Hialeah Julio Robaina just got the endorsement of the LBA (Latin Builders Association). They said:
"As an association immersed in the building industry, we are extremely invested in the future direction of our local communities and our State and as a result it is imperative that we (LBA) endorse Mayor Julio Robaina for Miami-Dade County Mayor." --- Bernie Navarro, President-Elect, Latin Builders Association®.
37 comments:
Well, there you have it. The organization who helped to systematically collapse the real estate market in South Florida has endorsed Mr. Robaina.
Homestead, Kendall, Doral - please take note. This is not your man!
Unfortunately, Katie Edwards (former head of the Dade County Farm Bureau) is going to be the kiss of death to Gimenez in South Dade. She's having a fund raiser for him at Capri (follow the Alger/Speedway/Air base crap).
So, I think I'll be looking for another candidate. Robaina - what a loser, Llorente - who is he?
This sucks now, at least for us in South Dade. We're already stuck with Bell.
Hey, I heard that Vanessa Brito is working for the LBA. Oh, wait, now she's disavowing it, just like she did with the Accountability Project's trashing of Carlos Gimenez. Hard to keep up with that girl.
Katie does not have the juice to singlehandely hurt Gimenez. Algers got nothing so far in final form from Homestead and Farm Bureau did not weigh in on the vested rights issue. Sometimes those of us on opposite ends of the spectrum CAN agree on the right candidate
You mean Jimenez, Jr. (LBA Board member) could not get the father endorsed? Not even his own people like him...
Looks like the Jimenez strategy of having a bag man (Carlos, Jr) on the LBA board backfired. Pathetic! Maybe next time...
That is kind of sad..What do you think led them to endorse Robaina over Gimenez?
To the anonymous who asked"
"What do you think led them to endorse Robaina over Gimenez?"
Um... are you serious?
Robaina is a developer who has fought to move the UDB, and Gimenez has fought against moving the UDB.
The LBA members feel like it's Manifest Destiny all over again, and are eager to re-zone all the cheap land they bought west of the UDB.
M
I would guess that the vast majority of hispanic voters have an uncle, grandfather, brother, cousin or some relative who is somehow tied in to the mechanisms of residential construction whether as a truck driver delivering concrete blocks, a plumbers helper or tile setter, whatever. To them, sprawl is not a bad word but the word that keeps the relative employed and food on the table with little or no thought given to the big picture quality of life issues of over-building. My point ? the endorsement of the LBA is not the kiss of death some of us would like it to be. In many circles, Hialeah is not a metaphor for corruption but describes an acceptable way of life.
The LBA made this decision without formal notice to the membership, no formal process, and behind closed doors, so, it is fitting that they endorsed Julio Robaina, Mr. Unaccountability, Liar, Loan Shark, Illegal Gambling Broker, 8 Million Dollar man, who has a $260,000.00 salary, and increased his own salary by 5% (took an 8% increase, and then latest was a 3% decrease, so, aggregate, 5%), only to stay on the taxpayer dime while running, scheduling campaign style events on the public dime!!! If I lived in Hialeah, I would be going APE you know what!!!!!!
i thought that Katie edwards had moved on... now it looks like she is trying to move-on to Gimenez' staff.
That is scary stuff... she has for years acted like defacto expert on everything agricultural in south dade, even at 21 years old, which is when she started at the FB... How many ex directors of organizations do you know call George Burgess on his cell phone when they wanted something?
Katie was the one responsible for our Ag manager Charles LePradd being hired. George was given the plan which included herself and another farm bureau board member sitting on the hiring review panel, along with one of Charles buddies. Charles was a former board of directors member of the Farm Bureau and his wife helps (or not) farmers file for disaster claims, so Katie and friends were not the most impartial bunch for the rest of the poor candidates.
She is owed much by many less than stellar individuals (includes our favorite development attorneys) for her maneuvering of political people and the rules to benefit her buddies. She is not a nice person. Katy will stab you without guilt.
As long as the LBA see's their economic development by paving over our Natural Resources (which employee people too) no one they endorse will ever get my vote. There's plenty of re development opportunity, but the easier/cheaper way is pave over farmland outside the UDB. That to me is just wrong and stupid.
I'm very proud of a lot of our hispanic population and their contributions, but please, spare us the "Don't hate for what the Cubans have accomplished" just because the rest of the Dade County planet doesn't agree with the LBA platform and their total destruction of our community.
Gimenez has supported rock mining/development outside the UDB - Krome Gold for example. He supported the Speedway App too, outside the UDB.
Gimenez has supported rock mining/development outside the UDB - Krome Gold for example. He supported the Speedway App too, outside the UDB.
Ohoh.
So where do we go with out vote? Put Julio in and pray he goes to jail?
I hear Jimenez, Jr (the LBA board member) was part of those closed doors meetings and he still could not get his PAPI endorsed. How sad is that!!! Jimenez is a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Agree with El. He is a wolf in sheep's clothing. It will be interesting to see what happens when some not so positive facts are released.
Robaina is a crook. Gimenez is not endorsed by LBA because he cannot be bought by them so they need to undermine him. I don't understand why Gimenez voted for Krome Gold, truly. That disappointed me, but he has been bang on on so many other issues and I think he is a good man. For the person who posted about family members in the trade, remember this - for everyone who doesn't have a job and wants one, there are one or two people with a house value that is headed into the dirt. If Gimenez' people can find a way to get that message out, that LBA endorsement might turn into poison.
If the LBA was such a horrible organization, why would Jimenez' son sit on the board and why would Gimenez's Sr. even go to their events. Just cause he did not get their endorsement doesnt give him or his people the right to trash the LBA. Note: I am not a member of LBA.
If Gimenez is using Keith Donner for anything, he's screwed.
I'm not 100% happy with Gimenez at all nor some of his BCC voting record. That I could put aside for the greater good or fear of Robaina.
However, I don't like the fact that it wouldn't alarm him or his campaign having Katie Edwards hold a fund raiser for him, she's toxic down here. I understand the need to raise funds, but to come in to town with someone who's so responsible for so much bad stuff that has happened with our Ag Areas, does not show good judgement nor much environmental concern, and that's a problem - at least where my vote is concerned.
The stupidity of the people is amazing, or they just don't know the kind of crooks that the LBA board of directors are. These people are fully aware that they are the "kiss of death"... the strategy consists of NOT endorsing their REAL candidate, SCHMUCKS! What's wrong with all of you? No wonder we're so damn screwed, we can no longer lift our heads from the crap that these sleezes have immersed us in! For crying out loud, people, open up your eyes!
The only LBA Event that Gimenez has attended in the last 4 years is the debate that they hosted a few weeks ago. The LBA Board doesn't like him. Why his son is on the board, I have no idea, but, I expect that he works for a firm, who wanted representation on the board, he is cuban, so, they sent him.
Keith Donner actually is the Executive Director of a PAC called "The Accountability Project" that has been going after Gimenez with money from the PBA, Julio Ponce (Julio Robaina's best friend in Hialeah, and executive director of the Hialeah Housing Authority), and others of that type. That in itself tells me all I need to know.
Gimenez is not a knee-jerk reaction type of guy. He actually thinks about the votes he takes, and, even when I disagree, at least he states his position as to why he takes a certain stance. Straight forward, and experienced in running government from his days in the City. I think he left the City with more money in the bank than what the County has, and that County is about 12 times larger than the City. All that while dropping taxes to the lowest levels in 50 years. Not a bad track record at all.
Robaina is getting paid $260,000.00 a year, higher than the Governor, higher than a US Senator. His financial disclosure showed his net worth at $8 million. Yet, when he forced his employees to take a pay cut (fine, budget issues are a concern) of 30% in some cases, dropped his salary by 3% (but that was after raising his salary by 8% the year previous). Some public servant. The only thing he does consistently is lie, lie, and lie some more.
I mean, I don't get the outrage over a fundraiser. Gimenez needs to win, and he has never been one to do favors based on a contribution. We need to keep our eye on the greater good right now. He needs to win, for the sake of our community, boy, he needs to win.
I don't think Gimenez is losing any sleep over not getting an LBA endorsement, and frankly, who cares if he did. He is the best candidate, hands down!
Oh my, just read the comment before last, re: the LBA not endorsing their REAL candidate. What are you talking about??? You clearly have no idea. Go through the list of names on the endorsements. Natasha was always endorsed by them. Alvarez, Diaz, Pepe Diaz, Bruno, ROBAINA. These are the LBA's type of folks. Remember, there are people at the LBA for business development. Others, especially those on the executive board, are there for politics.
The LBA helped to cause the housing crash. For the LBA it is always "Build at any cost". It is now 2011 and prices are down 30% to 75%. It has been reported that 20% of all homes and condos in South Florida are vacant. I use any recommendation from the LBA as a contrary indicator.
LOL!!! Gimenez goes to the LBA events with lots of cameras-such as annual LBA bike drive for the poor. That Gimenez father and son duo...what hypocrites!!!!
LBA and SFBA had a hand in crashing the So Fla economy. This is no editorial statement. It is a fact. The Fed also had a hand in it along with several banks, large and small. The Commissioners played a few innings here too, along with a hand full of very crafty land use attorneys, some crooked Community Council members and.....shall I go on.
Ain't no getting away with it. It happened and Miami Dade County will find its way into history books. We are the example of what not to do.
Going viral with Luke for Mayor. Who needs the LBA. Luke has all your sons and daughthjer voting for him. Pop that vote!
Wow. I have been reading this blog for a few months now and this is my first post. I am NOT a member of the LBA but have participated in their events and I am friends with most of their prominent members (including some that this blog downright hates). The LBA is not an evil organization, that's downright laughable, unless of course you are one of the fools who think everyone in the GOP is evil (or vice versa, with Democrats). The LBA is out for their best interest, just like the PBA, AFSCME, ABA and any other trade organization or union. They didn't create the real estate mess unless of course they were omnipresent and started building in Vegas or Southern California or Michigan, etc. Julio has many flaws but he's not a loan shark or ponzi schemer, anybody involved in business understands high risk/high interest rate loans. Go to rent a center or any pay check advance business, their rates when annualized and properly accounted for are in the triple digits. He lost his money, $750K. He didn't take anyone's money. He makes $260K, so what? He's the strong mayor without county manger, do you know what the county pays for it's manager and mayor combined? Gimenez earns $200K on civil service pensions, plus consulting contracts. It's frustrating to see people tout him as the "clean" candidate. We don't have many great choices but Robaina is the best one for now.
Did anyone see the letter Cancio sent to the LBA today? We need a guy with real cojones to lead the county and he is THE one.
agree with AR.
AR is full of it. There is such a thing called a financial disclosure, it is public record. You can pull the filings from the election webpage, like I just did. Gimenez only has a $120,000.00 pension, and that was for 30 years of public service as a fire fighter, fire chief, city manager. Robaina, in contrast, has been an ELECTED OFFICIAL for 14 years, gets paid $260,000.00 a year to manage a City half the size of the City of Miami (Gimenez made $160K as City Manager, and actually took less money than his predecesor because of the financial crisis the City was in), and Robaina will walk away with $150K in the bank. The LBA/Robaina cronies are out in full force with apparently the only thing Robaina does well, lie, lie and lie some more. He is under investigation, he lied about that. He loaned money to a ponzi schemer, he did not invest in the ponzi scheme, another bold faced lie. He did recieve loans from Hialeah vendors, and he gave loans to Hialeah vendors. He took $10,000.00 from a client, and got caught in his early career, and was caught red handed. All this is public record, and you can't hide from the truth. How is it that Robaina's initial net worth when he started in the public arena was a few hundred thousand, and now, it is 8 million?? Public servant indeed!!
AR - you actually are dancing close to the flames. Let me connect the dots. Lennar, a large national home builder, has built homes in all the sunbelt states (CA, TX, AZ, NV and FL). Go check those state housing markets and rank them in order of worst to awful. Some of those states have a problem with jobs creation. All of those states have a problem with junk mortgages.
Lennar, and other developers, have very cozy consortiums and lobbyist networks to further their interests. The LBA and SFBA are at the nexus of that. Yes, they are looking out after their own interests. You have stated a fact. Yes, they have had a significant hand in collapsing the housing market here. That, along with slack banking regulation (making mortgage money available to anyone) allowed Lennar and others to put people in homes they couldn't afford.
A decided lack of job creation resulted also fed into this. That job creation was as much a part of bad trade policies as it was regulation or taxes. So, now, government corruption and a lack of adherance to growth management laws allowed those industies to build more houses than we need.
Put it all together and you have a real estate catastrophe for our local economy.
So, google Lennar and see what you get. It is what it is. Secondly, AR, I am a Republican. Welcome to the blog community. It's an eye opener. Take care.
LNR, a Lennar company, is run by the son of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. His former job? Selling and packaging mortgages on Wall Street.
Wow, I did not know that. OK, so the roots go way deeper than I even imagined.
Yup. Justice Kennedy's son is co-head of LNR. Mortgages, baby.
Come on, people, wake up. Gimenez is the only one you should consider voting for - he is by far the most honorable and intelligent of the bunch.
Yes, agreed. Gimenez is the choice. The fact that LBA did not endorse him tells all. He is a pretty straight arrow. I respect him.
Post a Comment