Latest news with #City Commission
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
"Monster": Officials react to James Taylor arrest; one calls for suspension by governor
FORT PIERCE — Local leaders and elected officials are reacting to the arrest of City Commissioner James Taylor, charged with 24 felony counts related to child exploitation. Here's what they've had to say: St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Toro At a news conference shortly after his office made the arrest, St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Toro addressed Taylor's position as an elected official. 'Obviously in this case he is a public official, but nobody is above the law, and this case is going to be handled with the utmost integrity and transparency and relentless follow up that we do here at the Sheriff's Office,' Del Toro said. Fort Pierce City Hall Fort Pierce Marketing and Communications Manager Kaitlyn Ballard issued a statement on behalf of the city. "The city of Fort Pierce is aware of the recent arrest of Commissioner James Taylor. We understand that this development may raise concerns within our community, and we want to reassure our residents that we remain committed to serving the public with integrity, transparency and accountability," Ballard wrote. "While this matter is serious, it is important to recognize that the City Commission operates as a unified governing body. City functions will continue without disruption. Our dedicated staff remains focused on delivering essential services, maintaining public trust and upholding the mission and values that guide the city of Fort Pierce." Th.e city will make no additional comments at this time, Ballard said. Neither City Manager Richard Chess, Mayor Linda Hudson nor commissioners Arnold Gaines and Curtis Johnson responded to requests for comment. Commissioner Michael Broderick For his part, City Commissioner Michael Broderick said he would like to see Taylor resign. But there still are things he and his fellow commissioners don't know. "It's a very unfortunate set of circumstances. It's very unfortunate for the families involved. It's very unfortunate for the city of Fort Pierce," Broderick said. "We need to wait for the process to play itself out to find out all of the facts.' State Rep. Toby Overdorf In a statement, state Rep. Toby Overdorf, R-Palm City, called on Gov. Ron DeSantis to suspend Taylor from the City Commission immediately, calling Taylor a "monster." Overdorf is a member of the Governor's Task Force Against Human Trafficking. More: City Commissioner arrested after alleged inappropriate relationship with teen girl More: What to know about City Commissioner James Taylor, his arrest, Fort Pierce city reaction "The arrest of Fort Pierce City Commissioner James Taylor for 24 felony counts of child exploitation is beyond sickening — a disgusting betrayal that chills the soul,' Overdorf wrote. "There is no room in our state for this filth — justice must be swift and unrelenting!" he also wrote. The governor's communications office did not respond to requests to comment. Wicker Perlis is TCPalm's Watchdog Reporter for St. Lucie County. You can reach him at This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: James Taylor child exploitation arrest: local leaders reactions
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Devils Lake enters budget cycle without sales tax increase, will have tough decisions to make
Jul. 23—DEVILS LAKE, N.D. — Heading into the 2026 budget cycle will bring some tough decisions to the Devils Lake City Commission following the failure of a proposed sales tax increase, said City Administrator Spencer Halvorson. Without the added revenue the increase would have raised if passed, the commission will have to consider what trade-offs to make. "I think, if anything, we have clarity," Halvorson said. "That's kind of why we pursued it when we did." A proposal to raise Devils Lake's sales tax by 0.5% failed Tuesday, July 22 . City data said 401 residents voted "no" to the increase and 165 voted "yes," failing the vote with 71% against and 29% in favor. Mayor Jim Moe said there are already budget meetings planned by the City Commission, including one on Thursday, July 24, and another on the following Monday. The group will have to discuss the city's needs, what it wants to accomplish and what kind of plan it can create to make things work within the budget the city has, he said. "Things have got to come together," he said. Moe said turnout for elections with nothing else to go on the ballot, like a primary or general election, tend to be smaller. The smaller turnouts then tend to go on the failing side, he said, which is typical to what he has witnessed unless the election has a large significance. "I totally support the decision," he said. "It is what it is." Halvorson said timing could be a factor in why the vote failed. In recent years, Devils Lake approved a quarter-cent sales tax for the purpose of supporting its park district, a school district bond referendum and an ambulance service tax, he said. "There are going to be some hard decisions and hard conversations coming down the next couple years, so we were trying to get ahead of that," he said. "But, after all those recent community investments the residents of Devils Lake have made, I think it's bad timing." The goal of the proposed tax increase was to fund the city's public safety operations, which have increased over the years. It also would have helped fund public buildings and infrastructure, as well as partially or completely offset a $9 monthly water source replacement fee. Solve the daily Crossword
