Jose Webeje: the fisherman who created his dream ... by gimleteye

Jose Webeje, star of the outdoor TV fishing show "Spanish Fly", died in a plane crash in Everglades City yesterday.

Wejebe touched millions of viewers from his home base in the Florida Keys, where he created high quality programming; from shooting to edit room. He was the star who could grab the high definition camera and dive into the water as the fish he caught was at the boat.

I was about to graduate in the spring of 1976, when a small group of college friends visited Marathon to fish on the flats for three days.

Since only two people fish in a boat, our guide Harry Spear called on a new kid to run the second boat: Jose. I was Jose's first or second charter.

If my memory is correct, Jose had arrived from Cuba either on a raft or a small boat only a few months earlier. He was about our own age, a big raw-boned, barefoot kid. His knot tying skill was like his English: a work in progress. I remember pretty clearly; one day where Harry found bonefish everywhere, Jose couldn't find any until the very end of the day when just off Big Pine Key, a school tormented us to no avail. We kids circled the bonefish in the fading light, muttering. If you bet me then a live shrimp, that Jose would become a charismatic star of fishing television; an icon of a billion dollar industry, I would have swallowed the shrimp.

We fished together once or twice in the 1980's. My father, who lived at the time in Marathon, more often. Success for Jose didn't arrive at the end of a smoothly paved road. But he had done the hard part: survived the crossing from Cuba over the Florida Straits with nothing in his pockets.

Not many people have a success story like Jose. He lived the dream. He dialed-in the yearning of fishermen for new and exotic places and showed how the fish we identify with, live. It was a magical run, any way you catch and release it. God bless you, Jose.

Biscayne National Park Wants to Dispel Rumors. By Geniusofdespair

Mark Lewis, Superintendent of Biscayne National Park (a marine park), wrote a letter to the Miami Herald about the new Management Plan. Some fisherman are in an uproar because they say that the plan bans them from fishing in most of the park. In response Lewis says:

"The park is proposing that only 7 percent of the waters be included in the marine reserve. This leaves the vast majority of the park — 151,000 acres — open to fishing."

I am including the whole letter because I don't like rumors (unless I make them up):

Is Florida Power and Light Staff Big Fat Liars? By Geniusofdespair

Florida Power & Light is gearing up for its expansion at Turkey Point. So that would mean the unemployment around Homestead is down, right?

Wrong.

FPL is BRINGING IN the workforce. Restaurants near the plant are buzzing, short term rentals have gone through the roof. Condo's and Homeowner's Associations are changing their Condo Doc's to cash in. The job bonanza isn't for us in Miami Dade County...except for Lynda Bell - unapologetic Florida Power & Light cheerleader - I heard her daughter is now working for FPL. I guess Lynda herself will profit, she did buy a hotel in Homestead.

The least you could do is give the locals the jobs you promised in your presentations FPL. They are the ones that will suffer if things go wrong. Or, are you only reserving the LOW LEVEL jobs for locals?

Will Gloria Romero Roses Run Against Ethically Challenged U.S. Congressman David Rivera and Other Election News. By Geniusofdespair

I am hoping Gloria Romero Roses runs against David Rivera. She would be a good choice. She was a Miami Fellows Initiative graduate and is a successful businesswoman. Joe Garcia also might challenge Rivera.

Luis Garcia has made it official that he is not running against David Rivera. On the elections website it says he is running against Bruno Barreiro. Everyone open your pockets and help Luis. Barreiro is really, really bad. If I had to blame one person for the Ball Park bad deal, it would be Bruno. He was the chair at the time and he would not allow any amendments and he truncated discussion. Throw the bum out.

The Tip of the Coal Ash Iceberg in Florida. Guest Blog by Angelique Giraud

A heart-wrenching story of one environmental injustice...

Steve Johnson and His Daughter Stand on Coal Ash Covered Driveway

Steve Johnson and his family live on 30 beautiful acres of Florida’s Blackwater Creek, in Middleburg, a preserved wetland in northeast Florida connected to the St. John’s River. It is a quiet rural residential area and appears to be perfect for raising his family and new born daughter while running his lawn care business. Steve’s property is well maintained, he takes pride in the natural aesthetics of his land. For many years, Steve even kept free range chickens for the family’s fresh eggs. However, his picture perfect lifestyle is not as it seems. Steve has been fighting for three years to have the toxic containing coal ash, a byproduct from a coal fired power plant, removed from his land.

Steve’s story is not unique. Steve was provided with approximately 1500 dump trucks each with 20 yard loads of a coal ash, commercially called EZBase, to build up his roads. The coal ash was taken from the Northside Generating Station, owned by Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA), which is over 40 miles from his home. JEA did not advise Steve that using the product might cause dangerous repercussions, so he applied it thoroughly across his property. Soon after, the horrors began. Steve was visited by an enforcement officer from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). The officer was investigating the application and placement of EZBase. FDEP instructed Steve to remove the product as it was too close to wetlands and water bodies, risking toxic contamination. Steve was also told that the material he applied on the roads should not be inhaled or ingested, and was warned that he should pen up his chickens and keep his daughter away from playing on the newly paved roads.

Pile of Coal Ash EZBase - Some is Gravel, Some Boulders -Steve Had to Break up Boulders Himself

According to JEA’s own marketing materials, EZBase is an electric generation byproduct made of coal combustion waste or coal ash. The federal government does not consider coal ash hazardous waste, but allows states to individually determine how to regulate its use. The FDEP classifies coal ash as a non-hazardous “special waste.” This designation leaves little public health protection, even though the product contains toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, chromium, mercury, and many others.

Alarmed and frustrated about being misled, Steve hired a lawyer to sue JEA to force them to remove EZBase from his entire property. JEA refused to remove EZBase completely, claiming Steve improperly applied the product, placing it too close to protected wetlands and other sources of open water.

Steve was taken aback at this accusation, as he had specifically discussed appropriate application sites with a JEA representative before EZBase was unloaded on to his property.

Rumors are flying in Homestead. By Geniusofdespair

I heard that the ethically challenged Mayor of South Florida's very own Peyton Place is pushing for a strong mayor post. God forbid! Don't drink the Kool Aid Homesteadians. You have had the 3 worst mayors in County History: Steve Shiver, Lynda Bell and Steve Bateman. The last thing you want is to give that post more power. I hope this is a rumor.

Seems like I made a mistake. A reader pointed out there were 4 bad mayors. I had forgotten about Roscoe Warren.

Not in the Loop. I just found out John Ogden died. By Geniusofdespair

John Ogden in 2009.

I read the Miami Herald this morning and found out John Ogden died on Saturday.  I didn't know him well although I did speak to him a few times and we certainly recognized each other.  I  listened to him speak at dozens of meetings and was very impressed with John's presentations.  He was "one of the world's leading authorities on wading birds" and in his role as a scientist for the South Florida Water Management District he helped shape the plan to restore the Everglades.

The Florida Environmental movement has lost a giant. I am so sorry to hear of his passing.

This passing brings me to a sad realization: The environmental movement is made up of aging stars. Who will take over and who will have the institutional memory to protect Florida's fragile ecosystem?

To make matters worse, with Rick Scott as Governor, most of the Scientists have been fired from the South Florida Water Management District.

Cantens, Crime, Big Sugar, the Everglades: what would Jesus do? ... by gimleteye

The 73 year old father of Fanjul/ Flo Sun executive Gaston Cantens is headed to jail for five years. EOM wrote about Cantens in 2010.  "People need to know, all people, no matter who they are or their circumstances, that there are consequences to what they do, and there's punishment," US District Judge Kathleen Williams said at the sentence hearing, according to The Miami Herald.

But that is not true. There has been no enforcement or punishment of those judged to have violated federal clean water law or those violating the settlement agreement between the federal government and state for polluting the Everglades. There has been no consequence for Florida legislators who continue to refuse to enact the constitutional amendment requiring polluters, like the Fanjuls' sugar farms, to clean up 100 percent of the pollution their activities cause in the Everglades.

The son cannot be held for the sins of the father, but laws require restoration of America's Everglades. Making these laws and legal battles to enforce them have consumed generations of activists, scientists, and policy experts. Violations of these laws should have consequences as severe as those imposed on Ponzi schemers like the senior Cantens. But they don't.

Florida taxpayers are being made fools by sugar interests who are foisting 75 percent of the cleanup costs in the Everglades on the public. American taxpayers are being made fools by federal farm policy that substantially boosts the public health emergency caused by excess fructose.

On 60 Minutes this past Sunday, a representative of Big Sugar sweated out a response: "there needs to be balance (sic) in people's food choices." But these so-called "choices" are no more choices than the law is law.

What happened and is happening to the Everglades is a crying shame. Are these lessons taught at Belen Jesuit School, the beacon of education for the Cuban American community in Miami-- where senior Cantens recruited his "investors"? Faced with the ethical quagmire of the Everglades, what would Jesus do?

Florida Independent to shut down ... by gimleteye

Sad news. The online publication, Florida Independent, will be shutting down at the end of the month. The Independent was a breath of hope, that journalism freed from the costs of print could take a more independent point of view than those battered on one side by internet news aggregators and, the other, by corporate driven journalism cautious not to tread on advertisers' toes. Here is the kind of reporting that we will miss: Sugar Industry, Fanjuls cash in while taxpayers foot bill.

Another Miami Business Leader Sets An Example: Marty Margulies ... by gimleteye

The other day I lamented the fact that Miami business leaders are AWOL when it comes to investing in our community unless their names grace medical centers, performing arts centers, or museums (with help from casino interests). We applauded Norman Braman for his involvement in civic and political causes. Today the Herald reported that developer Marty Margulies has pledged $20 million to Lotus House, founded by Constance Collins, serving Miami's homeless women. That is great news and an example for others with the capacity to give. Everglades advocates and non-profits are waiting for Miami benefactors willing to take on charter members of the Great Destroyers: Big Sugar.

Religion Gone Terribly Wrong. By Geniusofdespair

The Christian Family Coalition is hosting a breakfast to welcome back these legislators, pictured above, from Tallahassee. If this group acknowledges the CFC, I am suspicious of the lot of them.  The CFC is aggressively anti-gay. Anthony Verdugo the leader of CFC constantly denigrates gay people. Miami New Times reported:

Verdugo has a history of being a slime-sucking double-talker: He said after Carlos Gimenez was elected Miami-Dade mayor that "the vast majority of Miami-Dade residents were "rightly alarmed by his disconcerting links to a couple of fringe hate groups operating locally." He was talking about gay rights organizations that supported Gimenez in the election.

Verdugo calls homosexuality, "biologically aberrant sexual behavior." If I were a politician I would boycott this group, like Carlos Gimenez and Katy Sorenson have done in the past. There is no room for this kind of rhetoric in our community. Save Dade is not a 'fringe hate group'.  Are you listening Michael Pizzi?

Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi, Anothony Verdugo and Miami Lakes Councilwoman Collins.

Moratorium On Incorporation Was Lifted. By Geniusofdespair

The County Commission lifted the moratorium on Incorporation.  The vote was 11 to 0. Suarez was absent. Has anyone been keeping track of the X-Man's votes?  I am hearing he is a no-show much of the time on votes - sometimes he walks out just before the vote is taken. Is that true?

Opportunity Knocks: Eyeonmiami recommends to throw the first pitch at the Miami Marlin's Stadium ... by gimleteye

April 3, 2012
Mr. David Samson, President
Miami Marlins

Dear Mr. Samson,

Readers of our blog, Eyeonmiami, have conducted a inside-the-foul line, spirited debate on who should be selected to throw out the first pitch on Opening Day to commemorate the new stadium, backed by taxpayers and the best deal for private owners of a professional sports team in the United States.

We believe that many deserving names on our web post have played roles and have roles to play in the inaugural season of the new stadium. But our final recommendation comes from left field.

Miami is the Magic City. And our recommendation to throw out the first pitch belongs to the kushed out inventor of the Magic Flight Launch Box. The Magic Flight is a hugely popular vape kit, like the Miami Marlins. It is "a tiny little vaporizer that's powered by a rechargeable battery, and over the past couple months the stoner device has been blowing up." Like the stadium deal pushed through local elected officials, "it delivers an incredible hit without any of the smell and real easy to conceal."

Here is the best reason to select the inventor of the Magic Flight Launch Box to throw out the first pitch: "The idea was just there," says the inventor and they've gone through Hell and back to make it happen." Snap. If that doesn't describe what the Marlin's team accomplished, what does?

On the reddit thread started by the inventor of Magic Flight, one reader observed, "If people would take the time to look at conversations like this, and realize that smoking trees is not a drug, but a channel that draws people from all over the world together simply to enjoy a plant, this world would be a much better place." And because this is also true not just for our quality of life but professional sports stadiums too, we recommend the first pitch be thrown by the inventor of the Magic Flight Launch Box (available at Amazon.com).



Sincerely,

Eyeonmiami

Ross Hancock Running for District 114. By Geniusofdespair

The Hancock Family

Ross Hancock said: "I have filed to run for the state house against Eric Fresen (R, Coral Gables), who introduced legislation to bring Las Vegas casino gambling to Florida for companies willing to invest at least $2 billion each in casino infrastructure. Rep. Fresen is employed in the charter school industry, and is also a leader in legislating growth of charter schools."

He says he is running against casinos. "But I’m also running against the legislature that is forcing casinos down our throats, and the same kind of legislative activism that has damaged Florida’s education, economy, environment, and health care."

Go to Ross's website to find out more about him. This post just serves as an introduction for you.  I will go into more detail on this race later. 3 people are running for the seat, Fresen, of course, and former Running Back, Amory Bodin.  Ross makes it three. The district encompasses all or parts of Coral Gables, South Miami, Pinecrest, Cutler Bay, Ludlam and West Miami.

Still Time To Comment! The Eyeonmiami Who-Should-Throw-The-First-Pitch Contest !!!

The enthusiasm for the Miami Marlins Stadium and opening day is soaring on this blog! Civic pride abounds. There is still time to voice your opinion; who should throw out the first pitch on opening day of baseball season at the new taxpayer financed / private Miami Marlins Stadium. Nominate your candidate, here! (Based on the most creative reason, we will send a letter of request to Miami Marlins management this afternoon.)

Update: Fact points toward former County Manager George Burgess throwing out the first pitch. Emotion points in two cultural directions. One, to have the first pitch thrown by a shallow celebrity. Two, to have the pitch thrown by a has-been celebrity. If you differ or disagree, or want to further comment: time is running out! David Samson is waiting for Eyeonmiami's recommendation!

Sugar: Toxic in all directions ... by gimleteye

Fructose: toxic in all directions

On Sunday 60 Minutes featured an episode on the toxicity of sugar. Big Sugar, in Florida, has been using the Everglades as its dumping ground for phosphorous pollution for decades, violating federal laws. In 1996, Florida voters approved a constitutional referendum requiring polluters of the Everglades to pay for 100 percent of the pollution they cause. (Remember how the Miami Dade County Commission beat its chest the other day, saying how "farmers are the best environmentalists"?)

The sugar industry deploys an army of lobbyists in Tallahassee and in Congress to make sure that taxpayers keep paying and paying and paying for the cleanup costs. According to a recent report funded by the Everglades Foundation, taxpayers pay 76 percent of those multi billion dollar costs-- and who bearing who knows how much choice in the matter of public health emergencies caused by consumption of fructose. 

Here is what the St. Pete Times editorial board wrote on Sunday: "This gross inequality is one reason the Everglades cleanup has dragged on for decades. Without a financial incentive, the agriculture industry will not act aggressively on its own to clean up the pollution flowing into the basin. It is eight times cheaper to keep fertilizer from entering the Everglades in the first place, the report found, than to come in later to clean up the water. But if farmers are not paying the bill, anyway, why would they better manage their operations on the front end?"

Watch the 60 Minutes episode here, and while you watch, keep two things in mind: first, what you are watching -- how too much sugar is poison-- is not some rant from the fringe (CBS 60 Minutes) -- and second, think of all the money being spent by elected officials we keep returning to office, to make poisoning democracy the operative engine of our times.

Check Out School Board Candidate Geno Perez. By Geniusofdespair

Geno Perez, a Marine Corps Veteran, is running against Carlos Curbelo for School Board District 7. I would think about supporting Eugenio "Geno" Perez as Carlos has been pretty busy lobbying for Genting Gambling interests. How does that help education or our kids? Doesn't he get a salary to be on the school board? If he is recusing himself all the time because of conflicts over his lobbying, he is disenfranchising his district. I talked to Geno and I liked what I heard.

On Geno Perez's Website Geno says:

I am pleased to announce my candidacy for Miami-Dade County School Board District 7. I am currently the Social Studies Department chairperson at the Law Enforcement Officers' Memorial High School. In addition, I serve as UTD (United Teachers of Dade) union steward and EESAC (Educational Excellence School Advisory Council) chairman.

Geno Perez delivering letters to Charlie Crist when he was Governor.

FPL Turkey Point Nuclear, just a turkey ... Guest Blog by Barry White

Some statistics on Turkey Point 6 & 7, new nuclear reactors planned by FPL. The company claims the reactors will cost $18 Billion. That is the overnight cost, if you could build on the day after they said that. Experience shows you can increase that by 50% say $27 Billion. Divide that by the 4.4 million homes in the FPL service area and you get $6,136 per home or about 2.56% of the average value of a South Florida home.

And FPL will own the reactors. Ask the residents of Fukushima how they would assess the liability of nuclear reactors now.

FPL's current market cap is $25 Billiion. New nuclear is a sweet deal, for NextEra stockholders especially the Top Dogs. And by keeping the never to be reached carrot at the end of the Public Service Commission's stick, FPL can spend money for infrastructure they want for other reasons; Florida power companies have already been authorized $1.3 Billion of our money in early Nuclear Cost Recovery.

Early Cost Recovery means that an army of lobbyists are hard at work to make new nuclear in Homestead a reality. Are we suckers, or what? P.T.Barnum did spend a lot of time in Florida. He knew a sucker was born every minute but he never conceived of radiation with a half life of thousands of years. And since the NRC seems to answer to no one and climate change is not on their radar, they will probably license Turkey Point 6 and 7 the same way the Japanese licensed Fukushima-Daichi in a geologically dangerous area.

Nothing changes; the unholy alliance between the regulators and the regulated. And taxpayers are the victims. THE ENERGY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1974 should be repealed. The NRC called Fukushima an accident; balderdash! It was an actuarial event waiting to happen, just like Turkey Point and its violations of water quality and God knows what else.

How could you evacuate 200,000 people near Turkey Point in an hour? In a disaster, residents will be toast and depending on wind direction, Miami could be directly threatened. (FPL already moved to Juno Beach.) Oh, by the way, the Federal government will underwrite Turkey Point 6 and 7: Wall Street won't. Too risky. But the Feds will put taxpayers on the hook. And if the demand for the power is not there, talk about white elephants. But they will be FPL white elephants, $27 billion worth, except we paid for them. Talk about a garage sale. Just follow the roads to Turkey Point, both of them. Oh, you'll probably have to go by boat, and maybe need snorkels or scuba gear. See picture.
Barry J. White - President,
CASE/Citizens Allied for Safe Energy, Inc.

What's New With Armando Codina. By Geniusofdespair

According to the South Florida Business Journal:

Coral Gables-based Mercantil Commercebank sold the mortgage on Century Lancaster Plaza to C/Lancaster LLC, which is affiliated with Coral Gables-based Codina Partners. It covers the 0.8-acre site at 250 Minorca Ave.

This property was previously owned by Sergio Pino and his partner Juan Carlos Mendez - it had been in foreclosure but a settlement was reached before that happened. Pino's group paid $7,499,200 in 2005. The paper said the mortgage was last modified at $4.39 million.

Marlin's Stadium Exhibition Game. Guest Blog by Barry White

Barry White, a Marlin's fan, reported back from opening day - The New York Yankee's (team I care about) Exhibition Game:

The Marlin's Park seems to be perfect. Beautiful, easy access, plenty of bathrooms and concession stands, good variety of food. It's a gem. They did it right, as much as it might hurt to say it. And using Metro Rail and the Shuttle from Culmer Station was a piece of cake. We've got a world class winner here. You must compliment all who brought it in on time, and maybe on budget. I have not heard about cost over runs. Now lets cheer on the fine fellows on the Marlins. Win or lose, they always give it their best. Go Marlins!

I was most interested to see what the retractable roof looked like from the inside.

Another view of roof.

FPL and nuclear energy: cynicism and the bounds of reason ... by gimleteye

For nuclear power and other corporate polluters, there is an inherent problem where government policies allow regulated monopolies to charge its rate base -- as in the case of South Florida -- and shift the ultimate costs of pollution to pursue multi-billion dollar profits. That is what is happening in the case of two nuclear reactors being planned by FPL -- funded by our monthly electricity bill-- at Turkey Point.

Beyond the matter of shifting the costs and benefits from taxpayers to private shareholders, what early money creates is a very big constituency within FPL, based in Juno Beach, to lobby for the most attractive financing to complete the project. For private shareholders, that means taxpayer guarantees authorized by Congress. To that, I say: no. Never.

My feelings about nuclear power are very mixed. But I am convinced that nuclear power in Homestead, Florida at Turkey Point is a disaster -- if not for radiation contaminating South Florida at very low levels then for what is in the weather forecast: sea level rise.

Nuclear power provides clean emissions if you don't count the astounding toxicity of fuel and waste. Whether or not advocates for nuclear power are correct about safety, disasters like Fukushima and Chernobyl speak for themselves. As a result, some nations are in full retreat from nuclear. Still, nuclear is probably the single power source capable of replacing the worst source of pollution at grid scale: coal.

On the other hand, there is no doubting what happens when sea levels rise as a consequence of CO2 emissions now rising to levels the earth last experienced long before human ancestors roamed.

Even if government allows new nuclear facilities to be built at Turkey Point on pads twenty feet high to protect against storm surge from hurricanes, FPL's rate base -- that is to say, you and me -- sea level rise from climate change cannot be stopped. (Come to the annual meeting of Friends of the Everglades on April 15 at Pinecrest Gardens, 1:30PM, to hear Dr. Harold Wanless talk about sea level rise in South Florida.)

FPL executives know the science on climate change and sea level rise is indisputable. They know, because they are dealing with the world's largest insurance companies whose bets are on the other side of the win/lose ledger. Sadly, so far the insurance industry has been shouting into an echo chamber.

The three to five foot rise predicted by the end of the century may be off, one way or another, by a few decades; no one claims to know exactly when the tides will rise. What we do know for certain-- because we have the mapping and data  -- is that the consequences to the economy of South Florida and rate base of FPL will be catastrophic.

The debate on whether or not to build new nuclear at Turkey Point would be well informed by how the costs to the South Florida economy from sea level rise will be absorbed and who will pay. But I already have a simple solution.

Require all FPL executives above a certain annual compensation threshold, say $150,000, to put their additional wealth -- through FPL stock, pension and current compensation -- in "nuclear trusts".

These trusts could be drawn down for one sole purpose: to fund current and future family expenses and for insurance policies. They could not be used for collateral. The principal could not be touched. The insurance policies would kick in, when sea level rises two feet. The main purpose of the nuclear trusts would be to act as personal guarantees: when sea levels rise two feet, all nuclear trusts would be forfeited to the government treasury to help defray the costs for nuclear mitigation. These costs will, at a minimum, call for emergency decommissioning of nuclear power; processes that can take decades themselves to unwind. Let Congress put the costs of pollution squarely on the shoulders of the polluters.

Why not? It is only power and money.

Incorporation: Let the People Decide. Guest Blog by Bev Gerald, LINC Chair

Tuesday on the Miami Dade County Agenda is an ordinance to rescind an ordinance that placed a moratorium on municipal incorporation and annexation that has been in place for 4 1/2 years.

The new Ordinance that will be heard Tuesday has been co-sponsored by three county commissioners:  Sally Heyman, Jean Monestine, and Esteban Bovo.  Lifting the moratorium will allow the process to go forward with not only the creation of new cities, but the annexation of some areas to existing cities.  Of course, this is a lengthy process, as it takes time to build community support and educate the voters on the advantages of having one's own city and we must work in concert with the county commission to accomplish this process.

We do not know at this point how many commissioners will support the lifting of the moratorium, but all have been contacted by us, either by email, personal visits, or phone calls.

LINC (Let's incorporation Now Coalition) members feel that it now the time to lift the moratorium and let residents decide for themselves whether or not they wish to live in a city or stay as part of UMSA (Unincorporated Municipal Service Area).   We know that government closer to the people provides better services, and residents can decide for themselves what level of services they wish to pay for out of their municipal budgets--it should not be "one size fits all."

We feel that the county needs to concentrate on the major issues such as the airport, seaport, fire and countywide police services, transit, solid waste, library, etc. as all these are countywide services that serve most county residents, and these deserve fulltime scrutiny from the commissioners.  Freeing the county commissioners from having to "wear two hats", i.e., overseeing countywide services and at the same time having to approve the needs of local communities in their districts, will allow them to exercise greater oversight and tighter scrutiny of countywide issues which consume the bulk of the county budget.

There were 2 communities that went through the entire incorporation process mandated by the county, only to be denied the right to vote at the very end of their quest by the county commission.  LINC feels that this is a denial of those residents' right to decide their own destiny.  if a vote to incorporate fails at the ballot box, then it shows the lack of support for forming a new city, but that fundamental right for the residents to vote on this issue should not be denied.   There are approximately 9 LINC communities that are currently exploring incorporation, and most of them are not new initiatives but an ongoing desire to form a new city.  These areas range from the extreme northwest and northeast parts of the county, to the Redland area.  We need the moratorium to be lifted to give the residents that wish to form a new city, or annex to existing ones, the opportunity to move forward in this regard.

LINC has actively participated in the incorporation of the 5 newest cities, and we have been helping areas of the county to explore the formation of new cities since 1997.   We often say that it is only fair to "let the people decide" and not be subject to a process that denies a right that is currently enjoyed by over half of the Miami-Dade County residents who currently reside in cities.  We hope that the BCC will see that it is only right to lift the moratorium now after all these years, and allow residents to decide for themselves who will provide their municipal services. Call your county commissioner tomorrow and tell him/her to lift the moratorium.