On Friday, the Miami Herald editorial page called the county commission “shameful” for passing two measures into law, over-riding a veto by Mayor Carlos Alvarez.
Both measures restrict the right to petition their own government, by citizens.
Anti-democratic measures have gained a strong foothold not just here, but throughout Florida.
Amendment 3, supported by a multi-million dollar campaign funded by development interests, agribusiness and the Florida Chamber of Commerce, passed into law. Now it will take 60 percent majority of voters, not a simple majority, to qualify enough petitions for a state-wide referendum to amend the Constitution.
No other state in the nation has such an onerous burden--sold to citizens as a way to "protect our Constitution" but really is a way to facilitate the paving of our state from one end to another.
What the majority of the Miami Dade County Commission did was to make the petition gathering process both more difficult and also opened a can of worms. Opponents of any petition can now level charges against signature gatherers that rise to the level of criminal complaint.
This piece of vindictiveness springs from Natacha Seijas' anger at being subjected to a recall election by the successful gathering of signatures. The message sent to citizens: next time you try to throw out a sitting commissioner by petition, you activists will experience the full weight of the law, when we lower the boom on you.
The Florida legislature has its own hand in turning democracy into something indescribable.
In 2003, the Florida legislature passed a measure, supported by Governor Bush, developers and agribusiness, that significantly raises the bar for citizens to sue their own government over zoning changes that affect their neighborhoods and communities.
It is not JUST shameful what our county commission and legislature have done—closing the door on our democracy—but here is why they do it.
Firstly, citizens are an obstruction. Second, passing measures to knock down that obstruction is simple and cheap. Third, legislatures pass these anti-democratic measures because they can.
We aim these views directly to letter writers from Pinecrest recently published in the Neighbors section of the Miami Herald, where good stories go to be buried.
The letter writers share the opinion that development has gone too far in Miami Dade. They join legions of citizens in Miami who have protested zoning change after zoning change that has turned downtown and abutting neighborhoods into condo canyons despite citizen protests, petition gathering, and determined attendance at public hearings. And for the most part, silence of the Miami Herald.
Do not expect the majority of the Miami Dade county commission to listen to your pleas. As now constituted, the majority cannot be reformed. Recent elections show that the county commission is a permanent incumbency.
The only way to stop them is for voters to mute their capacity to do so much harm. That chance is coming in late January, when citizens will have a chance to vote for an executive mayor.
9 comments:
Does anyone else think that it is time to change the makeup of the commission by changing the districts or having at large comissioners?
I realize that it would be tough to get it up for a vote these days, but it seems like getting county wide signatures would be more of a fruitful venture than trying to appeal to the easily intimidated "pastelito" elderly voters that swung the recall vote the wrong way.
How would you have at-large commission districts and still provide representation for minorities?
Also, gimletey, if you can't hold someone so bad as Seijas "responsible" for her horrible actions how and the hell do you think that you are going to fund a credible media campaign against a really bad strong mayor. Isn't this short term thinking, i.e. getting rid of the current majority of bad commissioners and replacing it with a corporate in-the-pocket dictator/mayor.
Why not seek out a true solution that is also progressive like campaign finance reform?
Good points, here. The bottom line is that it will be easier to remove an executive mayor (ie. despot/special interest lapdog) than 13 county commissioners, in 13 districts. Right now, the special interests know it is easy to raise the $6 million or so, spread around 13 districts, and impossible for citizens--who even if they are concerned, are mostly concerned about their own backyards. On the other hand, in a county-wide election for an executive mayor, it will eventually be possible for a good government candidate to raise enough money to mount a credible county-wide campaign.
Eventually, on a one-on-one battle across the county for an executive mayor, we will have a candidate who actually represents and wins on a good government platform.
To our way of thinking, campaign finance reform is a problem that demands action-- but in the meantime, we have an election in late January that could fundamentally scramble the status quo.
We're all for that.
The 10-11 of the 13 County Commissioners are idiots. We know how difficult it is to get rid of one of them. A strong Mayor is our only hope.
What is incredible is how the unions are opposing the strong mayor. The only logic is that Seijas has promised them something. What could it be?
Anonymous 2 said:
"Why not seek out a true solution that is also progressive like campaign finance reform?"
if one more person says that I am going to smack them. We had campaign finance reform that Jimmy Morales got passed by the sweat of his brow. Then those f--king commissioners got rid of the changes. watered down everthing, reinstated corporate donations and reinstated $500 donations -- and basically undid all the reforms last year. So will you stop already with that lame lame idea. It didn't work.
What city with a strong mayor has a clean, progressive one? Look at Chicago, when after much fuss and discrimination H. Washington finally got elected he was replaced by another, and now corrupt Daily. Same situation in NYC a millionaire corporate slut is replaced by a billionaire, moreover a "preogressive" Democrat can barely get elected and never one re-elected. Lets stop talking about what we want to happen and/or wish would happen and study what does happen when there is a strong mayor. Based upon these outcomes, see if Mayor Carlos will return calls about the UDB issue once he gets the power. Name one progressive on his current staff, they are all from the police dept. and they all agree with him on everything always. There is no dissent in that office and no debate. In the office there is only his will and command. Further, while he may be making the right commands and decisions now, just think of the consequences from the mayors who would follow. Take Penalas, don't you think that he would run for the position esp. given that it would have the power that he has always wanted. Look at the die that Carlos has cast. A mayor who campaigns against commissioners he/she does not agree with, who fills his/her staff with a lockstep staff, who wages campaigns for more power etc. In the wrong hands this would be a mess for Sorenson and others.
When the public case is make for campaign finance reform to the voters, like the UDB issue, a constituency exists to protect it. For instance AZ the voters have protected it, and AZ has similar demographics to FL. Morales put it together and then started to walk away from it as soon as he could. There was no local common cause groups to protect it, a few abused it and the commission acted quickly to get rid of it before it had a chance.
Wow. Let's start again. Yes we need campaign finance reform desperately. But let's not kid ourselves: this county commission is unreformable. All you need to know about the county commission was displayed on TV news the night of the Sept election, when Joe Martinez and Natacha Seijas crowded around Dorrin Rolle at Rolle's campaign headquarters, smiling and grinning like a pack of thieves.
An example of a progressive executive mayor... well, granted it is a small American city, but it is in the middle of one of the most conservative states in the union: Utah. The other "Rocky".
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070101/abramsky
Name one progressive on his current staff, they are all from the police dept. and they all agree with him on everything always. There is no dissent in that office and no debate. In the office there is only his will and command.
Whoaaaaaaa. Aren't we being a bit assuming? Is that person a fly on the Mayor's wall?
Ask Ms. Seijas where his employees are from. She has the list of all his staff, and read their names, jobs and salary aloud on the radio. Nice job, Commissioner. It's also nice that the YMCA allows her to do that as their political liaison....errr.... paid staff.
I wonder if she was on the county clock or the YMCA payroll the day she did that? Can't believe the Board of Directors allow her to be rude to the Mayor on their dime. Or rude to anyone, while on their payroll... maybe, we should point her out to them... the average gal answering the phone can't be rude and keep her job at the YMCA... why should she?
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