Thursday, October 16, 2014

Mayor Carlos Gimenez does a Turn Away from the "Slush Fund" And Makes Some Sense. By Geniusofdespair

 I reported on this yesterday....The Economic Development Fund 124

OK this is a good thing. Gimenez said to the Miami Herald that "...we need to go back to the original intent" on the Economic Development Fund 124 of $75 million. He said further "These projects we have right now...they're good projects but they're not really game-changing projects."

Wayne Rosen, Carrie Meek and Leonard Abess Jr. won't get their projects funded. That is also a good thing.  Wayne and Leonard could paper my walls with hundred dollar bills with all the money they have and yours too and maybe mine again (please).

SkyRise Miami looks suspiciously like this.

The strange part of this, Gimenez is supporting giving to SkyRise Miami (dubbed by Gimleteye as the nail clipper building, Al Crespo's photo). The dumb as dirt, lunatic people in the City of Miami approved this project so it does have public support even though it doesn't have mine.

What is going to happen today at the Committee meeting? Will the other funding idea be withdrawn, now without the Mayor's support, or fought for by the recipients? Commissioner Zapata is still against that funding. He called it "The Mother of all Slush Funds".  As of yesterday Zapata was still soundly against it.

Gimenez also wants to help fund the theme park at Zoo Miami. It is a good thing as that area needs jobs. However, they have to stay away from sensitive land out there. That project might count as a "Game Changer." I don't know, I think the Mayor needs to find better game changers. Here is another idea, don't fund anything. Save us from having to pay for anything that doesn't entice NEW companies to come to Miami Dade County with many good jobs.

My guess, Gimenez is trying to do the right thing now without his advisor Josh Gelfman. The projects aren't perfect but they are better. I was under the impression we were attracting business from other places, but I am not sure. Maybe Gimenez should start making his own decisions. He would get in less trouble.

Or maybe he finally turned on that fan under his desk.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

That ironically named "wild Miami" theme is as big a boondoggle as the infamous Jungle Island. Create real jobs in South Dade not minimum wage short lived retail and food service jobs in a fake wildlife park that will destroy actual South Dade wildlife. Get real Miami about economic development and providing the educational and technical resources to train people for good paying jobs in real industries and professions.

Anonymous said...

Don't kid yourself, neither project has ever been vetted and are clearly inside baseball..

The nail clipper is a total porker of public land giveaway to well connected power broker Berkowitz, orchestrated to slip by in a low turnout primary election.

Turning Zoo Miami property into a "destination resort" is another of the decades long and ill conceived "Moss Plan" designed to self aggrandize the commissioner for his never ending series of re-elections and now with Term limits he wants a larger tax base for his post BCC mayoral post of his yet to be incorporated district 9.

Gimleteye said...

I dubbed the SkyRise, "the nail clipper building".

Anonymous said...

Skyrise said it would need no public funding when proposed, then went to the State for funds, and now wants county funds. When will the electorate going to wake up and stop funding these carnival barkers.
Skyrise originally said the project would be fully funded by foreign investments. What happened to that promise?

Anonymous said...

Jeff Berkowitz promised the voters that if they gave him $500 mil worth of the taxpayers land that he would build SkyRise using 100% private funds. Remember Berkowitz's talking points? Remember the slick mailers? Commissioners should vote no and let Berkowitz use his own money or money from the Chinese.

Anonymous said...

Skyrise said it would need no public funding when proposed, then went to the State for funds, and now wants county funds. When will the electorate wake up and stop funding these carnival barkers.
Skyrise originally said the project would be fully funded by foreign investments. What happened to that promise?

Anonymous said...

what baffles me is the Nailclipper vote violated a few laws, but is being accepted anyway.
Is there no red light camera on voting machinations?

Anonymous said...

Jeff Berkowitz easily overcome the three bumbling idiots on the City Commission. The two psychopaths were co-conspirators. Buying 70% of the voters was no stretch. Now he is after public money.

Anonymous said...

WHat about that mega development announced by the old arena area - or beefing up that train station to connect to orlando?

Anonymous said...

Jorge Luis Lopez is behind this.

Anonymous said...

Jorge Luis Lopez is behind almost every deal that involves separating the taxpayers from their money.

Anonymous said...

The Miami Wilds theme park and Wal-mart commons lands need to become a State Park or Preserve. Come on- we're at the end of nature here in South Florida. Let's save something of our natural heritage.

Anonymous said...

Jorge Luis Lopez is so anti-public he is Miami's Ebola virus.