There are several patterns worth noting, in the excellent investigative report that continues with a "A Pattern of Neglect" in today's Miami Herald, by Debbie Cenziper. (you go, girl!)
Over the years, the safety net to protect the health and welfare of Miami Dade county citizens has been cut, widenened and frayed by special interests so that it is a relic drifting aimlessly in the tide.
The safety net, including such programs as affordable housing, has a few loose strands tied together so that it appears to be a net but it doesn't catch much at all.
Another strand of the safety net: Public education for under-served inner city children. Last week the Miami Herald reported how private charter schools are enriching developers at the expense of taxpayers. Another report showed how accountability and standards are simply being ignored by some charter schools.
Aside from the enrichment of campaign contributors, there is another purpose for the safety net that has holes so wide, anything gets through.
The appearance of a safety net is for members of the Parrot Jungle County Commission (that's the parrots on the county commission) to stand next to, to pontificate next to, and have their photos taken for the newspaper (again, the Miami Herald) that a few profess never to read.
But there is another pattern, too.
The Miami Herald consistently endorses incumbent members of the county commission when a mountain of evidence written by the paper's own excellent reporters points to county commissioners standing by while one crisis after another has unfolded in our county.
The Parrot Jungle County Commission may be hopeless and reason enough for a strong mayor, but that hopelessness, too, is also reflected by the Miami Herald, in failing to call for action.
In the last election cycle for local elections, the Miami Herald urged voters to resist the urge to "throw the bums out" and scarcely mentioned who was behind the destruction of the safety net.
The Herald could have published one story after another how challengers are at a terrible disadvantage routinely 10 to 20 times below the amounts raised by incumbents.
So there is another pattern, too.
Smart people at the Miami Herald know that the safety net intended to protect the public interest is a net in name only. And they are satisfied to stand by and report on the aftermath like rubberneckers at a car crash.
I suppose the reason the top managers don't push harder is that it is bad for advertising business. I can't think of another reason. Maybe you can.
7 comments:
Cenziper Expose "House of Lies" on the Affordable Housing boondoggle in Miami Dade County
I wonder why no investigations have been started on the role of County Commissioners in this affordable housing scandal? It is obvious that they were at best extremely incompetent in providing oversight and continuing to approve more money for projects, or they were downright corrupt.
A strong mayor local government structure would ensure checks and balances, and accountability by a COUNTYWIDE elected official, the Mayor. The county commissioners incorrectly use "no checks and balances" to oppose the strong mayor initiative - maybe they mean no more checks behind the scenes for them and low bank account balances if the strong mayor form of government is (and WILL BE) approved.
Chair Martinez sure got an affordable house from his developer friends and contractors...He should be ashamed of himself, then again most of these people can't spell shame, let alone have any.
Affordable Housing has been a boondoggle for some time. The herald takes credit for exposing this but they took a long time, they could or should have done it much sooner. A strong mayor has been advocated for a long time and current politics will never let it happen. I like your blogs, keep up the good work.
The paper today said that the opposition to the strong mayor referendum is giving up on its challenge. A vote will go forward. The smart money is on its passing by a wide margin. Who is going to be nostalgic for the county commission, except the county commission itself?
The 13 County Commissioners bear much reponsibility for the lack of affordable housing in the County.
And the Manager, George Burgess, is an idiot. He is completely re-active, not pro-active. He would not leave a burning building unless a fireman carried him out.
Bargain Basement Housing Solution
By Harry Emilio Gottlieb
Coconut Grove
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Joe Martinez thinks he has a solution to our affordable and workforce housing crisis.
He reminds us that we have an over abundance of unsold condominiums flooding the market and a lot of workforce folks that cant afford the luxury units, property taxes and insurance. In fact, we have a glut of unsold and soon to be built units in the pipeline.
According to the November 11th issue of NY Times “Changing Course to Avert a Glut”, the inventory for Miami is even more then that in Manhattan. So I suspect that the inventory for Miami-Dade County must be staggering. (New condominium units under construction or planned in Miami: 82,486 & Manhattan: 28,258)
So his brilliant suggestion is to get the developers to reduce the financial hemorrhaging of their downward spiraling profits buy deeply discounting their mostly luxury units or getting the taxpayer to help subside the purchase of them.
''Luckily, we've had a downturn the last eight or nine months in the real-estate market,'' Martinez said.
This downturn is not lucky for the developers, investors and banks that have financed these projects. This is not lucky for all of us property owners that have lived here for many years and are now having their own properties considerably devaluated as a result of the oversupply and reduced demand for new housing.
This present housing crisis could have been easily averted if Miami-Dade County had not permitted so many units to be built, if they had not allowed so much up zoning, if they had not squandered millions of dollars that were targeted for affordable housing as revealed in the Miami Heralds corruption expose “House of Lies.”
How dare Commissioner Martinez preach to us on housing matters? This is the same man that has recived deep discounts on recently purchased land for his new house and many deals and freebees for its construction. He did not recived these unethical favors because he was just any Joe. He recived these favors because he was Commissioner Joe.
It looks like a person has to be a Miami-Dade County Commissioner like that of Joe Martinez to qualify for affordable and workforce housing around here.
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