Scott Singer Questionnaire

Below is a questionnaire sent by the Tribune staff to sent to Scott Singer and his answers.

Personal. Age: 40. My wife Bella and I are the proud parents of two children: Daniel, 5, and Rachel, 3.

Education: A.B¸ cum laude, Government, Harvard University, J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, Graduate of Pine Crest School

Political Background: I was elected to the City Council in 2014, and have served as Chair of the Community Redevelopment Agency since then.

Public service and other involvement:
- In additional to serving Boca’s residents as a City Council member, I currently serve on the State Attorney’s Sober Homes Task Force, the Growth Management and Economic Affairs Legislative Policy Committee of the Florida League of Cities, and It’s the Economy Task Force of the Palm Beach County League of Cities. I am also the city’s alternate delegate to both the Palm Beach County League of Cities and the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization.
- In addition, I am a member of the Elected Officials Advisory Board for the Women’s Foundation of Palm Beach County, the Palm Beach County Board of Advisors of the James Madison Institute, the Pine Crest School Alumni Council, and the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce.

Why is City Government important? City government is important because it is the level of government that is closest to our lives. We use city water, roads, parks, and beaches, and are protected by city police and fire rescue. As a Councilman, I’m proud to have voted to lower the already-lowest tax rate for any full-service city in the county, and at the same time, increased our world-class services by adding more public safety positions, expanding our parks and waterways, investing in our libraries, and generally expanding services.

What is your vision for the City? My vision for the city is one of the reasons Boca residents should keep me working for them. I’ve been a strong voice for residents and brought needed change to our city in the areas of green space, business growth, communications, ethics, and accessibility. I’ve proposed and worked to pass new laws and policies that have helped create high-paying jobs, cut red tape, increased transparency, and improved dealings with residents. I’ve been willing to stand alone in opposing projects that negatively impacted traffic and neighborhoods and were not reflective of smart development. I’ve voted for lower taxes while at the same time increasing city services, adding public safety positions, expanding our parks, and investing in our libraries. My record, including my town-hall series and forums on planning, show I have the concerns of residents in mind and the vision to keep Boca moving toward a brighter future for this and future generations.

What are your plans for ongoing traffic in the city? Boca voters should keep me working for them because I’ve been a strong voice for residents and brought needed change to our city in the areas of green space, business growth, communications, ethics, and accessibility. I’ve proposed and worked to pass new laws and policies that have helped create high-paying jobs, cut red tape, increased transparency, and improved dealings with residents. I’ve been willing to stand alone in opposing projects that negatively impacted traffic and neighborhoods and were not reflective of smart development. I’ve voted for lower taxes while at the same time increasing city services, adding public safety positions, expanding our parks, and investing in our libraries. My record, including my town-hall series and forums on planning, show I have the concerns of residents in mind and the vision to keep Boca moving toward a brighter future for this and future generations.

What are your thoughts on the Midtown Project?:
- There are many concerns that need be addressed, notably about traffic. I am not supportive of everything in the current and yet-finalized proposals for the Midtown Project. The details that need more review include the calculations of density and intensity, assumptions about trip recapture rates, review of ongoing traffic counts, potential changes to roadway level-of-service designation, structuring and payment for circulator services, and relationship with the proposed second Tri-Rail station. I believe further public discussion will better address these issues in the proposed ordinances, which are in their early form and not finalized.

What are your thoughts on compensation for elected officials: I was the sole council member to vote against the recent pay raise. Still, I’m grateful that the voters recognized that a raise that had not occurred since 1984 was long overdue for the 30+ hours per week this job requires.

Which do you think is best for the City: single member district or at large election? I continue to think that at-large election is best for Boca Raton. I represent all of the residents of Boca Raton and am happy to have strong support from all neighborhoods. Our city is still small enough that we need elected officials who have all areas in mind, as I do.

What are your views on annexation: I have no particular desire to annex any areas. Annexation should be done very carefully, and only if the areas to be annexed will result in a substantial amount of net revenue to the city and the neighborhoods are consistent with the character of our neighborhoods. I did not support a recent discussion to annex a neighborhood that differed in character and where the residents did not support it.

What are your thoughts on the developments in Downtown:
- Downtown Boca is undergoing a growth spurt, which can tend to bring some growing pains. Many of the recent projects were approved years ago and before I took office, but were delayed because of the recession. The rules allowing higher buildings also pre-date my term, but I opposed an effort to expand the area where taller buildings were allowed in our downtown. To address the recent growth, I called for changes to increase the feeling of open space downtown by making it more visible, which led to a need policy improvement and will create a feeling of more openness for future projects. To address traffic, I voted to invest in better technology and more staff to improve traffic flow, add travel lanes, and ban double parking on Palmetto Park Road. I’ve consistently advocated for a new municipal garage downtown and voted against projects that lacked sufficient parking.

Is there anything City Council is doing wrong? If so, what would you do to fix it?
- I’m proud of my record of having meaning dialogue with residents and giving everyone a seat at the table. I thought it was important to be the only council member in many years to have regular town hall meetings, and I will continue to do so. Listening to our residents is key, and that’s why I’ve worked to increase outreach and be a leader who listens. My record shows I have the concerns of residents in mind and the vision to keep Boca moving toward a brighter future for this and future generations.