Honoring King Juan Carlos in St. Augustine, Florida

When King Juan Carlos comes to St. Augustine next, we need to dedicate our new $1.5 million breakwater to him. King Juan Carlos is a former Olympic sailor. He restored Constitutional democracy to Spain after decades of brutal, repressive dictatorship. It worked – Spain is now a vibrant democracy, something of which we can be proud. He stood up to coup attempts in 1981 and 1982. When Spain's legislators passed Gay marriage in 2005, he signed the law, stating to the press, “I am King of Spain, not Belgium” (referring to the Belgian king's refusal to sign a similar law). There are quite enough things named for Juan Ponce de Leon, including US 1 (and now a new Bridge, without meaningful public participation in choosing the PDL name. (Enough PDL stuff already!)

King Juan Carlos deserves the honor of a permanent legacy in St. Augustine – what better way than a sailing breakwater, suggested by City Manager John Regan Monday at night's meeting? It will be seen -- visited by tall ships (including Stanley Parris' ship, which he will soon sail around the world, solo).  King Juan Carlos deserves to see St. Augustine being transformed for the better, with his name on a permanent improvement that will make our town a better place for all of us.