Here it is on Jan 2 and I am very angry. Usually this time of year, not just New Year's Eve or Day, is a time to consider my life. Sometimes it is about planning the future or reviewing the past. Other times it is peaceful contemplation with gratitude for all that life has offered me. This year has been more about trying to understand the world in which we live - talks of fiscal cliffs, negativity in politics, the deaths of young children or the Hurricane Sandy's and climate changes impact, have all left me questioning what it all means. That mournful reverie ended up turning into boiling anger upon reading a Miami New Times article about corruption in Miami Beach's City Hall.
The truth is I have been angry for quite some time with the Commissioners and staff of the City of Miami Beach. I don't want to run in the streets carrying signs. I am too shy to stand on a corner to harangue passersby about what is wrong. I have too many friends who are complacent in their lives which leaves me with no one to talk to. I have thought of running for office, but what about raising money or dealing with the mud slinging? I want to make use of my anger. I want to help my hometown emerge stronger from the mess of the past few years of arrests and accusations to be a City of which I can be proud. This blog is a place to start, posing my questions to Eye on Miami readers about how corruption in Miami Beach can be so rampant and how so many people, residents included, can be so complacent?
The Miami New Times article was about Gus Lopez, former procurement director for the City of Miami Beach. He is not long departed from the City and surely not fondly remembered but my guess he will be in the news for a good part of the year as the City of Miami Beach grapples with cleaning up the sordid aftermath of his tenure.
Not only are we as a City to suffer the dribs and drabs of these cases leaking out like a slow water torture, I am left wondering about the elephant in the living room -- the Convention Center -- a $25K payment said to be given to Gus from one of the developers. Are there more yet to be revealed incidents of corruption? The other elephant in the room is how on earth did this and the other instances of corruption, reported this year happen, and where will it all end?
Every article in the mainstream media assiduously avoids asking the big questions about how far or how high up the corruption goes. None points to a possible culture that allows this to fester in our City. Has Miami Beach become so inured of corruption that we don't believe that someone should be held accountable? Has anything really changed since Former Mayor Alex Daoud's Sins of South Beach?
Are we so blase, ready to shrug our shoulders and say, "That is how things get done on Miami Beach. No one is to blame?" I find the latter attitude repulsive as it assumes the very worst of human nature and that nothing can be done to change it.
I believe that the attitude of corruption, the willingness to steal, the complicity that comes from turning a blind eye can be changed but for that change to happen we all have to stop being party to the madness. We have to stop shrugging our shoulders. We have to demand accountability from everyone INCLUDING THE RESIDENTS for we are party to it all when we are complacent.
I am reminded of the galvanizing scene from a popular movie of years past - Network - where an seemingly insane news anchor calls on Americans to throw open their windows and scream they will not take it anymore. The movie is a satire of the corruption that happens when we set our eyes on the lowest common denominator - greed. Watch it and ask yourself if you are so angry that you won't take it anymore. Let's start with Miami Beach and maybe the ripple will expand. If not, perhaps we will truly make the place people call paradise, a paradise for honest, hardworking people.
13 comments:
Ross Hancock nearly defeated one of the top Republicans in the state legislature, Erik Fresen. You could run and win, but you would have to commit to all that is required of a grass roots campaign.
Almost is not good enough.
The problems are what is now "South Beach" have been going on since I was a little kid. I can remember back in the early 90's as "South Beach" was shaping, the building & zoning department had to be the most corrupt, probably still is. Just take a look at Kasdin who has always been a wolf in sheeps clothing. That's the school a lot of the political hacks on the Beach live in!
I left the Beach years ago and have ventured back a few times to see both the wreckage and over priced crap. Who would want to pay to live in that kind of mess? The people who made the Beach are long gone and the newer residents could care less unless it affects their parking spot!
Neisan Kasdin now is the lawyer for every sleazy developer and toxic waste promoter in the County. Kasdin is pushing gambling and Walmarts... Nuff said?
Miami Beach is too far gone. The building department botched a lot of inspections. You ever wonder why the noise complaints all are INVALID? Check the lobbyist list, the special masters, and the history of the building department. Federal government should not be insuring any loans to property in Miami Beach. Don't think if you live on Star Island you are immune. Your neighbor is running a hotel out of his house.
The towing companies bribe the parking department employees. Duh.
I wonder where the $25M Parks & Rec budget really gets spent.
If you read this great blog, you care about this emerging city. Do something. Nuff said.
Tow company reps like Galbut and Andrade, have the politicians in their pockets. They recently increased the cost of getting towed! Nightclubs bribe the Fire inspectors! valet companies bribe the Code Officers! Slumlords bribe the building inspectors. Cash gets spread around. Try to do something about it and you will get squeezed just ask all of the recently departed officials.
Many of us are angry and have protested but it doesn't seem to matter. The Commissioners have yet to say the word corruption on the dais! It is true how many people, as the writer says, is "assiduously" avoiding the bigger picture - how corruption is a way of life on Miami Beach. I am not the only one who noticed this based on the blog and the comments to the blog. It is nice to know I am not alone but what is the next step?
Corruption takes many forms! Commissioner Ed Tobin unsuccessfully pressured the Manager to hire his long time buddy Tom Hunker to be made Police Chief last year. Then Hunker was going to hire Tobin as a High level Police Commander. When that did not happen, the Manager was gone. You can read about the trouble Hunker is now in with the Feds in Bal Harbor. Hunker is Suspended and under investigation and the Feds are demanding their money be returned. No wonder everyone is trying to get their own piece of the pie.
City of Miami Beach City Manager Jorge (Jose) Gonzalez
had to know about most of the corruption? He was City Manager for 11 years. Everyone else knew bit and pieces. Every business owner who wanted to open a new business in Miami Beach knew corruption was involved. Why is Jorge getting a $175,000 per year pension? $400,000 in sick pay, back pay, severance... ? Did he get fired for cause? Or did the commissioners wimp out?
The last comment is hilarious. Gonzalez fired for cause? If Jose Smith is negotiating the deal he is lobbing softballs at him. If Jose can't even make firings for cause that were so blatant that the activities of the people that were fired bordered on being criminal stick then how could Gonzalez's send off be nothing more than a golden parachute? Look at the police department lately. Need I say more?
It is disgusting to watch our staff and Commission feeding at the trough. We residents need to storm City Hall. We did it last year when we got Gonzalez fired, we can do it again.
Gonzalez didn't get "fired". Commission gave him a party and a proclamation. Kathy Rundle credited him with catching Gus Lopez and his corruption. I also saw him stand up to towing companies and their rate increase demands that were approved by City after he left. I didn't like everything he did, but in my eyes he was honest and fought for the cities best interest
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