MY STORY

I was born and raised for much of my childhood in Hollywood, moving to Aventura shortly before my high school years. At North Miami Beach Senior High, I graduated in the top percentile of my class. The following fall, I began my studies, majoring in Political Science and Broadcast Journalism, at Syracuse University in Central New York. Four years later, I graduated Cum Laude in both majors.

Shortly after graduation, I began my professional career working at ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut. A few years later, after being told of my father’s terminal cancer, I left ESPN, and returned to Hollywood, to be by my father’s side and help run the family business. Our business consists of running two residential rental properties and one commercial rental property (soon to become nationally famous); all of which are located in Hollywood.

In late Spring 2005, shortly after my father’s death and a few days after my wedding, the City of Hollywood (spurred on by Mayor Mara Giulianti and recently suspended Commissioner Keith Wasserstrom) used the controversial tactic of "eminent domain" to force my family to sell our downtown commercial property to the City. The City then intended to hand our property over to a private developer to build a parking garage for his condo project. Despite a public outcry against this maneuver, and subsequent legislative actions throughout the United States and our own state to ban such decisions, the City of Hollywood pressed ahead to take a widow’s property against her will.

Now, some 18 months later, my family has successfully defended our property as the City’s "eminent domain taking" was defeated in the State Circuit Court. Also many of you are aware that many states around the country, including the state of Florida, have enacted laws banning “eminent domain” in the name of economic development. Still, even now, the Hollywood City Commissioners are wasting more money and time by attempting to appeal the decision!

While our case is on appeal my family and I are confident that justice will prevail and that the City will eventually allow us to run our downtown business in peace. Meanwhile, feeling the urge to become more involved with the community, in late 2005 I became a Board Member of the Sheridan Oaks Homeowners Association. With the support of my heroic mother, Kate, and my beautiful wife Judith, I look forward to not only defending the honor and rights of my family, but also those of the residents of District 4 and the City of Hollywood. Let’s put City Hall back to work for Hollywood’s own citizens, not just a few private interests. I am asking for your vote on Election Day, February 13th.

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