A challenger has emerged to run in an April election for Coral Gables City Commission against popular incumbent Maria Anderson: Gonzalo Sanabria. Eyeonmiami has written about Gonzalo Sanabria before. News of Sanabria's intention to run for public office gives us reason to write again.
"I will shortly be challenging Maria Anderson to any and all debates. I look forward to analyzing her record in front of the public.'' Bring it on, she said. ''I love the democratic process,'' Anderson said. "Campaigns are a great way to have a great dialogue about the issues of the city. I love debates. So I would say, let's go for it."
Gonzalo Sanabria's career has been tied up in one real estate deal after another, and in his public service has represented Miami's addiction to growth-at-any-cost that helped foment the housing market bubble and now the worst decline in property values in history. Sanabria served on the County Planning Advisory Board as chief barker for serial horrendous development applications; from the Homestead Air Force Base (HABDI) to other developments outside Miami Dade's Urban Development Boundary. Sometimes Gonzalo seemed to be reading from the same script. Gonzalo Sanabria relished his role as the black hat and could always be counted on to deliver the viewpoint of special interests.
Sanabria's viewpoint on growth is like a saw blade cutting through the public interest in two directions: first, the complaint that environmental and planning regulations are excessively burdensome and, second, that regulations adequately protect the environment from development impacts.
While Gonzalo Sanabria was pushing his arguments back and forth on the Planning Advisory Board, his team-mates in the lobbying business were all about neutering, dismantling, or otherwise wrecking those regulations and intimidating those regulators at every opportunity.
We can't wait to hear his defense of the indefensible.
(this is a repost because of a technical error of first post on 1/19/09 Gonzalo Sanabria not for Coral Gables City Commission.)
2 comments:
what redeeming qualities do Sanabria and Comm. Maria Anderson have? Why should we vote for one over the other?
Maria Anderson is a genuinely nice person, who cares about the community of Coral Gables. She is smart, she often says: "Educate me" when she doesn't know an issue. She is an architect by training. Maria held a charette about the city's growth so she could hear from the citizens and so they could participate in the planning of their community. She promised in 2005 to improve the programs and expand the facilities for Coral Gables Senior residents. In 2007, a Senior Center annex opened at the University Baptist Church, offering additional programs and activities for the Gables senior population. 127 different activities and programs that include computer instruction, field trips, arts and crafts, are offered. There is also a well-attended lunch lecture series.
She cares about historic preservation, the DeSoto Fountain, the City Hall Cupola, Merrick House, all City entrances and plazas have been restored.
GONZALO SANABRIA HAS VOTED TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO MOVE THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT BOUNDARY.
Take your pick.
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