Thursday, May 23, 2013

Miami Dade County Commissioner Javier Souto: another example of voters' failure to hold accountable their elected representatives ... by gimleteye

Eye On Miami attempts to shine light on multi-billion dollar public controversies, like the $1.5 billion settlement agreement opposed by environmentalists, between the county and EPA to comply with the needs of a wastewater system that is failing.

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Javier Souto was the lone "no" vote on the 12-1 approval of the agreement because, he said, Miami-Dade residents can't afford it. Environmentalists have many other reasons for opposing the deal, but Souto is a special case.

Souto is a charter member of the unreformable majority of the county commission, and in expressing the thought, "we suffer from an appetite for caviar and a pocketbook for picadillo", he skipped over the fact that land use policies he voted for his entire career as a public official caused the inequities that are piling up on this generation of taxpayers.

The myth that "growth pays its pay" is one of the fundamental drivers of the unreformable majority and the lobbyists who control their election campaigns.

It is a mystery why voters are blind to the nonsense, turned off by government, yet fail to hold officials like Souto accountable when they have a chance, at the ballot box.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Commissioner Souto keeps getting re-elected because he is responsive to his constituents when they have a problem and follows up on complaints. He holds meetings every month that are well attended by his constituents. The issues you mention are very real and important but unfortunately they are not issues that people can see immediately, like red lights or stop signs or trash and holes on the streets.

Anonymous said...

Souto also uses public funds to put his picture on bus stops espousing his monthly meetings. This is rotten. His constituents deserve more than filled potholes and hollow monthly meetings. Plus, most people never approach their commissioners looking for help, but have to live with the negative consequences of their bad decisions.

Anonymous said...

Souto is a very wise old fox. He is the single best commissioner on the dais.

Geniusofdespair said...

You have got to be kidding? The last thing he was right about was being against Lynda Bell's resolution to allow chain link fences in the front of the house. Trailer park look must appeal to her.

Anonymous said...

If he provides great constituent services he will be there as long as he wants. In a place like Miami where hardly any elected officials help people with their individual day-to-day problems with government, he would be like water to a dying man. As long as he has been there the word has got out that if you go to him, you can get your problem solved. These kind of people are almost impossible to beat because he has actually helped many many people. And these people will do everything possible to get him reelected so they can keep the help line open.

Anonymous said...

The real problem with the "Senator" is that he appears to be getting senile. He has always hounded county staff after hours and at their homes about issues (or perceived slights) that could wait until business hours, despite the fact that commissioners are not supposed to direct county staff to do things. (They're supposed to go through the Mayor's office.) He forgets entire conversations he has had with people just days prior, and berates them for not responding to his questions. He may be well intentioned but his actions are making him a bully who makes life miserable for dozens of county employees and no one is willing to stand up to him. It's so bad that at least one dept. director has considered taking his retirement early just to get away from the abuse.

Anonymous said...

That a Commissioner has to do all that and work that hard to respond to his constituents is a disgrace. Gimenez needs to take a look that. Taxpayers pay their salaries, government should respond to their needs. If the structure doesnot do that, then he must dismantle and rebuild it.