Mark Bell's Campaign Report. By Geniusofdespair

During his losing campaign for Homestead Mayor, Mark Bell (County Commissioner Lynda Bell's husband) had a lot of expenditures from his restaurant in his Redland Hotel.  In his campaign report, his expenses for food were: $1,618.34, $31.59, $450.09, $200.00, $52.70, $38.21 and a $1,409.82 Whistle Stop (reimbursement for stamps).

So how does this work? Should these donations from his campaign account to his restaurant have been treated as "in-kind"?  Should he be paying for stamps from his restaurant account?

I don't know exactly what is wrong here but --- commingling is going on. Will we see Lynda Bell's campaign having galas at this hotel as well? Even though she claims she doesn't own it (not on the corporate papers) she admits on a video about the hotel that it is her hotel as well (5:14).

Something doesn't sit right with me about these expenses even though he had a crushing defeat, we still should have accurate campaign reports.  Any opinions?

Funny thing about the video, at the end they caught a view of someone who looks amazingly like the Mayor's best friend Ralph Garcia Toledo.  Now what would he be doing there? The video was published April 3, 2013. I do not know when it was taken.

His wife Vicky Garcia-Toledo is a lobbyist for CH2M Hill as of 9/20/2013. Ralph is not registered. This is the contract about which Lynda Bell said she was "concerned" 14 times in 2 1/2 Minutes.

Photo: Matt Alvarez, SVP for CH2M Hill. Was the contract under the cone of silence when this was taken?

Full Video:

Taking Names? Merrily we roll along … by gimleteye

I don't know how to write about Florida's idiocy, more clearly than this … from the Orlando Sentinel. If the past is any predictor, we will continue merrily along our way even as people are set adrift by the rising seas or damaged climate.

On environment, shortsightedness costs Florida big

Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel OPED
TAKING NAMES
7:01 p.m. EST, November 30, 2013

Let's say you're looking for a dental plan, and I offer you two choices.

You can either pay $25 a month for preventive care.

Or you can visit just once a year — and pay $1,000 to have the dentist fix everything in your mouth that went wrong.

Unless you're a shortsighted sucker, you're going to take the first deal, right?

Basic math shows you save a boatload of money. Plus, youavoid problems in the first place.

Unfortunately, you live in Florida — where shortsightedness rules. Especially when it comes to the environment.

Rebeca Sosa's Agenda Item to combat the Hole in the Donut. By Geniusofdespair

There are many instances of hole in the donut parcels that get put within the UDB simply because they are surrounded by properties that were recently put within in the Urban Development Boundary (UDB). Rebeca Sosa has proposed not creating these orphan parcels anymore:

a)    Applications requesting amendment to the Urban Development Boundary (UDB) or to the Urban Expansion Area (UEA) boundary depicted on the Land Use Plan map, or to the land use classification of land located outside of said Urban Development Boundary may be filed only during the May period in odd-numbered years. The Director of the Department may also file applications requesting amendments to the UDB, UEA or to the land use classification of land located outside of said UDB for processing during either the May or November period following the adoption of an evaluation and appraisal report, provided that the amendments proposed in said applications are suggested in the adopted evaluation and appraisal report. >>It is provided, however, that no application to expand the area within the UDB shall be adopted where such application would result in an area of land outside of the UDB being more than seventy-five percent (75%) surrounded by land that is within the UDB.<<  (bold to be added.)

It was adopted on first reading. It goes to the Land Use Committee on January 16th.

2014: will voters punish the Florida GOP for breaking the law on redistricting? … by gimleteye

To be sure: voters are distracted. The cacophony comes from all directions, but mainly from the radical right that controls the Florida legislature and is twinned with corporate agendas and the Tea Party that believes government is the root of all evil.

A principal way that the radical right controls the Florida GOP is through district maps that routinely are drawn to favor incumbents and un-balance the playing field. Combined with voter suppression -- in other words, inhibiting voters at the ballot box on election day, the fix is in.

A Florida lawsuit by FairDistricts, based on its successful 2010 amendment to the Florida Constitution requiring fair redistricting, challenged the Florida GOP and its lobbyists to release how it redrew districts. FairDistricts, through the Court, is proving that gerrymandering districts is alive and well by the GOP in violation of the law.

Last week that the Florida Supreme Court ruled the GOP map makers had to release all documentation, including email trails, related to their efforts. Surprise: after the ruling, GOP radicals confessed that much of its documentation has been destroyed.

Now it will take forensic computer experts to pry loose what the Florida GOP wants to hide from the law. Let's hope voters keep in mind when it is time to vote in 2014: a political party that willfully breaks the law has violated its trust with the public. If that does not gain the public's attention, what will?

Mr. Mayor: You Can't Write A Letter Like This On Behalf of ALL OF US. Geniusofdespair

First of all I do not want to wish this militant anti-gay group anything good and I am sure the thousands of gay residents living in Miami Dade County don't want to welcome anyone to the Christian Family Coalition Dinner. And I am sure County Commissioners Dennis Moss, Jean Monestime and State Rep. Illeana Ros Lehtinen wish this letter was never written on their behalf.

 All Carlos Gimenez had to do was write "residents" without the number: 2.5 million.  It insults all of us who do not ascribe to the beliefs of this group. The Christian Family Coalition is Anti-Gay and hurls insults at anyone that disagrees with them - Like Dennis Moss and Illeana.

Here is a statement released by the group:

"The United States Senate voted 68-29 in favor of a so-called "hate crimes" provision part of the extremist homosexual agenda to silence Christians and people of faith and use the government to marginalize anyone whose faith is at odds with homosexuality! This legislation clearly violates the principle of equal justice under the law and infringes on the free speech rights of ALL Americans!

The passage of this bill enshrines hate, bigotry, intolerance and discrimination into federal law.

Dangerous homosexual extremists who try to manipulate public opinion by playing the so-called victims who need special legal protections are truly the VICTIMIZERS who promote HATE, BIGOTRY, INTOLERANCE and DISCRIMINATION against anyone who dares to speak up against their agenda and shares an opinion different from theirs." (their caps, not mine)

Readers: This law they are describing is to stop people from beating up on people just because they are homosexuals. The US Senate, that can't agree on much of anything, passed this law by a wide margin because it was the right thing to do.

Mary Cagle's Salary for Office of the Inspector General. By Geniusofdespair

Whomever is negoiating Mary Cagle's salary, I have her resume:

She was making $120,000. Now she wants $195,000 to $250,000. I DON'T THINK SO. During the interview she said she was open to negotiating on her requested salary, I was there. Her salary had better be $120,000.

Unions are you watching this?

Atlanta: My Most Recent Visit. By Geniusofdespair

The most important things I learned about Atlanta, in pictures  - Got back yesterday:

Margaret Mitchell originally named Scarlett Ohara: Pansy.

Gone With the Wind Manuscript

Margaret Mitchell

There are giant escalators everywhere in Atlanta:

MDX Attendance. Guest Blog by MDXWatch

If you are too busy guys, lets have some real CITIZENS on the board.

Robert Holland

Mr. Holland was absent for 100% of the Policy and Planning and the Inter Governmental and Public Communications meetings in 2012. He was physically in attendance for 3 Board meetings. He also missed the executive board meeting in 2012.

In 2013 Mr. Holland did a little better. He managed to show up to four meetings, phoned in for five meetings. He made it to one operations meeting and one policy and planning meeting. Incidentally, he phoned in for that very controversial April toll hike meeting where MDX raised tolls the most they had ever done so in the history of the Agency.

Must be nice to have the power to sit on a board like that and do nothing but vote when it counts.

Felix Lasarte

Felix Lasarte, a prominent land use attorney, was a bit more present in 2012. In the past he has pulled his weight over at MDX.

However in 2013 he has managed to be physically present at one board meeting, 1 committee meeting and 2 policy and planning meetings. He missed the big re-vote on the toll hikes and let everyone else do the heavy lifting on that one. If he had been present that would not have passed.

Has Felix resigned but failed to tell anyone? Should the commission call for him to step down?

Genius: No voting should be allowed over the phone. Citizens should be able to look the members in the face.

Favorite Reader New Slogans For Miami Dade County, so far! … by gimleteye

Just one week left before Eye On Miami announces our new proposed slogan for Miami-Dade County. Right now, the current slogan is stamped on your tax bills and official communications: "Delivering Excellence Every Day". That is clearly untrue, so we have undertaken a civic contest for a slogan that accurately represents Miami-Dade County.

Our contest has generated nearly 150 reader responses and suggestions, making this post a contender for most popular post of 2013. Last year, our most popular post related to reader suggestions where to find Ana Sol Alliegro. Ana is the GOP political insider closely tied to disgraced former Congressman David Rivera and, through Rivera, to US Senator Marco Rubio. Eye On Miami readers were asked to venture on the whereabouts of Alliegro, who was on the lam from elections and law enforcement investigators and briefly surfaced in 2013. She presumably did not give federal investigators everything they wanted and so she disappeared again!

Thinking about your excellent work in helping design a new slogan for Miami-Dade, we arrived at the following conclusion. We will be offering two awards, not just one.

Follow our logic.

The current Miami-Dade County slogan begins with an action verb: "delivering". As in, "delivering excellence every day". As you can see from the brief list of examples below, only one offers a verb, "serving ourselves every day". It is likely Miami-Dade County would reject our selection of a winner, because we have not offered an action verb.

So in order to be sure that our contest is not dismissed for a grammar technicality, we would ask our readers to spend the next week focusing on the verb in your invention. "Delivering" is an action. An action is construed through a verb. "Excreting" is an action many of you have noted in your suggestions.

Here are a few more samples of your "action" slogans:

"Fucking taxpayers without a condom"

"Bring us your stadium deals"

That said, it is necessary for a second award, because we simply cannot deny so many inventive recommendations for a descriptive slogan. Readers have outdone themselves in this department.

What do we mean by "descriptive" slogan? Think adjective, not verb, as in: Miami-Dade County: "so close to the United States".

How do you know we are not in the United States, but "close to"? Well, for one, of the top ten movies for 2013 as proposed by the New York Times, only one is currently playing at art houses in Miami.

Some of your descriptive slogans:

"Where ethics and public trust don't matter"

"The NEW Atlantis"

So to summarize, Eye On Miami will offer TWO awards for a new slogan for Miami-Dade County: one, based on an action verb. And the second, descriptive, because Miami defies description except in the eyes of our readers.

There is still time to add your own invention. And don't forget to vote in the green box to the right, for our first annual "Sand In Your Eyes Award"! (County Commissioner Lynda "Don't Fence Me In" Bell is pulling away from the pack … ) Some contenders to guide your thinking …

Miami Dade County:

So Close To The United States (descriptive)

Serving Ourselves Every Day (action verb)

For A Few Bucks, We'll Name A Street After You (descriptive)

Birthplace of the Whopper (descriptive)

Do You Know Ana? (confusing if you don't!)

A new slogan for Miami-Dade County: input needed … by gimleteye

We are humbled by the creativity and energy of readers who took the time to delight in conceiving a new slogan for Miami-Dade County. This could turn out to be our most popular post of the year, won last year by Ana Sol Alliegro. But you will have to kick it up a notch.

We need you to edit your slogans to five words maximum.

Yes it is difficult, but nothing difficult is easily won. So. "Yes I have no Bananas, I have no Bananas today" is perfectly understandable but is too lengthy. How about, "Miami Dade County: The No-Slip Banana Republic".

OK. Readers, get back to your inventions!

Time for a slogan change,  one that is true perhaps.

Miami Today suggests it is time for the county commission to revisit the slogan and tag line, "Delivering Excellence Every Day".  What else could Miami-Dade, say?

Miami-Dade … "Your flight capital, capitol"
Miami-Dade …  "Pure Magic"
Miami-Dade … "Home of the Perez Art Museum"

What's your version of the best slogan for Miami-Dade?

County Commission vote on 5%: Hypocrisy Unites Them. Guest Blog by Norma Rae

Yesterday Carlos Migoya admitted that none of his senior staff at Jackson contribute 5% of their salary, like all the other employees at the hospital.  He said he would implement the 5% policy for his staff on January 1, 2014.  We do not think that is right.  Rather than wrongfully taxing the senior staff, we just want to get rid of this wrongful income tax for everyone.  The unions are not about tearing other people down to reduce their earnings by equivalent amounts - that smacks of communism. We would like everyone to enjoy the fruits of their labor, and take home their entire paycheck.  We just want to be given that simple dignity. We don't want Migoya to start taking money from his senior people. Just quit taking it from everyone at Jackson.

According to a September 30, 2013 official county document, most of the Commissioners who voted to impose the 5% payroll contribution on county workers don't ask their own employees to make the 5% contribution.  And, most of the Commissioners who supported the county workers have been deducting the 5% from their employees.  That's just not right.  We don't think anyone on the commission staff should have to give up 5% of their earnings.  

We want the Commissioners who supported us yesterday to quit deducting the 5% from your staff.  Please stop taking the 5% from your employees, Commissioners Jordan, Monestime, Barreiro, Moss, and Souto. And, we do not want the hypocrites who voted to deduct the 5% from our paychecks to take it from their employees.  We are fine with the fact that you treat your immediate workers fairly and give them the dignity of taking home their entire paycheck.  Don't start penalizing your workers just because you are being exposed for being duplicitous.  Reform your ways. Treat all of us with the same dignity. 

The hypocrites: Commissioner Heyman (the biggest hypocrite), Lynda Bell (who's chief of staff drives a Mercedes), Zapata (who attacks county workers in the press) and Bovo (consultant to Dade Medical Scam College) do not currently deduct the 5% from their employees' paychecks.  And we don't have a problem with that.  The 5% income tax is not right.  We support them for treating their employees fairly.  But, why can't they treat everyone else that works for the county the same? Hypocrisy, hypocrisy, hypocrisy.  These commissioners need to learn that integrity is not a four-letter word. It is OK to be consistent with your policies.