If the mainstream press accounts are to be believed, Mayor Regalado will be removing the Chief of Police John Timoney and perhaps the City Manager, Pete Hernandez as big indicators of change. But I'm guessing that there are a thousand other details that need thorough reform, including the kinds of no-show jobs for politically influential relatives that Miami New Times disclosed. I'd be interested to know what is on your "top ten list" for Mayor Regalado.
22 comments:
Regalado will be a puppet for the unions. He can't think or do anything on his own. The city is in for a major NO!
There are too many disrespectful and rude comments about Mayor Regalado. Are these bitter supporters of Sanchez or Diaz allies writing in? Show some class and give the new mayor a little leeway as he puts together a new administration. If you care about the future of Miami be part of the solution, don't just tear down things.
I am all for Mayor Regalado succeeding and I hope that he will consider thinking regionally and weigh in on Miami Dade sprawl that takes money from the urban core. He can be a voice of reason at County Commission meetings when they want to build cities in the buffer lands of the Everglades.
It is the Dawn of a new day. A new beginning...whatever that means.
I believe that Regalado will wait and keep Pete Hernandez for a little while.
I agree with him wanting to get rid of Timoney.
Time will tell though.
Fundamentally the revenue problem cannot be solved without changing dramatically the pension system which represents along with salaries the lion-share of the budget. I hope Regalado and the labor leaders can reconcile whatever promises they made to the rank and file on this issue with what needs to be done. Not done, risks in 3-4 years state oversight. It also could result in a less than 1 term new mayor. Its not an easy set of cards to play. The new team has pinned themselves into a corner already with their endorsement base.
I never understand this "morale" issue when it comes to the cops. The objective measures are financial (overtime, salaries, benefits, costs of operating), incidents of violence by police (justified or not), corruption (IA and the integrity of its investigative duties), crime rate, errors (e.g. rape kits fiasco), things like this. If cops have high morale and are failing to do their job then chief should go. If cops have low morale and the objective measures are good, then chief stays. I am troubled that Regalado wants to remove a chief over a red-herring non objective measure. If he spends his capital on this and crime goes up or cost go up because morale is measured by overtime wages, then Regalado would have been seen as impetuous. I dont like the sound of his tome on the chief, and having said that I dont personally like the chief, but I think he has been good on the measures above. Its not highschool. Who cares if we like each other.
Rude comments about Regalado!!!impossible!!!! he's the most honest and clean politician we've had for years.NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT
Regalado is already thinking about the tax payers, instead of being sworn in with the new commissioners, he wants his own ceremony. Good ole' Tomasito always trying hard not to spend taxpayer's money
Give the Mayor-Elect a break. He has not been sworn in yet.
Regalado is inheriting a financial nightmare. Although Regalado was one of five commissioners the City Manager and his boss Mayor Diaz were in charge.
Manny Diaz is leaving Tomas Regalado with a broken city, just like W left Obama with a broken country. Both Manny and W should be ashamed and if possible put in jail for the crimes they have perpetrated on us all. But somehow Tomas and Obama will each figure out the best ways to get us through these tough times. Bellow are 21 goals that should be considered to help improve Miami.
Top 21 Miami Goals
1. Create jobs in all districts 1-5.
2. Don’t depend on construction and residential housing industry as primary economic engine.
3. Increase clean industries like film, TV, music, technology, finance and entertainment.
4. Increase cargo, trade, import, export, port and commercial air industry.
5. Increase cruise ship industry.
6. Work with unions and government staff to reduce salaries and pensions by 5,10 & 15% increments.
7. Link downtown with MiMo District through east coast railway corridor.
8. Develop parks and gardens in empty lots.
9. Provide tax incentives for homeowners and office buildings to install solar panels and sell their unused electrical supply to grid for credit.
10. Increase consumer traffic by eliminating parking meter fees after 6 PM.
11. Have police be friendlier to residence and tourists. Provide warning, fewer tickets and no attitude.
12. Provide civic classes to residence so they may better understand how their city works, how improve it and how to be better citizen activists.
13. Provide professional advocate to help the public defend their case to the city against lobbyists, developers and special interest groups.
14. Grandfather in rental units in residential neighborhoods that where built prior to 1980.
15. Provide permit and code inspection service (like roof inspection and termite inspection) to all home buyers of properties being sold. This fee will also generate jobs and income for the city.
16. Do not over-developed Virginia Key as a sport park. Create an eco-friendly park and if possible install solar collectors in contaminated area to save $45 million clean up expense, generate cost renewable electricity and conceal the panels behind vegetation.
17. Restore Miami Marine Stadium and return marine and musical events.
18. Restore Jimbo’s (Shrimper’s Lagoon) to former glory for us in film, TV and photo shoots. Move Virginia Key toll booth to location near beach parking lot.
19. Restore Miami River as a mixed use working river, with marine industry, restaurants, walkways and minimal residential housing.
20. Create bike friendly environmental, more bike lanes, more utilitarian bike racks, and establish a bike sharing program like that of Portland, Seattle and Paris.
21. Restore confidence in our citizens and business operators that our city government is here to represent and protect us and our neighborhood and not to bend over backwards to developers, lobbyist and special interest groups.
Swearing in ceremonies are usually paid for by the campaign.
Manny Diaz makes the taxpayers pay for a $125,000 per year policeman to be his driver for the City owned SUV. Taxpayers pay for all expenses for Manny's car and the taxpayers pay for all overtime as Manny attends fundraising events organized by lobbyists. Manny pays no tax on this benefit. No wonder Miami is facing a $150 mil deficit.
Anon,
Manny has TWO Sgt. of Arms.
Looks like Harry E Gottlieb has the Joe Sanchez campaign platform and vision down pat. Good job!
Tomas Regalado got over 71% of all the votes. Guess the voters trusted Regalado?
As if the 125k makes a difference. This is .00083%. Believe me the problem with the budget is not here. And just wait Tomas will do the same thing with the police as Mayor. The problem with the budget is with executive, fire and police salaries and overtime, and pensions.
Yes. Every penny makes a difference. Every stupid decision makes adifference.
The $125,000 salary plus benefits makes a point about entitlements. A certified police officer and his superiors think it is OK to use his talent and experience sitting around eating donuts waiting to drive a Mayor 2 minutes away to his next photo op. (Why isn't the experienced officier on the street arresting criminals? Why don't elected officials drive themselves?)
Further, the example shows the disconnect elected officials have for the people who elected them. No wonder Manny and his City Manager left the City effectively bankrupt. They were always spending money they didn't have.
I bet the last anon is for universal healthcare, government bailouts, and Obama. Talk about spending our money...
Some issues are local and well within our ability to comment. Other issues are national and of course well out of our ability to control.
Stupid wasteful spending is terrible locally and of course, nationally.
It was a series of small decisions that ended up leaving the City facing bankruptcy.
When a dream is realized, it can often morph into a nightmare. I'm guessing Mr. Regalado's euphoria will or has evolved into a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. The foundation of his legacy will be rooted in how he deals with salaries and pensions-no easy task. We need him to succeed. I hope he has the courage to say "no" when it really counts.
Hey Harry, you left out #22: Talk about Cuba and Venezuela in every commission meeting. Give me a break, none of those things in that list are his. I remember that in one of the debates he even said that it was not a mayor's job to create jobs, and now he's talking about the film industry??? All of those were Sanchez's plans!! and how can you compare Regalado with Obama? All Regalado did was to critize Obama on the radio day in and out. Regalado is an extremely conservative Republican.!!! Harry, please, don't insult Obama!!
Obama created the situation where Wall Street bonuses this Xmas will set new records.
Unemployment nationwide sets records and Wall Street firms and banks will pay over $30 bil in bonuses to selected insiders.
Manny Diaz probably set a record giving $3 bil to the privately owned Marlins.
Who looks after the man on the street?
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