, and regardless of how desirable or convenient the amenities are in their own city or town may be. Thus, the regional dilemma of not only having to travel for economic purposes, but also for personal preferences, asks the question: How is this need to travel best facilitated?

Having said all this, I’m not convinced that the Future Group’s alleged mission to improve Martin County’s land use plan is sufficient to address this question. I haven’t read any of the official amendments or proposals, but I do have in front of me an article by the EAR Working Group that I printed off the Future Group website entitled “Planning for Future Martin County” and I’m already in question of their intent which they claim is to: “foster walkable, mixed use, ‘down home’ towns, communities and hinterlands that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.” Oh, really?

According to some articles and editorials in local newspapers such as the Stuart News and the Palm Beach Post, this group seeks to change the current land use plan in a way that will destroy Martin’s famed urban services boundary by allowing for the building of new towns out west, here in Martin County. I’m trying to figure out how building new towns and attracting more traffic and service demands out this way will contribute to economic, social and environmental sustainability as they put it.

I have heard that these new towns would be built in such a manner that the need to leave their vicinities for day-to-day needs and amenities would be reduced. This is assuming that anything Stuart or Indiantown or Jensen Beach has could be crammed into these towns in a way that people would not want to leave these towns to access these amenities in Stuart, Indiantown or Jensen Beach. Things such as: gyms, movie theaters, bookstores, pharmacies, schools, malls… the beach! The beach? Uh, oh… Problem!

See, the problem with the Future Group’s rip-off of the Town, Villages and Cities concept (TVC), once embraced by St. Lucie County, is that ignores the fact that no matter what, whether it be for small reasons like movie theater preference or big reasons like finding employment, people are going to travel. Period. So unless, the Future Group is proposing that we build a replica of New York City out here near Indiantown, this plan of theirs is just not gonna fly. With the housing market approaching rock bottom, anything even remotely near a boom like the one that just bubbled and burst, is years away at best and probably will never happen again unless it’s precipitated by another baby boom generation coming of age. Thus, even though South Florida will continue to grow, the problems of where to put people have diminished slightly and has presented us with an opportunity to examine how people can best move to and from various destinations, throughout South Florida, in the most efficient manner, given a wide array of choices. So, instead of focusing on yet more new housing development, which nowadays amounts to nothing more than unnecessary inventory, wouldn’t it be more “economically, socially and environmentally” prudent to continue redeveloping languishing communities and provide more efficient ways to connect these –and other- communities within the context of a regional framework? 

At this time, I’m not entirely sure that anything other than our current policy of allowing only 20-acre ranchettes outside the urban service boundary will suffice to achieve such sustainability. While I agree that our land use policies need to be evaluated (It’s required by law anyway) and that the potential for overcrowding in existing neighborhoods might eventually propose a critical problem, I disagree with anything that goes against transit oriented development or against Lawton Childs’ Eastward Ho! Initiative.

I will address this article, or the amendments to which it refers, more in depth, at a future date, line by line if I can, but for now I just want to show how the flawed concept of self-contained, traffic-alleviating towns within a region as dynamic and highly mobile as ours (South Florida) ignores the impact of the regional dilemma (How to accommodate, move people around and provide them with choices in lifestyle and mobility while reducing overlap in goods and services). And as I mentioned in a previous post, our dilemma is a good one to have... The one beauty of living in South Florida is this feeling that no matter where you live within the region, you always feel connected to the rest of the world. You can live in a small town like Indiantown and still feel that Miami is just down the street. I never felt this way in Tallahassee. But, that’s another story. In the meantime, only through answering the questions posed by the regional dilemma of mobility provision will South Florida truly become the premier region in the world to live, work, study, play, relax and do business…    

"Letter to Tri-Rail About Expansion" (See: Transit FL)

Transit as Way to Go Green

"Martin Sees Mass Transit as Way to Go Green" by v. johns

I was surprised to read in the Stuart News Sunday edition about a "Transit Fair" held this past Saturday at the Blake Library in Stuart, hosted by the Martin Metropolitan Planning Organization (See TCPalm.com:" 'Martin's Going Green' theme of Transit Fair Saturday in Stuart," 6-06-09). I've always criticized Martin County for not being out front on mass transit issues because it seems to me that Martin considers itself to be a part of the "Treasure Coast" sub-region and not of the larger "South Florida" region as defined by the Center for Urban and Environmental Studies at Florida Atlantic University (SoFlo.org). But based on what I read in this article, this isolationist mindset is about to change. BIG TIME. Ann Perotta, MPO director, told the Stuart News that she wanted "people to become more aware of the variety of services that are coming in the near future." One of our county commissioners, Doug Smith, apparently a proponent of public mass transit, made this comment to the Stuart News in reference to these upcoming services: "I'm excited about where we're headed. These developments prove that Martin County is part of a larger region."

Among these developments, the fall season launching of the Interstate 95 Commuter Express that will go from Halpatiokee Park at I-95 and Kanner Highway, just outside Stuart, to downtown West Palm Beach, with stops in Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens along the way. The article also mentioned that a "more promising" development being planned is the northward expansion of Tri-Rail from Mangonia Park to Jupiter -with further plans to expand to Stuart, Port St. Lucie and Ft. Pierce.

These certainly are exciting developments. Not just for Martin and the Treasure Coast, but for all of South Florida as it will add stature and dimension to our image as a regional powerhouse and will help put us on par to compete with Southern California, the Northeast and other regions of distinction in America and around the world. You simply cannot have a region where only a certain portion of that region is serviced with optimal choices in mobility. Its not optimal and it certainly isn't green. I would opine further that I certainly hope that Vero Beach and Sebastian in Indian River County are added to the mix in some way or another. Perhaps the Treasure Coast Connector, which runs from Indian River to St. Lucie to Martin and back, would be of service in this area. As far as I know, the Connector is now managed by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority.

In conclusion, I should have known from the outset of this blog that it would take some type of green initiative to get Martin going in the area of mass transit development. Don't get me wrong, some of these things being planned are as old as I am, but the matter at hand is that its one thing for them to be on the drawing board, its another for them to be presented to the public in a way that will make us all care about these issues...

"Letter to the Palm Beach Post, RE: The Right train of thought on Tri-Rail" (See: Transit FL)

"Letter to The Palm Beach Post, Here’s my reply…"

"Letter to The Palm Beach Post, Here’s my reply…" 5/28/09; 2:49 PM; (See: Transit FL)

FEC Corridor Passenger Rail

"SFECC Study Group Begins Public Meetings to Assess FEC Corridor Passenger Rail Development" by v. johns

As I mentioned before, it's one thing to comment on news that's already been gathered, but quite another to attend town hall meetings and presentations and attempt to process raw data into a meaningful package that's well presented and devoid of any misrepresentations. Today, I attended a kick-off meeting, in Jupiter, by the South Florida East Coast Corridor Study held for the purpose of getting input from the public on determining the best way to construct a commuter rail system on the FEC Railway that would provide more useul and intricate sevice through major downtowns as well as integrate with and compliment Tri-Rail, which services a less convenient path along I-95 on CSX tracks away from major urban centers.

The meeting showcased "Phase 2" of a 3-phase study to assess local preferences for improved mobility along the 85-mile FEC corridor in the Tri-County Area of Southeast Florida. Among the issues to be determined are: grade crossings, how to finance, where to place stations (96 possible) and how to phase the study. This study, according to one presenter, replaces three separate studies that were underway in individual counties. The first presentation concluded with the types of stations possible for approved locations such as: City Center, Town Center, Neighborhood, Employment Center, Local Park-N-Ride, Regional Park-N-Ride, Airport/Seaport and Special Event Venue. Among the types of "modal technologies" or vehicles in consideration are: Regionl Rail, Regional Bus, Light Rail Transit, Bus Rapid Transit and Rail Rapid Transit.

The second part of the presentation presented several overlays in which to view service considerations along the FEC tracks in the Gold Coast sub-region of South Florida in regards to environmental considerations. Such as: The regions natural boundary limitations (Everglades forms western edge) and characteristics (Biscayne Aquifer), its historic districts, neighborhoods and parks/recreation areas, its proximity to underserved low income and minority neighborhoods, and, finally the FEC's position to fit int the Eastward Ho! Initiative imlemented by the late Gov. Lawton Chiles to contain sprawl and concentrate major development east of I-95.

The post-presentation Q&A tended to center around noise levels, with costs coming in a distant second. According to one representative, the cost would be 4 million dollars. regarding noise levels, another representatve assured the participants that with passenger trains running mostly during the day when overall activity is high noise levels would less of an issue than they are with industrial trains that run overnight, hauling rock and other raw materials to industries in the area. He noted that passenger trains are lighter and cleaner and would not produce the thundering vibrations that industrial haulers produce.

I myself had questions. I asked why the study stopped at the Palm Beach County line when South Florida reaches up to Sebastian. A representative assured me that while efforts have been made to bring the Treasure Coast into the fold, the study itself is limited to Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. I asked if there were instances in which the "build it and they will come" appraoch fostered development as opposed to population fueling major demand for mass transit. They told me that while the FEC railway, built by Henry Flagler, did just that, Florida's outdated land use policies complicates transit issues and that they are trying to get jurisdictions in the region to embrace more mass-transit centered policies that would consider mobility first, with development taking place around those considerations. Currently, developers build what they want, where they want, and all else is considered later... Even roads. Finally, I expressed my concerns about access for smaller communities outside the major urban core of South Florida. They assured me that although, the curent study is restricted to Metropoltan South Florida, efforts are being made to assess connections and extensions to outlying areas. I was referred to a particular project being looked at to improve travel on State Road 710 (the Beeline Highway). As I write this now, I'm looking at the website and I like what I see. Awesome!

I can't believe I remembered all this. My childhood nickname of Absent-minded Professor is pretty descriptive of this writer. Anyway, I'm one of those people who not only knows what they know, but knows what they don't know. There's so much more that I need to consider. Thanks to this meeting, I now have a clearer picture of what I don't know. And its a lot. In addition to opining on what I see on the news and read in the papers, I will continue to attempt to make it to meetings such as the one I just described. I'm also going to try to get more poor people, such as myself, to come to these meetings as we tend to brush over such mundane things without considering their impact on our lives.

In conclusion, you may be surprised to find that I'm not entirely sold on rail "technology" along that corridor to alleviate traffic in all directions. I'm not thoroughly convinced that a passenger train system along an 85-mile rail segment with 200+ rail crossings in the Tri-County Area would do much to improve mobility. Busses are clearly the way to go as the preferred "technology" to facilitate the needs of this densely populated area. They're cheaper and more flexible. East-West traffic flow is bad enough throughout the region with industrial trains slowing traffic. Upon attending the next meeting, in West Palm Beach, I will seek clarification as to how trains will alleviate traffic in that direction. In the meantime, I really enjoyed the presentation and I hope that many more of our citizens and our political leaders will attend these meetings to help us create a more sustainable and and accessible region for all...

Tri-Rail 2

"Tri-Rail 2 Would Help Bring all of South Florida Together" by v. johns, 1/3/09, 1:20 AM

I'm reading in Thursday's Palm Beach Post about Tri-Rail's record 2008 ridership of 4.3 million people compared with 3.5 million in 2007... Not only is Tri-Rail the second fastest-growing commuter rail system in the nation behind Albuquerque, New Mexico's Rail Runner Express, according to spokeswoman Bonnie Arnold, an estimated 64 percent of Tri-Rail's ridership own automobiles. One rider questioned by The Post, who owns an SUV, said that even though gas is much lower than this past summer, she continues to ride to save money and work on her laptop.

What I want to know, that I haven't researched yet, is that with gas prices so low, will ridership remain steady or will riders go back to their pre-gas bubble ways? I don't want to speculate, but I'm certainly hoping that people within range of the commuter rail system will continue to conserve energy and restrict their driving by supporting the train system they are fortunate enough to have in that part of our region.

In the meantime, Indian River, Martin, and St. Lucie counties continue to languish in the area of public transportation. Though we currently lack the dense population, here on the Treasure Coast, needed to support full mass transit outfits for each individual county, our status as bedroom communities of the West Palm Beach area, with thousands of our residents clogging up the roads heading south for work every morning, justifies our need for expansion. But the type of mass transit I'm interested in, for the time being, is lighter systems designed to plug into the main terminals and hubs of our more populous neighbors to the south.

In the spring, there was talk of building a "grand central station" in West Palm Beach that would switch trains from CSX to FEC tracks allowing them to run further north (See: "Grand Tropical Station" on this blog). What I have in mind, with regards to this issue, is stopping the trains at that station, if it is built, and running a different set of light rail trains along the FEC tracks through downtown Stuart, Jensen Beach, Port St. Lucie, Ft. Pierce, Vero Beach and Sebastian with a spinoff brand name of "Tri-Rail II."

I say "Tri-Rail II" ("the T-2 train") because once the train system extends northward, the addition of other counties would render obsolete the "Tri" part of the "Tri-Rail" brand. Naming the new trains with "Tri-Rail II" branding, yet allowing either set of trains to be used in either part of the region, would signify the expansion of an established system that recognizes the boundaries of the larger region. The only other logical thing to do would be to rename the system entirely. The initials of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, "S.F.R.T.A." would probably suffice, but would not be as good for marketing as the "Tri-Rail" brand name.

My suggestion of creating a "Tri-Rail II" train system for the Treasure Coast stems from the idea of an expandable regional train system with the capability of reaching smaller, less populous areas of our region, as efficiently as possible with shuttles, buses or park-and-ride stations to compliment the train system. Unlike the "population-support" model, the "regional-access" model assumes eventual density and is more concerned with overall continuity of service provision. Although Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin don't have the population densities to support full-throttle mass transit systems for each individual county, our economic ties to our neighbors to the south, in the form of thousands of people commuting further south to work, as well as the newly recognized geographic boundaries of the region, justifies the need to provide a system that will serve our needs on a regional level. Thus, the aim in creating "Tri-Rail II", initially, would be to connect the less populous Treasure Coast with the rest of South Florida. As ridership grows and as the Treasure Coast grows, further provisions would be made within our sub-region to provide more detailed connections on the county level for locals, travelers and commuters alike...

Presidential Cabinet Picks

"Obama Cabinet Picks Overlook Southern Talent" by v. johns

In composing this blog, I prefer to keep it local. There are more than enough talking heads on TV and enough scribes in the blogosphere discussing national politics without me putting my hat into the ring. Besides that, I prefer aftermarket discussion and analysis to forcasting and speculation. I'd rather leave the news gathering, and the punditry, to the experts -and the hacks. But there's one thing that has been haunting me about President-elect Obama's cabinet picks that I simply must comment on, at least briefly. Something that, if I had followed my instincts and blogged about it the instant I thought of it, I would have been one of the first to bring it up. But at present moment, ABC News and others have beaten me to the punch. And that thing is the fact that, Obama seems to be overlooking Southerners in the construction of his future administration. This is my first major disappointment with Obama. 

I'm not expecting Mr. Obama to work miracles. That's God's job. But I am expecting him to keep, as closely as possible, to his campaign promises. Mr. Obama won, partly, on the promise of uniting America along various lines of division and separation. One sure way to blow that promise would be to replace Bush's predominantly Southern regime with an overwhelmingly Northern center of gravity. This last decade came to be, in part, because of tensions, described by some as "culture wars," between Northern and Southern ideals (Walker: Texas Ranger vs. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Sex in the City). As we speak, there's still mild tension between native Floridians and Northern transplants from New York and New Jersey. Some of it being played out in the form of what taxes and fees should be paid by whom regarding the matters of home ownership and insurance. 

No one, south of the Mason Dixon, nor west of the Misissippi, wants New York to dictate their worldview to us. Inspired, we may be. But talked down to, the way the Northern elites have traditionally done, won't win any friends in the South -or the West. Our way of life may be different, but under former President Clinton, the South, while retaining its character and pride, was beginning to, finally, come into the fold and make inroads into areas that northerners considered us behind them in: infrastructure, education, race relations, etc. While prosperity and perception was beginning to change in the South, the North was beginning to lose population and political clout. 

Even under Bush, southern states have made significant strides in diversifying their economies and shifitng from a primarily agricultural base to branching out into manufacturing, finance and technological innovation. Regions, such as South Florida and the Research Triangle region in North Carolina, have formed around clusters of smaller cities that are now finding themselves with the same problems, needs and demands of a full-sized northern metropolis. 

Regardless of who Obama picks, the fact remains that the South will continue to trend toward gaining population and political representation. The center of gravity of his nation will continue to shift from the North and Midwest to the South and the West. If the Obama Administration fails to recognize and appreciate this general trend, foregoing the 50-state strategy in favor of an attempt to shift power back up north, the repercussions, though unknown, will probably do the Democratic Party more harm than good as they have yet to prove, on a national level, that they really understand the unique regional problems we must overcome, here in the South. And though the days of the "racist Republicans" may seem to be numbered, they are not over. Ailenating the South will only serve to allow this type of destructiveness to creep back into our national fabric and threaten our Union once more. 

There is no doubt that Obama's picks are more than capable of helping us to turn our nation around in a way that will enable us to get back to the peace and prosperity we deserve and once had. But overlooking such wise counsel as former Senator Bob Graham of Florida, James Clyburn of South Carolina, and other talent from other southern and western states, might eventually prove to be an unintended slap in the face. Therefore, it is important that the Obama Administration, in the future, continues to reach out and make inroads into the South by backing up his party's requests for our votes with political representation and cultivation of new Southern Democratic leadership and talent. 

In the meantime, no matter where the political center of gravity in this country may be, at any given point, Florida is a place that's all its own. We'll be alright. So, even with no Floridians in visible roles in the upcoming Obama Administration, I'm just happy that we will have a president, once again, who will do his job. My job, as it were, is to continue to express my views and do anything I can to help make South Florida the best place in the world to live, work, study, play, relax and do business...      

My Two Cents

"For What Its Worth... My Two Cents!" by v. johns

Beyond myself and several friends, this blog, at this time, doesn't have much of a readership, but once other people catch on, if at all, they will find enough posts to keep them reading for ages. My initial concern was not having enough to say, but upon changing my format from essay to op-ed I've found it much easier to write about my concerns. It's just a matter of forming a solid written opinion. Florida's academic suicide in the form of huge budget cuts to education to the tune of 200 million+ dollars, for example, is an issue that demands passion and is so bold in its audacity, that it would be virtually impossible for me to remain completely objective...

The very foundation of this blog is the idea that without strong education, good governance, social equality, diverse industries and full regional access to mass transit, South Florida is in danger of becoming a lost paradise. Many feel that it already is. Sure feels like it. But the promise of paradise for all still appears quite attainable. When Florida's housing demand eventually rebounds, we must be prepared to accommodate all who call this strange land of opportunity and promise home.

Just because this blog is titled "The Lost Paradise Journal" does not mean that I am totally ignorant of all the good things that are going on in Florida and its economic backbone, South Florida. I read Florida Trend and other magazines that examine the Florida landscape in the most positive way, with the zeal of a child opening the latest issue of their favorite comic book. But as a loyal citizen of this state, I believe that it is my duty to be vigilant about those things in our state that are not right or do not make any sense. Writing about them is certainly the very least that I, or anyone, can do. My next step, then, will be to attend various city, county, CRA and DDA meetings to get a firsthand look at what's happening as opposed to just reading about them in local news papers.

This blog started out as an idea for a class assignment I had one summer at Palm Beach Community College. At that time I had developed a mild interest in urban planning. This interest in urban affairs was sparked, to a degree, by my 2001 return to South Florida, from Tallahassee, and seeing how much things had changed, physically and socially, in the nine years that I had been gone: While Palm Beach County was beefing up with flyovers and highway segments that I had not seen before, St. Lucie was packed with more houses than I remembered, Stuart had more businesses and newer roads, and most of the neighborhoods in my hometown of Indiantown, had become predominantly Hispanic. In addition, I noticed that Vero Beach now stretched out near I-95. 

I found all of this to be very fascinating. But what further sparked my interest in urban affairs was talk, in the mid-2000's, about regional growth and possible extension of Tri-Rail service to the Treasure Coast. When the housing market here was booming, there were concerns of overcrowding and over-development. Local print and TV news outlets were reporting on F.A.U.'s findings regarding South Florida's urgent need to handle all that growth by encouraging all seven counties to work together on common issues. What I had previously thought was common knowledge -that the Treasure Coast is included in the South Florida landscape- I came back home from years and years in North Florida only to realize that many people's conception of South Florida stopped at Miami/Ft. Lauderdale or West Palm Beach. It also occured to me that if South Florida does indeed, oficially, stretch from Vero to the Florida Keys, there should be comprehensive transit accommodations that provide for that entire geographic area on the basis that all seven of South Florida's counties share close economic ties. In addition, somewhere in my casual reading of various newspapers and magazines, I learned that Boeing or Lockhead Martin had once considered headquartering here only to be unimpressed with a lack of infrastructure and poor education systems. I also heard from talking with one person that Martin Couny could have been the recipient of a Toyota plant but turned it down. Things like this are no small potatoes. So if I sound a bit bitter or unoptimistic, it is because of opportunities like that which have been squandered away in Florida's overly-politicized environment.

Despite my end-of-the-world writing style, I'm really an optimist in the way I view most things. My first post in this journal, "The Real South Floria," establishes that underlying optimistic tone. But in the editorial tradition of sounding the alarm bell on things that may doom us to becoming a truly lost paradise, it is important that I retain a vigilant tone. I know that most of our public officials are working as diligently as they can to solve our problems. But not all of them are. Some of them have sold their souls and put our livlihoods in question. Still, all of them are fair game for criticism and I will try to criticize them as constructively as I can without much vice. But we elect them to serve and that is what they must do as responsibly as they can. I like to think of my writing style as Fox Mulder meets Lou Dobbs: The truth is out there and I'm damned sure gonna tell it! 

Although I've branched out in recent articles to comment on other topics, as I mentioned before, the basic thrust of this journal still centers on education, transportation and regional branding. Just as Dallas-Ft. Worth, years ago, designated itself, "The Metroplex", to give the North Texas region a more marketable identity outside the state of Texas, South Florida must also flesh itself out in such a way that we are recognized and understood outside of our own boundaries. While many businesses and news outlets have caught on, it seems that some of our leaders have continued to allow territorial stakes and turf claims to cloud their view of the larger vision that we all should embrace, here in South Florida, to compete nationally and globally. Let's be for real, here. Extending Tri-Rail and Palm Tran service to Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties just might draw dollars that would have been spent here, in Martin, to counties further south. But visionary thinking also provides for the potential of the Treasure Coast to benefit from millions of potential visitors from our more populous neighbors to the south who would like to enjoy nature, sports, fishing and clean beaches in a more relaxed environment. Martin County is known for being good-natured and green.

Unlike my first post to this journal, "The Real South Florida," my most recent posts have been more personal in tone: This upon the advice of a book on blogging I glanced at over the summer. But at some point, in addition to citizen observation, I hope to also produce collegiate-level material with documentation and references to support my opinions. For now, though, believe me, writing this blog is as much my therapy as it is my joy. It also serves as a bridge of sorts from one creative interest to another. I like writing just as much as, if not more than, art and design. And I'm seriously thinking of changing my college studies from graphic web design to mass communication upon re-instatement at university level.

To conclude this particular assortment of tangents, I just wanted to give whatever readers I may have an idea of the reasoning behind the opinions I espouse. I realize that our entire country is on the brink of ruin, but once things begin to get better, if we are not already addressing them in some way, some of the things I have discussed in this journal are going to have to be dealt with at some point. For all those who are concerned, our regional standing and sustainability must be built on the solid pillars of real infrastructure. Not lofty illusions of fantasy or false charm. We can't allow ourselves to get too comfortable. South Florida, still, has a very long way to go. But regardless of the challenges we now face, I do believe that we will eventually see the light of day. And I believe that Southeast Florida will emerge as the one premiere region in the world to live, work, study, play, relax and do business...

Excitement Over Change

"Change is Coming!" by v. johns, 11/4/08, 11:54 PM

Congratulations to the next president of the United States of America, President-elect Barack Obama! Congratulations to both the Obama and Biden families. Congratulations to America for showing the world that we are and why we are the greatest nation on earth. Congratulations to Governor Christ for putting the people of Florida first by allowing early voting precincts to stay open later. And congratulations to my state, the great state of Florida, for demonstrating to the rest of the world that we are, at long last, more than capable of making every vote count!

Tonight, this 4th November day of 2008, is not only a proud moment in our nation's history, but also a defining moment of clarity and purpose for our beloved land that we call America! Mr. McCain, we thank you for your past, present and future service to our nation. Mr. Obama, good luck and godspeed. Yes we can! And yes... We will! Let's get this done!

Signs of Intelligent Life

"Signs of Intelligent Life... in South Florida" by v. johns

For blue-collar, white-collar, gray-collar and no-collar workers alike, a solid education -- no matter if its in degrees, apprenticeships or certifications -- remains the number one ticket to achieving the American Dream and the general security and peace of mind that comes with it. Considering its poor record, compared to other states, it almost seems that Florida has only a mild, cosmetic interest, at best, in producing well-rounded and exceptionally educated citizens. It seems to be quite content that its visitors and citizens value the fantasy of living in a tropical paradise over the real substance of educational and industrial gears working prudently in the background to make all this fantastic tropical beauty a reality...

Culturally and legislatively, our citizens generally don't seem to hold much interest in creating a region that's heavy on arts, culture and a life of the mind. On a personal level, this dynamic can make life pretty uncomfortable for university types like myself as it limits my enjoyment of life in my own backyard. But besides that, on a broader level, many Floridians, natives, long-timers, visitors and newcomers alike, are left to feel that there's just not enough here to make our region as livable and enjoyable as it could be.

Its one thing for transplanted northerners, used to various amenities that we may not have, to be uneasy about this dynamic. But their social structure compensates for it as any of them seek out, bump into and network with each other to make this strange place feel more like home. It's quite another for natives such as myself to have to not only be deprived of more amenities but to have to explain to outsiders why Florida slacks so much on education, social equality and diversity of life. 

On a personal level, my general classification as a "nerd" or "square" among blacks, and other minoroities, and as a "big, scary suspicious-looking black man" among whites, and various other minorities, not to mention my lack of wealth, places some limits on my social life. On one hand, I don't adhere to ethnic constraints or class or ettiquite. On the other hand, I still fall victim to class warfare, discrimination and racial mistrust. Very little refuge, if any, for people such as myself. That's just me, personally. But, in terms of what I believe we need in South Florida for our our region thrive and work well for all who live here, I'm asking you this: Even if you just love this place and fit into the South Florida landscape perfectly, with no hassle, honestly, does it not frighten you that our state government allows its education system to run on fumes? Does it not frighten you that people who could be and should be participating in an evermore diverse state and regional society are opting out and giving up? If it doesn't, chances are, you're just here for the party and not for the monumental task we all have ahead of us in building this region into the dynamic regional powerhouse and metropolitan paradise that it has been rumored to be.

Only through education, character-building civics and other middle-class values can this building of a real international regional powerhouse be done. Otherwise, we will continue to flounder and be known as a very pretty place but with bizarre, rude, poorly-trained and severely under-educated people. All style and no substance. In that regard, our general neglect of education, arts and culture is quite appalling.

The mere thought that education, diversity, character and things of the mind are secondary, at best, in this part of our state -- the economic backbone of this state -- and hold no real, significant influence or sway in South Florida's leisurely, hedonistic and over-gentrified environment should offend anyone who truly embraces the plight of the middle class in America. While the Old Middle Class was built on labor and toil, the New Middle Class owes its currently dwindling fortunes to its information and knowledge-based economy that peaked in the late 90's and early 2000's. Both models of success require hard work, drive and talent, by the way. But if there is no system to facilitate the gathering of the fruits of all that hard work, the American Dream, what point is there in dreaming to begin with? What fool works hard with no expectation of life, liberty and happiness?

Getting back to my fantasy of a New York City-style intellectual and cultural environment existing and thriving abundantly here in our version of the tropics, as I mentioned in my last article, I don't want to espouse the snobbish northern notion that we Floridians are all a bunch of uneducated and culturally illiterate dummies. My argument is that a more diverse, scholarly and intellectually welcoming environment would benefit our state in ways that would make New York and California jealous. I see many things on that level taking shape as we speak --the luring of Scripps and Max Planck, for example.

Despite my fatalistic view of paradise's pitfalls, there are signs of hope. If you look more closely, you'll find that curiosity and genius do exist in South Florida. In surprisingly large quantities. Its just that support for these attributes are not as celebrated, organized, centralized or abundantly clear as it is elsewhere. You generally won't find entire neighborhoods of authors, writers, actors, dancers, etc. like you would find in a crowded, centralized place like New York City. But the talent and the brains, outside engineering, are definitely there. Without it, South Florida would not be as vibrant and alive as it is today!

The culture of art, science, enlightenment and a life of the mind, though fueled heavily by retirees and other outsiders, exists throughout the region and shows many signs of promise. Look at all the museums, libraries and art galleries that popped up during the housing boom. Look at the record numbers of people that showed up to see the King Tut exhibit in Lauderdale in 2006. Thousands of people throughout the day, lined up to see a dead man's bling. Imagine that. I went to this exhibit, by the way. It felt pretty darn good to see that many people getting out and enjoying something that much other than a big sports event of some sort. Even if most of the people there were from elsewhere, it's still proof of a growing hunger and demand for a more prominent and accessible intellectual scene in this part of the country. Many people here are apparently thirsting for more of this kind of entertainment and aesthetic stimulation. On that note, I envy Chicago. We all should. Where's our Millenium Park?

In conclusion, while other areas like New York, Boston, Chicago and Atlanta are well-known for their arts and culture and their solid educational, industrial and business assets, Miami and the rest of South Florida continue to be seen as primarily leisurely, hedonistic and lacking in any real substance. Still, the opening of the Kravis Center in west Palm Beach years ago, the revival of the Sunrise Theatre in Ft. Pierce and the recent christening of the enormous Carnival Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, shows that there is a mild, but growing interest in creating a more arts, culture and education-centered environment all over South Florida. And with the arrival of biotech brandnames like Burnham, Torrey Pines, VGTI, Scripps and Max Planck, this injection and attraction of more and more brain power to our state will benefit professionals, service workers and tradesmen alike --creating core jobs that in turn create other jobs from other supporting industries. Our economy is already one of the most diverse in the nation. Thus, adding more biotech and strengthening other burgeoning industries will only further and improve our standing among other regions and states...

Anti-Intellectualism

"Florida's Anti-Intellectual Climate... and its Eventual Costly Consequences" by v. johns

My county is full of tough people. Many with tough lives. Many who think their lives are tough (See: Darfur). The "cool vs. nerdy" dynamic is strong here. Even among adults. Nerds and geeks, minorities especially, need not apply. Haves and have-nots abound and prioritize things very differently. Trade, service and office workers all seem to be worlds apart. If you fall somewhere in the middle, or don't fit particularly neatly in any category, you feel almost forced to take a side. 

Since I, myself,  don't fit neatly into any one particular scheme, I not only feel like a stranger in m own backyard, I also feel that there's no outlet for my interests. Thus, my social life here is severely less than spectacular. Then again, maybe I don't get out enough --I work, I go home, I read the paper, I rest a bit, I sleep. Then I do it all over again. Maybe it's the fact that I have to make plans to get out as opposed to when I was in college and could get up and go get a brain-full at the drop of a dime. Maybe I can't see past my own personal preferences and prejudices. Maybe college life in education-laden Tallahassee has changed me and spoiled me to the point of ignoring or losing touch with real life. Maybe my experience would be different if I worked in an office environment instead of a grocery store...

Who knows which case applies. Maybe they all do. But aside from my own personal dream of an NYC-style intellectual environment existing and thriving right here in South Florida across 7000 plus square miles of seven large counties, I also realize that the general reality of a good or bad quality of life for our children and families hinges on education. For many people, education is not a matter of casual discussion, but a matter of survival. At any rate, on either level, South Florida's overall intellectual environment, culturally and functionally, leaves much to be desired...

Whatever you do, please don't laugh at what I just said. Even if you cram to imagine the words "intellectual" and "South Florida" in the same sentence, it is that particular notion -- the notion that Florida, where leisure looms larger than learning, is somehow not a place where intelligence can thrive on all levels and among all classes -- that has doomed this region and this state to the bottom ranks of job quality and educational rankings. Add to that a very uninspiring, if not uninviting, social environment that stresses differences and lacks the rich texture of diversity and choice.

All of this is my personal observation combined with the many opinions of others I have discussed these issues with --as well as what I've read in the news and seen on TV . Therefore, I want to caution you that, regarding my argument that the state and the region's intellectual environment are not powerful or influential enough, its not so much that the people of our state and region are all dumb and need to be captured and forcibly educated by the big, benevolent, all-knowing education system. My concern is that the culture of education and learning just isn't that prevalent nor all that respected here in our region. And its connections to our social, commerce and industrial components are not as strong as they should be.

My argument in this article streams from one river with two forks... One personal and one of great concern for my region and state... On one hand, I can't seem to personally find settings, outside of an occasional community college class, where I feel welcome and can be as delightfully enlightened as I want to be. On the other hand, I see real problems that affect everyone's overall quality of life that I believe stem from a culturally-induced, but governance-enabled, lack of affinity for, and access to, a solid educational foundation. We tough-talking, hard-living southerners tend to brush aside such things as non-applicable fluff. But it's not... We shouldn't ignore national surveys and think tank findings or brush them off as intellectual fluff. Stressing over national statistics and rankings is not for academic discussion only. And while I admire our people's noble gestures in keeping Florida's social culture down to earth and free of culturally and intellectually snobbish extremes, we can't allow anti-intellectualism and neglect of our children's minds to take hold and limit their futures.

Though not always reliable or complete in forming a total picture of things, there are some cold, hard realities hiding behind all those fancy numbers. Low high-school graduation rates are not good. And while lack of formal education doesn't make one dumb, it does limit what they can do in a marketplace that demands more than raw talent alone. There's nothing more humiliating than knowing that a better life exists while having not a single clue as to how to get there. And I believe many of our citizens unwittingly find themselves resentful of the very attitudes and tools they need to succeed. Hence, a hands-on citizenry who's cultural beliefs about life plays right into the hands of those who would short them their change...

Despite all that I have told you, regarding my own personal dissatisfaction with the spread-out life I have here versus the more centralized and convenient life I once had in Tallahassee, it can easily be solved by saving up and getting out more. Though I live in Martin, I tend to gravitate toward Palm Beach County for leisure, movies and shopping. I like the more urban environment there. I like Ft. Lauderdale, as well. The only problem is that I usually stop short of things like plays, lectures, clubs and sports. I usually end up opting for the cheap entertainment value of a movie or bookstore. So, perhaps sometime in the future, I will muster up enough courage to get out and meet people and do something out of the ordinary. For now, however, I must work for that privilege.

Even though South Florida, somewhere in one of its seven counties, has something for everyone, not everyone feels welcome here. I could be wrong, but it seems to me that enlightenment seekers, many with modest incomes but with special talents and tastes, are the most neglected constituency in our region for the time being. Sportsmen and party-goers will not be disappointed in South Florida life. But if you're an academician or intellectual, if you're artistic or into television and film, opportunities to gather and grow and gain recognition remain rather limited. South Florida, oddly enough, is loaded with talent, but if you're looking for a vast networked community of artists, actors and scientists, some of these communities are still in their early stages of development and are far from becoming a prominent part of our social fabric here. I do believe that I am not entirely right about this, but upon surface-level observation, this is what I see at this time.

On a much broader level of concern, outside my own personal concerns, I see that my region is not as complete as it could be. The infrastructure lags just as much as the overall social culture and character does. I live in a region where only on half of the region is fully served with mass transit and affordable housing is still not much of a priority. All of this is made worse with all that's going on nationally. But even with those things in mind, our commitment to a more complete region with more amenities and provisions, should not falter. We owe it to ourselves to be much better than we are. Even if we can't have all the things we want now, it's still in our best interest to aggressively plan what we want to become and to anticipate any future problems that might occur on our way there...

Realistically and perceptually, South Florida has had more than its fair share of problems. Adding to our own specific woes, the state that harbors our region continues to rank pretty low in most national indicators, benchmarks and standards in education, justice, fairness and quality of life. Even with all other states doing just as badly, at this time. Still, I believe, our promise of paradise for all remains a very real possibility. Florida has changed -- and is changing -- in ways that many of us have yet to accept, understand or absorb... But once the housing bust is over and the market rebounds, and bigger budgets commence, we'll all see our currently strained commitments to a greater vision of ourselves restart and resume with even more vigor than before. That is what I hope...

State of Education in Florida

"Educational Suicide at the Hands of Florida's Bloody Budget Axe" by v. johns

In my July 4 post, I rhetoricalcally scolded the citizens of Florida for allowing politics to rule over progress. But Florida's seeming overall lack of commitment to the economic and social betterment of its own society and its failure to execute such a commitment with education placed front and center in its ethos, has played heavily into this scheme. While it is true that the citizens of this state bare much responsibility for their floundering quality of life -- by failing to demand better standards of excellence and accountability for themselves and their children, and by allowing an overall environment of anti-intellectualism to flourish and prevail -- the state, itself, has added to this misery by failing to secure a consistently progressive and properly funded primary and secondary school system... One with more logical and apparent attachments to a wider variety of industrial choices.

This state, along with its national and global co-conspirators, has not only nearly evaporated and destroyed its own middle class through its enabling of pricing and taxing people out of options, but has acquired a new dynamic of rich and poor that has rendered the traditionally education-centric values of the middle class nearly laughable as its citizens settle for service, labor and even professional job choices that lag tremendously behind the cost of living in this area. Jobs that should be skilled and professionalized have been reduced to mere grunt labor with menial tasks and unsafe working environments. Industries and infrastructure that should be prime in their support of artisans and craftsmen alike have floundered in their development. Prompting many to go elsewhere to chase their dreams.

While Florida loves to tout its blue skies and bountiful beaches, the sun we soak ourselves in, down here, masks a great deal of misery for those of us who see beyond all the glitter and shine. Generation after generation, our children grow up not understanding the full value and strength of a well-educated populace in an ever-changing world. Here in South Florida, we find ourselves, in what should be an intellectual wonderland with full industrial support, surrounded by the cold reality that the state's intellectual core, its school systems, lack the independence, power and prestige needed to produce a more nationally and globally competitive educational-industrial complex. One that embraces full affirmative access to education, training, re-training and placement in all leadership, service, trade and professional roles. As a result, a certain anti-intellectualism has set in across the state in recent years. A certain anti-intellectualism that will cost us all in the coming years if we are not careful.

Florida's weak educational-industrial complex has suffered tremendously under the cold axe of political games and schemes. Lacking the full throttle needed to produce a stable of home-grown talent, the state's education system outsources it's brainpower, not in the name of rich diversity of thought, but in the name of intellectual laziness on the part of its legislative parent. Our municipal and private sector entities follow the same pattern. As a result, many of Florida and South Florida's rewards, perks and opportunities have been enjoyed to a much fuller degree by wealthy and well-educated transplants from more progressive areas to the north than has been enjoyed by our own native residents.

In the meantime, as an indirect result of education not being front and center and commanding the reverence and respect that it should in the state of Florida, sometimes our talent leaves the area and often our cities and towns are not taken as seriously as other national metros, such as Atlanta -- which is seen as a very business-friendly business mecca with an airport (Hartsfield - Jackson) that rivals O'Hare in Chicago. Florida, with its cheap antics, either nets the people other states don't want or sends to them the talent that they do want. While other places attract business, medical, artistic and scientific talent, Florida, just to make a quick buck off tourism so we appear to have the nation's smoothest economy, pushes harder for sunbathers and golfers. Not that there's anything wrong with sunbathers and golfers, but why not push for permanent catalystic talent to reside here who just happen to like to sunbathe and golf? Why not say: "Look at our powerful schools and industries... Oh, by the way, we've got the best beaches and golf in the world, too."

Even though our state is in dire need of an educational revolution, there are indeed many bright spots in Florida. The further north you go in the state, the more likely you are to find them. I haven't looked at the stats yet, but generally, Tallahassee and Gainesville fare much better in that department than we do, here in South Florida. Give Orlando, home of the famed I-4 tech corridor, much credit, as well. Coincidentally, these are also areas that "look like the rest of the country." Places that don't don't have, or at least don't overdo it, on the "tropical environment" theme. And while these areas are generally college towns with room to grow, overbuilt South Florida, apparently all out of ideas, bills itself as the leisure capital of the world. Still, on a city by city, county by county basis, however, there are some bright spots in the region. But, once again, the further north you go, namely on the Treasure Coast, the better the educational scene gets for children with generally safer and less crowded schools. Martin County shines in this area. For higher education, its hard to beat Indian River State College with its ties to the University of Florida and Florida Atlantic University. But the overall feeling that education, not leisure, is our future and our forte, is lacking. I find this not only unsatisfactory but very troubling as well.

With everything going on in the world in an in the nation - the high fuel costs, the foreclosures, the credit crunch, the layoffs, the wars, the mortgage crisis, the stock market plunge, the rapid decaying of the world's greatest economy - you would think that the State of Florida would finally let go of its fixation of perfecting the lowly art of mediocrity. Instead, Florida chooses to be even more sub par than it already is. Its not enough to be one of the most poorly-rated states in the country on any given category. The state's partisan government, with its jerry-rigging, last-minute patch-up mentality has decided to further embarrass our state by throwing our education system to the dogs under the guise of fiscal responsibility.

So it seems, these days, our people -- and the leaders who allegedly lead us -- are apparently lacking in the type of character and resolve needed to form a region of excellence and distinction. And as we continue to digress downward, educationally, from where we were under former governor Bob Graham's leadership, decades ago, we not only find ourselves at the bottom of the barrel in school funding and high-school graduation rates, we also must witness the academic suicide of this state in the form of a 200 million dollar slashing of the budgets of its public universities, colleges and schools. Our state's unflinching willingness to cut so deeply into the futures of our children, our youth and our families underscores a lack critical thinking among the leaders we depend on to keep us up and running as a state.

South Florida's Atmosphere

"Sunny South Florida's Gloomy Overcast" by v. johns

South Florida represents a retreat for many who have tired of cold weather, political strife, higher taxes etc. from their own home states and countries. It also embodies a place to chase opportunities, to start all over, to relax. But, despite its sanctuary image, some of the same misery and bad vibes seen elsewhere in the nation can also be found in this 300-mile stretch of beach-front paradise. Crime, poverty, drugs, unemployment and other ills, though they will always persist here and elsewhere, to some degree or another, have become more and more intense in this region and are only made worse by neglectful governance and pay-to-play politics. Consequently, this type of misery, poorly addressed, if at all, has crept into and spread across nearly all demographics to create an environment that sows seeds of doubt as to whether or not a place so sunny, but with so much underlying misery and gloom, can actually be called a paradise...

At first look, you wonder how and why any misery, and its various servants, can even dare to exist in such a cool place as this. One where leisure and happiness seem to be the order of the day. Maybe some people are not trying hard enough to be happy. Maybe they live in bad neighborhoods. Maybe some miss the snow. But upon closer observation, you see how poorly things are run in our local governments and how strained things are between different classes and types of people and how politics and side deals and pay-to-play schemes reign supreme over real progress and, at some point, it all begins to make sense... Our paradise is one that is lost.

Once a nice place to live, South Florida has become merely a nice place to visit. Many here, happy or not, mostly natives and long-timers, feel that we have become nearly unlivable. And for most of us who just want to live our lives in peace, that feeling comes not only from rising taxes, higher living costs, higher fuel costs, sleazy politics and rampant crime -- all of which have negative effects on people's outlook on life -- but also from the resulting abundance of bad attitudes that surface in revolt. Add to all of this: a brooding culture of excess and a plethora of uncivil behavioral patterns and norms that have gone unchecked in our overall decade-long rush toward urbanized sprawl. Not to mention all the fallout from the failed one-party rule of our national government. Along with a failed, unimaginative state leadership.

Even with everything going on nationally excluded, many of our residents, here in South Florida, are just plain stressed. Some are naturally miserable and overly stressed, living in such a manner as a lifestyle of sorts to look cute or in line with the etiquette of their caste, while others are mainly, understandably and legitimately stressed by traffic, crime, construction, racial strife, low wages, medical bills, bad neighbors and other urban growing pains as the region continues its overall trend toward uncontrolled urbanized sprawl. Not to mention our continued recovery from past storms and the fallout over insurance rates that followed. All of which make for an unusual mix of sunshine and misery... in a place that is not supposed to have any misery... at all.

In the midst of all this misery, one of the most frightening aspects about South Florida is the threatening feeling that criminals and their various sympathizers and apologists have all but taken over. From organized gangs to smooth operators with suits and ties to petty creeps trying to rob someone with their pants sagging lower than their socks, South Florida's crime trends tend to surprise even those from northern big cities. Leaving many people to fear for themselves and their families in a place that should be, at least, reasonably safe and secure, overall.

And as if the greed and vanity of a brash and brazen criminal culture isn't enough, the negative, scorning vibe of Miami's hedonistic dark side pulsates throughout the region. As a result, the good people and their culture of neighborly goodwill and unselfish deeds are often overshadowed, if not overtaken, by the pervasive culture of carnal indulgence, vanity, narcissism, selfishness and excess that looms over and darkens South Florida's brightest of skies. Add to this misery, a state and regional leadership that seemingly only exists to serve the people with time or money on their hands (retirees, transplants, vacationers, the very wealthy etc.) and not the people who must make a living here from scratch.

For many of our poorest residents, by the way, their lives have often been plagued with inflation, stagnant wages, poor quality health care, declining neighborhoods and, at times, a seemingly self-imposed lack of upward mobility. Some of them, not educated enough to understand the forces shaping their environment, resort to a type of group-think and isolationism that only serves to benefit their exploiters. And, as a result, the same cycle of shattered dreams persists generation after generation as education is supplemented with pure emotionalism. A cycle made significantly worse by a political structure that fails consistently to invest in our region's most valuable resource: our people. The result: a shallow, poorly-funded and non-influential education system that fails to form deep links with its equally floundering and unimpressive industrial component. Followed by many broken homes and lives... that don't have to be.

But even before education, security is paramount. Security clears the path, in these often forgotten neighborhoods, toward progressive thought and the building of dreams. Perhaps now that there is a major effort underway in our local law enforcement agencies to remove filthy gangs and other criminals from our most troubled areas, in places like Lake Worth and West Palm Beach -- perhaps now -- the good people remaining in these areas can finally begin to think about building their dreams... instead of about how to dodge bullets and raise their children at the same time.

Whether one is rich, middle class or of meager means, life is just so much better when ordinary people feel that they can live a good life no matter what class they are in or income level they are on. Most people don't ask for much. In effect, real progress is made, ultimately, when citizens and their governments are fully committed to working whole-heartedly toward mutual outcomes that benefit us all. So, while South Florida's misery and gloom stretches across all ages, races, classes, genders and religions, it is generally safe to assume that, in any case, a better outlook on life tends to make for the creation of a better life... Wouldn't you agree?

Bad Attitudes

"Paradise's Paradox... Bad Attitudes Abound" v. johns

South Florida, with its sultry sun and surf, is a place that looks great on the surface... Lots of fun and sun, parties, clubs, tennis, golf, boating and fishing... Lots of beaches, of course, lakes, rivers, creeks, ponds... and pools... So many pretty people, places and things... Depending on where you live and what you do, of course... A place alive and vibrant with many scenic vistas, both natural and urban, but with what can be argued to be some of the rudest, craziest, laziest and most character-challenged people you will ever meet... in your life...

Despite South Florida's image as a mecca for fun and leisure, the price of living in this paved urban paradise, and its many sprawling outlying areas, is that we must often put up with people whose mindsets oppose or conflict with our sunny and scenic surroundings. And nowhere is this paradox of paradise more apparent than in our daily travels to and from...

On one hand, the sunshine entices you to believe that everything is wonderful and fine. The California-derived Mediterranean look and feel of its architectural overlay almost assures you that its is. Most coastal areas here, especially the small towns, exude the cool, laid-back look of a tropical paradise... Driving south on U.S. 1 between Tequesta and North Palm Beach -- or -- on A1A in Delray or Ft. Lauderdale, as you are soothed by the beautiful scenery, you feel a sense of serenity and calm. The sand, surf and salty air beckon...

On the other hand, even the sunniest of days cannot escape an occasional patch of dark clouds. The rude, difficult -- and sometimes dangerous -- people we encounter, on some days, makes South Florida feel more like a no-holds-barred northern metropolis... Even among the rare natives, the friendliness stops at the slam of a car door... Driving on I-95, in rush hour traffic, as you cruise along with no particular rush to be there, you find yourself in a boiling asphalt sea of rude and nasty driving-challenged idiots determined to run you off the road at any cost. And you begin to wonder whether or not this part of the continental United States is anywhere near deserving of being called a paradise...

While South Florida has successfully presented itself to the world as possessing all the glitter and panache of a wildly sophisticated urban dreamscape, the overall civic and social culture of ordinary citizens leaves much to be desired. The rude, uncaring and uncivil behaviors of our residents tends to detract from the inviting look and feel of an area that is often touted as the pinnacle of paradise.

Our region, even in its most glamorous parts, seems to be swamped with an abundance of rude and nasty people. People who actually have nothing better to do than to be rude and nasty. As such, rude and nasty people, quite naturally, do rude and nasty things. Things, mind you, that often make victims of others: driving erratically, insulting others, racism, bad customer service manners, domestic assault, criminal activities, etc. It begs the question of whether or not the sun that shines so brightly, down this way, is really an illusion concocted and funded by the state legislature to make our region appear to be more livable...

Bad attitudes abound. If you go online and type in, say, "Miami vs." any big city, U.S.A., you will find some pretty scathing commentary concerning its people: the perceived lack of brainpower, the bad traffic and its accompanying bad behaviors, the rudeness, the snobbishness, etc. Similar notions apply when you compare all of South Florida to other regions around the nation...

South Florida, though located on the bottom right of a state that consistently ranks at the bottom rung in all national and regional indicators and studies, manages to tarnish its image well enough on its own. This despite the very popular idea that our entire state is composed overwhelmingly of crazed lunatics, perverts and morons. And the notion that many people's negative impressions of our entire state seem to originate from their experiences here doesn't help our region's woes at all. 

While other more stable and sane places around the nation enjoy the distinction of being normal places with normal people, Florida is routinely ridiculed in the media and by word of mouth as being a source of the of all things dumb, silly, weird or bizarre. Its most populous and most popular city, Miami, synonymous with South Florida, is often cited as the bad driver, bad manners and road-rage capital of America. And despite its glamorous presentation and allure, the actual day-to-day atmosphere of the Magic city has, perhaps unfairly, been compared to that of third world nations...

And while it is tempting to blame all of our behavioral problems on education, or lack thereof, I'm just not entirely clear on whether or not all the rudeness and poor education are really that significantly bound to each other. But I'm willing to bet that poor and uneducated feel all this nastiness more acutely than anyone else.

Rude or not, there is no doubt that education and training -- and good quality jobs -- produce better citizens. When will Florida realize this? And I believe that a great deal of the nastiness that is allowed to fester in this region is only made worse when education is not deep seeded and heavily influential. And is made even worse, yet, when residents are resigned to living in a place where outsiders fare better than natives and heavy investment in its most vulnerable people, beyond exploiting them for cheap labor and quick taxes, seems to be lacking...

At some point, you gotta wonder... Just what is it about places like Austin, Seattle and Portland, and even huge, 4-million strong Atlanta, that make these places at least appear so drastically different in its people's basic attitudes and character than any given metro in Southeast Florida? Why are they at least perceived as being tolerant, welcoming, "Achieve the American Dream" type places while we are perceived as merely a playground for the rich, where the poor and middle class need not apply, and where the brains that we do have must surely come from somewhere else?

To recap, yes, Florida is a very strange place. Its part of our lore. And our appeal. I can live with that. Secondly, although I reject the notion that Floridians are generally a bunch of morons and dummies, given its overall anti-intellectual environment, its heavy promotion of hedonism and leisure, and its poor school systems, its very hard to prove otherwise. But, while the first two items are up for grabs, the rudeness, the bad attitudes, the road rage, the overall lack of respect for one's neighbors if they are different, etc. are very real and have almost become signature characteristics of a place that has grown too fast and has lost a great deal of its original character and charm.

As our state struggles to break free of its image of all things lame, its economic engine, South Florida, bares the mark of being a once fairly livable place where, now, any manner of bad behavior goes. The image of a perpetually playful paradise continues to loom heartily over its actual problems, pitfalls and perils, creating an unusual mix of clear skies and uptight citizens in one of the world's most sought after retreats. Indeed, South Florida has managed, quite well, to successfully sell the Sunshine State's most valuable commodity: the illusion of endless happiness and joy...

 

South Florida's Boundaries

"Forget Waldo... Where's South Florida?" by v. johns

Over the course of constructing this blog, I've been trying to drive home the point that in order for South Florida to attain a true, complete and workable regional mass transit system, that serves all of its citizens, including the ones outside of its largest urban centers, it would help to know exactly what geographical parameters define the so-named region. According to SoFlo.org, both Enterprise Florida and the Florida Department of Transportation define South Florida as a seven-county area - not three - that runs about 300 miles in length from Vero Beach in the north to Key West in the south.

Now that we've established this, let me delve a little deeper into this issue, using my own terminology and classification modifications, to give you a fuller, more fleshed-out picture of what we are dealing with here. South Florida is composed of three sub-regions, each with their own unique problems and characteristics: The first being the Treasure Coast "district" to the north consisting of Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties. And according to Treasure Coast Magazine, it also stretches even further south into the northern portion of Palm Beach County (Jupiter, Juno, Tequesta). I agree 100%. The second sub-region being the Gold Coast "district" to the south (also known as the Tri-County area) consisting of Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. And I will add to this scheme, the final piece of the puzzle, Monroe County and the Keys which I consider to be a third sub-region and refer to it as the Florida Keys "district." I also would recommend creating a fourth sub-region, the Interior Florida Everglades "district", stretching from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Keys. But I digress.

Zooming out just a little, we see that just as the three sub-regions of the Treasure Coast, the Gold Coast and the Florida Keys compose the area we call South Florida, South Florida, itself, using eflorida.com's map, is on pace to overlap and merge with four other state regions: Southwest, South Central, Tampa Bay and East Central. A PDF map on SoFlo.org's site credited to the Metropolitan Institute of Virginia Tech names this area "Peninsula" and shows other national mega-regions such as: Cascadia, NorCal, Southland, the Valley of the Sun, the I-35 Corridor, the Midwest, Piedmont, and of course, the Northeast.

SoFlo.org credits author, professor and lecturer Richard Florida for naming this area So-Flo (Southern Florida I presume): armed to the teeth with the three state powerhouse metros formed around Miami (Southeast), Tampa (Tampa Bay) and Orlando (East Central). And I will add to that, a lesser known player, Naples (Southwest). All of this forming a rough circle around Florida's rural "Heartland" region, South Central. It also describes the I-4 Corridor as being So-Flo's "northern boundary." And to complete our total regional picture, out of respect, I want to remind you that three other regions exist in this state, in addition to the five state regions comprising the So-Flo mega-region and they are: Northwest (Tallahassee), North Central (Gainesville) and Northeast (Jacksonville).

This type of clarification is rarely seen. When you've got entities such as Broward County and the South Florida Regional Planning Council that are still using and displaying information from several years ago that needs updating, it presents a confusing picture that leaves natives and outsiders, as well, in a bit of a fog. This is unfortunate because when people visit Broward.org to learn about Ft. Lauderdale and its surrounding areas, they will have no idea, unless they find out dilligently on their own, that Port St. Lucie and Stuart can provide them with lodging options if all the hotel rooms in Broward are sold out for some large event going on in Ft. Lauderdale. They may opt out altogether if they don't know what all their options are. I've seen this happen in Tallahasse when hotel rooms get sold out for big games at FSU or FAMU. I've seen people book hotel rooms for these events as far away as Valdosta, Georgia!

On a business level, in our state's quest to attract high-paying industries and jobs to our area, it would help if investors and stakeholders know what they are investing in. If an ill-informed biotech company rejects relocating to South Florida on the basis that it is perceived as too crowded, with no industrial space left, that company, not understanding that there are less densely populated areas of the region other than Miami or West Palm Beach, might pass on the entire region in favor of other areas outside the state that may be percieved as more suitable. Had they known and understood that Vero Beach can connect them to Miami without sacrificing spatial advantages that much, they might have considered and by then we will have lost an opportunity that could have been corrected with the proper information. This is assuming that a time-conscious company with little time to research an area is seeking to relocate and branch out as quickly as they can.

All of this is very important because while we have state entities like Enterprise Florida and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) defining our area correctly, we also have other statistical entities such as Wikipedia, Florida Smart and perhaps even the U.S. Census, incorrectly, if not unwittingly, presenting our area as something else altogether. Florida Smart (smart? really?) even goes so far as to say that the Treasure Coast stretches from Ft. Pierce to Boca Raton? Not Correct. These types of discrepancies, though somewhat understandable, given the outdated statistical sources from which their information is derived, are nonetheless unacceptable and are exactly the types of mismatched presentations of information that this journal is against and seeks to help correct. In the meantime, I am at least encouraged that our state entities have gotten it right. Still, its not enough that we get it right while others get it wrong. I would encourage all regional leaders, following SoFlo.org's lead, to make some effort to promote update, correlate, corroborate and disceminate all their data across as many channels as they can (government, commercial, statistical, etc.) as immediately as possible.

In conclusion, the very foundation of this blog is that state and regional promotion must be conducted with real excellence and quality working steadily in the background to support our claims. We can't properly promote South Florida or any of our state's regions, for that matter, if the facts aren't straight and outsiders don't have a clear picture of what they are investing their precious time and money into. Our leaders, who broker these deals on our behalf, and our citizens who seek to share their slice of paradise with family and friends, must be armed with as much of the proper information on our region and our state as possible to provide a convincing argument to prospective industries, institutions, residents and investors that Florida and South Florida, in particular, is indeed the best place in the world to live, work, study, play and do business...

War on the Middle Class

 "The War on the Middle Class... Florida Style" by v. johns, 7/30/08, 10:50PM

If you haven't already, I want to invite you to go back and read my last post titled "Our Independence Day" as it discusses the price we have all paid for the misconduct and misguidance of our so-called leaders. Their corruption, hubris, lack of vision and their failure to lead their fellow citizens and constituents in the right direction has cost us greatly. This post also discusses the failure of the state's citizens themselves to recognize what's really important in our lives, leaving the door wide open for hucksters and charlatans to step in and run the show. Thus, the political hijacking of our governance has not only cost us our right to a clean and decent mass transit system that could have been built years ago, it has also cost us our pride, our credibility... and our livability.

With all the partisan posturing and political tom foolery that has gone on in the state of Florida, and around the nation, in the last decade, all the time spent by our local leaders, our legislators and our citizens over garbage issues, power plays and ploys, could have been better used to secure a more stable framework for all the people of the State of Florida. Rather than foolishly and blindly bickering over ideological silliness centering around wedge issues like God, guns and gays (and pregnant pigs) - issues that have blinded us to the problems we now face - we could have been planning and creating a world-class transit system, a world-class education system, a long-lasting, higher-quality job market and a more mature and recognizable national and international business scene. Instead we have all squandered our future on mindless ideological stances and so-called principles that have nothing to do with real progress.

With nearly no money left in our state and local coffers to finance the things we've taken for granted (police and fire protection, libraries, schools), as well as the things we are beginning to realize that we need (efficient public mass transit), we are all now learning the real costs of politics over policy. Surely, by now, despite what's going on nationally, we could have had it all, here in Florida... We "could have been a contender." Instead, we find ourselves nearly homeless, leaderless, visionless, drowning in debt and swamped with hidden taxes we thought we'd voted against... All of us wondering what has happened, what might have been... And at the very least wondering... Just what lies ahead...

Independence Day

"Our Independence Day" by v. johns, 7/4/08, 11:27 PM

Martin County, at times, appears to be one of those kinds of places where the poor and the middle class are so caught up in caste etiquette and so hellbent on keeping up with and competing with one another over the pettiest of grievances that they have been excessively slow to envision the larger war that has been - and is being - waged against them in the form of government waste and corporate greed. While the poor sweat blood for pennies a day and greet anything even remotely resembling style and class with disgust... often decrying middle-class values with jealousy, scowls and taunts... the middle class, itself, finds itself not being able to keep up with the Joneses - let alone the Kilroy's - as they teeter on the edge of descending rapidly into the lowly ranks of the poor via high fuel costs, layoffs, foreclosures and near death home values. Meanwhile, the rich frolic and play as if their fortunes have nothing to do with the middle class and the poor having money in their pockets to buy the goods and services that the rich produce and peddle to them.

In the meantime, a new strain of rich, the super rich (who make the rich look middle class and the middle class look poor... who have learned to profit on the bad times of others... who REALLY DON'T owe their fortunes directly to ordinary citizens but to legal loopholes and corrupt schemes, almost in direct partnership with our government) has emerged. And they have raided and squandered vast swaths of our nation's resources in global theft schemes that have brought this once respectable nation to its knees. Schemes that have threatened even THEIR fortunes...

But not as much as WE - the people, that is - are going to threaten their fortunes once we get control of our government again... IF we get control of our government again...

All this time that has passed, somewhere along the way, WE, the citizens, have dropped the ball in our duty to maintain a constant vigilance in our pursuit of a more perfect Union. Now, without further ado, we have landed ourselves on the financial front lines of a global war against ordinary citizens for corporate dominance and control over nearly every aspect of our lives. That dominance and control being for the express purpose of exploiting and reaping loads of capital and cash off of as many of those aspects as they can...

In this sick, twisted narrative of Eden's descent into the bowels of Hades, all the while that the poor and middle class have been fighting each other over mere nonsense, some in our state government, along with their Washington and private sector counterparts, have robbed us blind in the midst of our drunken stupor. While we have hated each other for the dumbest of things, the powers that we have allowed to be, for their own personal vanity and gain, have sought to add company to our misery by taking it and shoving it and sticking it to the middle class... Robbing them broke, beating them down and driving them in droves deep into the depths of financial ruin and personal despair...

Perhaps the saddest note in this sordid song of tragedy and lost dreams is that both the middle class and the poor have been used perfectly and effectively as foot soldiers against their own American brethren. Dividing the nation and the state along liberal and conservative lines, the conservative working poor and business-owning middle class were made to believe, by their leaders, that their generally better educated liberal counterparts were the impending social downfall of the country, if not the world. When, in truth, their own severely flawed conservative leaders were the actual secret torchbearers of doom itself. They were told that God, guns and the rights of gay citizens (or lack thereof) were the most important issues of our time and they believed it. They were told that terrorists were going to strike again, at any moment, using everything from pens to shoes, and they believed it. And they punished and struck against any of their fellow citizens who didn't...

Here in Florida, rural conservative support has been used to thwart real progress in the state's most populous, and perhaps, most liberal counties... Leaving them swamped in gridlock and crime with corrupt local politicians and overzealous, rule-skirting home developers driving drunk at the wheel.. All the while setting the stage for the kind of economic rot and decay that has not been seen since many generations ago...

The Bush era here in our great state (Jeb) coupled with the Bush era in Washington, that will thankfully be ending soon (George), yielded droves of misguided citizens who were puzzlingly ready and willing to vote at the polls for things - God, guns and gays - that had nothing to do with solid, concrete progress and prosperity. Many who were poor, instead of voting for issues and policies that would help elevate them to the ranks of the middle class and beyond, were tricked and rallied into voting against their own best interests. In the meantime, the middle class has found itself, seemingly suddenly, but really slowly over time, joining the ranks of the poor.

The failed 2006 anti-incumbent-laced attempt of our citizens to punish the ruling Neo-con dominated party (Republicans) and regain control over their government revealed yet another dynamic: That those that they had elected to act out their civilized revolution (Democrats) were either too spineless, too weak in heart or too weak in numbers, at the very least, to carry out that mandate. Leading many to wonder and suspect whether or not we have all been lulled into the seduction of an illusion of competing ideals... and ideas... whether or not we are all doomed to repeat a vicious cycle of electing those who run in our name but serve their terms to the appeasement of the private and corporate masters in which they serve...

Today, let us all celebrate our Independence Day by vowing to once again become the nation of independents and free thinkers our forefathers envisioned. By vowing to never again allow ourselves to become so divided that we nearly forfeit our country's future to those who would sell us out... If we can imagine ourselves defeating seemingly undefeatable alien monsters in the movie "Independence Day," then surely we can imagine ourselves, on this holiday of the same name, defeating the wicked, non-caring private and corporate interests of the world that have crushed so many dreams and destroyed so many lives...

River of Grass

"River of Grass, Field of Lost Dreams" by v. johns

While I would like to jump for complete joy in the deal that has been struck between U.S. Sugar and the State of Florida for the company's land to be purchased by the South Florida Water Management District, I question the secrecy of it all. And I dread the possibilities that await those who will no longer wake up early in the morning, in six years, heading off to their job at their company that they have devoted their lives to. And perhaps more than that, I dread the complacency and lack of vision in some of our leaders in the monumental task of, within such a short period of time, securing new companies, if not entire new industries, to replace the one that is destined to be no more.

While the restoration of the entire Everglades ecosystem, a national treasure, is important, how do we weigh its importance against the livelihoods of people who have built their lives and their way of life on one company, one industry? While I don't like the fact that this question must be dealt with, it is what it is and the local leadership out that way must be prepared to step up to the plate, right now, and lobby hard for industries and jobs to replace what is there now and won't be there later. They must if they are to avoid a Detroit-like scenario where the rapid decline of its core industry there, the automotive industry, has left that city a mere shell of its former self.

Yes, I question the timing and the secrecy and the string of "deals" coming out of Tallahassee all of a sudden, but I also see a silver lining in this dark cloud that our leaders and residents may fail to capitalize upon if they do not act fast to secure their futures. Can you imagine a GM plant or a major university branch or a biotech company or a large hotel or a major state government department there? I can. And even without the eminent departure of U.S. Sugar, I've always been an advocate of economic diversification (I studied economics at F.A.M.U., afterall) and have often wondered why leaders in some places in Florida seem to be supremely comfortable with the lack of a diverse tax base to draw from. No one municipal or county or state entity should be severely dependent on any one company or industry for its stability.

Since I haven't done much research or even casual reading, for that matter, on the Glades area, I will refrain from judging their leaders. Especially since there is a general trend in South Florida to neglect its poorer, less-glitzy, lower-profile areas. But I will caution its local city leaders against waiting for the county to propose anything of any reasonable value anytime soon. With every jurisdiction in the state being hammered by unfair and irresponsible state-mandated budget cuts, their pleas may fall on deaf ears...

I doubt that anything short of more land deals or schemes to develop will come out of the minds of state and county leaders. In the years to come, with more people looking for work and possibly toward the coastal areas for that work, I doubt that even the issue of rural access to those jobs via public mass transit will even be on the radar as so much as a blip. The people in the Glades may be in for one long ride when it's all said and done. But one thing is for sure: The State of Florida OWES them! And I don't care how many budget cuts are ripping through the state, if the police in the City of Port Saint Lucie, at such a critical time, can lobby and beat drums for a raise on their salaries, then Belle Glade, Pahokee, South Bay, Clewiston (in Hendry County) and others can beat the door down and demand the replacement of jobs that the state, itself, had a hand in eliminating...