Turns out Mayor Carlos Alvarez is very good at politics.
He has been unfairly criticized for not advancing an agenda with the county commission. But as we have noted time and again, working with this county commission was simple impossible under rules that gave unlimited power to an unreformable majority.
The Alvarez team ran a strong campaign against intense turnout by the unions and those who also feared diminution of their status in the county commission. Their motivation against the charter amendment was all about defending turf.
In the end, the county commission by its own bad examples made the best argument to the people for a strong mayor.
There is now a single elected official to hold accountable, and if last night at victory headquarters was any indication, progress is already being made: the reception hall was filled with hundreds of grass-roots volunteers and NOT A SINGLE LOBBYIST from the downtown gang.
(We don’t know where they were, but we suspect they are debating how much energy and cost is involved in fighting the election outcome.)
It is up to the public, now, and the mainstream media to keep track—attention must be paid. Enough.
As the night in Miami drew tight around the dispersing crowd a soft and cleansing rain began.
5 comments:
Alvarez is right, in today's Miami Herald: the election is the most important in 50 years.
Hooray....the people of Miami dade got it right. Frankly, I was worried yesterday when I say the number of absentees. I just imagined Armando Gutierrez and his legions of dirtbags weaseling their way thoough Hialeah's multi family dwellings. Thank God I was wrong.
Boy would I hate to be in Natashas staff today...Hell, Id hate to be anywhere in her vicinity!
This is a great day. Oh the times, they are a changing...
Hopeful in Miami.
Along with the report on the strong mayor election, the Herald also reports a law sponsored by Gimenez stripping the Anti-Corruption Unit of the M-D Police Dept. (created by Alvarez) of its powers. This law can be interpreted as a new effort by the BCC to remove powers from the Mayor by enacting ridiculous legislation, or as a form to protect themselves of any possible investigations of their dirty dealings of which there is abundant proof.
I hope our apathetic voters are taking note of this new assault on our rights and will stop reelecting over and over these corrupt county commissioners.
let's no be qucik to credit Alvarez's political skills. This was a referendum on the commission and would have passed as such regardless of who was Mayor.
Looks like Manuel Noriega is getting out of Club Fed just in time to begin campaigning to be the County's next Strong Mayor.
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