Vote 'yes' for executive mayor by gimleteye

In previous posts, we have expressed optimism that in only a few weeks, voters across the county will rush to support the executive mayor referendum despite stiff opposition from special interests.

We offer a critical review of a year-end column by Michael Lewis, publisher and editor of Miami Today, opposing the executive mayor proposal.

Too often, our local newspapers are rosy-cheeked cheerleaders for the status quo, too timid to deviate from Chamber of Commerce or Beacon Council press releases. Consider Miami Today’s regular “Newsmaker” series, for example.

Be very, very careful what you wish for, Mr. Lewis writes, the strong mayor’s job would be an impossible high-wire act with no net. Do a good study before handing over control of county government to a single elected official.

Commission another study? You've got to be kidding! Miami Dade county government is where good studies go, to die.

An executive mayor form of government opens the way to abuse of power, Mr. Lewis goes on.

Citizen activists have much more experience than Mr. Lewis with the actual results of the current system of county government.

Today an unreformable majority of county commissioners swing at any citizen with a grievance that conflicts with development interests. That behavior was demonstrated, most recently, by the swift passage of measures to make citizen petition of their own government virtually impossible in Miami Dade.

The Miami Dade county commission is dysfunctional government-by-design supported by massive campaign donations.

Perhaps Mr. Lewis is worried, but will not write publicly, that the same interests who poured $500K to save the de facto chair of the county commission, Natacha Seijas, from a humiliating recall will band together to raise many millions of dollars to elect their candidate for executive mayor.

But we believe over time (and perhaps not too long a period of time) Miami Dade voters will rise up and elect a fair and representative executive mayor to protect the health, safety and welfare of citizens.

There are 23 days left until the county-wide vote for executive mayor. We hope you will carefully consider the issue and inform your friends.

http://www.citizens4reform.org/index.html

Everyone knows that the majority of the county commission is unreformable. Once the executive mayor proposal passes, the role of the mainstream media to hold Miami's government accountable to the public interest will be more important than ever.

We look forward to that change, too.