Carlos Lopez Cantera won. He will be the Property Appraiser soon but he is having a hard time trying to get Pedro's cooperation. Yes, I know Garcia was angry by the close countywide election (only 5,000 separated the two men and Pedro lost only on absentee ballots). He was even considering a lawsuit to throw out the absentee ballots but Pedro gave up on that idea when his attorney (Stephen Cody) bailed on him and Joe Martinez. Now it is time to move on. Maybe Pedro Garcia has a taste of how Gwen Margolis felt when she won the primary but was forced into a runoff with Garcia and lost. So very close to victory and she too felt it was stolen from her.
Anyway, I think you should help Lopez Cantera for the sake of the people of the County. Buck up Pedro, do the right thing.
30 comments:
The mystery is why did Cody leave the case. Spill the beans here Pedro.
Cute baby.
Maybe Lopez Cantera should offer Garcia a consulting contract. Otherwise let LC figure it out- he claimed he was better qualified and trashed Garcia's professionalism. Not nice. It's Karma, baby.
I agree with the last anon. Garcia walked into a mess in the middle of the housing burst. Abatement hearings were backed up for two years and that was probably the least of his problems. I don't like Lopez Cantera or his father trying to mess around in Horse Country........As the poster said - it really is Karma. And, I do remember the campaign he ran against Garcia.
I agree with the last two posters. Lopez Cantera is a nasty man who ran a nasty campaign and took money from every thief he ever met in Tallahassee to steamroll his way to this post. He is arrogant and slimy. If you've ever met this guy, you'll know what I mean. You just look him in the eye and you get this chill up your spine like you just met the devil himself.
Cody removed himself cause he was not going to get paid...
What possible information could Garcia have since there are no computer keys? The non-elected Property Appraiser employees should have all of the information Lopez Cantera needs for a transition.
As long as Lopez Cantera did not fire all the staff, the transition should be fine. Now please don't tell me that Lopez Cantera replaced the professional staff with his own political hacks. If politician Lopez Cantera did that stupid move, he deserves to have transition problems.
The Code of Miami-Dade County makes it clear that CLC does not become the property appraiser until he is sworn in - in January. The fact that Mayor Gimenez has given him free executive office space (19th Floor Window Office) several months before CLC becomes a public official is bizarre. He is a private citizen today...and is squatting in the Government Center. Why should the taxpayers be paying for his office space? This is scandalous!
Pedro may claim that he didn't have a transition so he figures LC doesn't need one. The difference is he was elected about 3 weeks before he took office. LC was elected 4 months before taking office. So he wants to get a head start what is wrong with that. Pedro also worked in the Property Appraiser's office and was familiar with the lay of the land. His stonewalling doesn't help the community. To leave LC (the people voted him in right or wrong) with out the training he is seeking hurts all of us not LC.
I agree with last poster. It is the good of the community that should be the overriding factor.
We need a guy ready to go on the first day. If he is devoting time free of charge to get prepared what is wrong with that? I think he is being conscientious with his early preparation and I would help him if I were Garcia.
If CLC is looking for political hacks, can I apply as I am blogging Political? Close enough.
Don't make Garcia out to be so pure of heart. One of his biggest boosters was Natacha Seijas. She helped with his first campaign.
Lori Parrish, one of the best Property Appraisers in the State of Florida, was a County Commissioner before being elected. It appears one can grow in the position and flourish if they install the right staff.
LC won on absentee ballots which everyone knows is bush. He's never been a property appraiser before obviously he won't have any idea of what he's doing for some time. Don't blame Pedro for him being lost, we're giving him a job he is not qualified to do.
Did you not read the Lori Parrish comment before yours? That makes a good point.
Carlos Lopez-Cantera will make an outstanding property appraiser for Miami-Dade County.
Pedro Garcia was out of touch and used his opinion to make decisions about property rights. His staff was not conpetent and helped by making decisions and just being nasty when you went into that office. Pedro Garcia lost a case at the Supreme Court on October 4th,,2012 when the Key Biscayne resident won their case in the Florida Supreme Court. This in my opinion puts a cloud of doubt on his office.
Cantera needs to clean that office out and start over with competent people.
Pedro Garcia ignored foreclosures and short sales. Dumb. They were 50+% of all sales. Hopefully Carlos can overcome a greedy father and family and be honest?
The rumor that Stephen Cody was not going to get paid is just that --- a rumor. Reportedly the attorney Garcia hired to replace Cody was fully compensated. Also, no amount of orientation or guidance by Garcia to Lopez-Cantera will prepare Lopez-Cantera for a job he is sadly unqualified to properly handle. Lopez-Cantera is misusing the Property Appraiser's job as a stepping stone to try to get the Mayor's job after Mr. Personality a/k/a Carlos Gimenez's term expires. By then it would not be surprising to see Lopez-Cantera embroiled in a scandal over political favors and insider dealings regarding Miami-Dade property issues that favor his pals and those that Mayor Gimenez wishes to do favors for.
I am waiting to find out the problems in the property appraisers office when Mr. Cantera gets a chance to review Mr. Garcias decesions regarding his property, his friend, relatives and politicians property. I can not understand not letting Mr. Cantera and his team make a smooth transition just because the citizens need that. Mr, Garcia do the right and ethical thing. Do the right thing stop being so mean spirited.
By the way Mr. Cantera would make an excellent mayor or commissioner for Miami Dade.
I am waiting to find out the problems in the property appraisers office when Mr. Cantera gets a chance to review Mr. Garcias decesions regarding his property, his friend, relatives and politicians property. I can not understand not letting Mr. Cantera and his team make a smooth transition just because the citizens need that. Mr, Garcia do the right and ethical thing. Do the right thing stop being so mean spirited.
By the way Mr. Cantera would make an excellent mayor or commissioner for Miami Dade.
This appears to be a good warning to anyone thinking of hiring Stephen Cody. It appears that he milked the publicity then bailed leaving his client to twist in the wind. He should be investigated for committing his client to a lawsuit then bailing out at the last minute. I don't understand why a judge would allow Cody to withdraw in such a time sensitive case at the last minute. Cody filed it, Cody should have been required to finish it. This was not a case that was going to drag on for years.
Everyone should think twice before hiring attorneys who abandon their clients.
I was a vocal critic of Garcia shortly after he won election. He in fact was not calculating property values as to the market. He did correct this and did go out of his way to re adjust property values with all property owners. I had an issue with an investment property, I don't know him or anyone inside that office, I made an appointment and discussed the situation. I provided substantial proof of the value, including a appraisal, it was adjusted downwards. Yes, I shouldn't have had to go that far, but it would have been very expensive had I just waited for an abatement hearing paying in advance on values exceeding the market. The bottom line is they fixed the problem once they were aware of it.
On the other hand, what ever happened with Robaina (the bad one) and his back taxes on improved land? If Garcia didn't fix this and go after him, then I'll be first in line to criticize him once again!
As to CL - don't like him, never liked him, have zero confidence in him as a very unqualified property appraiser and will be watching as should everyone with property in Dade!
Can we put the heads of republican members of congress on baby bodies?
Mr. Garcia is as straight an arrow as you will find, not as a politician, but as a person; ask anyone who has known him for years. It was for this reason he got elected in the first place, not ever having any political background. He also has a great sense of humor so I'm sure he's enjoying the photo (it is very funny)!
When he dismissed the case, he filed a "Supplement to Joint Stipulation" with the courts that sheds some light on why he had to drop the case. I got a chance to read it a few weeks ago.
Do you have a link for the supplement to joint stipulation or send it to Geniusofdespair@yahoo.com
Pedro Garcia is a class act, and a very competent Property Appraiser. Because of his wealth of experience and the fact that he had no political ambitions, and instead was focused exclusively on the Property Appraiser's Office, he was the best and smartest choice for the Property Appraiser's Office. It is difficult to believe that Lopez-Cantera will be as competent and as dedicated as Mr. Garcia has been, but let's not prejudge Lopez-Cantera. Despite knowing that his true motivation is to become Mayor of Miami-Dade County, maybe he will somehow manage to do a great job once he finally takes over the Property Appraiser's Office. And maybe when he runs for Mayor he will have less "boleteros" polluting the political streets of Hialeah, Liberty City and other parts of the county.
Mr. Cantera should know a lot about that office since that office is based on constitutional rights on property. He is quite qulified for tax assesssor office coming from the state legislative branch of the State of Florida.
Mr. Garcia kept saying in all his presentations that he was not a politician however he was elected as tax assessor by the people. Maybe that is where he lost sight of serving the people. Mr. Cantera was term limited and that speaks highly of him. Mr. Garcia support a transition team NOW!
if garcia is so competent and honest, why did he ignore foreclosure sales and lie about the sales price of foreclosed homes on his website?
People are so ignorant sometimes! What do you think would happen if the property appraisers office were to drop the value of properties 25% across the board? Do you really think that our property taxes would drop proportionately? That would imply that the county budget would also have to drop. Guess what, if the PA office dropped the values, the millage rate goes up and you pay as much taxes as the mayor and commissioners need you to. The PA does not determine what our tax bill will be!
The the last anon-
Raising the millage rate is the way it is supposed to be done. Pretending values are high and ignoring foreclosures is dishonest. It also lets the public officials off the hook.
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