 |
| This business in Hollywood was given funds by District 4. It was awarded a Miami-Dade Mom & Pop Grant in 2009-10 cycle. It is in Broward County. I saw other Broward County grants. |
The Miami Dade County Commissioners always want to dump EVEN more of our tax dollars into these grants and I say STOP! Audit first. If a third of them are out of business -- and I suspect they are, if we combine all the Commission Districts -- we aren't building the economy, we are throwing money down the drain. The majority that are still in business since 2009 are professionals that hardly need our tax dollars. A law firm is not "Mom and Pop." After a while I saw some trends. Whole shopping centers applied for these Mom & Pop Grants. Accountants, Doctors, Engineers, Law offices and other professionals were still in business while businesses with silly names like "Kulture Klothes by Isis" were out. Actually Kulture has been defunct since 2000. How did they get a grant in 2009?
In District 2 I looked up 32 Companies in business in 2009 that got Mom and Pop grants. Out of 32, 14 appear to be defunct. That is almost half. In District 3 I found 11 out of 22 (I couldn't find 2 companies listed) out of business.
In District 6 out of the 23 I looked at from the 2009-10 list, only 3 were defunct but they awarded a startling 102 grants in that district. I only looked at a quarter of them.
In some commission districts nearly half the Mom and Pop grants awarded in the 2009–2010 cycle were awarded to businesses that are now listed as defunct by the State of Florida. Here is a list of all the grants for 2009-10:
I was surprised at how many Corporate names I could not find on Sunbiz, I am beginning to think there is something wrong with their website or the County records supplied to me.
My research is not an audit it is a snapshot, numbers are probably off as names were supplied to me by Miami Dade County and they could be inaccurate.
Especially in districts 7, 8, 9, I could not find many listed on Sunbiz (the Business registration website). What I did was copy the name the county supplied and pasted it in Sunbiz's search (no typos on my part). Someone at the County should be making sure the correct name is listed that matches Sunbiz's records. Here are my results for Districts 7, 8 and 9:
Sunbiz records on Ma & PA for District 7 (2009-1010) (As you can see the professionals are still in business, but should we be giving them money?)
Atlas Small Business finance: active
Bonfill J Associates, Inc.: active
Capital American Mortgage Company active
Chispa Marketing Inc. active
Dave's Car Clinic, Inc. active
Dean Dorolyn COULD NOT FIND
Fajardo & Lam Desing Associates, Inc. COULD NOT FIND
GDI Wireless Inc. active
Ginachos Automobile Service, Inc.active
Hair Supply, Inc.active
Insurance Financial Centers active
La Commercial I Simon COULD NOT FIND
Life Home Health Services, Inc. active
LPP Gallery COULD NOT FIND
Makeover House COULD NOT FIND
Marco Drugs & Compounding COULD NOT FIND
Merlili, Inc. active
Mica Manufacturing City Inc. active
MVDR, Inc active
Pink Blush boutique Corp. INACTIVE
Sexy Secrets Active
Sleep Disorder Center, Inc active
Smart E Pants Academy active
Sueiro Architectural Group Corp. active
The Kitchen & Bathe Store, Inc. COULD NOT FIND
Yummy Cakes and More Inc. INACTIVE
DISTRICT 8
Alemari Investments, Inc. INACTIVE (THERE IS AN LLC THAT IS ACTIVE NOT IN DISTRICT)
Antenna Master Corporation Active
Artspace CGQ, Inc. INACTIVE
Broadway Street Deli Corp. active
Calvin W. Smith Constructuin Corp. active
Castaway Pool & Spa, Inc active
Common Sense Management Consulting, LLC active
Demant Architecture P.A. COULD NOT FIND HOWEVER DEMANT ASSOCIATES INACTIVE
Donaghue Peter M. COULD NOT FIND
Donna Lee Studio of Dance INACTIVE
Duratech Systems, Inc. active
Edwards Pressure Cleaning Inc. name change
Epic Consultants, Inc. active
ER Techs COULDN'T FIND
Fung G Philip COULDN'T FIND
Hero Martial Arts, LLC active
Kids R Us Daycare Care Corp. Active
King Dollar Store active
Little Champions, Inc. INACTIVE
Magita Designs Inc. active
Mark Houghtaling COULDN'T FIND
Nationwide Printing & More LLC active
Nelson Robert Ellis COULDN'T FIND
Padron Law Firm, P.A. Active
Royal Palm Real Estate Services LLC active
Sharp Shot Inc. active
South Florida Audio Video INACTIVE
Sun Flooring & Carpet Inc. active
Sunset Country & Western Store, Inc. active
The Retreated Day Spa of Homestead, Inc. COULDN'T FIND
Townsquare Cleaners, Inc. active
District 9
Alpha Corp Filings, LLC INACTIVE
Aparicio Oreste Cleaning Services, Inc. COULDN'T FIND HOWEVER THERE WAS AN APRACIO ARIAS CLEANING SERVICE INACTIVE IN HOLLYWOOD
Auto Air Motive COULDN'T FIND
Automania Sales Inc active
Automated Door and Glasss Systems, Inc. active
Barrett Technologies Consulting, Inc. active
Betania Bookstore Corp active
Blindworld USA Inc. active
Castle Services, Inc. active
Clinton L. Hines Lawn Service COULDN'T FIND
Color Tech Miami, Inc. active
Dakota Granit & Stone Inc. INACTIVE
Dances with Dogs Inc COULDN'T FIND
Demand Miami Audio Visual, LLC active
Design & Promotions Corp. active
Done Right Towing active
Douglas Adkins Motorsports, Inc. active
E & G Healing Hands COULDN'T FIND
EJ's Party Rental COULDN'T FIND
Florida Consulting Solutions, Inc. INACTIVE
Global Logistic Technologies, Corp. active
Godfrey Roberts Construction Management Improvement Service, Inc INACTIVE
Green World International Nursery & Growers Inc. Active
Hazel R Photographers Corp. active
Ice Tee's Inc. INACTIVE
Inshape Maintenance, Inc. Active
Integrity Janitorial Service active
Island Breeze Lawn Care active
Juiel Chappell COULDN'T FIND
Kwikscreen.com LLC Active
Lawson Willie Dean Car Wash COULDN'T FIND
Luzula Armando COULDN'T FIND
M & M Air Conditioning Refrigeration & Appliances Active
Marlin Mortors, Inc. Active
My Little Angels Day Care Center Inc. active
One Only Drycleaners Inc. The INACTIVE
P & S Custom Builders Inc. Active
Paramount Dance Studios, Inc. active
Party Creations by Arleen LLC active
Premium Cleaners, Inc. active
R.M.T Drafting & Consulting, Inc.INACTIVE
Rizzetos Paint and Body Shop COULDN'T FIND
Rona's Retirement Home Inc. ACTIVE (PRIVATE HOUSE??)
Samuel Henley COULDN'T FIND
Small Hands Preschool INACTIVE
Subpreme Grill Inc. active (by the way A LOT OF BUSINESSES AT THIS ADDRESS GOT GRANTS)
Superior Auto Masters, Inc. INACTIVE
Tomlin Transportation Consulting, Inc. active (PRIVATE HOUSE)
True Blessing Car wash Inc. active
United Martial Arts Academy, Inc. active
Valerie's Nursery Inc. active
Wellcare Diabetic & Medical Supplies Corp. active
Yeung Ming COULDN'T FIND
From the County Website:
"The Mom and Pop Small Business Grant Program was created to provide financial and technical assistance to qualified for-profit small businesses that are approved for funding. This program has allowed small owned and operated businesses the opportunity to interact with local government under favorable conditions, and this relationship will ultimately bridge the gap between the two entities.
Mom and Pop Grants are administered in collaboration with your Miami-Dade County Commissioner's Office"
Exactly who approves them for funding? Doesn't appear to be much oversight. I bet a Commissioner submits their name with an application and the money is produced.
30 comments:
I do find it odd that commissioners always want more money for this fund. They even wanted to put the money for the Dolphins election in it. I too call for an audit. Why are we subsidizing professional offices and wasting money on failing businesses. As usual , no oversight.
Look at District 8, Royal Palm Real Estate Services, LLC. Isn't this the entity tied to the scandal between Mayor and Mrs. Bateman and Ernesto Perez of Dade Medical ? If so, this is where Mrs Mayor Bateman has her real estate license parked and is receiving commissions on the sale of City of Homestead real estate to Dade Medical. See Jim Defede tonight at 11 on Channel 4.
Wow, you did a lot of research. I too call for an audit. Better yet dump the program. Come on Mr. Mayor I would call this a boondoggle . They are giving to professionals? Why? I bet you can trace campaign contributions back to them.
A better way to help small businesses would be to have an various county agencies help small businesses get permits and licenses along with advice as to how to take advantage of groups that help small businesses grow. Giving money directly to a small business seems to be the wrong approach, it appears to be political handouts instead.
Some of the businesses on the long lists are suspect, especially Broward based, law, accounting, engineering, professional groups etc.
This program should stop, other than creating political patronage, it is a total waste of taxpayer money.
Get rid of it!!! Today!!!
Hollywood, is that in Miami Dade County?
I think if professions were removed from the mix the failure rate would jump higher. This program is not generating additional jobs.
How much money does each business get?
You have to expect a failure rate on new businesses but by some of the names, they didn't seem viable in the first place. The question is, what is a reasonable failure rate in 3 years. Without the professionals it might be near half and that is too much. They need to scrutinize what they are doing. An audit isn't a bad idea.
I wonder how many of those shareholders are helping out with campaign contributions. Disgusting. Fire them all!
Shareholders? What blog post are you reading?
Trickle down economics.
Welfare for connected campaign supporters. Graft?
I could be wrong -- but I think ER Techs as listed in District 8 is City of Homestead Councilman Elvis Maldonado.
This is wrong and definitely deserves an audit as well as a revising of eligibility requirements.
But a little surprised people are jumping on the 'professionals.' Simply because an accountant or lawyer or vet doesn't mean that they have the funds to open a new business. And each vet usually requires at least a receptionist and 1-2 techs, each accountant usually has 1-2 jr associates in office, attorneys a receptionist/assistant.
It takes money to start those businesses too.
And those businesses do bring customers to an area.
Genius -- you have done it again. If the Miami Hearld does not jump all over this, then I will know for sure that they are brain dead. What a scam!
In the City of Miami there is a guy who makes $200,000+ per year handing out Mom and Pop checks.
Almost every recipient is a fake "kitchen table" type business. Wow. The sense of entitlement is overwhelming.
Why would Dade County money be going to Broward County businesses? Can a business be funded which is not even registered with the state as a legal entity? If a business is not registered with the state, how can it have a bank account? A federal tax ID number? Can you just make up a company in your mind, and ask and get funding from the County? Does money go from the County directly into people's personal bank accounts?What is the criteria for getting these funds? Are business licenses required? Business plans? Financial plans? Are they loans that have to be paid back? Or
are they grants? If they are gifts/grants, has anyone investigated the possibility of kick-backs? Who monitors what the money is used for? If they are loans, how many have paid back their loans? Where are the success stories? Are there success failure rates? How were the successful ones successful? What were the problem areas for the failures? Based on history, what is the probability the new people getting money will fail?
Other than the money, exactly what assistance has been given to help them be successful? Classes, tutorials, mentors, one-on- one counseling, needs assessment, business plan assistance? Linkages with colleges and universities, retired business people, internships in successful businesses? What?
What percentage of failure is okay with the county?
I think it might be 99%.
It is very simple, grants are being used to buy votes and favors and to pad Commissioners' resumes. If you are not personally favored you won't get a penny, guaranteed. There are convicted tax evaders who are receiving grants in Miami. Don't only audit, add oversight on these sorts of tax spending.
Too bad the Miami Herald does not have enough resources to look into this. On the upside, they do have a full-time gay news blogger, Steve Rothaus, on the payroll.
Orlando why are you so obsessed with Steve's beat? It is a blog not in the newspaper that much.
It would be interesting to see the relationships between these companies and the commissioners who give them the money.
Maybe he think's he's cute?
Heyman had a resolution to divert (contrary to state statue) over $1million from Beacon Council to the "mom and pop " program.
This program is nothing more than political patronage. All the commissioners advocated diverting Beacon funds to this program you are asking to be audited.
I know David that is why I wrote this, when they did that resolution, I started looking at these grants. The County Commission is famous for putting good money on top of bad investments.
Anyone notice Doris Sutton Realty got a Mom & Pop grant? That company owns $20 Mil in real estate and it has massive cash flow. Why did Doris Sutton need a taxpayer handout?
the fulltime salary for steve rothaus is not the only evidence of misplaced priorities at the herald. look at the money wasted on leonard pitts, the herald's race-baiting, baltimore-based columnist who doesn't write about south florida. the herald not only pays pitts a boatload, according to the former ombudsperson, they also pay the salary for a fulltime administrative assistant whose only job is to support pitts and dave barry who retired and hasn't written a column in over eight years ago. wouldn't those funds be better spent on some investigative reporters?
The Herald desperately needs 3-4 full-time investigative journalists. At least the Herald could assign a reporter to follow up on all the scandals uncovered by Al Crespo. Al Crespo evens prints the documents.
Post a Comment