N. Miami Beach Mayor's Holiday Spirit Questioned

NORTH MIAMI BEACH (CBS4) - A South Florida mayor is wishing the people in his town a Happy Holiday which is normally an acceptable message, but for some, the way he is going about it is landing him in the hot seat.

The holiday message is found on 20 bus benches from the City of North Miami Beach's Mayor Myron Rosner. Some criticize the way the mayor is putting his face and his message on bus benches.

"Do you think he really cares about holiday spirit?", asked Stephanie Kienzle, who is not a fan of the mayor or his message.

Kienzle told CBS4's Jorge Estevez that this is a way for the Mayor to begin an early campaign. The City of North Miami Beach does not allow campaigning until February of 2011.

"It is holiday season, I do not want to see his ugly mug when I am getting ready for the holiday's," said Kienzle who writes for her blog www.votersopinion.com. "We haven't had holiday decorations in the two years he has been mayor."

Which was exactly the mayors point when he wrote to CBS4 News.

"I have had many residents thank me for the well wishes. The critic and or critics number only a handful and they are the same small group that had complained in the past that the City had a 'bah hum bug' attitude toward the holiday season," wrote Rosner.

The signs are legal. The mayor asked the city attorney before he rolled them out. Since they are paid for with private money and are not considered political because they do not read 'vote for' or 're-elect,' the mayor is in the clear, but that is not enough for some.

"They are not illegal, but that doesn't make it that despicable," said Kienzle.

The signs must be taken down after the holidays