Maurice Ferre, former Miami mayor and Miami Dade county commissioner, opines in the Herald how to reform the county charter. We agree with most of Ferre's points, but not expanding the legislature from 13 county commissioners to 19.
Ferre's idea to add commissioners to the stock is a good recipe for paella but not good government.
We have an alternative suggestion: shrink the size of the commission from 13 to 10. Make 3 of the 10 commission seats elected countywide.
This arithmetic of smaller government is no less favorable to minorities, however Miami Dade residents chose to self-identify.
We understand that the main attraction of Ferre’s proposal is to meet a minimum threshold of support by the current commission, who all would be reelected under a new legislature.
Moreover, there’s a good chance that some of the current commissioners would run for countywide seats, and so the Ferre proposal also adds the spice of allowing new candidates and coalitions to form.
We see how Ferre addresses sensitivities of the African American community by ensuring that districts will continue to provide representation and also diminish the toxic aspect of the current single member district system, where the weight of county business is performed by trading campaign support in one district, in order to advance development agendas in other districts.
But shrinking the number of district elected commissioners from 13 to 7 by redrawing and expanding the size of districts, African American representation would be strengthened and not diminished.
We agree with Ferre’s recommendations: to limit terms of commissioners and sharply cut-back the influence of lobbyists at County Hall and the commission’s role in awarding contracts. Ferre did not specifically recommend campaign finance reform—but that should also be considered by a charter review committee.
The bottom line is that while Ferre’s proposal would be palatable to the current commission, if recommended by a charter review committee, we think a proposal to shrink the county commission and improve its governance at the same time puts the burden squarely where it belongs.
6 comments:
they will never give up their feifdoms thus the necessity of adding. ferre is a realist you are never going to get what you want.
So, against all evidence and common sense please let me know how setting term limits will weaken lobbyists instead of giving them even more power.
There are very good arguments to shrink the size of the county commission--that still preserves representation by minorities. On the other hand, the only argument to expand the size of government is argument that is always used: bigger is better. Well it's not better: let the county commission defend the idea of an "expanded" commission, in a charter review debate. BTW, we'd love to see a popular vote for the A or B alternative: either an expanded commission, or, a reduced commission. Put it to popular vote.
If you shrink the commission races will become even more expensive, reference the history of LA County Supervisors, and more dependent upon moneyed interests. Now that can change, again the LA County Supervisors, however, can do you think you can build the kind of left constituency here in Miami to do it? Also, without the "Hollywood elite" and strong unions of "closed shop" CA who on the left will foot the bill? Moreover, what about the many examples of term limits leading to more powerful lobbyists? Why do you think that conservatives almost always champion term limits, because with term limits their issues get advocated either by less "state-automomous" elected officials or more valued lobbyists.
I agree.. reducing the number of commissioners will make it worse. The at-large districts will at least balance things out and provide countywide accountability at the legislative and policy level.
As an example from our own state, the Jacksonville city council (Jacksonville is consolidated with Duval County) has 14 district council members, and 5 at-large members. Note the city's population is about 1/3 the size of Miami-Dade County.
How can this be done?
" shrinking the number of district elected commissioners from 13 to 7 by redrawing and expanding the size of districts, African American representation would be strengthened and not diminished."
African Americans only are about 20% of the population. They are lucky to have retained the Moss and Edmonson seats. They would lose. They now have 4 commissioners and the white non hispanic commissioners (18 percent) have only 2 seats.
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