Living Wage At Airport/Seaport, etc.: Override of The Mayor's Veto Died. By Geniusofdespair

County Commissioner Barbara Jordan wanted all new leases for concessions at the airport, seaport and other County leased properties to require a living wage to their workers. Not existing leases just new ones. Well it passed and the Mayor vetoed it. Yesterday they had a hearing to do an override of the veto. They needed two thirds. They got Sally Heyman, Daniella Levine Cava, Xavier Suarez, Jean Monestime, Audrey Edmonson, Dennis Moss and Barbara Jordan. Not enough? Even with Barreiro gone? They needed one more stinkin' vote. Barreiro would have definitely voted the wrong way.

Barbara Jordan said a lot of lobbying went on by the Mayor with promises of perks to all the Commissioners. She said she even got one.

Barbara Jordan made an impassioned speech trying to convince her fellow Commissioners to join the override vote, but they were steadfast. Barbara wake-up and smell the coffee. It stinks of Mayor Gimenez.

County Commissioner Xavier Suarez made the motion to override the veto.

Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava seconded the motion.

What will happen today? The Transportation Union is having a special meeting to try to get concessions from the Commissioners. Will it be the same block that approves the concessions for Transportation Workers and then the same gaggle that overrides a veto from the Mayor, that veto will happen as sure as I am sitting here.

Traffic is Freaking the Citizens Out and It Falls on Mayor Gimenez. By Geniusofdespair

Yes the unions are angry. They don't have a contract, there is no good faith bargaining going on. The number of buses are being reduced, the county doesn't have enough people to do the repairs so buses and metro cars are breaking down, delaying commuters, pushing them back into their cars. Commuters need RELIABLE transit. The Union and the public are pissed off, hence the full page ad:

Full page ad in Miami Herald

Traffic can't be fixed if you keep building roads, Mayor Gimenez your 836 extension idea sucks big-time, watch the damn video:

There was a Traffic Summit on Saturday. Do you know that MAYOR GIMENEZ’s new metro cars are not outfitted for surface transit? The extra bucks that would have made them dual purpose were not paid to put the electric connections at top of the cars. They can only run from the bottom. Maybe it is not too late. We could gut the whole order...
Shows they never had an intention to run the Rail South. All we are getting is bulls—t.

 Few of the complaining residents were at the Traffic Summit on Saturday, although it looks like a lot of people showed up. They do not do the walk only the talk. My only complaint was one person summarized very shortly for 3 or 4 tables and the other tables got a full summary each that lasted longer.  The water transportation was just glossed over.

I was part of a Facebook group that was concerned about transit down South but gave up with this post (that they deleted):

Activists are people willing to walk the walk they are not just Facebook posters and worse: whiners. I don't see many people willing "to DO" here. In fact the complaining and no doing is such a bad combination I am leaving this group. You make me too depressed.  If you all united and did one strategic thing you would get something done  on transit. The bold move is needed but you all are, all over the place. I suggested a building moratorium based on transit benchmarks and I suggested a Petition Drive (both bold moves). Get organized.

 Jodi Portante Atkinson is a great activist down South on transit. Watch her video. Also Edward Armand Escobar had some good water transit solutions he is working on.

Anyway here is the Transportation Summit in pictures (please everyone -- carpooling is not the answer) stop bringing it up.

County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava who organized the Summit

Note that County Commission Chair Estaban Bovo is pictured here. I see a moratorium based on Transit  availability benchmarks rather than fake traffic studies. WE NEED AN AUDIT ON PAST TRAFFIC STUDIES. They are tainted.

County Commissioner in District 5, Xavier Suarez attended.

Citizens at work planning for transit relief. Too bad Mayor Gimenez wasn't there.

SEE MY POST ON A MORATORIUM although now I think we should do a finely tuned petition drive because most of these Commissioners are afraid to anger developers.

County Commissioner Xavier Suarez Looks at Evacuation During Hurricanes. By Geniusofdespair

City Commission Francis Suarez with Dad Xavier Suarez

 I liked this Op-Ed by Xavier Suarez my County Commissioner, as I call him: 
The X man.

Commissioners, we need some overhaul of rules for evacuation at the airport as well, but that is another matter.

Find better ways to get residents out of Miami-Dade, and then back in

September 20, 2017

Hurricane Irma came with every possible warning and the longest period of anticipation ever provided by modern technology. We had hurricane-tracking planes and expert models ad infinitum on the job. I can’t imagine that technology can do much better in the future.

However, if we suffered like we did, in terms of power outages, from being 100 miles from the eye, how much worse would that suffering have been if we were hit head-on?

There are two specific preparedness issues on which we can all agree:

▪ Powerlines must be either underground or at least above ground on sturdy, reinforced concrete columns. There is really no argument here. Having wooden poles to support power grids is living in the Stone Age.

▪ Facilities for elderly residents, nursing homes and assisted-living facilities must have stand-by, working generators. Most high-rise condos and hotels in Miami have generators for emergency lights and elevators. Some nursing homes and ALFs don’t have them, and if they do, their capacity is insufficient to provide air conditioning. When you combined that deficiency with shuttered windows, you got tragic deaths such as the ones in a Hollywood nursing home.

Suffice it to say, there now are even more people who live in the Florida Keys who most likely will not follow future evacuation orders. They were hampered in their efforts to repair and rebuild by the constraints imposed post-hurricane that kept them from accessing their homes. Clearly, there are lessons for government officials who issue evacuation orders, emergency curfews, and other limitations to freedom of movement:

▪ Evacuation orders must include highway counter-flows. When Miami-Dade orders evacuation of 600,000 residents, you would think it would be coordinated with the state of Florida so that all or most lanes of I-75 and I-95 would be immediately used for one-directional travel. Forcing people on the highways north without gas supplies is a dereliction of duty.

▪ Traffic signals must be immediately replaced by temporary measures. Miami Beach did well by placing portable stop signs at every intersection. Miami-Dade County did well by providing police officers at many major ones; Miami also mobilized large numbers of public service aides, though they should be more visible and better trained.

One of my most enduring memories was driving back to my place in Miami Beach (after three couples and five grandchildren took over my city condo) and being stopped for ID on the MacCarthur Causeway. One officer saw my county ID and yelled to the other: “Hey, we have a county commissioner here.” The other one answered: “County commissioners can go anywhere they want.”

It made me wonder: If a county commissioner and the news media can go pretty much anywhere they want, why can’t a regular citizen who wants to secure his residence after a hurricane do likewise?

City of Miami Commissioner Francis Suarez (Xavier's Son) is Running for City of Miami Mayor

The Next County Commission Chair Choice will be Dec. 6th. By Geniusofdespair

Miami Dade County Commissioner Xavier Suarez

It is that time again when the County Commission chooses its new Chair.  December 6th at the beginning of the regular meeting is D-day for the Chair choice. Our current Chair is Jean Monestime and he did a great job as did Becky (Rebeca Sosa) before him, except for her choice of Lynda Bell for Vice Chair who tried to take over the Chair position.

First, if a Commissioner endorsed or did a robo-call (Pepe Diaz) for the Mayor, I think they should not be considered for the County Commission Chair position. Like any Commissioner would be stupid enough to choose Pepe. We do not need a sycophant in this position. We need an independent voice, for the checks and balances part of our local government. The Chair appoints all the Committee members and the Committee Chairs. The Chair sets the Agenda.

Vying for the spot, according to County gossipers, are Commissioners Xavier Suarez, Joe Martinez and Steve Bovo. Long shots, Sosa again and Pepe Diaz (OMG no no no).

I would go with the X Man - Xavier Suarez. I think he would be fair. I think he would be good. He is smart (that would be a blessing don't you think?).  District 7 deserves a term as Chair. When is the last time District 7 has had the Chairmanship position?

Commissioner Suarez has done some very good, and unique projects:

County Commissioner Suarez reached out and established a winning community partnership. The Coconut Grove Collaborative, Home Depot, and TENUSA Inc. answered the call. With the Zika outbreak in many communities, the commission staff researched plants that repel mosquitoes and identified 11 plants to place with the flowers in the planters throughout the community. Plants include: Citronella, Lemon Balm or Horsemint, Catnip, Marigolds, Basil (lemon or cinnamon), Lavender, Peppermint, Garlic, Pennyroyal, Rosemary and Geranium.

Home Depot donated materials, tools, mosquito repellant plants, and manpower. TENUSA Inc. donated flowers and manpower. The Collaborative got Coconut Grove youth involved and assisted with getting members of the community to adopt planters for maintaining. Comm. Suarez and Commissioner Ken Russell (City of Miami) provided manpower. Side by side the partners worked under the hot and grueling summer sun mixing cement, mixing paint, and setting the planters. Then the deed was done: Repairing and replacing the planters for nature’s beauty. Now mosquito repellant plants are being added for natural mosquito prevention.

I love this project. It is positive for the youth, the environment and proactive for Zika prevention (Zika shrinks testicles according to the Daily Mail...not sure if the Daily Mail is a credible news source but it is an intriguing to ponder the possibility and I checked: Michael Diamond is an MD and PhD. in infectious diseases at Washington University School of Medicine -- I am checking out news now so I don't print crap I find online and misinform you).

Anyway, what is your opinion?

County Commissioner Xavier Suarez is Thinking Straight on Transit. By Geniusofdespair

We voted for it, and then the county wasted the 2002 transit tax on traffic circles and  other dumb stuff by giving a big chunk of it to municipalities. In order to get cities on board, the county gave the cities a pot of gold from the money:

Part of the original rules for the transit tax call for a large chunk of the money to get transferred to cities and towns for their own transit needs. This year (2015), municipalities are set to receive just under 20 percent of the money, according to budget projections. That amounts to a $51 million transfer from the county to cities. (There was $272 Million).

This is stupid because the money has been going for road projects, curbs and other NON-TRANSIT costs. Finally, with traffic so bad, you can't even move on 95 at 2pm, someone is proposing doing something mass transit with the money: Xavier Suarez.

I think we are all confused on what we actually voted for, but none of what we thought we voted for ever happened. They did put together a watchdog group over the money: The Citizen's Independent Transportation Trust. They need a new Executive Director badly. It has been run poorly for so long in a log-jam, but the Chairman, Paul Schwiep has been very good and proactive. He is aware of the County's sleigh of hands, trying not to restore $40 million from the CITT budget.

Paul Schwiep said:

“Thanks to property value increases and substantial new development, funds are available in the current year’s budget cycle to restore as much as $40 million to the Transportation Trust.”

Why is the County Mayor Gimenez trying to steal that money from Transit Projects in his budget? "Don't steal our County Transit Dough Bro!"

Commissioner Suarez said today in the Miami Herald:

In the past 12 months, the Miami-Dade County Commission has achieved consensus on the SMART plan — six new rail corridors that are absolutely vital to our economic survival.

The Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit plan includes: an east-west connector along Kendall Drive; an east-west connector from downtown to 137th Ave.; a “Baylink” linking downtown to the Miami Beach Convention Center; a north corridor completing the existing MetroRail along Northwest 27th Avenue all the way to Hard Rock Stadium; a commuter train along the FEC tracks; and the “South Dade TransitWay” connecting Dadeland to Florida City.
Suarez

Initially, the discussion was whether one of these should get priority over the others. Ultimately — after several, sometimes contentious, hearings — we have concluded that no one corridor can be left behind.

In the meantime, the issue of funding has been lurking in the background, causing residents to wonder whether we are overexaggerating the viability of a plan that some doubt will really happen in one generation.

It is important to note that three of the corridors already have components in progress (the Miami Beach segment of Baylink, the Brightline track that would be used by the northeast commuter train, and a trolley loop that connects Brickell to Southwest 37th Avenue, serving as the eastern-most component of the east-west connector). Therefore, what needs to be identified is immediate funding of the South Dade TransitWay and the North corridor.

At the first budget hearing, I proposed that the South Dade TransitWay and the North corridor be funded during the current fiscal year’s (2016-17) budget-approval process. These transit lines will serve two of the most deserving communities in the county. That funding can be put in place immediately. For both of these lines, there are no land acquisition issues; the county would build the tracks and provide the equipment; and the cities or the major businesses along each route would fund the construction of the stations.

Come on, I am so sick of these projects being put aside even when there are matching State funds promised in the amount of $40 Million. Why are we not pursuing Federal transit dollars? I guess Miami Dade County will be underwater by the time it gets any more rail.

Will Mayor Gimenez "gift" Matheson Hammock Park's future to wealthy campaign contributors in Hammock Lakes? ... by gimleteye

I know it is Christmas Eve and I should find something uplifting for our readers enjoying a few days off from the daily Miami grind, but what I do to enjoy early morning hours away from the daily Miami grind is go to "one of the few remaining open spaces in the county that offers easy access and largely unspoiled natural habitat": Matheson Hammock Park. The wooded paths are one of the very last public places in Miami-Dade to view the oolite limestone formation, of ancient coral reefs, demonstrating the porous rock type that makes building sea walls against sea level rise an impossibility.

I've been walking my dogs at Matheson Hammock Park for more than fifteen years and writing about Florida's fragile environment even longer. When I began, the park was scarcely maintained, and although it was covered in kudzu then, it was a faded and glorious relic of a time when fresh water from the Everglades coursed through the coastal ridge to nearby Biscayne Bay. No one cared who walked their dogs or where they parked.

That began to change when some very wealthy and loud residents on the north side of the park started agitating for more control of who could access the park and by what streets. A guard house was erected, that makes absolutely no sense, and still the same homeowners are complaining about the public -- dog owners!, birders!, people trying to find a quiet place in a semblance of nature! Gradually, the parks department began investing more human resources in scraping down the kudzu, encouraging native flora, and in a way this began to worry me because there is no "improvement" of public spaces in Miami that doesn't come with some economic benefit to private interests.

Now the County is planning an "upgrade" at Matheson Hammock Park. Grant Miller, publisher of Community Newspapers, writes:

Miami-Dade County is planning an update and upgrade for this jewel of a park, which dates to 1930. The county’s stated goals are to protect and enhance the park’s natural and historical resources, anticipate sea level rise, and increase overall accessibility. That’s commendable. But, this being Miami, a handful of wealthy homeowners are pushing a plan essentially to annex and privatize the western part of Matheson Hammock. If successful, the homeowners in Hammock Lakes would have a signature public park mostly to themselves.

Send some good cheer this Christmas to County Commissioner Xavier Suarez and Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez: tell them to keep their hands off Matheson Hammock Park and any further restrictions to access.

Stop the Matheson Hammock Park land grab
Grant Miller,
Community Newspapers/ Publisher

Matheson Hammock Park’s 630 acres comprise one of the few remaining open spaces in the county that offer easy access and largely unspoiled natural habitat.

Miami-Dade County is planning an update and upgrade for this jewel of a park, which dates to 1930. The county’s stated goals are to protect and enhance the park’s natural and historical resources, anticipate sea level rise, and increase overall accessibility. That’s commendable.

But, this being Miami, a handful of wealthy homeowners are pushing a plan essentially to annex and privatize the western part of Matheson Hammock. If successful, the homeowners in Hammock Lakes would have a signature public park mostly to themselves.

This west area of Matheson Hammock usually is referred to as either “the Matheson nursery” or as “the dog park.” The county has used a portion as a nursery for decades. Generations of dog owners — and hikers, bikers, bird watchers and picnickers — have enjoyed the park’s fields and wooded trails.

Doug Hanks betrayed me so you get a Photo Op on Xavier Suarez's Gala Last Night. By Geniusofdespair

I don't know whether to apologize to Doug or not. He sent me a link to typepad (that is not a PAPER it is some other cloud-thing the Herald Offers: A Blog). So Doug did write (on a blog) and he did listen to the speech but it is not in the actual Miami Herald PAPER. So he gets a halfhearted apology. I can't go looking all over the internet for his reports and I certainly already read enough blogs.

I told Miami Herald reporter Doug Hanks I was going to just copy his article on last night's gala for County Commissioner Xavier Suarez. As far as I can tell, I have nothing to plagiarize. Doug was just milling about, he is hard to miss, I think he is 6' 10" or maybe 7 feet tall. So, because of Doug, you are going to get a lot of photos instead of an actual report.

Many at the event were waiting for the X man to announce that he was running for Mayor. Instead it was a campaign event where they fed you.  The acoustics were terrible but I am pretty sure he didn't announce anything. My hearing is pretty bad and I keep hearing x rated things in place of what people are really saying. It has turned into a much better listening experience.  You can say "he has a perennial event" and I hear "he had a penile implant." Much more fun and you get much better reporting, perhaps not accurate but who cares about accuracy.

I guess smarmy Political Operative Keith Donner does. He complained about my writing bragging he was a a REAL reporter. Keith I AM NOT A REAL REPORTER OR A WRITER and never claimed to be.  I was an art history major. Ask me about Giotto not grammar. I remember diagramming sentences as a kid. It was excruciating torture. I will end my sentences with prepositions all I want Keith. Stick to writing your lackluster puff pieces and vile attack ads.

Here is the photo op.

Don't expect me to know everyone's name...

County Commissioner Xavier Suarez - He was moving around so much I couldn't get a good photo.

I guess you can all guess who this is. Here is a hint, Daisy Baez is running against him.

Mayors Eugene Flinn (Palmetto Bay) and Peggy Bell (Cutler Bay)

Grace Solares - Candidate for City of Miami Commission. She is a long time citizen activist. I have known her for years and have worked with her organizing candidates debates.

Hialeah Julio (Robaina)

Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner and Annette Taddeo, Candidate for Carlos Curbelo's Congressional Seat in the 26th District. It is a newly drawn district ordered by the courts.

Union men -- John Rivera President of the PBA seated. Missed the other names. Damn. I have met them so many times too. My mind is like mush. I don't think the middle guy liked me much AT ALL. The guy on the left, he likes me.

X photoshopped

The Lovely Thelma Gibson - She never ages.

Meanwhile, while all this indecision goes on, Rudy Giuliani is fundraising for Carlos Gimenez. A bit much don't you think? How much money does this man need to beat Raquel Regalado? Next it will be Donald Trump holding a fundraiser.

Eye on Miami Saturday Editorial Oct. 10: UDB, Suarez, Jordan, Lobbyist Spawns and Hudstead Investigations. By Geniusofdespair

Miami Herald: Your Saturday Editorial Page is a Faux Editorial Page. More than one person in your household? You're out of luck sharing the paper edition. Only one section of news!

PICTURE OF THE WEEK

Marco Rubio conferring with his BFF David Rivera when they were in the Fl. House of Representatives.

COMMISSIONER XAVIER SUAREZ (the X man)

The gala is tonight. I haven't figured out what it is REALLY for but I am going. I heard he was not going to announce his bid for Mayor of Miami Dade County, but then I heard he would. Anyway, the $1,000 table costs will go towards his District 7 account. It now has $106,000 in it. It wouldn't be hard to switch it over to a Mayoral run account, he just has to send letters to the contributors.  If he does run for Mayor, Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner and City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff have threatened to run for the District 7 seat.

COMMISSIONER BARBARA JORDAN'S RICHES OVER THE YEARS:

She dumped the house in St. Pete and the house co owned with her her daughter. It appears she got new cars. She has lost value on the Key West retreat/rental.

THE GWEN MARGOLIS STATE SENATE SEAT

Kris Korge's son Andrew is running for Gwen Margolis' State Senate seat. He has no political experience, except being related to his politically connected father. This is just like Lauren Book running with no political experience. All she has is a politically connected father - Ron Book. Does she even have a college degree?

In a campaign letter Andrew said:

If you support transparency and stronger oversight of lobbyists...

Ahem. Have you ever met your father Andrew? Do you know he has been a lobbyist his whole working life, just like Lauren's father?  What is this, a new trend: Lobbyists spawning politicians?

HUDSTEAD INVESTIGATION
 

Steve Shiver with one of his X or current wife.

The investigation into the petition began in June. Assistant State Attorney Luis Perez-Medina and Tim Vander Giesen are conducting it with Karl Ross from ethics.

Shiver Family standing at the MCM table.

There are other investigations going on....who can keep up with Hudstead.

MCM constructions was given three city contracts totaling $50 million in the past 18 months. Steve Shiver was their lobbyist. MCM had a table at the sock hop at the race track. The Sock hop was hosted by the track and run by Sandra Nanni of Cutler Bay who is also a grant writer for the City of Homestead.

The racetrack charged Mayor Porter $435 for a gala there. Mario Diaz-Balart paid $2,000 for the same venue. Also under investigation is Jorge Luis Lopez (he is the track attorney).

THE TOXIC UDB MOVING APPLICATIONS 7 and 8 COMING UP

I don't see them going anywhere. I don't think the unreformable majority is a super majority, what is needed now. And, it would be suicide for the Mayor not to veto them. He needs the voters that find this issue important.

Zapata said he was not a sure vote on these. So who do they have for sure, Jordan, Pepe Diaz, Souto, Bovo? Maybe Monestime but he would be a fool to vote for them, it takes money for infrastructure from his district. The tides are turning. The two applications will be heard before the Planning and Zoning Board October 19th. The key is, the County Commission cannot send these up to Tallahassee for review they have to deny them outright. They have never paid attention to Tallahassee's Department (of whatever it is called now) anyway so what is the point of getting their opinion?

Just what we need, a city on the edge of the Everglades. They call it "green" because they think we are fools.

SHOOTINGS

Movie goers, grade school children, high school children, church members, and now college kids (over and over) -- innocent people are killed and the dopey gun lobby thrives in the Repugnant party. They all support lunatics with guns. Yawn. This story is getting old. Soon they will stop reporting mass shootings.

Eye on Miami Saturday Editorial Page September 19th: Hudstead Election, Fruit Fly Invasion Update... By Geniusofdespair

THE MIAMI HERALD NOW HAS A BRIEF SATURDAY EDITORIAL PAGE WITH A POLITICAL CARTOON AND AN OPEN MIC. IT IS SORT OF AN EDITORIAL PAGE. I started our page because they got rid of theirs...

Publisher of the Miami Herald Alexandra Villoch on the left...HEY WAIT A MINUTE, IS THAT THE MAYOR'S BEST BUDDY JORGE LUIS LOPEZ ON THE RIGHT???

THE MIAMI HERALD RE-DESIGN

I was told by Alexandra Villoch Publisher of the Miami Herald, that there would be a beefed up Sunday edition, with a new "In Depth section". She said "It would be full of deep, thoughtful and investigative stories, plus issues and idea, opinions and columnists".

On September 16th, I said about the Sunday promise: "I hope I am not as dazzled with blocks of color and blocky looking fonts this weekend as I was today."

I do find the newly designed newspaper MUCH SHORTER and there is more color. What could they be spending on ink? They probably say it is not shorter just more compact. They combined the local into the front section so you can't share the paper with your spouse. Alexandra offered me a second paper to combat that but hey, you just can have so much newspaper in the house. Sometimes I forgo reading the paper now. A lot of photos in it and drawings. It is more like USA today.

I have to say Villoch was very kind to respond to me a few times. I like that but I hate hate hate the photo above. You might as well stick the Mayor in the photo too.

UPDATE ON MY INVESTIGATIVE REPORT ON THE SHOPPING CART

On September 8th I did a report on a shopping cart filled with garbage that had been on the street for months.  Well, it is now gone! But not the garbage in it.  This is worse.

RUMOR HAS IT

Wayne Rosen who owns land in Homestead's Park of Non-Commerce through DOUG, LLC will submit plans to build residential housing in the POC.

His partners in DOUG, LLC are now Patrick Gleber and Clifford Lincoln. Those two are also two thirds of the Keys Gate Condomium Association which is the HOA for all of Keys Gate. They replaced Michael Latterner, who passed a couple of years ago.

They are said to be planning 2,700 square foot homes on approximately 5,800 square foot lots. I believe in 2010 the property was rezoned to agriculture to reduce the taxes, although the agreement on zoning allowed the city to collect the same amount they were collecting prior to the rezoning, they might have just wanted to screw the county. It could explain why Rosen is funding Building a Better Homestead which has Patricia Fairclough as beneficiary. It is run by Mark Goodrich, the same guy with the fake Waldman petition. Patricia has introduced the Villages of Homestead challenger, Larry Roth to Wayne Rosen as well.

Steve Shiver It is being alleged in some circles that Otis Wallace who has a long standing relationship with R.S. Shiver, Steve's father, appealed to his sister, Barbara Jordan to get Steve in at Opa-Locka.

Xavier Suarez will run for Mayor. Let's see after his gala October 10th at the Doubletree Miami Airport and Convention Center. It is a $200-a-head event. According to the Miami Herald: In an email titled "Kitchen Cabinet Update," Suarez previously noted attendees for a reception at Coconut Grove's Calamari restaurant included Miami Commissioner Keon Hardemon, developers Armando Codina and Wayne Rosen, lobbyist Brian May and Eidson partners Dean Colson and Roberto Martinez. The event raised money for Imagine Miami, a Suarez political committee that has collected nearly $120,000 in the 2016 election cycle, according to reports through April.

UPDATE ON THE ORIENTAL FRUIT FLY IN SOUTH MIAMI 

FROM THE FLORIDA FARM BUREAU: "State officials have identified the presence of more than 100 Oriental fruit flies in south Miami-Dade County. These flies attack more than 230 types of fruits, vegetables and nuts, proving harmful to our agricultural industry. According to reports, about 85 square miles of farmland are under quarantine, meaning fruits or plants can't be shipped or moved without approval."

HUDSTEAD (HOMESTEAD) ELECTION

Mayor Jeff Porter's Campaign Report Expenses for September

Homestead politicians are having to work for campaign cash. Patricia Fairclough is unopposed. Running for Vice-Mayor with $50,000.

Jon Burgess is challenged by a Bateman ally, Larry Meno. Meno was Bateman's bodyguard or something. Sources say he owes Keys Gate Community Association more than $16,000, but he wants to represent Keys Gate.

Merv Waldman is running for his wife's seat, challenged by Larry Roth and Willie Wamble. Merv who is 78/79, was born during the depression according to the carbon dating information available. Wamble supposedly was Fairclough's teacher at some point, Fairclough is supporting Roth and Wamble, not too happy with Judy and the petition scheme. Burgess is allegedly helping Roth. Elvis and Jimmie are nor supporting Waldman. It is rumored Rosen will not give another penny to Waldman after he funded the failed petition for Judy Waldman.

Mayor Porter has two challengers, Ramiro Orta and Steve McDuffie. Three of the candidates have Dark Horse Strategies as their campaign manager.

ABSENTEE BALLOT FRAUD INVESTIGATION

I would like to know: Whatever happened with the absentee ballot fraud investigation on the Mark Bell Mayoral campaign. Are they going to let the statute of limitation run out? Of course.

I Think Xavier Suarez is Running for Mayor. By Geniusofdespair

Great Video from Xavier Suarez. He is so right on this one!!

Here is what he says to accompany the video:

More than 10 years ago, Miami-Dade voters approved $75 million for projects to help economically depressed communities. Mayor Gimenez supports only two that make no sense and would harm our Biscayne waterfront and Pine Rocklands natural habitat.

SkyRise requires county subsidies for developers who want to permanently block our glorious Biscayne Bay waterfront with a giant and intrusive tower. Once that tacky tourist trap is built, we're stuck with it.

Miami Wilds requires county subsidies for out-of-town companies that want to destroy ecologically imperiled Pine Rocklands. It also requires the county to declare slum and blighted an endangered natural habitat, when it actually needs to be protected.

To make matters worse, the promised jobs will never materialize. Just this week, Miami Wilds released documents that slashed job projections by 85% to 403 jobs instead of the promised 2,758. That is 1/7 the number. These projects aren't worthy of our taxpayer dollars.

The X Plan: Working on Mass Transit. By Geniusofdespair

X-Plan: Four New Branches of Transit

East-West Line along 836 to FIU ($300M)

BayLink to Miami Beach ($530M)

South Dade Extension along US-1 to Homestead ($690M)

Sun-Life Extension along 27th Ave ($255M)

County Commissioner Xavier Suarez is calling for a return of all proceeds from the half penny sales tax back to the People's Transportation Plan to fund these projects:

Miami-Dade can secure the revenue streams to expand mass transit and build these four new branches to all corners of the county.

You might not agree with the X man but at least he has ideas. I think we need the money returned. Also I think we need US 1 Homstead to Broward.

I think someone is testing the waters on running for Mayor see the Issues show with Helen Ferre:

Another critic of Gimenez and his budget, County Commissioner Xavier Suarez, launched television ads earlier this week criticizing the mayor for transferring desperately needed transportation funds to finance other projects.

Supreme Court Won't Hear County Appeal - Big Win for the PBA and Unions. By Geniusofdespair

I asked Harvard Grad, Lawyer, Author, County Commissioner Xavier Suarez what he thought of the Supreme Court's decision to not reverse a lower court, that strips the Mayor of  veto power in Union impasses in negotiations:

"The court's decision saying the mayor can't veto the commission ruling on a impasse in Union Contracts, I fully expected that result. How can  Mayor Gimenez be party to an impasse under collective bargaining laws and veto what the Board does? It is clearly a Quasi-judicial decision of the Board of Commissioners."

This is a win for County Employees. Struck down was the Mayor's power to veto stand-offs in union contracts. As I write, I think there are about 4 union contract negotiations in the works.


County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava of District 8 said:

"The decision upholds the separation of powers doctrine where executive is separate from judiciary. It upholds rights of employees to due process. "

Siding unanimously with the Police Benevolent Association by refusing to hear the County's appeal, the Supreme Court of Florida stripped Mayor Gimenez' power to veto. Big win for unions.  According to Doug Hanks of the Miami Herald:

Decision means unions need 7 votes to approve contracts not 9.

Union lawyers argued Florida law only gives the legislative branch authority to resolve impasses between unions and the administration of a local government. The First District Court of Appeal agreed in a February decision, and this week the state’s highest court declined to review the case.

“The impact of this ruling will be felt statewide as it dictates the procedures for fair resolution of labor disputes and guards against the abuse of power,” said John Rivera, president of the local Police Benevolent Association, which is the county’s police union. “It’s not only a win for Miami-Dade County employees, it’s a win for all employees across the state.”

Did we the taxpayers pay for this lawsuit? Do we have to pay the PBA costs? Why Did the county fight this lawsuit in the first place and then appeal it twice?

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article34548393.html#storylink=cpy

Dan Paul Park Named and Dedicated June 13th: Doing Away with Parcel B Name. By Geniusofdespair

 A DAY AT DAN PAUL PARK

The young professionals did what the Government couldn't. They took over their parkland and dedicated it with a name: Dan Paul Park. Dan Paul was the one responsible for the park section of our Home Rule Charter. I did a picture post of the day's events. By the way, County Commissioner Audrey Edmonson said she had no problem with the new name.  Parcel B is officially Dan Paul Park on this blog. Following is a pictorial of the festivities:

Of course the Miami Heat paved it over since this rendering, but that is Dan Paul Park on the far side of the FEC slip. Bicentennial Park is in the foreground (the 2  Museums in it call it Museum Park). Why is it everyone wants to take over the people's parkland? Well finally the people have done it!

County Commissioner Audrey Edmonson, The Commissioner for the Area of Dan Paul Park was not happy about the park's paving by the Miami Heat but she said she read about the name - Dan Paul Park - and had no problem with that. Sorry I didn't get a better picture.

The heat had a chain link fence at end with a big lock on it, they took it off (at least for the day). Legally they cannot fence off the property from the public because they got public money to do the seawall from the FIND commission. The property was recently re-leased to the Heat by the County. they use it for a parking lot.

The young professionals were out in numbers for the dedication of Dan Paul Park.

County Commissioner Xavier Suarez (looking mighty trim) attended the event. Ralph Rosado on the left.

Some people found the spit of green on the site and took a yoga class.

Others, made the best of the blacktop.

Oops!

What else could you do with all the blacktop the Miami Heat put down on Dan Paul Park. When the Heat got the land in a referendum, this acreage was promised to the people to be a soccer field, not a parking lot.