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Nov 4, 2009 7:17 pm US/Eastern
Voters Shake Up Homestead Politics
HOMESTEAD (CBS4) ―
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Steven Bateman has been elected as Homestead's new mayor.
CBS
It's been less than 24 hours since the polls closed, and already Homestead's new mayor, and three brand new city councilmen, along with a re-elected councilwoman, were sworn in.
The ceremony marked the end of a tough campaign battle in Homestead, and residents of the city hope it will mean the beginning of better times to come.
The economy is bad all over, but in Homestead, times are truly tough. Homestead has the highest foreclosure rate in Miami-Dade County.
Residents say jobs are scarce and developers who've built large cookie-cutter communities have disappeared, leaving virtual ghost towns within city limits.
"It's time for a change," said longtime Homestead citizen Chris Carter.
Carter cast her vote to oust Homestead's Mayor Lynda Bell. 3 of the 4 commissioners up for re-election also received voter pink slips.
Carter says, "We need someone that's going to come and look out for all ethnic groups and who will bring some common sense back to the financial situation we're in."
Carter is upset her taxes went up, along with city fees. She feels city spending needs to slow down, and more jobs need to be brought into town.
New Mayor Steven Bateman agrees, and he vows to keep his campaign promise of not raising taxes.
CBS 4 Reporter Natalia Zea asked Bateman, "How are you going to accomplish projects and get things done with such a dwindling tax base that you have in Homestead?"
"There's $2.8 million that the federal government sent directly from Washington DC to here, not one penny's been spent yet. We're going to work and help these people," said Mayor Bateman.
Judy Waldman is the only councilperson to be re-elected this time around, and she was named the city's new vice-mayor. She says she was shut out of the process under the old administration and change is coming with the newly elected one.
"All of us are business owners and business people, and I think we all ran independently, and we all ran with only the best interests of the City at heart," she said.
But many voters we spoke with, such as Eve Mackey, say new bodies at City Hall won't change the facts.
"I don't think it's gonna help, I think we've buried ourselves so far," said Mackey.
Some supporters of Mayor Bell, like Jill Hinkle, say she did everything she could do in the short two-year term. She wishes Bell had more time.
"2 years, you just get up the momentum and it comes to a screeching halt."
Outgoing Mayor Lynda Bell did not return Zea's calls and e-mails for comment.
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