The South Florida Regional Planning Council plays an important role in voting whether to recommend or not, major developments and such issues as Miami-Dade's Urban Development Boundary.
Two years ago, in a fit of pique, County Commission Chairman Joe Martinez removed fellow Commissioner Katy Sorenson from the Regional Planning Council. The Miami Herald reported, "Miami-Dade County Commission Chairman Joe Martinez has yanked a fellow commissioner off an influential regional planning board, just days after she voted against building more homes and offices closer to the Everglades." ('Sorenson yanked from planning council', Miami Herald, January 14, 2006)
At the time, housing markets were beginning to crash but few in positions of power understood or willing to see. By pulling Sorenson from the appointed seat on the RPC, Martinez sent a message to his speculator/developer donors and to opponents struggling to "Hold The Line"; with his removal of his fellow commissioner from the RPC, he knew perfectly well how to communicate who is boss.
Today, housing markets are in a free fall. It looks like Katy Sorenson was right, all along, to object to more development in suburban sprawl-land. I'm not sure what it says, that Commissioner Sorenson was recently added back to the Regional Planning Council with the approval of new chairman, Dennis Moss. You can read the tea leaves for yourselves, or, just comment below.
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9 comments:
The big question is "Will Moss have what it takes to neuter Seijas"? If he gives her a committee, nothing will change. But if he passes her over and gives the powerful committer (GOE) to Sorenson or Gimenez, maybe things will change for the better.
yeah! Give me just a moment to feel the happiness.
Katy has been steadfast in her objection to sprawl, but she did not predict the collapse of the housing market. She has been an advocate of Eastward Ho! development. Gimleteye, does that make Katy responsible for all those vacant condo highrises downtown?
Speaking of the beast from NW Dade, I entered a comment under a Miami Herald online story about the Port of Miami tunnel in response to a previous comment that the tunnel should only be built if we could stick all of the area's politicians in it and then seal both end.
I asked if the tunnel was wide enough to hold Seijas, Sosa and Pepe Diaz. The comment wouldn't go through and a message popped up saying 'remove the word "seijas"' from the comment. I substituted 'Natacha' and that went through. The Herald deleted my comment along with numerous others the next day.
Is she such a bitch that even the mighty Miami Herald is afraid to piss her off by allowing readers to criticize her? Her last name is not allowed to be entered in comments anymore? I think this is a story that needs to be told because she has evidently muzzled our already pathetic major newspaper.
Just what I suspected. Moss rewarding Sorenson for her loyal service. For many years, Moss has controlled District 8 along with his District (9).
I got word from the Herald that people say such horrible things about her that they had to censor her name. Pretty funny huh?
That is why this Blog is here Say Hoss! so you can say what you want.
Moss has been really mum on the committee structure.. Nothing is coming out on committee chairs and compositions. That should be released soon, as the committees need to start meeting in early February after the Jan 22 BCC hearing. Gimenez would be the better choice at GOE. Katy is the anti-development queen, but, I don't think that qualifies her for GOE. Gimenez was a former City Manager, and has held the administrations feet to the fire more than any sitting Commissioner, especially Katy who will never vote against Burgess... Frankly, it sickens me!
And meanwhile Mrs. Moss continues to work at the airport in contract administration on contracts that the commission approves or disapproves. Is that a conflict of interest or what?
Geniusofdespair: if Seijas can muzzle the once mighty Miami Herald like this, I'm afraid for this blog. She has to absolutely despise it for pointing out so many disgusting and unethical things about her. Keep up the great work.
Gimleteye writes, in response to an earlier comment above: Sorenson is the only county commissioner I know to have said from the dais that we should be re-thinking how to grow our economy without constantly expanding the footprint for development and construction. As you can imagine, from the dais, this notion gains as much traction as a stone dropped down a bottomless well.
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