Has Palm Bay Always Sucked Part II

One thing that has sucked about Palm Bay is the fact that Palm Bay has always been treated like Melbourne's Ugly little step sister to the South. IN fact Palm Bay was not even listed on most Florida maps until the early and mid eighties sure it was there in that big void between Vero and Melbourne. You may have found it in little tiny letters. There has always been this stigma about Palm Bay. Even after the population of Palm Bay surpassed that of Melbourne it did not get any respect from anyone especially the County. Perhaps it was the infrastructure problems and City Government problems or the Crime but The City of Palm Bay has had a bad reputation that has stuck with it for years. I personally think General Development Corp. was to blame. It was a place they sold as being Your Paradise in Florida. When you got here and took a look it was not much of a paradise. In fact it was a place where you did your time almost like a tour of duty. Just do your time and get out and head to greener pastures. It was a place where you could afford to buy a house but your roads totally sucked and the traffic was horrendous. Yes thanks to the Citizens voting for a tax increase improvements were made. Roads believe it or not have improved tremendously over the years and the traffic is not anywhere near as bad. But man did it SUCK. It used to be a place that when you came home from work you were not sure if some little punk had broken into your house and stole your stuff while you were gone.
When you called the police it might have taken several and yes I said several hours before the Palm Bay police would finally make it out to investigate the break in. There usually were quite a few people in line ahead of you. They always acted like it was your fault that someone broke into your house. If the police were lucky enough to catch the little bastards, usually when a citizen apprehended them. Brevard County Judge Francis Jamieson usually let them out with a light slap on the wrist and they were back to robbing houses within a week. Lets face the truth It really sucked. Despite the fact that Palm Bay has the largest population in Brevard County it does not get any respect.
The City was like four Cities in one. The Lockmar area , The Country Club area, Port Malabar area and everything else. There just was no rhyme or reason in the development. They just threw substandard construction houses up everywhere. And everybody wanted their section fixed first. The builders made out like bandits because after all the City did not want to upset them. Any proposal to improve newly built houses such as landscaping square footage or sidewalks were immediately shot down as too much money or not sensible. The loaded dump trucks with fill dirt continued to destroy the roads. And they kept building young peoples and people from up North their dream houses. The inspection process usually consisted of a "drive by". The building inspector would drive up in his vehicle look out his window and check the appropriate box. No inspector in Palm Bay was ever allowed on a ladder for insurance reasons. The permit fees and taxes from new construction had some cash flowing in which was spent faster then they could count it.
The whole Bayside thing kicked in. Which by the way shows that a plan does work . All the shitty roads were fixed up and landscaped so the golfers the City was trying to lure in would not have to drive through a third world like City to reach their first class golf course. You can polish a turd but it is still a turd. Yes Palm Bay Sucks but not so much BaySide.



When the Real Estate bubble was pumping up and Palm Bay house prices went crazy the City leaders eyes glazed over they sported wood and really stated to dream big dreams. They spent that cash as fast as they could get their hands on it.
The City is so large and construction so spread out that the police could not properly protect the City. If you called Dominoes Pizza and the Police Dominoes would be out at your door with a hot pizza long before the police would arrive.
There are some past incidents where the City Proved that they did not suck. Or at least certain departments.
I do not think anybody can complain about the way the City of Palm Bay workers handled the two hurricanes we had in one year.
When Hurricane Jean and Hurricane Francis hit I must say Palm Bay had their shit together compared to most of the County.
When the Mothers Day fires raged through out town I think our Fire Dept. did a fantastic job. That's what we pay them for. Another thing about Palm Bay that sucks is the way the Fire Department and their Union divided our city over their


unbelievable lucrative pension plan which the City did approve during one of those times when their eyes were glazed over with the dollar signs dancing in their heads. The Union's behavior during our election cycle was despicable. We learned the Firefighters were like everyone else in town they don't give a crap as long as they get theirs. It does not matter as long as they get theirs. God save you if you go up against the Fire Department. They will follow you around with video cameras, hire people to dig up dirt on you and flat out lie their asses off. Then smile and ask you to put a dollar in the boot for Jerry's kids. I gots mine! It does not matter that 99% of the people paying their salaries and funding their Pension have no pension of their own and have to pay for their own health insurance. I saw the Palm Bay firefighters in a whole new light after observing their behavior last elction cycle and about that freaking Pension. You may call them hero's and they do an outstanding job but they wants theirs Just like anybody else.
Just a little heads up... The City is looking to get a Fire fee passed separate from your taxes so do not cry after that gets passed. If you are against it start fighting now. The fee would take the fire department budget out of its general fund. What happens if you do not pay? Will the fire department not respond if your house is on fire. I would not doubt that for a second. It has happened in other places in the Country and I would not put it past Palm Bay.
The Palm Bay Garbage can and pick up schedule has been the biggest ado

in years around here. Never have I seen so many people so pissed off. Gee where were all of you concerned citizens when they were negotiating this deal. Probably the same place you were when they negotiated the Fireman's Pension plan. They bitch about the maggots they bitch about the flies they bitch about the size of the trash cans they bitch about the price. Hey I'm all for bitching but do it before they vote on it don't wait til the party is over to bitch

You should have been there before they inked the deal with Waste Management. There was another Company wanting to bid for the contract. That whole deal smells like... well garbage. Should have been there bitching on a Thursday evening in front of the City leaders. The whole Garbage deal is just another exanmple of why Palm Bay sucks.
The Point is yes Palm Bay does suck. Palm Bay has sucked. And Palm Bay will suck after all it is Palm Bay just ask around, just about everybody knows Palm Bay sucks and they will tell you.