Not having followed the City of Miami Elections closely (except I predicted a good looking guy win in District 4), I am printing the Miami Herald endorsements. I did give three candidates an edge in the Herald picks because they have "Always been nice to me":
Tomas Regalado, Mayor (Always been nice to me)
Beba Sardina Mann, District 3 (Always been nice to me)
Oscar Rodriguez-Fonts, District 4
Jeff Torain, District 5
In Miami Beach:
Matti Bower, Mayor
Jorge Exposito, Group 2
Gabrielle Redfern, Group 3 (Always been nice to me)
Hialeah endorsements don't count -- the lesser of two evils doesn't cut it.
26 comments:
The Herald did not endorse Regalado. They did a halfass job. Talked about both candidates and very sneakily stuck in his picture giving the impression that they endorsed him, fooling many people, including G.O.D. The words For Mayor the Herald endorses Regalado were not there, so that is not an endorsement...Guess they value Braman's ads too much.
Amen to that!
I think the Herald basically just agreed with any sane person and said neither one of the 2 clowns running for City of Miami mayor is worth endorsing.
I would rather have a Mayor who respects the taxpayers than a poser who gives the taxpayers money away...
Here's the Herald on Regalado:
"Can the stone thrower become a coalition builder in South Florida's most populous city?"
"Former City Manager Frank Rollason, a supporter, recently had a face-to-face with the commissioner, asking him about his vision for the city. `He didn't say an awful lot besides guaranteeing basic services,' Rollason said."
"`There's an overshadowing concern we may be taking a step back toward the politics of old,' said Mario Artecona, executive director of the political group the Miami Business Forum."
"Regalado wants nothing to do with grand plans."
Myriam:
With all do respect to you and the Miami Herald… Your statement that the Herald’s Editorial Board lacks enthusiasm for either Mayoral Candidate and your sense that most readers understand your point that the Herald reluctantly endorse Regalado, but is somehow conveying that recommendation message by publishing his photo, leaves a lot to be desired. The Herald clearly recommended your wise endorsements for City of Miami Commissioner Candidates in District 3, 4 and 5. Those reaming loyal readers of the Miami Herald are also expecting you to be as forthright with the best possible choice for Mayor. The readers of the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald deserve to know where the Miami Herald stands and how they see our future. Your editorial Board has been providing leadership to our community for many years. Please also provide leadership in the case of this very important Mayoral election as well. Please be so kind as to reevaluate the situation and have your Editorial Board take a stand and publish a real recommendation ASAP. Make it crystal clear where the Herald stands, which Mayoral Candidate you recommend, what will be required of his leadership and our communities sacrifice to help us all get through these most challenging of times.
Most sincerely,
Harry Emilio Gottlieb
10/26/2009
Harry:
On Sunday and next Tuesday we will run a list of the recommendations and Regalado will be listed.
Myriam Marquez
Editorial Page Editor
The Miami Herald
305-376-3618
MMarquez@miamiherald.com
I agree with your endorsement (and the Miami Herald's)of Oscar Rodriguez-Fonts in District 4. He went door-to -door in my Silver Bluff neighborhood, without handlers. He answered all my questions regarding how to make ends meet with reduced home assessments resulting in lower taxes. He has a good record of public service and seems to be an all around nice guy. He even gave us his personal cell phone number if we ever want to call on him for any reason. What a breath of fresh air!
Hopefully he will be listed but not endorsed. Let's not forget that Regalado in 98 initially voted for that firefee. Let's not forget that he was caught stealing from the City of Miami and let's not forget that he's had no major impact in his own district. Last but not least he has no ideas and no solutions. Everyone needs to go out and vote. Vote for Joe Sanchez!
I think it's funny that they guy who was subject to IRS tax liens is now somehow perceived as the guy who "respects the taxpayers." Isn't the first part of respecting the taxpayers paying your own taxes?
Lets not forget Joe Sanchez thoguht the fire fee was OK!
AND he voted for it three times
I don't understand the Herald's quasi-endorsement of Regalado. Are they bowing to special interests?
With stories of financial transgressions gracing the paper's shrinking pages, how can the supposed pillar of Miami journalism support a candidate with at least a half dozen tax liens?
At what point does indiscretion become a pattern of behavior?
Does a leader succumb to throwing paper in a tantrum during a televised City Commission meeting as Regalado did?
Will citizens respect an alleged leader who can't respect a differing view point?
Regalado can't lead if residents don't follow.
Interestingly, most people I know don't read the Herald. Next week, I expect the paper will print an interview with an FIU professor who will deduce that cops, firefighters, African Americans and white anglos quietly decided that Regalado does not represent them.
at least half a dozen tax liens? Really? I am so tired of the Sanchez camp. I have recieved 5 anti-Regalado mailers at my home in the past two weeks.
All they do is misconstrue quotes and go by hearsay.
November Third the overdevelopment of Miami will end. November Third we will fix our City. The residents, The Commissioners, and the new Mayor.
Anonymous- I never got a mailer. I looked at the Miami-Dade Clerk's website to findout for myself and see 12 different documents relating to Regalado and the IRS.
That's too many for my liking.
Regalado history of financial irresponsibility.
7/94 fed tax lien $4,745
9/95 fed tax lien $13,107
10/98 fed tax lien $2,592
1/99 fed tax lien $17,634
2/01 fed tax lien $$8,422
11/02 fed tax lien $1,070
7/03 fed tax lien $7,693
7/03 fed tax lien $9,258
2/03 bank of America foreclosure suit
1/77 Baptist Hospital judgement-unpaid bills $880
12/88 City of Miami sued for unpaid trash fees $1,097
5/97 U of M hospital lien $1,471
Campaign reports violations-fines $6,450
ouuu. Regalado looks to be a bit slow with the book keeping. Not a good thing.
It looks like a lot more than slow with bookkeeping.
One can't believe everything one reads. The Regalado financial history was probably fabricated or exaggerated. What matters is his voting history as Miami Commissioner, and his local as well as global experience as journalist under three US Presidents.
I attended three debates between Joe Sanchez and Tomas Regalado. I heard many similar catch phrases from Sanchez and quite a few hart felt words from Regalado. I don’t care what any politician says regarding what they are going to do or if attend church, owns a gun, has a dog, is good looking, was a veteran, who they slept with or if they pay their taxes. I only care about what they have done to benefit our community, since that is probably a pretty good indication of what they will do in the future (like buying a stock). I only care that Regalado voted against the rezoning of Mercy Hospital, against the gentrification of the Miami River and against the bad deal that was worked out for the Marlin Stadium and Garage. All those choices by Regalado where proven to be honorable, correct and beneficial to the citizens of Miami. All those choices made by Sanchez where proven to be wrong, against the law, despicable and against the citizens of Miami. Therefore my respect and vote goes to Regalado.
Regalado supporters are pointless to discuss with. You can present FACT after FACT of why he should not no be mayor, and they stay blinded by his demagoguery.
They say it's fabricated, they say it's hearsay.
Can you imagine the new administration under Regalado with his OLD, CLOSE- MINDED CUBAN CRONIES as heads of departments?
He has to find a way to comply with all the empty promises he has made to people and communities.
He has to follow through with HIS BACK-ROOM DEALS with the unions.
For the Regalado supporters out there, please list accomplishments that Regalado has done in his 14 year tenure as the "people's" commissioner?
Accomplishments mean things he has DONE (i.e. resolutions/ordinances proffered and approved by the commission, senior affordable housing...) not what he has stood against (which REALLY narrows the list)
In conclusion, through the annals of history, the past is usually used to predict the future. Mr. Regalado is certainly not going to begin being a visionary NOW. According to his website, being green means taking a picture with a patch of grass in the frame and adding a vine-themed border.
Please, spare me the BS. Stay with your tried and true ego booster through your years, criticizing everything on the least listened to AM station in Miami. Just because the station is la poderosa, you do not have to be el poderoso.
Regalado has done more sidewalks and pavement in his district then the rest of the City of Miami. Seeing as I got a flat tire this morning in Brickell; to me thats a big deal.
Sidewalks! What VISION for the City of Miami. Miami is about greenways and a metropolis! Joe is OUR man! He has been against the special interest
Oscar is the real deal. I have known him for twelve years and he truly cares about this City. It is time that we have people who actually care in office.
I was going to vote for Tomas until I read what Kiko said. Now I'm not sure.
I was going to vote for Joe until I read what all you language phobics wrote. Now I am voting for Tomas.
Joe Sanchez demanded the commissioners give over $3 bil of the taxpayers money to bailout the foreign based privately owned Marlins baseball team. Sanchez endorsed the City giving the taxpayer owned Orange Bowl site for the exclusive use of a private operator, the Marlins. The taxpayers received nothing back.
This last anon comment is a vintage Regalado supporter comment. Sanchez demanded...ha ha ha... he held up the other 4 commissioners and made them vote for stadium. or is the insinuation that the other 4 are weak. and for the exclusive use of a private operator, ha ha ha, there will be other events taking place at the stadium. taxpayers receive nothing back, ha ha ha, what do you call the stadium and the Miami Marlins? what about the tax base for property taxes?
Please.
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