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Palm Beach County is growing quickly, and that growth is bringing familiar pressures: housing costs, traffic, infrastructure demands, affordability and the question of how the county can grow without losing the qualities that make it an attractive place to live.
In two important County Commission contests, The County recommends Curtis Calabrese for District 4 and Katherine Waldron for District 6.
The candidates come from different backgrounds, but both bring relevant experience and a focus on the practical responsibilities of county government.
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In District 4, Curtis Calabrese offers a background rooted in military service, aviation safety and Palm Beach County itself.
Calabrese attended the United States Naval Academy and was a combat pilot in the Navy before joining the ranks of captains in the commercial airline sector, FAA inspector, professor, and researcher. He has put issues of affordability, infrastructure, responsible growth, public safety, and accountable government at the heart of his campaign.
These are precisely the kind of issues that District 4 faces on a daily basis. Palm Beach County Government has a huge responsibility where roads, drainage, transportation, emergency planning, and land use planning are concerned, and Calabrese has highlighted the significance of planning for infrastructure needs relative to development.
His experience also brings a unique and unusual perspective for local government: a career in safety, preparedness and making consequential decisions under pressure.
Calabrese is not a career politician. That is both an advantage and a disadvantage. If elected, he will have to translate his professional experience into the less tidy world of local government, where compromise and coalition-building are essential.
We believe he is prepared to make that transition.
For Palm Beach County Commission, District 4, The County endorses CURTIS CALABRESE.
In District 6, Katherine Waldron brings something extremely valuable: experience in public office and government.
Waldron is a former member of the Florida House of Representatives, and a former Port of Palm Beach commissioner. She lists affordability, responsible and sustainable growth, healthcare and community services as top issues. She also pays special attention to issues facing seniors, young adults, and veterans.
The issues of Palm Beach County don’t end at city limits. Issues regarding housing, transportation, economic development, port management, and public services need individuals with an understanding of multi-level governance.
Waldron's record in Tallahassee and at the Port gives her familiarity with that complexity.
She faces incumbent Sara Baxter, who was Palm Beach County Mayor. Baxter was prepared to abandon her constituents for a Congressional seat, until Donald Trump begged her to reman at the county. She returned to this contest, but not with glee. This seat is not a consolation prize.
Waldron's problem is going to be that of any public official returning to office. She has to prove that her experience makes her a capable county level official. Palm Beach County constituents should keep her accessible to the people and has to make sure she understands growth not just from an economic lens, but from a social impact lens as well.
We believe her experience makes her well positioned to do so.
For Palm Beach County Commission, District 6, The County recommends KATHERINE WALDRON.
These are different districts with different needs, but the underlying responsibility is the same: county government should make South Florida more livable, not simply accommodate its growth.
The County recommends Curtis Calabrese for District 4 and Katherine Waldron for District 6.
