Undecided on 2010 plans, Santamaria says commission job is half rewarding, half “waste of time”
by George Bennett | March 6th, 2010
Santamaria
Santamaria, who represents western-county District 6, came into office saying he was focused only on a single term. But he never unequivocally ruled out seeking reelection, and Santamaria now says he and his wife are “seriously discussing my serving a second term.”
Santamaria was a longtime developer and businessman in Royal Palm Beach who was registered to vote with no party affiliation. He became a Democrat in 2006 and won the District 6 seat after the resignation of Tony Masilotti, a Republican who eventually went to federal prison on corruption charges.
Pearl
In an e-mail to The Palm Beach Post today, Santamaria said making a decision on whether to run has taken longer than he expected.
“The reason it is taking us longer to decide is because I love 50 percent of what I do as a Palm Beach County Commissioner - it is challenging, interesting, many big important problems to solve, lots of almost impossible dreams to make come true with the support of the good people of Palm Beach County,” Santamaria wrote.
“However,” he continued, “the other 50 percent is a total waste of time on a lot of nonsense, minutia, insignificant issues, having to listen to people who love to (hear) themselves talk during meetings, too many social events, ribbon cuttings, etc., etc., etc.”
Santamaria said he needs to figure out a way to minimize the time spent on less-imporant matters and free up more of his time for issues such as taxes, jobs, crime, the environment, children and “improving the lives of the less fortunate among us.”
That sounds like something a candidate for office would say — but, Santamaria wrote, “these are the things I love to do and will continue doing, whether I am a commissioner or a private citizen.”
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March 6th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
It’s not good to waste your time.
March 6th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
That’s the problem–the kind of people who should be in office are the kind who can’t stand the waste of time; the kind of people who generally want to be in office are the kind we need to keep as far out of office as possible.
March 6th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
gee, i thought those people talking at meetings were TAXPAYERS that he’s supposed to represent? It’s his JOB to listen to the minutia. He needs to just resign already and give someone else a chance to really represent the people. All he’s worried about is DE LAND DE LAND DE TDRs DE TDRs and tooting his own horn. Think he needs some ginko biloba, perhaps he forgot what he was elected to do!
March 6th, 2010 at 6:35 pm
Tootsie, sounds as if you might be one of those who waste a lot of people’s time because you like to hear yourself talk at public meetings. Yes, you and the other babbleheads have a right to talk and the rest of us are forced to listen and yes it’s the obligation of elected officials to waste their time and listen to you. My guess is you’re Alex the dumb blondeshell.
March 6th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
What he says are less important matters, may not be to many other people. I could see the social events and ribbon cuttings as a total waste of time, but every single person in this district has a voice and should be heard whether he likes it or not! I know who I won’t be voting for.
March 6th, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Tootsie, hold on a minute, if this guy admits that his commission job is a waste half of time we are looking at the most honest politician we have seen in palm beach county. Tax payers are boring to listen to anyway, write in jesse’s name even if he does not run.
March 6th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Oh how people play into his holier-than-thou-self-righteous plan! Anyone ever do real business with the man? His indecisiveness is only a ploy to find out if people will vote for him again. Let’s all bow down - WE’RE NOT WORTHY, WE’RE NOT WORTHY!
March 7th, 2010 at 1:00 am
[...] Undecided on 2010 plans, Santamaria says commission job is half … [...]
March 7th, 2010 at 7:54 am
I fully understand and appreciate what Santamaria is saying. A small minority of residents believe it’s their God- given right to waste the time of elected officials and government staff. This ranges from windbags appearing at every meeting to give lectures on matters they know nothing about to those who file any action available to them about any issue of interest to them. Tootise, Linda et al…YOU are the type of people who waste taxpayers’ money and public resources.
March 7th, 2010 at 11:05 am
Amen Dean. I’m from the western communities (Santamaria’s district) and follow some issues and therefore occassionally monitor county commission and some other government meetings. It drives me up a wall to hear the likes of Alex Larson and others give their “expert” opinions on EVERYTHING and claim to represent the interests of the western communities, environmentalists, etc.. I hope Jess doesn’t let the goofballs drive him from office.
March 8th, 2010 at 7:19 am
Jess, wake up! That’s what holding an office entails. Glad handing, holding meetings, etc.
If you can’t take the heat…get out of the kitchen.
Pearl is an OUT OF TOWNER. The western communities will not have an OUT OF TOWNER, supported with OUT OF TOWN, OUT OF STATE CONTRIBUTIONS win an election.
Take a look at her Supervisor of Elections donations for every quarter. It’s OUT OF STATER, a carpetbagger, trying to gain footing to get a lifetime salary off the public-salary, benefits AND a LIFETIME PENSIONS from the TAXPAYERS.
March 8th, 2010 at 8:24 am
[...] Palm Beach County Commissioner Jess Santamaria decides to run for reelection despite his complaints that half his job is a “waste of time,” he could face a Democratic primary challenge from Indian Trail Improvement District President [...]
March 30th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
I understand And Horseman you obviously have not met or know Ms.Larson. You yourself have never gotten out of your armchair to go to a county commission meeting.The word Tootsie isn’t in her vocabulary.Generally she speaks about water and trying to save that resource for the future.The Commissioners have admitted she knows the figures and backs it up.Frankly she cusses like a sailor.
April 2nd, 2010 at 6:58 am
[...] Only a few weeks ago, Santamaria said he was torn over whether to run again, describing his job as half rewarding and half “waste of time.” [...]