Editorial: Pandering commissioners reveal their hypocrisy

Does anyone else find it odd that four St Augustine City Commissioners who just voted to overturn a planning and zoning board denial, then voted to overturn 40-year-old historic preservation zoning, in favor of more tourism development; are now “concerned” about an advertising campaign dedicated to drawing more tourists to the city?

Really? Is Todd Neville that stupid? Is Nancy Sikes-Kline that great an imbecile? Is Leanna Freeman that much of a moron? Is Roxanne Horvath that big an idiot?

From August 13th to September 30th, residents get a six-week break from the onslaught of vacationers who have decided to bless us with their travel dollars. Although brief, we need a few “mental health days” to recover from another year of tourism fatigue.

During last night’s St Augustine City Commission meeting, immortal tourism cheerleader Richard Goldman, president of the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and the Beaches Visitor and Convention Bureau, announced a $210,000 advertising campaign by the VCB dedicated to drawing more people to town during the off-season.

You would have thought he was planning to unleash pestilence by the shocked looks on the faces of the four halfwit buffoons on either side of Mayor Shaver; two of whom come up for re-election next year.

Freeman said residents tolerate the busy times to get to the slow season. “I feel like you’re not going to stop … until we’re just jam packed 12 months out of the year.” Dunce.

Sikes-Kline said tourism may be “settling down” since the city’s 450th commemoration, but she doesn’t think residents are “upset”. Dolt.

Vice Mayor Todd Neville suggested charging VCB events for their impact on the city. Ignoramus.

Of course, Horvath, who has never had an intelligent contribution to any discussion at the table in almost five years, sat in her chair, scratching her head, like a deaf-mute. Fool.

In this editor’s view, their hypocrisy is only outdone by their cowardice. You see, it’s easy to shoot at a faceless boogieman like “tourism”. But, when tourism has a face, like developers Kanti Patel, or Farid Ashdi, or John Arbizzani, you must be brave — they shoot back!