Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, who is seeking re-election in November, pledged this week to improve the city’s flood prevention infrastructure, boost water quality and take a “get tough” approach to deal with the city’s long-standing homeless crisis.
He delivered his remarks Monday night during his annual “State of the City” speech, highlighting the city’s investments in stormwater and wastewater infrastructure, including the “Fortify Lauderdale” plan that seeks to improve stormwater drainage in 25 city neighborhoods over the next ten years. The city saw historic flooding in April 2023 that left streets under feet of water, then in June of this year another flood struck the city.
“These are serious investments to deal with serious challenges,” said Trantalis. “Challenges we will meet and beat.”
Water quality was also a concern the mayor addressed. Fiveash Water Plant has, on a few occasions, caused drinking water to be discolored for many residents. Trantalis says the city just recently broke ground on Prospect Lake Clean Water Center to replace Fiveash.
“To be clear, no longer will any resident have discolored drinking water,” he said, “It's time, and we're getting it done, finally.”
Dealing with the homelessness crisis is another top priority for Trantalis. He has rallied support around a stance that is tougher than both the county and neighboring cities.
“The city has worked for years to deal with homelessness, compassionately by identifying housing options and enhancing opportunities to help those who are less fortunate of our society overcome the underlying reasons for their situation,” he said, “But frankly, we have gone much further in our efforts than any surrounding community.”
The mayor said he’d use the newly passed HB 1365 that prohibits people from camping on city streets, sidewalks, and parks overnight. But Trantalis said he wants to go further and empower law enforcement to conduct sweeps in the daytime as well.
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“No one wants to criminalize homelessness. But a ‘get tough’ approach is the only way we're going to be able to resolve this.” he said.
Trantalis also said he would continue his fight against a bridge that would elevate the rail line that runs through the city’s downtown. He has long stated his preference for a tunnel.
“No matter how pretty they make it look, it will decimate the downtown, the beautiful renaissance that we have spent decades creating,” he said, “I simply cannot believe their design.”
The Broward County Commission voted in February to spend $2 million to design the bridge. The county owns the project, but without buy-in from Fort Lauderdale, the project is less likely to receive federal funding.
Trantalis drew a chorus of boos from the crowd after he spoke about a contentious project of 43 courts and a pickleball stadium under construction at Snyder Park. In the awkward silence that followed, supporters began to clap and cheer to drown out the dissenters.
The speech comes at a time when Trantalis faces four other mayoral candidates competing for his seat. They are Kenneth Cooper, an attorney who ran for mayor in 2020; Jim Lewis, a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor who previously ran for mayor; Barbra Stern, an attorney also making her first bid for mayor. Chris Nelson, a conservative activist making his first run for office, dropped out of the race this week. Trantalis was first elected in 2018.
The South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, which endorsed him in 2018, did not do so this year.
The , writing that she is “the best-prepared challenger, who offers voters a fresh alternative to more of the same.” The editorial board adds that she “will be a decisive leader and will loosen the grip of developers on this dynamic and ever-changing city.”
Trantalis was originally going to make his State of the City speech last week but rescheduled it to Monday because of Hurricane Milton.
