Denise Horland & Pete Tingom

The election was over months ago, but Pete Tingom’s puppeteers must not have let him in on the news … because he’s still out campaigning!

Every month, elected officials, candidates and insiders gather at Hispanic Vote to hear speeches from candidates and network for local elections. Hispanic Vote endorsed Tingom in the 2018 mayoral race. It appears Denise Horland had the bright idea to bring Tingom to network at the notoriously political group on Wednesday March 27 in Davie, and unofficially launch his 2020 campaign.

“Nobody goes to Hispanic Vote unless they’re running for office,” according to one longtime political insider.

Not surprising, since Horland been carrying water of old guard since she was elected. Isit her and her husband’s bright idea is to position themselves at the representative of the small group of residents who support rolling back the clock to the days when our decisions were based on who you know, not good ideas?

Tingom, who looks like he is joining the ranks of Plantations perennial candidates (Looking at you Rico), was former Mayor Dianne Veltri Bendecovic’s handpicked-successor that voters overwhelmingly rejected just a few months ago when Plantation voters elected the highly-qualified Mayor Lynn Stoner.

Stoner is only a few months into her term, but already kept some key promises to voters to end the no-bid taxpayer handouts, have a fair and open bid for city attorney, lower the crime rate, and reverse the decline from years of inaction by the previous administration.

Mayor Stoner’s fattening list of accomplishments is a growing threat to the group of insiders (Tingom, the Horlands and their chamber allies) who want to bring back the days when they could steer millions in tax dollars to favored vendors by overpaying for no-bid contracts that were handed to a small group of insiders.

Two City Hall insiders say Diane still bitter over defeat of her slate. Insiders claim she’s feeding talking points to allies. Is she stirring up angry residents in town to try to disrupt meetings? From sitting in Council meetings, some residents think Councilmember Horland is getting her orders on the dais via text message.

Their plan is simple: 1) cause chaos and disruption in Council to stop the progress we have made since the election and 2) immediately begin the 2020 elections to ramp back up the political division in the Fall 2018.

Never was Horlands’ agenda as obnoxiously evident as it was Wednesday night. Horland was the only NO vote on a hugely supported project needed to revitalize a blighted corner of the city. Instead of voting in the interests of the city, the many residents who testified for the project, and it’s neighbors that elected her, Horland instead chose to attempt to send a message to a developer that refused to support Tingom during the last campaign.

Using your elected office for political gain and to punish campaign opposition is a shameful and unethical practice that should be exposed. Voters rejected Pete and these good ol boy games, but he appears he’s already running again!

The perpetual political campaign with a goal to cause disruption and regain power is bad for our residents and our neighborhoods. Shame on Pete, Dianne, and the Horlands…