For the first time in many years, there is a Republican majority on the Palm Beach County Commission but that could change after the November election.
Attorney and former Republican Party of Palm Beach County Chairman Mike Barnett was appointed to the Commission in District 3 last year after Democrat Dave Kerner left to head up the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. That gave the GOP a 4-3 majority.
Among his concerns are the homeless issue, which Barnett says he is working on.
"We have to do more to make sure that all of our residents of Palm Beach County, whether they're housed or unhoused, have an opportunity to live outside the elements."
Barnett says it's an issue he takes personally because as a child his family was homeless for a time. He says he was in favor of purchasing a hotel near the Turnpike as a temporary shelter but fears the opportunity may have passed. Another plan to build tiny houses for the homeless has been underway and he hopes it ramps up.
Property taxes is another topic both candidates discuss. Barnett says the Commission cut the millage rate last year, but Democrat Joel Flores, the current Mayor of Greenacres, says Barnett wouldn't do that this year, meaning that higher property values brought taxes up.
"Last year they cut a tenth of a mil. I thought there was an opportunity to do the same this year and they chose not to do that. And actually my opponent was the one that made the motion to increase the taxes this year, or keep the millage at this, which was an 8.5 percent increase in taxes as a whole for the county."
But Barnett says there wasn't enough support to get a millage decrease passed this year.
"And I'm not going to let my opponent who has a history of raising taxes as Mayor of Greenacres attack me and criticize me for not lowering the millage rate this year. And I promised when I became a commissioner I would never ever vote to increase taxes. And I kept that promise."
Hear more from both candidates in this race that's open to voters in District 3.