Undoubtedly, this post will be welcomed like a skunk at a picnic, but my readers know I don’t pull any punches.
According to a demographic analysis of the petitioners who have signed the ‘Stop the Lens’ initiative, 5,754 of those who signed the petition are age 70 years-old and above.
In Florida, the average life expectancy for men is 75.9 years and 81.8 for women.
Assuming that the ‘Stop the Lens’ initiative is successful at the polls this August, it’s likely that a new pier will not be constructed and open for business until 2017 at the earliest. This timeline assumes that it will take a new citizens task force about a year to arrive at some sort of conclusion (after beginning its work in January 2014, likely under a new Mayor), six months for political haggling and review, and a year-and-a-half for construction — a figure which is very ambitious.
That’s four years from now at the earliest.
Meaning — and here’s the part some of you will not like — a significant percentage of those who signed the petition to ‘Stop the Lens’ will likely not even be around to see the idea which replaced it.
In other words, the oldest generation is trying to tell the youngest generation what’s best for the city even though it won’t be there city for much longer.
This statement is especially true when you consider that another 12,101 of those who signed the ‘Stop the Lens’ petition are in the 50 to 69 cohort. Death is certainly not knocking on these folks door, but they are not the future, either.
It’s telling that just 3,306 voters age 18 to 29 signed the ‘Stop the Lens’ petition. Of course, this is one one of the smallest demographics in the community, but its them who will have to live with whatever replaces “The Lens.”
