For Mayor of Coral Gables: Jeannie Slesnick ... by gimleteye

As a longtime resident of Coral Gables, I recall the Raul Valdez Fauli years as mayor. Enough. Here is a FB post and support offered by M-D County Commission Daniella Levine Cava:

Coral Gables Early Voting October 28th. By Geniusofdespair

I remember the lines during early voting in previous elections. I would offer people bottled water on line. They were waiting an hour or two. Now I am observing no lines, actually drips and drabs of people. Maybe because they doubled the amount of sites. Maybe because fewer people are voting early. I chalk it up to the bizarre rain-a-phobia almost all Floridians suffer from: "Look  Sarah, a cloud." "Oh, Jose, don't go out it might rain." "RAIN!!! OMG NO!"

This rain is so good for the Zika virus to spread. That is better reason NOT to go out.

Anyway here are some photos taken yesterday at 4pm or thereabouts (AND REMEMBER TO VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT 1):

Entrance to voting area Coral Gables Library on Segovia.

Yes there was one.

Mo Abety running for School Board.  I voted for Mo. It was nice to meet him in person.

Maria Rojas, the Mayors sister-in-law, running for School Board against Mo.

Miguel De La Portilla running for State Senate against my choice: JOSE JAVIER RODRIGUEZ

Going Green: Coral Gables is Catching Up to South Miami and Pinecrest. By Geniusofdespair

Coral Gables Commissioner Vince Lago of Coral Gables reports he has gone solar:

I have always been cognizant that Eye on Miami has been a proponent of sustainable living which includes options like solar and other green opportunities. In that regard, I am proud to inform the Blog about the much anticipated completion of adding solar panels to my home. For years, I have recognized the advantages of using solar power for sustainable living. Now, I finally have the opportunity to enjoy all the benefits that come along with it.

By using the local financing program YGRENE, I was able to deflect the upfront costs of this project. To make matters even more convenient, recently, the City of Coral Gables passed a resolution which waives all permit fees for solar panel installations, and helps expedite the permit process. There were a few steps I took before installing the panels. First, I ensured my home was running on energy efficient appliances, LEED light fixtures and improved the insulation. At that point, my monthly energy usage was reduced to an average of $8.75 a month. Then, I sealed the deal with YGRENE, who offered immediate financing for energy efficient home improvements. In sum, I was able to install a total of thirty-eight US made Solarworld Solar panels. Ultimately, these panels will offset my electric use, and my total FPL bill should be $0. My home will even produce power for the electric car I plan to purchase later on this year.

With all of the local incentives along with a 30% ITC federal tax rebate, there has never been a better time to go solar!

As Vince goes solar (he proposed the Resolution waving the permit fees in the city) Mayor Jim Cason is concerned with sea level rise. Mayor Cason made a presentation at Empower Capable Climate Communicators on Feb. 28th. He showed the audience how Coral Gables is using Maps to plan and prepare for sea level rise. The City has had two sea level rise symposiums, supported by the entire Commission,  hosted by Commissioner Pat Keon and FIU. They are having a third one soon.

BTW, Vince Lago also proposed the Ordinance banning styrofoam that the State is rejecting. The City hasn't given up though, they recently passed a retroactive clause. Most of these green initiatives pass unanimously according to Vince.

A gold star to Coral Gables, now it is my suggestion that the City Beautiful join with the other Municipalities opposing the FPL mega power lines that will be going through Coral Gables. I am pretty sure they will be but I could be wrong.

Eye on Miami Saturday Editorial Page. By Geniusofdespair

We go where the Miami Herald will not...on Saturday

Rock Mining - They clear the dirt and trees to get to the rock.

The rock miners dynamite the rock and make a bundle a ton -- and they make a lake as a byproduct. Remember our aquifer is very close to the surface, and it moves like a river under the lakes.

Miami Dade County wants to cut Rock Miners fees by 83%, that would be millions of dollars, they now pay to protect our wetlands (that they are destroying). Look to two nitwits Rep. Manny Diaz Jr. and Sen. Rene Garcia. If carpet bagger Rock Miners weren't already making a killing, I could understand but their profits are higher than ever and they are endangering our water supply working very close to our Northwest wellfields, just to send our rock to faraway places. One of the biggest rock mining companies is from Mexico.

Against the miners, SEN. Miguel de la Portilla (what??) and REP. Jose Javier Rodriguez.  Where are you SEN. Gwen Margolis?  Do you have any clout on this? Vote against this reduction.  They are already making a windfall strip mining our Western edge. And we all remember the now famous pink water incident...our water could be contaminated in an instant. Read the New Times Article I linked to on pink water. A very good read.

According to the Miami Herald:

After a toxic plume of benzene appeared in 2006 in the county’s Northwest Wellfield, highlighting the wellfield’s increasing vulnerability from the expanding pits, a 15 cent fee per ton was added to improve water treatment.

Contamination can also move more quickly through water, said University of Miami hydrologist David Chin, so the lakes can act as giant mixing bowls spreading pollution even faster.

The rock miners have asked the Army Corps of engineers to EXPAND their mining area.
Will it never end?

OP ED: CORAL GABLES ELECTION TUESDAY, UPDATE BY FORMER CORAL GABLES COMMISSIONER MARIA ANDERSON:

I believe that it is better to tell the truth than a lie. I believe it is better to be free than to be a slave. And I believe it is better to know than to be ignorant. – H.L. Mencken

Coral Gables is at a crossroads in 2015. The present course with current Mayor Jim Cason is one that is littered in lies, conflicts of interest and poor judgment. That’s not what I want for my hometown, a place my family has lived in for 55 years, since we arrived from Cuba, and one that I served as Commissioner from 2001-2013.

Jim Cason continued to support Pat Salerno, the former City Manager who lied about just about everything, but most especially with the crime statistics, our safety.
In December 2012, the Manager falsified crime stats to the City Commission.
In April 2014, this same Manager was “retired” for lying again about the reporting of traffic accidents.

Jim Cason also approved an increase to Salerno’s retirement plan in September 2013. Taxpayers footed the bill, when Jim voted to increase the city’s pension contribution from 15% - 39%, and also added an additional 20 weeks of salary should he leave the city. And to add insult to stupidity, it was retroactive to January 2013. Just seven months later, the Manager left with a suitcase full of money, for lying. And still Cason called him a friend!

Jump? How High?
On April 2, Cason voted on first reading to allow a massive 1 million plus development that exceeds the current 16 stories allowed by code. It’s 19 stories and approved with a shortage of 600+ parking spaces. Considering the cutbacks in Fire Department staffing, the issues of public safety go truly unanswered. The developer has padded Cason campaign coffers, with $8000 dollars in the last quarter of 2014.

Wake up Coral Gables!

Cason has not had a single original thought in four years, and his arrogance is only exceeded by a poor command of the truth. Vote on Tuesday, April 14 and send Cason into retirement for good!

RUMOR, TRUTH AND GOSSIP:

The 3rd District Court of Appeal put additional sanctions on Johanna Faddis and her Attorney a few weeks ago. The Court found evidence of vexatious conduct and bad faith on the part of both Faddis and Mr. Patterson her attorney. Johanna Faddis worked for Former Commissioner Lynda Bell for years. She might still work for the county.

Bill "the Banker" Losner, who once pulled a gun on Lloyd Miller, has new digs in the keys.

 A VIDEO BY PHILLIP LEVINE OF MAYORS ON DESTINATION GAMBLING:

Coral Gables: Proposed Development Mediterranean Village and the Mayoral Election. Guest Blog

Voters Beware! … in Coral Gables where a 1.2 million square foot “Mediterranean Village” is being proposed that makes the Village of Merrick Park look like a single-family residence. The proposers are the well financed, or better said, the self-financed Agave LLC, an affiliate of a humongous business and commercial conglomerate in Mexico. Think Jose Cuervo, think tequila, think agave worm.

The project includes retail (almost the amount of total retail on Miracle Mile), a cinema, gym, office space, and a hotel and residential component. Height restrictions in the Gables are maximum 16 stories, but Agave has requested to build 19 stories. This 6.72 acre project is surrounded mostly by single-family residential homes that are dwarfed by this grossly out of scale project.

With recent staffing cutbacks by the City Commission at the Fire Department, will public safety be compromised? Never mind the shortage of parking of approximately 651 parking spaces, the amount of ever-precious water this project will require or the green space that will truly be in the public realm.

“It gets curiouser and curiouser” and down the rabbit hole we go... when you read Mayor Jim Cason’s campaign report. Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10, are ALL from Agave owned companies. Item 7 is from the construction company hired to do the job. And yet another $5000 is from Armando Codina who also has a development project in the pipeline. That’s $14,000 dollars from two developers with a lot to gain from a Cason re-election.

Will money buy this election? It’s up to us the voters on April 14th to say no to this out-of-scale, out-of-character development by sending Jim Cason into retirement.

Maria Anderson - Former Commissioner Coral Gables

Letter to the Editor:

Greed in the Gables

On March 25 the first commissioner’s public hearing was held for the largest and densest mega-block project ever proposed in the history of the city of Coral Gables that is not “as-of-right”. The proposed project, called the Mediterranean Village, covers 7 acres of land flanked by Ponce De Leon on the west, Galiano on the east, Malaga on the south, and Sevilla on the north. At the hearing, The Mediterranean Village developers, Agave Company, rebutted by saying that they were men of honor and that they deserved to be approved because they had spent three years in the approval process.

There is no honor in a company that is worth hundreds-of-millions of dollars and purchased about 70% of the land at 50% discount during the Great Recession, and proposes to build almost double the amount of square feet that is allowed by right. Moreover, The Mediterranean Village is not congruent with the city’s historic character because it’s unreasonable in size, scope, and scale; and its uses are economically and urbanistically questionable.

Additionally, this project has taken three years in the pipeline, and has cost the city hundreds of staff work-hours because of its unreasonable and unprecedented requests. For instance, it proposes that the city vacates alleys to developers and permits higher heights than what the code allows. Alleyways are historic and they belong to the people. It is unheard of that residents will ask the city to build larger and taller homes than they are legally allowed to do; and, it is also inconceivable that residents will be granted requests to vacate public city alleys to be able to build more in their private properties.

There is also zero honor in the commissioners who have led developers to create an unprecedented McProject that sets new standards in height and density just for their own self-interests. Greed and not honor runs our city. On April 2, the Commission will meet to deliberate on the approval of this project. Let's stop this project the way it’s being proposed and let’s take our city back from special interests on Election Day.

Maria Cristina Longo
Coral Gables Resident

Guayabas from the City Beautiful. By Former Commissioner Maria Anderson

Guayabas

I attended the Coral Gables Mayoral debate on Monday night, March 9 at the Coral Gables Congregational Church and am still amazed at the things that come out of Jim Cason’s mouth; same old, same old guayabas [1] of biblical proportions.

“For ten years nothing was done other than lamentations…I came in and decided we needed pension reform we could live with…” (Mayor Jim Cason, circa 2011)

“In Coral Gables before Jim Cason created pension reform, the city was formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep…” From the morass of former Commissions who had done nothing comes Jim Cason’s revisionist account of everything Coral Gables.  Pretty soon, he’ll take credit for Merrick’s vision.  Step aside George; enter Jim with his version of history.

Jim, I was Commissioner from 2001 – 2013, and in the time span before you arrived in 2011, the heavy lifting of pension reform had taken place.  Let me clarify a few facts so that voters can hear the truth you can’t seem to muster up enough courage to tell.

The City’s pension plan was non-contributory from 1989 – 2003.  In that scenario, the City paid 100% into the plan.  The employees did not pay into their pension.  The Commission in 2003 changed that, and 2 of 3 unions began to pay into the retirement plan, and by 2009, all the unions were contributing. We also capped the overtime people could use towards their retirement calculations.  Prior to then, it was unlimited.

Over the next 3 – 5 years, the assumption rate of the plan was lowered twice to allow the retirement board to re-balance the portfolio into more stable, less risky financial instruments.  The old retirement plan was also closed for new hires.

The years from 2001 – 2011 were productive ones, and in a time period of two economic downturns and 09/11, pension reform was a top priority.  Interestingly enough, we also managed to restore the majority of our historic infrastructure and also replaced an aging garbage and fire fleet.  Hmm, for your claims we did nothing, we sure did accomplish a lot.

Jim, it’s ungracious to demean predecessors who served their hometown with great pride and at substantial sacrifice.  You might grab hold of Winston Churchill’s wise advice as you move forward, “The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.”

[1] Guayabas | gwa'ʝaβas| fibs; lies

Maria Anderson was Coral Gables City Commissioner from 2001-2013.  She is now an ordained UCC minister and a hospice chaplain, but still cares about what happens in her hometown.

Truth is stranger than fiction in Coral Gables. Guest Post by Sal

On Tuesday, November 12, the Commissioners in Coral Gables will increase the membership of the City’s Pension Board from 9 to 13. It passed 5 - 0 on First Reading in September. The four additional members are the City's Finance Director, Human Resources Director, and two individuals appointed by the City Manager. So, what’s wrong with that?

Consider that of this potentially stacked 13-member board, City Manager “My Way or the Highway” Salerno really controls 9 votes (67%), the four new ones, and the four on the Commission. This Commission has slowing but surely allowed its Chief Administrative Officer to usurp its power as policy makers

Recently, the City Commission approved a hefty salary package increase to its highest paid employee. Taxpayers contributions to Salerno’s pension package went from 15% to 39% of his salary, and an additional 20 weeks of salary should he leave the city. And to add insult to stupidity, they made it retroactive to January 2013.

Meanwhile, lower tier employees are required to contribute 17% (used to be ~21%) of their salary in a cost-sharing agreement. At a recent impasse hearing, four employees, many of them working in the city over 10 years, shared that they had lost their homes, their savings, their marriages and some are going without the basics because of this contribution that’s automatically taken out of their paychecks. Employees don't matter in Coral Gables, they are just numbers on a spreadsheet. Meanwhile, the City sits on $20 million+ of reserve.

And now, the board that oversees pensions is in almost complete control by the de facto Mayor Pat Salerno of Coral Gables. Please don't be fooled residents of the City Beautiful; it’s Salerno you elected. The bobble heads on the dais say, "How high?" when he says, “Jump!”

Coral Gables Traditions--who cares? Guest Blog by Truly Blue

Where is the party?

Funny how things go in the City of Coral Gables:  when you don't get along with the city manager of four years, you do not get a thank you for your twelve years of service.  Neither Comm. Maria Anderson nor Comm. Ralph Cabrera were thanked by the city for their years of service to the community.  Typically the city hosts a lunch or farewell party of some sort for their commissioners or mayor who leave office.  Not this year.

Shame on you Comm. Bill Kerdyk for allowing your colleagues of twelve years to leave public service this way.  Shame on you Pat Salerno for allowing your anger over political disagreements to do the honorable thing.  Shame on you Mayor Jim "ambassador my eye" Cason for being equally disagreeable.  And shame on Comm. Frank Quesada for your lack of commitment to your colleagues of two years.  What has happened in the city the pretends to be better then other cities in the area?

I know the manager and the commissioners did not see eye to eye, especially in the most recent two years and that the current mayor had his fair share of run-ins with the two passionate commissioners, but is this really the way it goes in "the city beautiful"?  Maybe it is because they are both Cuban that people have not raised any stink?  Maybe it is because their presence on the dais meant issues that would otherwise fly through the city process stalled sometimes?  Or maybe it is pure spite?

I do not know which of the above it might be and I doubt either commissioner would have accepted a party on the city dime anyway, but it would have been nice if the offer had been made just the same.  Notwithstanding their exits from office in different fashion, Maria by retirement thanks to those pesky term limits and Ralph because term limits forced him to run for mayor or retire, both worked tirelessly on behalf of the residents, employees, businesses and community in general during their time in office.  The city should have DONE better.  In any event, enjoy your freedom Maria Anderson and Ralph Cabrera, you have earned it.

Michael Froomkin of Discourse Releases his Coral Gables Endorsements. By Geniusofdespair

Michael Froomkin, Laurie Silvers & Mitchell Rubenstein Distinguished Professor of Law

Go take a look at his endorsements for the City of Coral Gables 2013 election.

I think Michael did a good job of vetting the candidates in his home city. He took meticulous notes at the candidates forums and shared them with us over the past few weeks  and offered us his analysis.

Thank you Professor Froomkin!

Coral Gables: Mayor's Hall of Blame. By Coral Gables Commissioner Maria Anderson

Former Coral Gables Top Bananas (sans Slesnick who supports Cabrera) Endorsed Cason.  Genius Asks: Is that good or bad?

One of Jim Cason’s last mail pieces shows a picture with three past Coral Gables Mayors who support him. Good for him, but interestingly enough these are the folks who made the pension problem more challenging to fix later.

It hurts me to say this, because these folks gave sincerely of their time in public service, but it needs to be said, that ALL Commissions share in the good and the bad things that happen, individually and collectively. That’s just how it rolls!

We all do the best we can with the information before us, but to let one group take the blame alone, ones that actually did something to enact pension reform is just wrong.

So, while Superhero Jim is blaming the 2001-2011 Commission, let’s analyze some real facts to clear up the falsehoods spread by the Superhero’s campaign.

“Just the facts, ma’am.” said Sergeant Joe Friday…

Mayor Corrigan was Mayor in 1988-89 when the city made the system non-contributory, and then Mayors Raul Valdes-Fauli and Dorothy Thomson were there in the 1990s when  the retirement plan was heavily vested in stocks. These are facts, on the historical time-space continuum, and not accusations on individuals.

Boom, bang, zoom!

In came the 2001 dot.com bubble bust where all hell broke loose on the stock market and our plan took a “full metal jacket” and lost oodles of money; money the city had to make up, dramatically increasing the now magic “buzz” word “unfunded liability”.

I can leap tall buildings in a single bound…

After all, Superhero Jim has been the only one who has done anything in the last millennium to fix the city’s pension issue; Mayor Slesnick, Vice-Mayor Kerdyk, Commissioners Cabrera, Withers and I single-handedly destroyed it, sitting on our hands, singing laments and doing nothing.

“For ten years nothing was done other than lamentations…I came in and decided we needed pension reform we could live with…” (Mayor Jim Cason, Candidate Forum, March 21, 2013)

Drum roll please…

Here’s the truth Cason isn’t telling…the heavy lifting to correct the pension issues occurred from 2001-2011!

• From 1989 – 2003, city systems was non-contributory, the city paid 100% of employees contribution
• In 2003, it became a contributory system again, and 2 of 3 unions came on board
• In 2009, the final union began to participate
• Overtime, that people could use towards their retirement calculations, was capped and lowered several times. It used to be unlimited.
• In the 1990s the city paid into pension, and times were good.
• Actuarial assumptions were at 9% that forced the retirement plan to vest heavily in stocks to meet that target number.
• In 2001, the dot.com crash hit, and the city had to make up for the difference in the losses, which increased the unfunded liability significantly.
• Over the next 3 – 5 years, the assumption rate of the plan was lowered twice to allow the retirement board to re-balance the portfolio into more stable financial instruments. Lowering the assumption rate was a good thing, but the city had to pay for that lowering.
• It is a long-term issue, and there are no quick fixes and it will take approximately 20-25 years to complete the process due for people retiring and getting paid out of the old plan.

And now for the “piece de resistance” Superhero Jim is going to ask the residents of Coral Gables to vote on $16 million dollars of new debt to pay for downtown street improvements! *

Really Jim, isn’t there a better way to pay for this project?

* (Candidate Forum, 03/26/13)

Porta-Potty Devotee Vince Lago Running for Coral Gables Commmission. By Geniusofdespair

On 2/17/13, just 2 days before Vince attested to his residential address on the application, the house stood empty with permits in the window and a porta-potty outside.

Looks like the house is empty 2/17/2013

Wouldn't you think a Coral Gables resident would prefer running water and a toilet. It appears Candidate Vince Lago has been using a porta-potty for a few months and lives in what appears to be an empty house. I assume the porta potty means he has no running water in the house, but I have never been in it -- not on his A list. To get a Homestead exemption you have to RESIDE ON THE PROPERTY AS OF JANUARY 1.  

Our guest blogger Gabler has plenty to say about this:

In the world of political candidacy, Vince Lago is the Waldo of the current Coral Gables election period. Being the elusive person that he is, Vince has apparently resided all over the place while his developer friends and contributors created “The Man” for the Coral Gables commission seat in District 2.

From the city qualifying records, it seems that Vince “lived” in his San Amaro home just long enough to grab the 2012 homestead exemption. Then, following the 12/31/11 Homestead Exemption deadline Lago amazingly popped up in the city of Miami (1/1/12) when his mailing address was changed for the homesteaded property’s waste bill.

Most importantly, once everyone realized that one had to live in Coral Gables for at least 12 consecutive months to be eligible to run for office, Lago meandered his mailing address back to his wife’s parent’s house inside the city boundaries. According to Coral Gables Waste Department billings filed with the city for Lago’s run, he received his mail at 2 different addresses for his homesteaded property on San Amaro.

Now, if one was to look at Lago’s voters registrations, he used the voter’s card for his in-laws house to qualify for the election, but in actuality even at time, his voter’s registration (and his wife’s) was associated with an apartment on the other side of Coral Gables. In fact, he just recently voted absentee from that address in March.

So, where does Vince Lago live? Who knows?

The house on which he and his wife are carrying homestead exemption, and the house of record on his candidate application, has been vacant for much of the required residency period. In fact, on 2/17/13, just 2 days before Vince attested to his residential address on the application, the house stood empty with permits in the window and a porta-potty outside. Throughout 2012 there were “Notice of Commencements” filed with the county clerk’s office for major work done both outside and inside the house.

The dumb thing about our elusive Lago’s situation is that once he was living in Coral Gables, it made no difference where he lived as long as it was 12 months previous to qualifying. He didn’t need to qualify under his San Amaro address, unless of course, he was justifying his homestead exemption on the house with the porta-potty.

Green porta potty (unfashionably placed near  the sidewalk) and dumpster on 4/02/2013 at Vince Lago's homestead exempted home.

As of this week, the house remains empty, with its porta-potty and dumpster. The city of Coral Gables qualification file shows that Lago’s 2012 Homestead Exemption automatically rolled over into the 2013 year. Homestead Exemption normally applies to where one lives, not where one renovates property. Someone needs to tell Vince Lago.

PLEASE READ DISCOURSE

Term Limited Coral Gables Commissioner Maria Anderson goes out with a bang. By Geniusofdespair

Commissioner Maria Anderson, said sayonara at her last Coral Gables commission meeting March 26. She had even more to say, as evidenced by this press release:

“It's been a privilege to serve my hometown for 12 years. I survived three tough elections and am humbled that the citizens of Coral Gables placed their trust in me in 2001, 2005 and 2009. I am proud that I am leaving public service rich in amazing experiences, not but no richer in money than when I started in 2001. I never took a city computer, cell phone and declined to participate in the city's pension.

My work with seniors, keeping the process alive for a senior center is now
bearing fruit. The Coral Gables Charrette was the impetus for the re-write of the city's Zoning Code, and was also a great community event. In 2003, we did the heavy lifting in starting the reform of the city's pension by making it a contributory system again. But I leave heavy-hearted and troubled by the direction our city is heading. The Mayor's race in particular is pivotal. The standing mayor has become the puppet for a despotic City Manager. Furthermore the mayor never truly expresses an opinion of his own and is scripted by the manager whose interest is never about what's best for the City. Shoddily re-paved streets and skinny palm trees do not a good mayor make. They are merely cosmetic cover-ups that hide the true issues.

Cason's popularity with Cubans because of his Cuban Foreign Service work makes no sense to me. After all, I am a Cuban-born;53-year resident of Coral Gables and my colleague, Ralph Cabrera is a Cuban born, 47-year resident. Our parents lost everything, and then made a life again in Coral Gables.

1. Jim Cason refuses to admit that the City has had a 13%+ increase in crimes and allowed the Manager to cover it up before the election.

2. Jim Cason approved an unprecedented number of no-bid contracts that cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars. It’s the “good old boy” network at it worst.

3. Jim Cason views city employees like actuarial statistics and the manager views them as chattel. Morale has flat-lined in City Hall. He has not figured out that fairly treated employees give the quality service residents expect. My last few weeks will be spent in helping my 12-year colleague Ralph Cabrera be elected Mayor. That's the least I can do for my hometown."

I sent my readers to Discourse.net for an analysis of the Mayoral race in Coral Gables. Law Professor Michael Froomkin has been following it, I have not.

(I must have been German in another life. I keep capitalizing all nouns as I type and I am forever correcting. Should Mayoral be capitalized in this instance? Readers?)

Report from the Gables. Guest Blog by Gabler

Genius here - I asked a friend to fill us in on what is going on with the Coral Gables election, specifically I asked: How is Ross Hancock doing...

The stately city of Coral Gables is having an election next week that has attracted the greedy eyes of developers and lobbyists, who have put up 35-year-old construction executive Vicente Carlos Lago as a commission candidate. Lago’s campaign has spent over $100,000.00 in the race so far, an astonishing amount and more than the mayoral candidates, to ensure a place at the table for the Latin Builders and their ilk. It is virtually certain that more than $100 per voter will be spent by the 10 candidates who are vying for control of the commission. As of 3/13 Hancock had raised $2,605 and Lago has raised an alarming $141,798.

Ross Hancock, who gave Rep. Erik Fresen a scare in November, by getting very close with very little funds, is running a grassroots campaign against Lago that is highlighting issues like climate change. Community volunteer Marlin Ebbert is also running for the at-large Group 2 seat, which is open because Commissioner Ralph Cabrera is challenging incumbent Mayor Jim Cason.

Hancock’s campaign is built on a network of local volunteers in an election that will probably attract about 5,000 voters. Hancock builds on a base of more than 7,000 Gables voters who preferred him in the November partisan race. His team is also working on the UM campus to motivate newly registered student voters who support his environmental priorities.

Ross Hancock is the only candidate in the Gables races who is endorsed by the Sierra Club. He also has the endorsements of Democracy for America and the union that represents the beleaguered Gables city workers, some of whom have been so squeezed that they now depend on food stamps.

This is an interesting race to watch if you like to see regular citizens challenge local candidates whose sponsors are trying to buy elections, and if you are interested in how difficult issues like gun control and climate change are received by the public.

Genius Again: If I lived in Coral Gables, I would vote for Ross Hancock. 

As far as the Mayor's race goes -- Ralph Cabrera -- I defer to DISCOURSE.NET because Michael Froomkin has followed and analyzed the race. His analysis is at this link.

Gables campaign finance reports.

Traffic congestion: who wins?... by gimleteye

It was no surprise to read in the Miami Herald that according to red light camera statistics, I live a stone's throw from the "worst overall intersection" in South Florida: Coral Gables’ northbound South Dixie Highway and Jefferson Street.

Drivers get ticketed there, on average, 30 times a day. There is a reason. Drivers heading north have just fumed at even more clogged traffic intersections at LeJeune and Ponce. These intersections were already over-congested a decade ago, when the City of Coral Gables permitted the "Village" of Merrick Park over the objection of nimbys. I was among a handful of residents who objected to the Rouse Project because, I was already an expert in these over-saturated intersections.

But what is the complaint of commuters next to the imperative to build more and more and more? I'm guessing, notwithstanding the Great Recession, that lobbyists and politicians are itching to do it all over again. Isn't that where tax base comes from: more development? Increased tax base covers municipal infrastructure costs. But wait, if development paid its own way, how come we have staggering municipal deficits? Perhaps we hired too many traffic counters who were paid not to count. Anyhow, here is who wins.

Rouse Company won. So did its phalanx of lobbyists, local yo-yo's, and politicians including former Mayor Raul Valdez Fauli. Get a traffic ticket at US 1 and Jefferson: you might try sending it to Valdez Fauli. Here's who else won: the flippers at General Growth Properties who purchased Merrick Park then took the whole company through bankruptcy in 2009. There were a lot of losers. Stockholders, for one. But the biggest losers are the commuters who use US 1, or at least, the most aggravated.

It is useful to go back and review the historical record. It doesn't do much good to point out that "we told you so", not when the red traffic camera lights are flashing on your license plate. Here is an excerpt from a 1999 editorial of mine, published on the topic, in the Miami Herald:

Coral Gables Election Results. By Geniusofdespair

The new Mayor: Jim Cason or is there a runoff? It says on his website that he has 4 wonderful grandchildren...and he said a lot of other stuff. Go read his website if you are interested.

Coral Gables Election Sewer Pit. By Geniusofdespair

We have not been following the Coral Gables election but Discourse.Net has been and they have uncovered a Julio Robaina connection in PAC campaign contributions. Pretty slimy stuff going on in the City Beautiful - namely the police union paid for an attack ad.

For FPL Bigwig Jeff Bartel, corporate responsibility is whatever he wants ... by gimleteye

There is nothing more appalling in public life than the way electric utilities force ratepayers to pay for megaprojects costing billions, like new nuclear power at Turkey Point, that put the hammer on local government in ways that distort democracy beyond recognition. Care about wetlands protection, water quality, water supply in South Florida? FPL makes it up, on the spot.

Here is a specific demonstration how FPL executives act like royalty. Last week, FPL Vice President for Compliance and Corporate Responsibility Jeff Bartel strong-armed local city commissioners in Coral Gables to approve, on appeal, a variance for his home in Hammock Lakes. The affluent area has site-specific zoning, but Mr. Compliance got his variance from compliance and approval to double square footage. Most people never have a chance at any variance in the Gables. For me, I'd just like to walk my dog off leash once and a while.

So how did Bartel demonstrate his "responsibility"? He did it by putting five well-known attorneys/lobbyists in the front row at the city commission, facing two city commissioners who are up for re-election, including Greenberg Traurig's black hat land use lobbyist, Lucia Dougherty. Compliance is not in the eye of the beholder: it is in the eye of owner of the beholder. The oligarchy is alive and well in Florida.

What's 'UP' with the George Merrick Statue? By Geniusofdespair

About 4 or 5 years ago this statue of George Merrick was placed in front of Coral Gables City Hall. I did not retouch the photo.

"Incorporated on April 29, 1925, the City of Coral Gables is celebrating its 85th Anniversary with an open house on Thursday, April 29, from 2-6 p.m. at the Merrick House, 907 Coral Way." (Developer George Merrick is considered the 'architect' of the city so those are plans he is holding.)

Yes, There Are Foreclosures in Upscale Coral Gables. By Geniusofdespair

This home on a tree-lined avenue in Coral Gables, built in 1971, was purchased in August 2007 for $1,250,000. It was foreclosed on and sold at auction for $365,100 on February 1st. The judgment on the property was for $1,172,639.82 (first mortgage plus fees). The assessed value was $455,458 at the time of the 2010 sale. The guy who owned it had a $1,000,000 first mortgage and a $187,400 second mortgage. He put $62,600 down. Not a bad price to pay for a few years in a million dollar home. This property was a steal at $365,100 in this neighborhood. The home's side yard borders on busy Le Jeune Road but still, it is over 2,000 square feet on a corner lot in Miami-Dade's most desirable City, Coral Gables.

All you people waiting to buy: I think the time is now!

Suck It Up Gables: Taxes on the Rise. By Geniusofdespair

As I predicted, July 6th, taxes are on the rise.

It was reported today, in the Miami Herald, that Coral Gables voted to raise their tax rate to "offset an approximate $10-million shortfall in the city's budget." The average Coral Gables home (valued at $571,388) could see an increase of anywhere from $200 to a bit over $500. Remember, this average homeowner also has to pay county taxes which, when you add in the separate Countywide debt service and the County Library District tax, are actually higher than the Coral Gables city tax.

I think we will see an increase in all Miami-Dade Cities, one-by-one the shoe will drop. Coral Gables only had a modest decrease in property values (-5.3% in 2009) whereas other less fortunate cites are facing a double-digit decline (Homestead almost -25%).