When you’re a politician, petty retaliation is never a good look.
The governor has been doing his best Rumpelstiltskin imitation, stamping the floor and waving fists in the air because a mouse got in his way. He should consider the excellent advice of a certain Disney princess and let it go. Let it go!
Bullying perceived enemies is not confined to governors burnishing an oval office resume. It’s not a Republican thing. It’s not a Democratic thing.
It’s a weakness thing, and it’s on full display at West Palm Beach City Hall.
Mayor Keith James may enjoy widespread popularity, but we have no way of knowing. He’s in public office not because residents approved of his first term or because the people thought he was the best choice. He’s in office because there was no choice at all.
No one stepped up to run against him, and his campaign money machine, except downtown businessman Rodney Mayo, an underfunded political neophyte, and James took the extraordinary measure of suing to force Mayo off the ballot.
Now James seems intent on forcing Mayo out of business, even if it means squeezing other businesses and pushing families, locals, tourists, artists and the LGBTQ community out of a downtown gathering spot.
The 500 block of Clematis Street
There’s nothing else quite like the 500 block of Clematis Street on a weekend, when cars are banned and the street is given over to foot traffic. With live music playing and artists selling their wares, families play ping pong and tourists stroll.
It has hosted charity fundraisers, poetry readings and pet adoptions. Mayo, who has multiple businesses in the area, took a Clematis alleyway featuring a mural of Einstein, christened it Artist Alley Clematis and filled it with seating, umbrellas, landscaping, a public herb garden and lights.
Thriving business and a more vibrant downtown are exactly what the city was shooting for when, years ago, it leased the alley space to Mayo and gave him permits to close off the 500 block on weekends.
It was a joint city-blessed effort — until this month, when the city of West Palm Beach hand-delivered Mayo an eviction notice. It cited easily resolved issues. For instance, his furniture could have been rearranged to ensure an eight-foot-wide path.
The city didn’t give Mayo a chance. It gave him days to vacate the space and return it to its original condition: a big strip of empty darkness with trash blowing through it.
Days later, the city notified Mayo that he would no longer be given a weekend street closure permit, ending the family-friendly, business-boosting, LBGTQ-welcoming, artist-supporting, tourist-attracting weekend festival on 500 Clematis.
Why?
Addressing almost 40 people lined up at a city commission meeting who spoke in favor of the alley and the street closures, James essentially said he did it because he could.
Case closed.
It has happened before, too
This is not the first time James has faced accusations of bludgeoning those who don’t bow and scrape before him.
Here’s businessman Michael McCloskey’s memory of then-commissioner James’ reaction when asked for support on a project in 2015: “What f—–g universe do you live in? Really? What f—–g universe do you live in that you think that after … raising as much money as you did for my opponent … that you could come in my office and ask for my support of your project?
“Now get the f— out of my office. And you can quote me on that,” James finished.
Reporters did.
“I don’t recall making those statements like that,” James told The Palm Beach Post.
McCloskey offered to repeat it under oath.
If words have consequences, as Mayo said James once told him, so do actions, including good actions. The mayor has an opportunity to forcefully rebut the idea that a stream of profanities and a government crackdown await anyone who crosses him.
He could do the bigger thing. He could change his mind.
He could reopen Artist Alley and allow the weekend traffic closures that are the lifeblood of the 500 block.
He has an opportunity to support businesses and artists and build on the 500 Clematis success story. He could show West Palm he’s genuinely inclusive and put the lie to accusations that he is cartoonishly vindictive.
As one of dozens of people who pleaded with the mayor said: Don’t do it for any single business owner. And don’t do it for Rodney Mayo, either.
Do it for the city.
The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Editorial Page Editor Dan Sweeney, and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Editorials are the opinion of the Board and written by one of its members or a designee. To contact us, email at .
