Prominent Irish American attorney Tom Carney has been returned as Mayor of picturesque Delray Beach, Florida - for the second time.
A Philadelphia native who has lived in the 'Village by the Sea' for three decades, Carney formerly served as mayor and commissioner from 2011-2013.
He says he plans to hit the ground running when sworn in. A prominent member of the Ireland-US Council, Carney gained 52 per cent of the vote in the city which boasts a population of just under 70,000.
"A candidate backed by Florida's Republican Party won the mayoral race on Tuesday in a district Democratic President Joe Biden won by nearly 30 points in 2020. Tom Carney, 70, was elected to be the mayor of Delray Beach, Florida, after defeating two challengers..."…
— Republican Mayors Association (@GOPMayorsAssn) March 20, 2024
Carney defeated sitting commissioners Ryan Boylston and Shirley Ervin Johnson. While campaigning on local issues, including over-development, Carney was well-known for his links to Ireland and was central to the success of the city's St Patrick's Day parade which is now in its 54th year.
The mayor-elect told the Irish Echo he was "very excited" about the opportunity to serve the people of Delray Beach. "There is much work to be done and I am ready to get started," he said. "I was a Commissioner and, later, the Mayor during the period 2011-2013. But it was clear to me that recently the town was going in the wrong direction and I wanted to work to preserve its charm."
Carney served as chairman of the Delray Beach Housing Authority as vice chairman and board member of the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, as a member of the Old School Square Board, as president of The Arts Garage, as a member of the New Hope Charities Board, as a member of Delray Beach Kiwanis, as a member of Delray Beach Elks and as a board member of his neighborhood's homeowners association.
In his campaign, according to the Palm Beach Post, he stressed concerns about overdevelopment and the traffic congestion that comes with it, public safety, fiscal responsibility, reductions in property taxes, protecting Delray's quality of life, and making city hall user-friendly.
His Irish roots are central to Carney's DNA. "My Irish Heritage is everything to me," he told the Echo. "I grew up surrounded by uncles, aunts, grandparents and family friends all of whom were Irish. It is the only culture I know. It forms the core of my being and is responsible for my character."
Firefighters' group marching in the Delray Beach, Florida St. Patrick's Day parade.#StPatricksDay #parade #firefighters #DelrayBeach #Florida pic.twitter.com/0pwg5Lr5nH
— Sheryl Kahn (@sherylkahn) March 16, 2024
