Delray Beach has a lot on its plate. Longtime growth has transformed this one-time “Village by the Sea” into a popular destination, bringing with it the people, traffic and development that puts pressure on aging infrastructure.
This year’s election cycle also has seen a political dogfight with allegations flying in hopes of forcing two challengers in particular out of their respective races — Anneze Barthelemy and Tennille DeCoste. The city has already gone through a tumultuous 3-2 split on the commission, and at times the current campaign seems more of a distraction than a step toward addressing real community concerns.
With a growing government spending, a notably high ad valorem rate and several big-ticket capital improvement projects, budget oversight and financial stewardship should be the real focus as the city moves forward. The Palm Beach Post Editorial Board believes three candidates in this election would best serve that aim, which is why, on March 19, we urge voters in Delray Beach to choose Thomas Carney for mayor, DeCoste for Seat 1 and Juli Casale for Seat 3.