I have known County Commissioner Katy Sorenson for over 10 years. We have never been close friends. I gave a contribution to one or two of her campaigns. She knows me and always says hello and smiles broadly but I am not the type of person that fosters close ties. Too prickly. But will I miss her at the County Commission? Damn right I will. In yesterday's post we list all her accomplishments and there are many. However, it is the questions she asked and the issues she raised on the dais when she was totally out-numbered that I will remember. She was razor sharp and always right on target. I often watched her, sitting up there for 16 hours, and thought to myself, how can you do this without slugging someone. I watched her speak while Vile Natacha Seijas and Audrey Edmonson talked loudly trying to drown her out and wondered how can she not slug those two?
I don't blame her for retiring from the circus there, but who has the stamina and control of blows to replace her? Katy Sorenson, I will miss you when you leave, you are a gem, a bright light, an angel in my book.
17 comments:
I couldn't agree with you more. No one is perfect, but in this crazy county, to see someone who actually believes in doing the "people's work" stay the course is beyond remarkable.
It's a very tough job. Katy was passionate and ethical - 2 good traits to look for in a successor.
I never understood how she could take all the crap either. She will be deeply missed.
Katy Sorenson has nerves of steel and a smile that disguised her rock hard fortitude.
Katy was & always will be The Eleventh Commanment, Thou Shall
Be "FAIR & SQUARE"
Sidney & Maryannette Robinson
Redland
This is a great loss. Thank you, Katy. Please help us identify someone who could actually win to replace you. The vultures will be circling.
We were lucky to have Katy so long. If she had lived in California, her positions would have been oh so mainstream. But to all those kindred spirits who dream about moving to Portland, Ore. or Gainesville, FL or Burlington, VT, so you can live on a tree-lined street with Volvos and Priuses in the driveways, so you can discuss fascinating articles from the New Yorker with your PhD friends at the local coffee shop. Where the city's anti-sprawl and clean energy programs are about as controversial as whether it will rain or snow. I have one word for you do-gooders: Don't leave! Stay here where you are needed. Katy probably could have packed up for her native Madison, Wisconsin, for a life of used-bookstore bliss. Instead she stuck it out with the concrete Commission often being the lone vote of sustainability after allies Miguel Diaz De la Portilla (who turned from neighborhood defender into a pro-development lobbyist) and Jimmy Morales unsuccessfully ran for Mayor. Katy was a great county leader and our community is lucky to have had her stay for so long. But now there's no one left who will show the same leadership for these values. There's only way forward. It's time to eliminate term limits and elect new blood in all 13 districts. Despite the fact that Katy defeated an incumbent 18 years ago, there is little chance incumbents can win in this town. District seats are for life. There must be a citizens' petition for term limits now or the Commission will speed up the transfer of our tax dollars to developers and schemers and mow down every last blade of the River of Grass until there is nothing left. Maybe with a little work, Miami-Dade can be the next Seattle, without the rain.
couldn't agree with you more
she always defended outrageously high county salaries and she voted against every one of carlos gimenez's motions to cut executive salaries and benefits. i say good riddance!
No one is 100%. I disagreed on a few issues but I got 85% at least with her votes!
She could have done more...
Not with the other 12!
I want you all to think about how a pay raise for commissioners might be attracting someone good to fill her shoes. If you can't afford to be commish, you can't run. the powers to be will line the pockets of someone directly or indirectly and then they will put them in office. You have to pay these 13 a living wage, no matter how bitter a pill that is for you to swallow. This would have been the perfect time to get someone dynamic in there, too, because people are focused on home values and unsustainable development.
We need a wealthy, pro sustainable growth, honest, decent person to step us. Most of the honest decent people around here are poor.
Help!
Thought about it....nope.
So who is replacing her? I have only read that Palmetto Bay Mayor Eugene Flinn is running. He is very good, but is anybody else interested? After all, open seats don't come around often.
Eugene Flinn is a worthy successor. A lot of people in Katy's circle already supporting him. He no doubt will face a group of usual Miami-Dade (cretins) suspects.
Not so last Anon, there are a few good people considering a run. Flinn might be facing a few able candidates.
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