Monday, January 14, 2013

Miami: The Magic City ... by gimleteye

Joe Carollo was a colorful mayor of Miami. Little good that did the city's reputation. It could certainly be argued that Carollo's erratic behavior help keep aloft the city's reputation as a Banana Republic. Carollo disappeared into obscurity like many former elected officials who once flashed their power like it was their vested right.

The joke isn't lost on the generation of schemers who find looting the public treasury here, easy going. Now former mayor Manny Diaz has written his version of Miami's boom and bust, angling for an appointment in the Obama administration while gliding past his role as an unreliable guide for Miami's future. Who's next, Natacha Seijas?

But Carollo's re-emergence as city manager of Doral is a  head-scratcher. Doesn't anyone in Doral remember or even know what happened, just a few years ago, in a city that Carollo turned upside down? The questions pile up, in Miami, like uncollected garbage.

Why is there so much turmoil in so many of our municipalities? In most of these cases -- South Miami, Miami Beach, North Bay Village -- is it the absence of watchdogs, law enforcement, or, the sense of a "shrinking economic pie" that empowers a permanent culture of insider dealing?

This is the Magic City.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wait till they start sending bananas to Doral City Hall like they did in Miami when Carollo was Mayor.

Anonymous said...

No time like the present. 8300 NW 53rd St., Doral, FL, 33166.

Geniusofdespair said...

At the time, I asked a Miami city clerk what were they do with all the bananas being delivered to city hall and she said "We have been eating them."

Anonymous said...

Going from Private Young Mens Christian Association to Public not really still Private takeover of Public Parks....
Miami Marlins, La Ley, Miami Heat, all over again???
http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/matter.asp?matter=122455&file=true&yearFolder=Y2012

Anonymous said...

city of miami elections are going to be very interesting this year. tomas regalado, frank carollo and francis suarez are running for mayor. regalado and suarez would divide the district 4 votes while carollo wins the district 3 (his district) and takes a big chunk of the anglo and black votes. carollo would be the next mayor of miami.

something you should look into.

Anonymous said...

something else to look into??
Young Mens Christian Association No Bid Contracts with Miami Dade County and Florida Public Schools....
http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/legistarfiles/Matters/Y2012/122455.pdf

Anonymous said...

To second Anom above. Frank Carollo has a better chance of being Mayor than he does of being reflected in his district. I agree with your math. While Regalado and Suarez split their vote he might squeak by. Either way none of the Mayoral candidates are worth it.

Squathole said...

Without a doubt the only reason Joke Arollo has returned to public life is to give Genius of Despair something else to rant about.

Geniusofdespair said...

I don't write about the city of Miami.I write about the County.

Geniusofdespair said...

One can't cover everything...It is not that I don't care. I can't do it all and there are other blogs doing it. We accept guest blogs in areas that we don't normally cover.

Anonymous said...

Joe Carrollo refuses to discuss how he earned a living the past 8-9 years. Hmm.

Disgraced ex-mayor Manny Diaz writes a "damage control" book? His book ignored all his blunders and the financial disaster he left his successor.

Anonymous said...

Frank Carollo might not re-elected in his own district. Does he even live there?