Photo: JillianCain / iStock / Getty Images
Our Election Spotlight features Greenacres, where there are two City Council races on March 10th. We'll focus on District 2 in this story, where longtime incumbent Peter Noble faces two challengers who both work in public education.
Nathan Galang unsuccessfully challenged Noble four years ago but says he learned more about running a campaign and feels he has a good shot this time around.
Galang is a substitute teacher in Palm Beach County and focuses much of his attention on affordability.
"I just, directly and anecdotedly, know people that have lived in Palm Beach County their whole lives that have moved up north in the state because those areas are more affordable."
He says Greenacres was initially founded for the working class. In fact, its 100th anniversary is coming up in May.
Galang believes that the county is doing too much to attract rich people to the area, using a "Wall Street South" moniker.
"I'm not interested in Wall Street. I'm interested in Jog Road and Lake Worth Road and Melaluca (Lane) and Dilman (Road). These are my streets and I want to make sure that the people here can afford to live. And I want to make sure that if there are new people here, we attract them with more sustainable jobs...some blue collar work."
Noble's other challenger, Olga Sierra, is an ESOL facilitator with the Palm Beach County School District. She helps kids whose first language isn't English communicate with teachers.
"My major concern is public safety or neighborhood safety. I would like to see that our Greenacres streets be safe."
The Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement services in the city and Sierra says she doesn't often see deputies crusing through District 2, though Galang says he seems them all the time while walking in the District.
Sierra's other major priority?
"To have more communication (and) participation with the residents and the city. So that if they have an issue and if they have a question, the doors will be open for the residents."
There are two City Council meetings per month in Greenacres and she wants to do more to encourage people to attend them.
The incumbent reached out to us after the airing of this story. We had been trying to connect with him for an interview.
Peter Noble tells us he has been on the City Council for over 23 years. He lived in Puerto Rico and spent 25 years as a stock broker and investment banker, retiring at "an early age," and then moved to Florida 40 years ago.
The subject of "affordability issues" has come up with another candidate in this race. Noble says he has no control over inflation, but "I can say that we have a city of people, average persons that can live very comfortably."
He points out that Greenacres' tax rate is the lowest in the county at 6.3 percent and it's been at that level for at least three years. Noble calls Greenacres a "very reasonable place to live."