Palm Beach Commissioner Threatening to Be Apathetic Because Residents Are Apathetic

Here's one I haven't heard before: Palm Beach County Commissioner Jess Santamaria told the Palm Beach Post that he's so frustrated by apathy among residents that he's thinking of walking away from public service at the end of his four-year term.

"The only thing that would make me run again is if I really saw a swelling of community public involvement," he said. "Right now, I am not seeing it."

In fairness to the apparently listless residents, Santamaria did ascend to his post after Tony Masilotti was busted for corruption. Maybe that case made the electorate a tad cynical.

Still, it's a poor excuse for quitting the job. If Santamaria believes in the cause of good government, he's got to be willing to fight the good fight even without an audience. Or just get more creative about galvanizing residents.

Pols like former Hollywood Mayor Mara Giulianti and current West Palm Mayor Lois Frankel would have loved to have had Santamaria's problems. Both have been treated like pinatas during commission meeting's public comment period.