County commissioners throughout Florida are constantly being asked by developers to change zonings or amend comprehensive plans, to leapfrog the urban services boundaries and more. As you’ve noticed as you sit in endless traffic, elected officials almost always say “yes” to these requests.

But they COULD say “no.” And they might — if the system wasn’t so awash in “dirty money” from development interests.

In Martin County alone, the two incumbents for the Board of County Commissioners — Doug Smith in District 1 and Ed Ciampi in District 5 — have taken huge sums from developers and what might be called “development-related interests” — land use attorneys, landscape architects, consultants, contractors, homebuilders, real estate professionals and investors that drive the community’s relentless (and sometimes reckless) growth. The campaign of Susan Gibbs Thomas, running for outgoing commissioner Harold Jenkins’ District 3 seat, has been largely bankrolled by these same development interests. 

Overall, developers and developer-related interests account for nearly two-thirds of all contributions the three candidates!

We’ve included spreadsheets of all the candidates’ receipts (through July 30) below. Remember Atlantic Fields, the luxury golf course community in Hobe Sound that required (and got) a new land-use category that allows development outside the urban service boundary? You’ll note the Atlantic Fields contributions to Smith and Ciampi.

Then came the decision last December to allow development even farther beyond the boundary; as TCPalm columnist Blake Fontenay wrote at the time, the vote “made abundantly clear those commissioners are going to give developers of western lands whatever they want, whenever they want it.”

Why? Check the list of contributors below.

Meanwhile, other candidates in the Aug. 20 primary — Eileen Vargas in District 1; Blake Capps and Frank D’Ambra III in District 3; and Bruce Nathan and Michael Syrkus in District 5 — have gotten far less from development-related interests.

So game it out. If Smith, Thomas and Ciampi win, what do you think Martin County’s future looks like?

Right: More bulldozers, more traffic, more land use changes, more sprawl, ultimately more dirty water from all the runoff and more.

Because that’s how the deal works. When you’re getting a majority of your campaign cash from development-related interests, you’re not going to bite the hand that feeds you. If you want to stay in office, you “listen” to your donors — i.e. vote the way they want you to. After all, they made an investment in you. And if it doesn’t pay off, they can always make that investment in someone else.

Indeed, as our friends at SAVE — Martin County have reported, even SCHOOL BOARD candidates in Martin County are getting money from development interests. That’s how pervasive it is.

And don’t think it’s just Martin County, either.

Bottom line, the future of your community depends on who’s bankrolling your politicians.

So vote accordingly Aug. 20 — and always.

Martin County Commissioner candidate receipts