…while also declaring war on the city she claims to serve
COMMENTARY
“Now is the time for those who care about preserving the quality of life in Vero Beach to stand up and be counted.”
MARK SCHUMANN
Pro-sale propagandist and Press Journal pundit, Russ Lemmon, broke the news today that Vero Beach City Councilwoman Pilar Turner will seek another term in November.
The bigger news was not that Florida Power & Light’s darling on the Council will run for reelection, but that she is clearly, undeniably, without question bound and determined to drive the City of Vero Beach into bankruptcy, if necessary, to make good on her promise to hand Vero Electric over to FPL.
Incredibly, Turner is proposing the City join the Indian River County Commission and the Indian River Shores Town Council in their efforts to force Vero Beach to turn over its utility infrastructure outside the city limits without compensation.
The County’s and Shores’ proposed forced taking of Vero Beach’s utility infrastructure and customers outside the city limits is nothing short of robbery. How Turner could support such an assault on the city she claims to serve is incomprehensible.
Turner is, to be sure, a bundle of contradictions. One the one hand, she is a tireless advocate of limited government, believing the City should provide only essential services. Yet, she has somehow concluded the City’s providing her with a health insurance benefit is an essential service. Turner doesn’t mind cutting police protection, parks and recreation programs, and selling off City parks and public lands, including Crestlawn Cemetery, but don’t touch her health insurance benefit.
With the exception of city council members, no part-time city employees receive a health insurance benefit. If Turner is working at her Council job full time, that is because she had made demonizing the Florida Municipal Power Agency a full time job.
Another of Turner’s bright ideas is to hand the city’s profitable, well-run, efficient, price-competitive water and sewer utility over to the County for a small fraction of its real value.
Turner will continue to claim otherwise, but she and her Tea Party patrons and political allies, including Bob Solari, are hell bent on driving the City of Vero Beach into disincorporation.
The coming election will likely be a clear choice between candidates who have articulated clear visions for a city where reason, community pride and civility count for more than arrogance and outside corporate sponsorship, contrasted to the likes Turner, Charlie Wilson and Brian Heady, who are willing to drive the City of Vero Beach to financial ruin, just to get their way on the electric sale.
Now is the time for those who care about preserving the quality of life in Vero Beach to stand up and be counted.
Indian River Guardian 
Well, she either had to finish the job she set out to do or leave town. Perhaps that is down the line if she and fellow FPL supporters have their way. She’ll just have to get her health insurance elsewhere at that time – perhaps a job with FPL?
Since there was a recent burglary in Pilar Turner’s neighborhood, she might have changed her mind about cutting police protection.
You really do not realize how well off you guys are, imagine that instead of a lawsuit from Indian River Shores we fired missiles into Vero, and kidnapped your citizens through underground watery tunnels and dark, damp lagoons! Anyhow things could always be worse, and it all has to do with money and high electric rates! I hope that you city slickers aren’t mad enough at me and my fellow IR Shorers to require a visa to enjoy Vero’s wonderful restaurants. Just imagine that with everything going “Haywire” in the world there will still be an election in November and the Electric Company will still be here, anyway if you lower the rates please keep up the wonderful service!