Aaronson takes over as County Commission chairman

By at 17 November, 2009, 10:26 am

The Palm Beach County Commission Tuesday made long-serving Commissioner Burt Aaronson the new chairman at the board’s annual reorganization meeting. As chairman, Aaronson will run the commission’s meetings, serve as the lead representative for the commission to other government agencies and have a bigger say on what ends up on commission meeting agendas. Aaronson, whose district includes southern Palm Beach County, takes over for former chairman Jeff Koons, who is entering his final year on the commission due to term limits. “It has been a privilege and a pleasure to serve the people of Palm Beach County,” Koons said, after receiving congratulations from his fellow board members. “A lot of the issues we are facing carry on.” Issue number one for the county remains a budget shortfall of more than

$100 million expected next year. Deeper spending cuts and another property tax rate increase could be on the horizon, even after commissioners this year boosted property tax rates nearly 15 percent. A gift to Koons served as a symbol of those budget constraints. Instead of the standard plaque, Koons was given a less expensive picture frame with a catalog of digital pictures from his time serving as chairman. Koons, a former West Palm Beach mayor, in the past has said he planned to get out of politics after 2010, but on Tuesday he was coy about his future. “Opportunities come,” said Koons, whose district represents the West Palm Beach area. “I will be available.”

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Aaronson takes over as County Commission chairman

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