Got an email from “Concerned Citizens”?Here’s what’s true.
Some of you have forwarded us emails signed “Concerned Citizens for Lauderdale-By-The-Sea” and asked, “Is this true?” Good question. We checked each claim against the Town’s own records.
The short answer
Most of it is false, misleading or comes with no proof at all. And not one word of it is signed by a person.
3False
11Misleading
8No proof shown
▶ Watch first: this has happened before
In 2024, our Mayor held up a “Concerned Citizens” mailer and called it “illegal.”
“This is divisive, delusional, and illegal. And most of all, intellectually irresponsible.”
Mayor Chris Vincent, Town Commission meeting, February 27, 2024. A 50-second excerpt of the Town’s own video (at 36:36), with captions added. The Sun Sentinel reported that the mailer he held up carried the disclaimer “Concerned Citizens for Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.”
What they said. What the record says.
Their words are quoted exactly. Every answer links to the document, so you don’t have to take our word for it either.
They said Emails of Oct. 12 and Oct. 17, 2026
“Previously Howard sought to spearhead fundraising for reconstruction of the Pier under an arrangement that would have paid him 10% of future pier revenue.”
Their email, Oct. 17, 2026
False
The 10% wasn’t for Howard Goldberg. The pier’s owner told the Town Commission on April 14, 2026 that “the chamber wanted 10% of the revenue of the future, and the town would get another 10%.”
The Chamber of Commerce and the Town. Not a person.
The pier’s owner, in his own words: “10% of all my revenue going to the chamber and 10% going to the town.” Town video, April 14, 2026, with captions added.
They said Email of Oct. 18, 2026, “Follow the money”
“Well, as you can see, these groups are different and there are 45 of them based at the same corporate address.”
Their words, about Florida Conservatives United, Florida Taxpayers Defense and Accountability in Government, Inc. Their public email archive
False
Lots of committees may use that address. But these three aren’t strangers sharing a mailbox. The State of Florida lists the same chairman, the same treasurer and the same phone number for all three:
Florida Taxpayers Defense paid for this fall’s “Vote YES on 1–8” mailer.
Accountability in Government, Inc. paid for the mailer attacking Randy Strauss.
Florida Conservatives United gave $500 to Richard DeNapoli’s campaign on March 11, 2024, eight days before he was elected.
Chairman: William S. Jones. Treasurer: William S. Jones. Phone: (352) 275-5004. All three.
They said Email of Oct. 12, 2026, “Support the Charter Amendments”
“Vote YES on 6 to avoid higher taxes, more drama and litigation.”
Their email, Oct. 12, 2026
Misleading
Question 6 changes how a commissioner can be removed from office. It doesn’t change a single tax rule. The word “tax” doesn’t appear anywhere in the 21-page ordinance that put all eight questions on your ballot.
Their reasoning is a chain of guesses: that four commissioners would someday remove a fifth, and that the four would then raise your taxes. Nothing in Question 6 does either.
“Both Randy and Howard made this party switch to run for office because they thought it would get them votes.”
Their email, Oct. 17, 2026
Misleading
They can’t know why anyone changed parties. That’s a guess about what’s in someone’s head, dressed up as a fact.
People change parties for all kinds of reasons, and ours are nonpartisan seats: no party appears next to anyone’s name on your ballot. What matters is how someone votes at Town Hall, and that’s on the record.
One more thing they leave out: the three candidates this group backs are the three on the county party’s official 2026 door-hanger.
The county party’s 2026 door-hanger. Same three names as their slate.
They said Email of Oct. 14, 2026, and the county party’s email
“Randy Strauss Compared President Trump’s name to that of a Nazi Swastika in September 2025!”
The same claim went out from the Republican Party of Broward County: “Randy Strauss Compared Placing Trump’s Name on a Street Sign to a Nazi Swastika.”
Misleading
They cut out what he was answering. Watch the two moments in order, straight from the Town’s own video. Nothing added, nothing trimmed from the middle.
First, Commissioner DeNapoli’s argument: honoring the President “with a single sign” takes nothing away from anyone.
Commissioner DeNapoli, Sept. 10, 2025. Town video at 2:42:25, 37 seconds.
Then Strauss’s answer, in full. He starts with “In response to Commissioner DeNapoli,” and his point is that one sign can matter: “whether it’s one sign or a hundred signs.” Moments later he says he respects the office of the President.
Vice Mayor Strauss, Sept. 10, 2025. Town video at 3:04:34, 90 seconds, from “In response to” through his reasons for voting no.
He didn’t call the President a Nazi or say the two were alike. He said a single sign isn’t harmless just because it’s single. The Town’s minutes sum up his remarks the same way: he “respected the office of the president,” but didn’t think the Town should put individual names on its streets.
The county party’s own video of this is 110 seconds long. It doesn’t show what he was answering.
You can dislike the example he picked. But “he compared Trump to a swastika” isn’t what he said.
“Randy Strauss Voted to Raise your Sewer Rates by 25% in the base sewer rate, and 30% in the consumption rate. This occurred on April 22, 2025. Mayor Malkoon pushed for relief for residents and voted against this increase.”
Misleading
Strauss did make the motion. Here’s who they left out: Commissioner Theo Poulopoulos seconded it and voted yes. He’s on their own slate. It passed 3–2, with Mayor Malkoon and Commissioner DeNapoli voting no.
They also leave out why. The minutes record that “the Town has no pricing power” over these charges. Staff said the base rate for a single-family home would go up $2.95 a month, and that phasing it in would only mean a bigger increase the next year.
“Strauss wanted to move forward with a resolution declaring the Town’s intent to borrow up to $35 million for a new combined government center!”
Misleading
He was the only no vote on putting it off. That part is true (4–1). What the resolution actually did, according to the Town’s own staff that night:
The Town Manager: it “does not authorize any issuance of debt.”
The Town Attorney: it “does not bind the Town to any action.” The $35 million “establishes a maximum amount,” which the tax code requires for the Town to pay itself back for design costs if it ever issues a bond.
No borrowing was on the table. Only the paperwork that would let the Town recover its own costs later.
“The facts are that amendments 1,3,4,5, and 7 were unanimously supported by all the Commissioners when considered individually. Strauss and Graziano voted for these amendments individually.”
Misleading
Two of the five passed 5–0 on their own, on March 24: letting a Mayor run for Commissioner (Question 3) and filling a vacancy with a former official (Question 4).
We found no separate unanimous vote on Questions 1, 5 or 7 in the minutes of any meeting where the charter was voted on. And every vote that actually moved the package toward your ballot went like this:
They said Email of Oct. 12, 2026, “Support the Charter Amendments”
Question 2 “changes the Mayor term to four years, matching the Commissioner terms while maintaining a two-term limits.”
Misleading
Nothing about the Mayor’s limit is being “maintained.” Today a Mayor can serve three two-year terms: six years. Question 2 makes it two four-year terms: eight years, and the overall limit on years in office goes up to 16.
Their own email says so two sentences later: “The current two year mayor term with a three-term limit.”
“This amendment merely says we have to follow state laws. It’s a cleanup provision so that the charter will follow state guidelines.”
Misleading
Our charter already follows state law. Florida says the yearly audit must be done “within 9 months” after the year ends. Our charter says six. Six months is within nine.
Question 7 doesn’t fix a conflict. It gives Town Hall three more months before you see the audit.
“NEVER BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF LBTS have so MANY OUT OF TOWN GROUPS supported candidates.”
Misleading
They leave out the out-of-town help for their own slate:
In 2024 the county party ran a slate in our town election, with door-hangers and voter guides. The Sun Sentinel wrote about it.
In 2026 the county party’s door-hanger lists the same three names this group backs.
This fall’s mail for their side was paid for by committees in Tallahassee. Their Oct. 18 email admits it.
One more thing: their Oct. 17 email labeled Strauss’s endorsers “Republican.” The Oct. 14 and Oct. 18 versions dropped that label, while calling Ferguson’s endorsers “Democrat.”
These came with no document, no video and no vote.
That a candidate might favor a “costlier” fire contract because deputies endorsed him. That’s a question, not a fact.
That the “real backers” of our group are “special interests and extremists.” They name no one.
That “the Town has saved approximately $1 million” thanks to “certain members of the Commission.” Which members? Saved how?
That the Sea Grape Drive sign “was in need of replacement anyway.” No work order, no invoice.
That a candidate “places all three of their signs on his vacation rental properties.” No address, no photo of a rental.
That “virtually every privately-owned pier in Florida no longer exists after storms.” No list, no source.
That our “allies” sent a 2024 mailer from a Dallas postal permit. A permit number says which print shop mailed it, not who paid. They show no link to us.
A story about why a private resident proposed the Mayor’s two-year term some 20 years ago. No document, no source. We won’t repeat a private neighbor’s name to spread it.
We can’t check these, and neither can you. When a group won’t sign its name or show its source, ask why.
So who is “Concerned Citizens”?
Nobody will say. Here’s what anyone can look up.
Signed by
No one. “Paid for by Concerned Citizens for Lauderdale-By-The-Sea.” No person’s name.
Address
“5200 N Ocean Blvd.” That’s a large condominium building, with no unit number.
State registry
We searched the State of Florida’s list of political committees on October 14, 2026. No committee by that name.
Proof
“Concerned Citizens for Lauderdale”: No records found.Every “Concerned Citizens” committee in Florida. Lauderhill, Marco, Orange County… none for our town.
Florida’s company registry (Sunbiz) has no company by that name.
Website
Their web address was registered on October 10, 2026, two days before their first email from it. The owner’s name is hidden.
This isn’t the first time.
In 2024, mailers under “Concerned Citizens” names hit candidates on both sides of our town election. Here’s what the Mayor, the Sun Sentinel and a neighbor in the New Pelican said then. Watch the Mayor say it ↑
South Florida Sun Sentinel · March 2, 2024
“This is divisive, delusional, illegal and intellectually irresponsible.”
Mayor Chris Vincent, holding up a “Concerned Citizens for Lauderdale-by-the-Sea” mailer at the Town Commission meeting of February 27, 2024
“Under Florida election law, that group must be registered with the Division of Elections, so the public can see who’s paying for the message (it isn’t). Not registering is against the law.”
“Slimy stuff. Voters have no way of knowing who was behind it.”
“Voters, beware of mystery groups who claim to be ‘concerned citizens.’ They’re somebody’s hired guns.”
A Lauderdale-By-The-Sea resident wrote about the 2024 attack mailers, emails and ads, sent by
“partisan party associates of their candidates and who use the ‘not approved by any candidate’ to skirt the needs for their candidate to pay for them themselves.”
“We should all want to ward off party interference in our elections to choose our commissioners based on their own qualifications and not because of their voter registration affiliation.”
We show the document. If we can’t prove it, we don’t say it.
We leave private neighbors out of it. No names, no photos of people who aren’t running for anything. Their emails have named and pictured private neighbors. Ours never will.
We fix our mistakes. Think we got something wrong? Tell us and we’ll correct it, in public.
