Boca Raton Tribune Candidate Questionnaire Form
BOCA RATON – To help voters make educated decision in Tuesday’s city election, the Boca Raton Tribune has submitted to both candidates – incumbent Anthony Majhess and incumbent Frank Chapman – questionnaires about their background and feelings on city issues. Questions are the same on both.
The questionnaires returned by the candidates are printed in today’s Boca Raton Tribune, without editing and unchanged by staff. This will provide the electorate with a totally accurate account of how the candidates stand on community issues.
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Name:
Anthony James Majhess
Frank Chapman
Address/neighborhood:
Majhess: 298 NE 6th Court, Golden Triangle Neighborhood Association.
Chapman: Royal Palm
Born/raised:
Majhess: 1968, Coral Gables, Fl (Miami)
Chapman: Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Boca Raton, Florida
How long have you live in Boca?
Majhess: 16 Years.
Chapman: First moved here in 1983.
What cities did you live in before coming to Boca?
Majhess: Coral Gables (Miami), Gainesville, Ocala
Chapman: Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Education:
Majhess: Bachelors – University of Florida – Sociology
Chapman: Boca Raton Community High School, Bachelors of Business Administration, Accounting Juris Doctorate of Law
Occupation:
Majhess: Firefighter/Paramedic Palm Beach County Fire Rescue
Chapman: Attorney
Marital status/family:
Majhess: Single, No Children
Chapman: Married to Ann Preston Chapman. Three boys Jack 12, Hugh 9, Jimmy 7 who attend public school
Hobbies:
Majhess: Harley Davidson, Boating
Chapman: Volunteering in Youth Sports, Volunteering at Palm Beach County Legal Aid, Elder Law Section
Fun fact about yourself:
Majhess: I pedaled a bicycle 3,750 miles from Astoria, OR to St. Augustine, FL in 47 days.
Chapman: Graduated Law School in 2 years
Public service experience & civic involvement:
Majhess: I am currently serving three year term on the Boca Raton City Council. Certified Florida firefighter/paramedic for 18 years – delivered two babies, revived and 18 week old infant that was not breathing and has resuscitated countless number of persons. Received a Commendation for Bravery for rescuing a person out of a house fire. Community Activist for responsible development since 2006. Founder and past treasurer of the Golden Triangle Neighborhood Association.
Chapman: Co-Chairman – Boca Raton Middle, School Advisory Council. Secretary – Addison Mizner Elementary, School Advisory Council. Palm Beach County Legal Aid Society, Senior Advocate. Founder and Past President of The Boca Raton Alumni Association. Founder and President of Boca Raton Pop Warner Football and Cheerleading.
Political figure you admire most and why:
Majhess: I most admire our nation’s founding fathers for their courage to stand up in the face of tyranny, conviction to unite under a common purpose and their wisdom to empower the people of America so as to keep our Republic strong.
As a council member I try to honor these principles and remain faithful to these ideals by always remembering that the biggest honor in serving is the trust bestowed by the voters in electing me to serve as their voice.
Chapman: Thomas Jefferson – I admire his bravery and ability to transfer his passion and thought to one of the most intelligent documents ever written, The Declaration of Independence.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
When these words were scribed they changed the course of history of not just The United States, but also for all people throughout the world.
Are you a church/temple member?
Majhess: Yes
Chapman: Yes
Biggest achievement in life:
Majhess: My most humbling achievement has been the opportunity to deliver two babies in the line of duty. This remains a source of great personal pride that I was able to play a small part in the blessing of childbirth for another.
Chapman: My biggest achievement in life was to hold my three boys when they were born and come to the realization that nothing else in the world would ever matter more than their safety, education, and ultimate success.
Biggest disappointment in life:
Majhess: I served one and a half years in University of Florida’s Air Force ROTC program with the intent of becoming a military pilot. I completed the course and flight hours necessary for my private pilot’s license at the age of 18. I regret missing the opportunity to serve active duty in the armed forces and the chance at military aviation.
Chapman: Although I ultimately succeeded in assisting The Department of Justice Public Integrity Unit in convicting corrupt government officials, I lacked the ability to change the harm that these people inflicted upon ordinary hard working Americans. Corruption must always be prevented and we must remain diligent in our efforts to eliminate the waste and fraud which results from overreaching government.
Something that you dream (other than being a council member):
Majhess: My dream is for everyone to realize the impact that small good deeds can have on the lives of others and the sense of fulfillment that comes from serving your fellow man.
Chapman: I dream that we as a society are able to care for those who cannot care for themselves whether they be children, adults, or seniors and that we make their lives better one step at a time.
Why is city government important?
Majhess: We rely on our city to not only provide the vital services we depend upon like public safety, clean water, and sanitation services but also to foster the sense of community that drew each of us to make Boca Raton our home. Boca is truly a unique place to live and work and it is the duty of our city leaders to protect our community for the benefit of the people they serve. That means in addition to the vital services I mentioned previously, also the highest caliber of parks and recreation, green space, architectural and building standards, good roads and a commitment to protecting the value and quality of life enjoyed in every neighborhood by every citizen.
Chapman: City government is important due to the fact that is impacts our lives on a more basic level than any other level of government. City Council is tasked with long term planning in our city, public safety and makes the ultimate decisions that impact our local levels of service and quality of life. It is my hope my ability to make good, reasonable and sound decisions will to the future success of Boca Raton.
As a member of the Boca Raton City Commission, name your three top priorities for the city.
Majhess:
1) Smart budgeting to keep taxes low
2) Highest caliber of public safety to protect life and property
3) Protecting our city from overdevelopment and a degradation of our quality of life
Chapman:
1) Budget – keeping taxes low and cutting expenses.
2) Jobs – create new high paying jobs, and protect the jobs we have.
3) Education – improve student achievement and increase local control while fighting to cut bureaucratic waste.
Describe how you plan to implement your top three priorities (50 Words Or Less)
Majhess: I will continue to ask the tough questions and stand up to any special interest who puts their needs ahead of the residents I serve. I will be an unwavering voice of the people and never back down from doing what is right for the voters who have entrusted me to serve.
Chapman: I think that my strongest quality is my ability to build consensus and be reasonable in my opinions. My education and experience has given me the foundation necessary to analyze our financial challenges and identify effective solutions to stop tax increases and create an environment that will incubate economic expansion. My firm commitment to the principles of education and belief that we can always do better will allow me to guide, complement, and assist the education decision making process resulting in further improvements to the entire educational system from Kindergarten through College.
What’s Your Vision For The City?
Majhess: Insist on a primary focus on the citizen taxpayers of Boca Raton and their desire to receive quality services from their government at a fair and honest cost and a commitment to protecting their property values and quality of life at all times.
Chapman: My vision for the city includes lower taxes with a sustainably balanced budget, a vibrant downtown, safe and secure neighborhoods, high-achieving schools and a revitalized economic base consisting of technology, bricks & mortar and mom & pop businesses that create and keep jobs.
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Questions For Candidates
Are You For Or Against The Following
a) Parking meters in Boca:
– Majhess: Against
– Chapman: Against
b) Traffic light cameras:
– Majhess: Against
– Chapman: Agaisnt
c) Raising taxes to balance city budget:
– Majhess: Against
– Chapman: Agaisnt
d) Allocating money for economic development in City Budget:
– Majhess: Only within existing resources
– Chapman: For
e) Layoffs to balance City Budget
– Majhess: I would not support layoffs to critical life safety personnel that would put life and property of our residents at risk.
– Chapman: For
Would you describe your opponent’s campaign as positive, negative or neither, and why (50 words).
Majhess: Mr. Chapman has run a campaign of insults, name calling and attacks that disregard the truth, deny the voters the opportunity for a meaningful debate of the issues, and contribute to an overall disdain for the political process.
Chapman: My opponent has hidden behind anonymous Tallahassee and West Palm Beach political groups that have relentlessly and unfairly attacked me. He has mischaracterized my record and experience in a way that is negative
What are your plans for creating more jobs in Boca Raton and Palm Beach County?
Majhess: The most important thing the city can do is to be good stewards of taxpayer money. We must keep taxes low and minimize the regulatory burdens of commerce in our city in order to encourage job creation, corporate relocations, and economic development to create jobs.
Chapman: My plan begins with stopping tax increases my opponent has supported because they send the wrong message. I will champion a proactive recruitment program to attract technology businesses to Boca Raton with incentives and a cooperative approach with the BDB.
How will you, as a council member, vote on the Archstone apartment project proposed for Palmetto Park Road?
Majhess: Since no study was done on the traffic impacts at Palmetto Park Road and 5th Avenue, and no real discussion took place about the planning of the area to include the future of the Waterfront (Wildflower property) and the already approved 220 units on the south side of Palmetto, I voted NO on the project. The existing Council has been evaluating projects one at a time as if they will exist in a vacuum rather than taking a comprehensive look at the entire region.
Chapman: The project has been approved by a majority of the Council.
What type of development do you want for the Wildflower property? Would you reconsider a proposal to build apartments there to draw people to downtown?
Majhess: No.
Chapman: First and foremost the site was purchased with taxpayer money, so the public needs access to the waterfront there. It must not be a high traffic generator and should fit into the low impact character of the barrier island of which it is the gateway. I do not support apartments there.
To Mr. Majhess: If you are re-elected, how will you be able to work effectively with four members of the City Council who endorse the other candidate?
If re-elected I will continue to work for the PEOPLE of Boca Raton and fight to protect their interest at all times. My commitment will always be to act in the best interest of the citizens of Boca Raton. I am a professional who does not hold grudges nor take things personally. March 14th will be a new day.
TO Mr. Chapman: If you are elected, how will you be able to work effectively with four members of the City Council who have endorsed you? How will you remain independent and not become a “rubber stamp”
I am an independent thinker. Anyone who knows me knows I am not a rubber stamp for anyone. I have differences on tax policy, pension issues and downtown matters with some on the current council, but I will work cooperatively to address them and not look for personal credit.
