Two Pembroke Pines incumbents romp to victory

Mar 10, 2010 — The Miami Herald

Daniel Chang

Mar. 10, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Pembroke Pines voters returned incumbents Angelo Castillo and Carl Shechter to the City Commission in Tuesday's general election, choosing to keep the status quo as the city faces budget deficits from dropping property values and rising employee pension obligations.

The Broward County Supervisor of Elections reported results for all 16 precincts in District 4, with Castillo winning nearly 87.6 percent or 1,662 votes, compared to challenger Henry Gari, who received 12.3 percent or 235 votes.

In District 1, with all 18 precincts reporting, Shechter won nearly 78 percent or 675 votes, compared to challenger Ismael Monroig, who received 22 percent or 192 votes.

The overwhelming victories for the incumbents were tempered by the low voter turnout, but the winners said they were thankful nonetheless.

"I'm delighted that at a time when incumbency is in doubt in the minds of voters that I've been returned to city hall by such a large margin," said Castillo, who was reelected to his third term. "I'm very thankful and very humbled."

Reached on his cell phone prior to all precincts reporting on Tuesday night, Shechter said he was awaiting results with an estimated 300 friends, family and supporters at his home in the Hollybrook Golf and Tennis Club.

Shechter, first elected in 2006, declined comment on the election and said he could not immediately talk about issues confronting the city.

"All my friends and neighbors are waiting anxiously for the results," he said.

Monroig said he awaited results at home with his wife and children, and that he was disappointed by the low voter turnout.

He said District 1 has about 20,000 registered voters, and typically 1,400 turn out to vote in municipal elections. Monroig said he personally asked 2,000 registered voters for their vote during the campaign.

"I expected Hollybrook to definitely go in favor of Carl Shechter," Monroig said. "The question in this campaign has been how much turn out we can generate in the rest of the district. Obviously it's not going the way I hoped."

Gari, who was running for his first elective office, did not return a message left at the law office where he works.

Gari had said in January that he hoped to address a few issues specific to his district, such as police response times and traffic, and that the city needed better budget planning and review.

Leading up to Tuesday's election, the incumbents raised more money and spent more on their campaigns than the challengers.

Campaign treasurer reports showed Castillo had raised $68,484 and spent $47,415, mostly on cable TV commercials, while Gari had raised $1,425 and spent $2,554. Shechter raised $31,298 and spent $8,208, while Monroig reported raising $1,980 and spending $1,543.

Asked about the issues he expects to confront after reelection, Castillo was quick to respond.

"We need to change the culture of city hall," he said. "That's the single most important thing in front of us -- more important than balancing budgets, more important than dealing with quality of life issues."

Castillo said Pembroke Pines is no longer "awash" with property tax revenues and developer fees now that the real estate market is struggling and the city is built out. He suggested increased partnerships with neighboring cities to provide services and save money.

A recent efficiency study performed by an outside accounting firm identified a number of significant financial risks and instances of wasteful spending.

The study found that the city cannot afford its employee benefit obligations, which currently amount to about $450 million, but will cost much more in the future. City purchasing polices also were criticized for allowing an inordinate amount of exceptions and leaving contracts susceptible to inflated pricing.

Still, city officials have been closing the gap on an estimated $9.5 million budget deficit for the current year, which City Manager Charlie Dodge has said he hopes to resolve with pension concessions from the police and firefighters' unions.

Dodge recently negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement with the city's general employees union, saving the cash-strapped city about $6.1 million a year.

But with property tax revenues projected to drop by about $6.5 million in the coming year, Pembroke Pines commissioners are expecting more difficult budget decisions ahead.

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