The Citizens Transportation Trust, over-seeing our Transit Bond Money, screws the Citizens of Miami Dade County spending money on trinkets. First of all some members are former County employees. It is supposed to be composed of citizens perhaps USING transit. It is not. I doubt that Linda Zilber or Joe Curbelo has ever been on a bus (the members are below). The Selection Committee puts the same old people they know on the Trust. I hate this waste of money group. Is anyone on there from Cutler Bay or Palmetto Bay or Homestead? All the handwritten applications of people who actually use transit are mentally discarded by the Selection Committee.
But that is another story. One to follow. It is not my beef today.
I am complaining about the waste of money for the two sided heavy metal medallions being minted for the CITT, I was told it was their budget paying for them which translates to: Our Transportation Bond Money. They have done it 3 times so far. They are 3 inches round good for utterly nothing. I am trying to find out how many they made and how much they cost. On line, in bulk, a medallion of this size is at least $2 or $3. And what are they commentating, a few long over-due projects?
What do you do with the medallion once home? Well, you can't flush it down the toilet so you have to send it to the landfill. It has no use at all. Probably with the velvet bags, they paid thousands of dollars for the three sets of coins. I have no idea how many they got. But: WHY ARE THEY THROWING OUR TRANSIT MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN? Shame on you CITT. By the way, don't blame Javier Betancourt, the new Executive Director. He has NOT done anything stupid yet.
Message to Javier: Stay away from the promotional gear. If you want to do something constructive at an unveiling, raffle off a bike. Get some money in - don't spend it on garbage.
I like Javier, and have known him since he worked for the South Florida Regional Planning Council, and I hope we have a new beginning with him at the helm.
Note to Javier: Really look through the applicants and get some regular people on it. Maybe call them, you have enough staff. I will be watching. I want it to get better. See list of Mostly elitist members:
Member Biographies
Javier A. Betancourt, AICP, Executive Director
Javier A. Betancourt serves as Executive Director of the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT), an independent agency of Miami-Dade County charged with oversight of the “half penny” transportation surtax and implementation of the associated People’s Transportation Plan.
Alfred J. Holzman
Holzman's first career was in the public sector. To prepare for this career path, he received a Master of Public Administration degree from New York University. Prior, Holzman was awarded a B.A. from Queens College.
Honorable Anna E. Ward, Ph.D.
A product of Miami Dade County Public Schools, Miami Dade College and Florida International University, Dr. Ward holds the Doctor of Philosophy from International Seminary, Plymouth, Florida. Her background includes more than 25 years of local, state and federal government experience and 15 years as an adjunct professor and administrator at Miami Dade College.
Eli Stiers, Esq.
Eli Stiers is the founding partner of Stiers Law, P.A., a boutique personal injury and civil litigation firm located in the heart of downtown Miami.
Glenn J. Downing, CFP
In 2014 Glenn and his business partner established CameronDowning, a Registered Investment Adviser in Florida. In addition to his personal financial planning practice, Glenn is a CFP® instructor and has been involved in teaching the certification curriculum since 2006.
Joe Curbelo
Joe Curbelo is an IT Director for the Miami Dolphins and Sun Life Stadium, where he has managed the infrastructure and support for the team and all stadium events including Super Bowl XLI and XLIV, the 2009 BCS Championship and the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
Honorable Linda Zilber
The Hon. Linda Zilber is the former Mayor of Bay Harbor Islands, where she also served as a Councilwoman for seven years. She ran a design firm for 25 years and served as spokeswoman for Metro Transportation, a family-owned business specializing in transportation for the disabled.
Marilyn Smith
Marilyn Smith is an educator for Homestead Job Corp and a long time activist in the South Miami-Dade community. She represented District 5 on the Miami-Dade Fire Board, served on Community Council 14, was director of the Richmond Heights Resource Center and a member of the Miami-Dade Police Citizen Advisory Committee.
Melissa Dynan
Melissa Dynan is a public service professional with more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit management and a strong advocate in human services. As a consultant she provides community outreach, advocacy, research, capacity building strategies, and systems change.( Works for Xavier Suarez?)
Miles Moss, P.E.
Miles Moss is president of Miles Moss & Associates, Inc., an engineering consultant firm specializing in forensic engineering, analyzing and reconstructing traffic accidents and coordinating traffic engineering and traffic impact studies. He is a Transportation Engineer with over thirty-three years of professional managerial experience in Miami-Dade County in the fields of traffic engineering and traffic operations studies.
Oscar J. Braynon
Oscar J. Braynon has an extensive background in military leadership, aviation management, civic engagement, technical recruiting and business development. (Chief Of Staff to County Commission Chair Barbara Carey Schuler)
Paul J. Schwiep, Esq.
Paul J. Schwiep is an attorney with the firm Coffey Burlington where his practice focuses on business and class action disputes in federal and state court. He has successfully tried numerous business contract and tort disputes, including cases involving distribution agreements, class action insurance disputes and business and real estate contracts.
Prakash Kumar
Prakash Kumar is a committed community activist and a resident of Miami Beach. He is a strong advocate of Public Transportation. Over the years, he has been active in the community serving as a volunteer to several community agencies including City of Miami Beach's Committee on Homeless, South Florida International Press Club, International Red Cross where he is certified Instructor with the Greater Miami Chapter.
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2 comments:
Pens and t-shirts are cheaper. Cars are faster even on our snail roads and too many high rises are menacing and rob us from the tropical breeze and appeal that is the Caribbean, which, believe it or not, we are still a part of.
Cars create jobs, we just have to keep jobs closer to home to drive less and save some gas. For others or lazy days, adopt the European system of public transportation - and no need to do it on tax payers' money - just take a vacation for about $2,500 - $3,500 for a week and take public transportation. You will come back and see how behind we really are.
BUT, the SMART Plan is really politicians helping out their developer friends and themselves, and not really about improving neighborhoods, reducing crime, fixing traffic or helping more people become independent of government. For one, politicians need to stick those awful high rises behind THEIR BACK YARDS . . . including chairman Esteban Bovo.
The fruit is still not that ripe and this is NOT Manhattan (who said what?) Protect the Caribbean feel. Downtown looks menacing, is horrible to get there by car or public transportation, and it has gotten way too expensive for what it is - a congested, concrete filled, dead end to nowhere.
Pens are cheaper.
some hard hitting speculation right here.
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