In an article in the Miami Herald, reporter Chuck Rabin reported that Miami Dade County has decided to sue the State over an incorporation fee ban that the State imposed on the county. I wouldn't care, except they are using our tax money to sue the State.
Mayor of Palmetto Bay Eugene Flinn was quoted saying: "I think everybody's frustrated with the County Commission." Ya think?
Mild mannered State Rep. Julio Robaina said, with less tact, regarding our County Commission's vote: "They're out of control." He was so angry he threatened to do another statewide referendum to repeal our home rule charter which doles out the power to the Commission.
Maybe it isn't such a bad idea this time to repeal it.
The fight between State and County is over whether more affluent cities should be paying multi million dollar fees to the County over years to get the right to incorporate (get out from under the control of the County). I would suppose it is also a punishment for 'Cherry Picking' the City borders. Less affluent areas are sometimes not included. Don't really know why the County charges the fee to a fledgling City. Extortion?
Anyway, citizen unrest is alive and well: Everywhere. Just look at what Florida International University focus group participant, Wendy Stephan of Buena Vista, said:
"I was amazed at the absolute fury of the other group members, none of whom were activists in any sense, most of them condo residents themselves. This random group of voters could not have been more disgusted with our local political leaders and their complete failure to implement even basic standards of urban planning. Taking part in this focus group really gave me the courage to keep fighting."
Rebecca Wakefield of the SunPost in the article Water Worlds said about this focus group:
"One of the researchers, Marcos Feldman, told me they were trying to get a sense of what people in different neighborhoods and economic classes of Miami were thinking about development. While there were many different issues and opinions expressed, Feldman said there was “a striking convergence of opinion that crossed socio-economic lines.” Regardless of background, these voters felt excluded by the development process and disappointed in the accountability of their local government in protecting their interests."
P.S. Rebecca Sosa voted with Katy Sorenson and Carlos Gimenez against the lawsuit. Pepe Diaz had to vote with them or it would have been political suicide for him (Doral is in his district and it is one of the cities that wants the fee dropped). But what I was going to say is, Rebecca hasn't been bad...She often is the swing vote, I think of her as the Sandra Day O'Connor of the commission.
4 comments:
More like some kind of official and thus acceptable form of extortion, so no one will be offended you see.
Nice post. It's frustrating, but uplifting, to read about community groups that are trying to organize and channel their frustrations at the County to make change.
Keep us posted, they need our full support.
Mambi -- the focus group was a study of sorts, they picked people at random in the community and interviewed them and I would suppose they let them vent. They were just unconnected citizens. If they united into a group we would be home free!
Sosa is close to Sejias, they both have homes in the Keys and think alike on many issues. Look how she has held up the Davis/Ponce, High Pines annexation by Coral Gables at Sejias request and against Carlos Gimenez and his preferences for his own district. Gimenez is mad at her and sees this as against the custom of commissioners to act freely within their districts but can do nothing about it because he can't challenge Sejias and her allies like Sosa on the commission, she is much to powerful on the commission.
She only voted against this because she doesn't think the county will win and thinks it is a bad political gamble for the county and her own Coral Gables touching district.
The BCC complains about "cherry picking" wealthy areas but in reality non-wealthy areas have a harder time incorporating-at any cost. Will North Central or Biscayne gardens be allowed to incorporate, I doubt it.
Cutler Bay could only incorporate if they gave up some control to Goulds. Redland, which was revenue neutral, has been on indefinate deferral for years. Only Biscayne Gardens, thanks to the hard line by Shirley Gibson, finaly made it. The County line is, "If your a wealthy area we'll make you pay, if your not wealthy, you probably won't make it! Pretty much covers it all. Sad, but the BCC will never support incorporations in any fair way. I think it's a control thing.
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