Barbara Jordan has on the agenda Tuesday that from this fund: Lauren's Kids, Inc. is scheduled to get $30,000, Center for Family and Child Enrichment, Inc. will get $35,000, and the YMCA of Greater Miami gets $35,000. YMCA??
Lauren's Kids, Inc. was approved for $35,000 in February from this fund. The stroller fund money was always Natacha Seijas' to disburse and she was on the vote that happened in November of last year to disburse the February funds. I think that is why the "Y" also got the nod this time - a salute that Natacha's influence is still alive. Additionally, Sally Heyman gave Lauren's Kids, Inc. $5,000 in September from her office funds. Didn't the State of Florida have some legislation that gave Lauren's Kids a big chunk of money recently? Anyone recall?
The reason Lauren's Kids, Inc. does well is because Lobbyist Ron Book is the President. Ron can raise money for this charity, all he has to do is pick up the phone. The charity is in his office. Who doesn't owe Ron Book a favor? I guess everyone in the county does because they are quick to help Ron's charity. Lets not forget he is a master fundraiser that does NOT need to solicit County funds, he can go to the private sector trough.
I wish he would just raise the funds somewhere else for his worthy charity -- besides from government entities because there are many deserving charities that don't have a Ron Book as President of them that are struggling and are in NEED of funds. I hope the next time the County is distributing these parking permit funds that they share the wealth. Notice to anyone giving out tax dollars: Don't worry about Lauren's Kids, it will NEVER be hurting for funds with Ron Book at the helm. Here is a listing of county checks to Lauren's Kids:
| LAURENS KIDS INC | Oct 21, 2008 | 02164537 | $1,000.00 | |
| LAURENS KIDS INC | Oct 21, 2008 | 02164538 | $1,500.00 | |
| LAURENS KIDS INC | Oct 21, 2008 | 02164539 | $5,000.00 | |
| LAURENS KIDS INC | Oct 28, 2008 | 02166107 | $3,000.00 | |
| LAURENS KIDS INC | Dec 16, 2008 | 02182624 | $2,500.00 | |
| LAURENS KIDS INC | Mar 31, 2009 | 02214202 | $2,500.00 | |
| LAURENS KIDS INC | Apr 14, 2009 | 02218162 | $900.00 | |
| LAURENS KIDS INC | Sep 1, 2009 | 02262854 | $1,000.00 | |
| LAURENS KIDS INC | Sep 15, 2009 | 02266339 | $1,000.00 | |
| LAURENS KIDS INC | Feb 17, 2010 | 02308471 | $2,500.00 | |
| Void | ||||
| LAURENS KIDS INC | Sep 21, 2011 | 00125002 | $8,750.00 |
22 comments:
This rates a 10 on my barf meter. I watched the budget hearings where so many groups were literally cut off at the knees, to see this is just so wrong, but hey, that's the cesspool we call Miami Dade County!
In my opinion, this County needs to do a few things - reduce the County employees making over $100K, including the merged department heads, stop transferring people internally and actually interview prospective employees from outside of County Hall. And, finally, the BCC needs stop giving away our Tax dollars to non profits immediately or severely limit them to helping our seniors & food banks or basically, necessary social services who are helping the largest number of people.
Message to Ron Book: Couldn't you just call your non municipal client list or your buddy Steve Ross for $?
He's such an A**.
When people finally understand the uses for which nonprofit status has been utilized this will stop.
In its tracks.
I firmly believe that several decades ago all rich people were instructed by their tax attys to form nonprofits so they could be paid as executives tax free.
As if they needed it (which they didn't but it served to drain the middle classes' charity impulses into the rich's pockets and away from real utilization for the poor).
Keep up the great reporting!
S
I'd really like an outsider auditor to look in to the Children's Trust. From what I've been told by a group who actually helps the kids, funding from this trust is going mainly to "administration" & "research", not directly to help the people trying to help the kids, as the County always uses to keep these funds going.
This funding - kind of like the transportation tax, needs to start over and I want a re vote on both of these items. They certainly weren't as "advertised" umm, I mean "campaigned" for.
Thanks for the reporting too! I love this blog!
He can reach into his own fat wallet if the charity he heads needs money. It is a tax writeoff for him.
thank term limits in Tally. Book gets everything he wants and is possibly the most powerful "legislator" in the process!
Truly Blue
Reply to Suzan -For Profit Director learns the buzz word and changes Status to a Non Profit, Director Rents a Home, so that Director can make claims that they are from the community, and Probably the Homeowner still claims a Homestead exemption, Director pays themselves a "Professional" Expense and or Miscellaneous Expenses, Phone, Car, Food, Gas, Computer, etc., "NonProfit" Gets Taxpayer Public Facilities, infrastructure, and Monies, without investing a dime of its own Monies and Still Charges Tax Payers User Fees for Services, Registration Fees, and a Membership fee (of course if you become a member the registration fee is cheaper?? Really?), at Public Facilities that have already been paid for by the Taxpayer ie MDC Commissioner Discretionary Pay-outs, MDC Budgeted Items Pay-outs, MDC GOBonds Pay-outs, State of Florida Education funds Pay-outs ....
Young Mens Christian Association of Greater Miami Before and After school Care held at Miami Dade Public School Board Facilities....
How much did the YMCA of Greater Miami invest of its own monies in MDC PSB Schools infrastructure??? Does the YMCA of Greater Miami hire Professional State of Florida Certified Teachers?? How much Private Monies Did the YMCA of Greater Miami raise for these Programs? Should The YMCA of Greater Miami really be charging for these and other programs at/on Public facilities, Public Land??
Don't quite get the point last anonymous. Make it clear so I don't have to fish for it--- sum it up.
Ron Book's vanity nonprofit feeding at the public trough? That makes me throw up. Ron Book blew over $1,000,000 for Lauren's garish wedding in 2008 to golfer Kris Lim.
Read the wedding story here.
P.S. Lauren is already divorced.
Hell, I have seen Ron Book so much in and around the city and county government,I was sure he was some kind of offical government offical. However, He is nothing more than a political loan shark who gives away other peoples money to our commissioners in office for their votes and political power for his clients who appear in front of the city and county commission.
Make no mistake, it is tragic what happened to Lauren Book. Tragedy occurs every day. Most of the time the victim is not the daughter of an influential and powerful lobbyist.
The real tragedy is that Ron has chosen to exploit this for his own, and perhaps his daughters', gain.
Still the more real tragedy is that Ron and Lauren will continue to nurse big money out of YOU the taxpayer for their own personal gain.
Keep condemning the working people, to include hard working public employees who make a difference in your life every day, while not taking a hard stance against "never worked a day in my life" guys like Ron Book and all working class individuals will soon be paupers, if they aren't already.
Last anon,
You had me until you described public employees as hard working. Please.
Jordan is sponsoring this item for $30K (maybe 35K) I read it quickly tomorrow.
Jordan also voted in favor of Cemex to rock mine at the edge of the Everglades.
It's going to be an interesting vote - especially those BCC members who cut out so many charities during the budget hearings, how they will vote will be strictly political.
As to Ron Book - scum bag is too kind.
You will notice that as soon as Book gets his $30k for his nonprofit, he will funnel it back into their campaign accounts as a political donation.
And that's how the system works.
There would be no Lauren's Kids if Ron hadn't been an absentee parent. The charity is simply a public expression of his guilty feelings.
Low blow. From bad comes some good...just don't expect us to finance it. That is the only problem I see here.
Jack, don't want to spin this discussion but there are plenty of hard-working public employees. If you don't think so, try picking up garbage one day and see how long you last.
A big Thank you Genius! It is only through this blog that issues become transparent. I can't wait to see who votes for the item.
It is unbelievable that VNS is still around trying to get her vicious will.
All those who still listen to her are useful idiots.
The BCC "fiscal committee" or whatever it's called now passed the funding 6-0. These are who are on the committee. They all need to go, except Suarez. He's the only one out of the 6 that has common sense most of the time!
Lynda Bell (8) Chair; Esteban L. Bovo, Jr. (13) Vice Chair; Commissioners Jose "Pepe" Diaz (12), Audrey M. Edmonson (3), Barbara J. Jordan (1), and Xavier L. Suarez (7)
Keep an eye on Bovo, VNS is coaching him...
Anon who claims public employees are hard working:
First, ninety percent of government workers (like you) sit on their rear ends at a desk during the day and chat around the water cooler. They don't generally ride a garbage truck.
Second, if you want to compare apples to apples, watch a private sector trash truck worker. They work their tails off without the promise of the outrageous pay rates and pensions of their government sector counterparts. Private sector waste workers also don't have the benefit of the government's one-armed-bandit trucks that do all the heavy lifting.
For someone who passes out stacks of hundreds at his lavish parties in his estate in Hawks Landing plantation I'm sure he could use some of it to fund this instead of accepting from the county who should be funding organizations that really need it, I would not be proud of being well known because of daddy who is being investigated by the feds
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