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| Audrey Edmonson thinks she is queen of her district. Juan Zapata had a resolution to increase the rent on Parcel B and she balked that he should not be doing things in HER district. It was determined by a consultant that the rent was 1/3 of what it should be. |
Wow now I am glad Audrey Edmonson did not get elected Chair of the County Commission. She might go back on our Unreformable list just when I was getting to like her.
AUDREY WE ARE ONE COUNTY NOT 13 DISTRICTS. When it comes to the Miami Heat, Parcel B and MONEY you do not reign supreme. Commissioner Juan Zapata is soooo right. Even if it is not a Countywide issue you are wrong. Last time I checked Parcel B was a county property. It was not purchased by District 3 was it? Look at the Money Audrey. Look at the money.
We didn't elect commissioners as overlords of Fiefdoms. YOU DO NOT OWN YOUR DISTRICT and you don't control all the issues within it. We don't have a Feudal regime in downtown. Everything you vote on is for the good of the people, all of the people. Isn't the money in one big pot called the general funds? Isn't that where rent on this property would go?
How could you possibly threaten the other commissioners with your vote:
"If this goes through, then I think every single one of us will now have to worry about each others crossings the lines and coming in and just doing what they want to do in everybody's district"That is what they SHOULD BE DOING Audrey. As long as there is one money pot, everyone has a stake in everything in your district.
When we have 13 separate accounts, go for it Audrey. Your district will be a rich district. You should vote for 13 accounts. I would love to either cut the County cord or for you all to do the job you were voted to do:
Govern us all equally.
I don't mind subsidizing some districts if my Commissioner has an equal say to EVERYTHING in that district. We should not need an at large commissioner, you all should be at large commissioners. Juan Zapata doesn't own the UDB line because a lot of it is in his district. Moss doesn't own the Zoo. STOP the nonsense and govern in the best interest of the whole community: Which means you should have gotten more money from the Heat for the VIP Parking lot for all of us.
P.S. All the rest of you that voted with her: You are dickheads. You should have gotten the COUNTY more money.
32 comments:
Great post! I hope the commissioners hear you because a lot of them seem tone deaf to their actual elected positions as public servants!
I know that the attitude of these commissioners makes them so unapproachable.
As a constituent I should find comfort in the the fact that there are 12 other commissioners I can go to if I have issues that can't be solved by my own.
I guess that is why we have a strong mayor... unfortunately. Sure wish we didn't need to have one.
So accurate. Who does Edmunson think she is? What motivates her to give discounted rent to a billionaire, Mickey Arison?
13 commissioners = 13 egocentric people not protecting the community interests, but proudly stating they know what is best for the people as they protect the interests of their lobbyist buds and family.
They are "Gotminers"
It was out of politeness that they let the district commissioner speak last and first in an item, they took that to mean they were in charge of the district. The protocol got twisted.
Is the Heat leaving if they have to actually pay rent?
Bye Bye... we can use another parcel of land on the bay... Down with the arena!
Let me get this straight, she wouldn't let the heat rent be raised because Juan Zapota introduce the item? Or was she trying to save Miky arison, multi billionaire, some chump change? Either way, she was wrong and so was a majority of the commission.
From the New Tmes
The agreement called for Basketball Properties, Ltd., the Miami Heat entity managing the stadium, to give 40 percent of annual arena profits above $14 million to the county. Those profits come from luxury box and concession sales, concert rentals, and naming rights ($2.1 million annually from American Airlines). Additionally, the county agreed to pay $6.4 million a year to maintain and operate the facility.
Although the arena's revenue nearly doubled from $25.6 million in 2001, after the Heat's first season there, to $45.4 million last year, the team has never declared more than $6 million in arena profit during a season
From the Miami Herald
Between 2004 and 2014, Miami-Dade received $796,345 in rent from Parcel B and spent $6.6 million maintaining it, according to county figures released in March. Almost all of that went to a three-year repair of the seawall.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article11159126.html#storylink=cpy
For a billionaire, getting the county to pay for your waterfront moneymaker is the quintessential kick-in-the-pants to the people.
The parochial District-based thinking of our commissioners is even more problematic on the MPO, where issues of county-wide connectivity are overlooked in favor of wasteful pet projects within single districts.
I think that all county residents heat/arena attendees ought to get free entrance to every game with proof of residency.
Heat can make their money on trinkets and skyboxes.
Problem #1, career politicians. Put in some strict term limits.
Audrey Edmonson has been the District 3 commissioner for over 10 years now!
recall! Bubye! bubye!
Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners
The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) are the people elected in 13 districts to represent citizens of Miami-Dade County.
Governance
The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners is the governing body of unincorporated Miami-Dade County and has broad, regional powers to establish policies for Miami-Dade County services. The government provides major metropolitan services countywide and city-type services for residents of unincorporated areas.
Miami-Dade has a MAYOR with the POWER TO VETO COMMISSION ACTION ITEMS. In January 2007, the Mayor was given additional powers providing for the oversight of the day-to-day operations of Miami-Dade. The Mayor can only serve two terms of four years.
Through ordinances and resolutions, the 13-member Commission sets policies and establishes laws for the community. Miami-Dade County is structured into 13 districts. Residents choose only from among candidates running in the district in which they live. Commissioners are chosen in non-partisan, single-district elections and can serve two four-year staggered terms, with elections scheduled every two years.
In November 2012, the Miami-Dade County Term Limit Amendment was approved, modifying the County charter to establish term limits of two consecutive four-year terms.
Term limits are is right/privilege that comes to citizens who take the time to participate in their community and its governance. As long we have only 40% of the registered voters casting their votes we will continue to have incompetents and villainous bozo running the show. If not, look a the example of the State Legislature when thet are fighting over who will be the Speaker of the House in 2020.
Am I being naive in thinking that the Heat are going to move if they have to pay more rent? Where else are they going to get such a sweetheart deal in this day and age?
Increasing the rent on that parcel is a smart thing. There are many things that can be done to that piece of land rather than park cars on it and the district can get more money for it. What district doesn't need more money?
For a place with the weather that we have, our commissioners have no concept of "saving for a rainy day". Or, calling someone's bluff or getting a fair deal for the county.
Could you please let us know how each commissioner voted on this issue?
Cava Levine and Bovo voted with Zapata. Suarez was recorded as absent but said he voted yes. Diaz absent.
this issue underscores why we have long needed REAL Charter revision. (I doubt if most of the 13 commissioners have even read the current charter) they view themselves as 13 Little Mayor’s over their “independent districts”.(with some notable exceptions). Rather than a legislative body addressing the needs of the county as a WHOLE.
They are COUNTY Commissioners elected from districts. They’re elected from single member districts not so that they can govern their “districts” to the exclusion of the good of the county as whole but primarily due to the requirements to assure representation that meets the “one person one vote" criteria.
Miami Dade County should have a mix of both district commissioners AND Commissioners elected at large. Jacksonville has successfully utilized this structure.
If one Follows Edmonson’s position to it’s logical conclusion then the ONLY resources that would be able to be used in her district would have to be generated within her district. The same would hold true for all the other districts as well.
This debate exposes the 13 fiefdoms controlled by “mini-me Mayors.The Balkanization of governing in Miami Dade has plagues the county government from making key decisions . one only needs to look at the Traffic mess to understand the “gridlock” caused by the political philosophy of “ if YOUR district gets something MY district needs to get it. so we have seen no major transportation initiatives ..etc.
This District centric decision making could be balanced to some degree if there was truly a strong mayor Not controlled by his lobbyist friends who hang out on the 29th floor. ( who do you think was driving the decision on this issue..check who has been holding campaign fund raisers for Ms. Edmonson.)It is time for REAL CHARTER REVISION. Reduce the number of district commissioners…add at large commissioners (who can be mandated to reside in specific arrears to insure balanced representation BUT who must run county wide.). Reduce the commission to solely a Legislative body. Place restrictions on lobbyists…..Of course this will never happen as it makes too much sense!
Let's pretend that racism does not exist on the BCC and Zapata's action was made by Dennis Moss or Jean Monestime.
Would Madamoiselle Edmondsun have made the same silly argument?
This incident is a clear lack of diplomacy on the part of Zapata. Though County Commissioners should participate in deciding issues that concern the county as a whole, they should also be respectful of the boundaries that separate their districts and work jointly with other commissioners on issues of mutual concern without bullying one another and disrespecting their areas of concern and the constituents they serve. Had Zapata known a lick about politics he could have worked behind the scenes with Edmundson and helped pass the type of legislature he was promoting. Instead, he came in like a stubborn bull in a china shop and got schooled by the commission. This is nothing new with Zapata. His failure to worki as part of a team has alienated him to the point that no other commissioner supports anything he proposes and luckily we will see the last of him at the end of his fourth year period because he is not running in 2016.
If he worked behind the scenes he would be violating sunshine laws.
It is too bad Zapata won't be running. He, like Margolis, realized the commission is broken and can't be fixed. He is tired of butting his head against a brick wall.
Amazing .......Parcel B has sat essentially unused for about 20 years and just now she is getting all hot a bothered about rents.....So no matter what rents it may produce where does the money go???? Would it hurt to dedicate the rent to creating more parks???? And would it hurt the City to dedicate Watson Island rents to new parks???? No, the money will go to the general fund to be sucked away and residents will see nothing tangible in return....Mdore of the same bad management of public land....Steve Hagen
Adopted Resolution R-688-14
Mover: Juan C. Zapata
Seconder: Audrey M. Edmonson
Vote: 9 - 0
Absent: Monestime , Heyman , Suarez , Bell
File Number: 141158 File Type: Resolution Status: Adopted Version: 0 Reference: R-688-14 Control: Board of County Commissioners
File Name: RECOMMENDED FEE SCHEDULE FOR USE OF PARCEL B
Introduced: 5/19/2014 Requester: NONE
Cost: Final Action: 7/17/2014 Agenda Date: 7/15/2014
Agenda Item Number: 11A7 Notes:
Title: RESOLUTION DIRECTING COUNTY MAYOR OR MAYOR’S DESIGNEE TO EMPLOY APPRAISER TO APPRAISE PARCEL B OF THE FEC PROPERTY, WHICH PARCEL IS LOCATED BEHIND THE AMERICAN AIRLINES ARENA, TO ASSESS ITS FAIR MARKET RENTAL VALUE AND TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT TO THE BOARD FOR ITS APPROVAL A RECOMMENDED FEE SCHEDULE FOR USE OF PARCEL B BASED ON THE RESULTS OF SUCH APPRAISAL; AND ESTABLISHING BOARD POLICY TO FUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT COUNTY PARKS WITH FEE REVENUES REMAINING AFTER PAYMENT OF COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF PARCEL B Indexes: NONE Sponsors: Juan C. Zapata, Prime Sponsor
Month-to-Month Extensions of Permits
Administrative Order 8-5 currently provides an administrative process for issuance by the County Mayor or County Mayor’s designee of a one-year permit, plus a one-year renewal term for private businesses to conduct private business on any County property. Such permits are issued for short-term concessions, use of parking lots, and similar County revenue-generating contracts with private businesses, usually for special events or when there is a need to provide certain goods and services to the public that are not currently provided by the County. Such permits are intended to be used while a competitive process is underway for the use of County property. There is currently no authorization provided in the existing Administrative Order 8-5 to allow the County Mayor or County Mayor’s designee to extend such permit until a competitive contract is awarded. As such, the proposed Implementing Order 8-5 includes new language, authorizing the County Mayor or County Mayor’s designee to extend revenue-generating permits on a month-to-month basis when such a situation exists. This change is not intended to diminish the County's long-established competitive bidding process, and the County will follow all applicable competitive procedures in awarding concessions, leases, or related contractual agreements.
8F3 150385 Resolution Juan C. Zapata
The motion that this item be Adopted failed
Mover: Juan C. Zapata
Seconder: Esteban L. Bovo, Jr.
Vote: 4 - 8
No: Jordan , Monestime , Edmonson, Heyman, Barreiro, Sosa, Moss, Souto
Absent: Diaz
http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/commminute.asp?cmbmeetdate=3668&file=false
A powerful lobbyist is behind all of this: Jorge Luis Lopez. Look up his firm's website where he is leaning on the AA. Now look up how much money he and his clients give to various commissioners who voted with Edmonson.
Edmondson must be getting something out of this. Free heat tickets, Campaign funds, Free lunches, Free cruise ship tickets on Mickey's boats. She is benefitting on this one.
Audrey Edmonson and Keon Hardemon? The screwing of taxpayers. Both push to give tax money to billionaires. What's up with that?
Unfortunately, the Commission is dealing with DUMB. Poor Audrey was given her talking points by Lopez. J-Lo does not care that his mouthpiece looks like a complete ass. The $150K difference in charges is about what Lopez is paid annually to represent Arison. To secure his paycheck, he burned his dumb friend. What a guy.
Though Zapata had his name on the item, it should have been defended by the Administration, since they paid consultants to develop the new use permit fees. Instead, Deputy Mayor Osterholdt just sat there mouthbreathing...pretty pathetic performance by all involved.
Jack Osterholt is another poverty pimp from Broward County. Gimenez is a dolt for forcing Miami-Dade County taxpayers to pay him. Edmonson looks like a child having a tantrum.
One commissioner's ego trip should NEVER trump good public policy. But maybe we can do something! Please call and urge each commissioner on the prevailing (read: wrong) side to bring this up for reconsideration and to vote this time representing ALL county taxpayers.
Seriously? The Miami Heat grossed over $65 Million last year and Audrey Edmonson throws a hissy fit over the Heat paying market rent for a priceless waterfront piece of land. Who does Edmonson work for? The Heat?
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