Mayor calls housing plan 'communist'

South Florida Sun-Sentinel ^ | 05/20/2006 | Brittany Wallman

[Responsibility2nd]

FORT LAUDERDALE -- Mega-developers and the city's mayor are shooting down a proposed affordable-housing law, calling it unfair, communistic and doomed to failure. People could afford a place to live, the mayor said, if they were willing to work harder.

Mayor Jim Naugle, a conservative politician in his final term, said people mistakenly think they're entitled to affordable single-family houses on a 40-hour work routine. They need to work more hours, and even then settle for a condo or townhouse, Naugle said.

"I'm supposed to subsidize some schlock sitting on the sofa and drinking a beer, who won't work more than 40 hours a week?" he asked. "I deny that there is a problem. You can buy condos all day for $160,000."

Naugle's comments may be contested by the working-class citizens who've told the city they want homes but can't afford them. But his ideas might hit home in other circles, where a city proposal to make developers slash prices or pay a fee was met with skepticism.

"We ought to let the free market work," said Bill Scherer, a lawyer-developer on the city's Downtown Development Authority.

South Florida's cities only recently decided housing prices had reached crisis-level highs, and Fort Lauderdale is one of the first to try to pass a law to do something about it. The city is under pressure from Broward County to pass a law; otherwise, the county says it won't allow another wave of construction of thousands of condos downtown.

[Responsibility2nd]

Who has the sofa sitting-beer drinking-schlock pinglist?

Anyone?

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

if they don't like the prices they should move

[camle]

"They need to work more hours, and even then settle for a condo or townhouse, Naugle said. "

I have a better idea, bub: lower taxes so people can afford to live!

[flashbunny]

"South Florida's cities only recently decided housing prices had reached crisis-level highs, and Fort Lauderdale is one of the first to try to pass a law to do something about it. The city is under pressure from Broward County to pass a law; otherwise, the county says it won't allow another wave of construction of thousands of condos downtown."

Great idea - housing is too expensive, so threaten to constrict supply! Genius!

[cardinal4]

Mayor Jim Naugle, a conservative politician in his final term, said people mistakenly think they're entitled to affordable single-family houses on a 40-hour work routine. They need to work more hours, and even then settle for a condo or townhouse, Naugle said.

Like the rest of us..

[starfish923]

The mayor is correct.
There is no reason why the "state" should subsidize buying a house/condo at all in any form. There IS one exception.

War/combat veterans deserve that kind of subsidy.

[thegreatbeast]

Here's the problem (and yet it seems to go unaddressed in this article):
The city is under pressure from Broward County to pass a law; otherwise, the county says it won't allow another wave of construction of thousands of condos downtown.

[John Jorsett]

Wait a minute, I thought it was government's job to give me everything I want. Burn this heretic!

[fhlh]

DING DING DING!!! ....and we have a winner.

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

Uh, I think hizzoner meant "schmuck."

[rattrap]

"One person is working two or three jobs to get ahead, and one person isn't. Should we tax the person that's working hard to get ahead, to pay for the one who isn't?"

Bears Repeating.

[John Jorsett]

Here's the problem (and yet it seems to go unaddressed in this article): The city is under pressure from Broward County to pass a law; otherwise, the county says it won't allow another wave of construction of thousands of condos downtown.

Stated differently, "Give away housing below market prices, or we'll make housing even more scarce and costly." That certainly makes sense (not).

[brytlea]

Truthfully, S. FL is quite pricey (we had major sticker shock when we moved here). If you can't afford to live here, there are lots of other places around the country to live.
susie

[John Jorsett]

Uh, I think hizzoner meant "schmuck."

I was thinking "schlub."

[rattrap]

I know, I'm 100% against the progressive income tax.

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

I bet he was thinking of both, got the two mixed up, and came up with a kind of hybrid: "schlub" + "schmuck" = "schlock".

[Ptaz]

I have often wondered how many Americans could actually talk intelligently about what communism truly is:

"A theoretical economic system characterized by the collective ownership of property and by the organization of labor for the common advantage of all members"

Like my husband says "from each according to his means to each according to his means (except for the fat cats in government".

You'd think by this time most people would realize communism doesn't work and is doomed to failure by human nature alone.

[KenmcG414]

For once a politician who tells the truth. Where does it say in the constitution that government has to provide housing??

[P-40]

Why would you not want condos downtown? It beats having people commute and for some people, it is all they can afford.

[Niteranger68]

Naugle 2008!!!

[nosofar]

You'd think by this time most people would realize communism doesn't work and is doomed to failure by human nature alone.

Communism is fine for small groups of people. Probably few enough that they can know either other. It's disaster for a society of any size at all.

[Panzerfaust]

Who has the sofa sitting-beer drinking-schlock pinglist?

Anyone?

This guy has it:

[goldstategop]

Housing prices in Florida are lower compared to prices in California. But for some - that's still too high and they want to impose controls on what developers and sellers can charge for home sales.

(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")

[John Jorsett]

I bet he was thinking of both, got the two mixed up, and came up with a kind of hybrid: "schlub" + "schmuck" = "schlock".

Possibly, but schlock is a real word too. Given that, it's hard to know if it was a verbal typo or a malaprop.

[ex-Texan]

The market will take care of itself. No big deal. Condo flippers are already losing big bucks in Florida. Here is a report about people who have lost $ 50,000 to $ 80,000 in the past few months. Ought to titled 'Flippers Flopping in Florida' or some other clever iteration: Palm Beach Post

Like I said before, 'no big deal.' Read More? The free market will work very quickly to eliminate newby property speculators and local wanna bees. Most of the major players have already pulled out.

[CBart95]

Whatever!

Rush Limbaugh just mentioned this item and the Mayor sounds like a real decent American who "gets it".

If the housing prices are too high, work harder to afford them or get out of town, you low lifes.

The government is not your Dutch Uncle or Santa Claus. No free handouts here.

Hear?

[AlaskaErik]

War/combat veterans deserve that kind of subsidy.

I'm an Afghanistan veteran and I don't believe my country owes me anything extra. I consider it a duty and a privilege to serve. Living in the greatest country of all time is my reward.

[xrp]

It's nice to see someone in office who speaks the truth rather than just focusing on saying whatever will get him the most votes. Saying what they think will get them the most votes is what has F--KED UP the Republican Party and turned it into the Democrat-LITE Party.

[dakine]

Make it five or six....

[xrp]

So you think Americans should have two or three jobs to afford a decent place to live?

If that is what it takes to afford that certain person's accepted "decent place" standard, yep.

Do YOU think Americans should be able to vote away money from me so that they can afford what they think is a "decent place" to live?

[dakine]

If the desire is a certain house, five or six jobs may be needed...put the family to work too...

[xrp]

Does that make me a communist?

I have no idea, why are you asking me?

[joebuck]

"So you think Americans should have two or three jobs to afford a decent place to live?"

If they want to live in a community with outrageously expensive housing prices, yes.

[leoncaruthers]

This fellow's term-limited, he's out after this term no matter what. Ergo, he can actually speak truth.

[dakine]

Hope not...

[Crispus Attucks Patriot]

"For once a politician who tells the truth"


....Which means, of course, that his political future is now in here......

[Straight Vermonter]

That's the way they "fix" things here behind the maple curtain.

[jdm]

You seem to be operating under the assumption or expectation that working people are entitled to nice stuff. It's not working, alone, which allows for nice stuff (if that was the case, most people on Judge Judy would seem successful in life); but rather what you do and how you do it.

[SierraWasp]

"schlock"

Isn't that a schlage?

[Mind-numbed Robot]

if they don't like the prices they should move

Why should they? The rich don't have to move so why should the rest of us? Isn't there supposed to be equality under the law? That is not fair and you are mean-spirited.

Those comments are so ridiculous I would think everyone would recognize them as sarcasm. However, there are so many idiots who think that way I had better say that I am not one of them.

[G.Mason]

"Mayor Jim Naugle, a conservative politician in his final term ... "

Can you see it now?