Political Cortadito - Local News, Politics, Miami, Hialeah, South Florida, Ladra, Elaine De Valle, Hyperlocal, Blog

Fisher Island fuel depot flipping fiasco smells like a long con on Miami-Dade

Could two of Miami’s biggest developers be bluffing for a quick profit? Ladra has a question. Maybe a dumb question. Maybe…

By Ladra on June 5, 202616 Comments

After ‘time theft’ claims at Miami DDA; city offers director 5 months severance

The Miami Downtown Development Authority’s troubles just keep coming. At a contentious board meeting last week, DDA board members openly questioned…

By Ladra on June 4, 20268 Comments

‘No conflict here’: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago votes on ally’s variance

Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago said on Tuesday that he didn’t have to recuse himself from a vote on a variance…

By Ladra on June 4, 202617 Comments

Miguel Gabela’s D1 counsel runs PAC that got $50K from Ultra Music Festival

Remember when Miguel Gabela was going to clean up City…

By Ladra on June 17, 20265 Comments

The Fisher Island fuel depot long con may be over; now comes the bill

Miami-Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert isn’t the only one who got…

By Ladra on June 17, 20264 Comments

Miami-Dade School Board revisits mega downtown deal with Russell Galbut

The Miami-Dade School Board is about to take another step…

By Ladra on June 17, 20262 Comments

With $3 billion on the line, Miami-Dade School Board should check the math

Ladra is raising her hand with a question. When you’re…

By Ladra on June 16, 20261 Comment

Nobody wants the job part 2: Miami-Dade School Board draws few entrants

For the people constantly saying public education is the most…

By Ladra on June 16, 20262 Comments

Tallahassee just put property taxes on the chopping block in November

Miami-Dade’s elected officials are kinda freaking out Florida lawmakers this week did something that would have sounded completely insane just a few years ago. They put the beginning…

By Ladra on June 3, 202618 Comments

Miami hits pause on Joe Carollo’s $770K pension settlement post legal challenge

Attorney says the money can be taken as payment toward judgement You can take Joe Carollo, out of City Hall, but you can’t get City Hall to forget…

By Ladra on May 28, 20262 Comments

David Rivera’s friends — sans Marco Rubio — come to the rescue on bail

Everybody loves David Rivera. Even now. Even after the guilty verdicts for acting as an unregistered foreign agent and money laundering in the Venezuela lobbying scandal. Even after…

By Ladra on May 26, 20263 Comments

The debate about the Miami Mental Health Center can drive anyone crazy

For four hours on a recent Wednesday, Miami-Dade commissioners sat around the dais debating the future of a mental health facility everybody claims they desperately want to open…

By Ladra on May 23, 20262 Comments

Mayor Vince Lago kicks FIFA World Cup watch parties down the road

A tradition at Fritz & Franz Bierhaus could be over Apparently, Coral Gables is ready for the FIFA World Cup. Just not the people who actually gather to…

By Ladra on May 21, 20268 Comments

Jimmy Morales, PortMiami director quit over Fisher Island fuel depot fiasco

The political fallout from Miami-Dade’s spectacular failure to secure the last major fuel depot serving PortMiami claimed two…

By Ladra on June 4, 202616 Comments

The race for Frederica Wilson’s throne gets crowded, will test political alliances

Jean Monestime, Rudy Moise jump into the bunch Every so often, South Florida politics experiences one of those…

By Ladra on June 3, 20261 Comment

The Kelly Tractor fight really isn’t about tractors at all — it’s about the UDB

Family wants to build on 246 acres of wetlands The bulldozers are still in the parking lot. And…

By Ladra on June 1, 202610 Comments

Miguel Gabela’s D1 counsel runs PAC that got $50K from Ultra Music Festival

Remember when Miguel Gabela was going to clean up…

By Ladra on June 17, 2026

The Fisher Island fuel depot long con may be over; now comes the bill

Miami-Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert isn’t the only one who…

By Ladra on June 17, 2026

Miami-Dade School Board revisits mega downtown deal with Russell Galbut

The Miami-Dade School Board is about to take another…

By Ladra on June 17, 2026

With $3 billion on the line, Miami-Dade School Board should check the math

Ladra is raising her hand with a question. When…

By Ladra on June 16, 2026

Hialeah political machine behind judicial hopeful

She threatened to get involved in the county’s judicial…

By Ladra on April 20, 2012

Mayor’s lackey gets 62% pay hike for campaign work

While most of the post election talk in Hialeah…

By Ladra on April 17, 2012

Casals-Muñoz hit with loan lawsuit

While Hialeah Councilwoman Vivian “I’ll notarizethat!” Casals-Muñoz has publicly…

By Ladra on November 13, 2011

Hialeah council losers not ghosts

While all eyes are on the possible mayoral endorsement…

By Ladra on November 5, 2011

Poll says Miami-Dade voters divided on most issues — and thinking of leaving

¡Que sorpresa! Looks like Miami-Dade voters more divided than…

By Ladra on October 6, 2025

Recall Mayor Carlos Gimenez and strong mayor post

For months, there have been whispers about a possible…

By Ladra on July 31, 2014

5 things to know on Mayor’s $6.2 billion Miami-Dade budget

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Cry Wolf” Gimenez will present his…

By Ladra on July 8, 2014

Miami-Dade math: More for pet projects = less for cops

Say it ain’t so, mayor: Please tell Ladra and…

By Ladra on July 7, 2014

Carlos Gimenez wants 10% less pay for workers, other cuts

Some call it payback for the 5% loss and…

By Ladra on May 29, 2014

Gimenez dodges questions, tarnishes his brand

As law enforcement lags in its actions on the…

By Ladra on July 30, 2012

Brito’s attack apology lame

We need to get out of here for another…

By Ladra on April 7, 2011

Gimenez stays; Moreno goes?

After another high-profile candidate threw himself into the mayoral…

By Ladra on April 7, 2011

ADLP hit by attacks in all negative Senate 40 GOP primary campaign

And the hits just keep on coming against former…

By Ladra on July 11, 2017

Jimmy Morales, PortMiami director quit over Fisher Island fuel depot fiasco

The political fallout from Miami-Dade’s spectacular failure to secure the last major fuel depot serving PortMiami claimed two high-profile casualties late Wednesday when Port…

By Ladra on June 4, 202616 Comments

The race for Frederica Wilson’s throne gets crowded, will test political alliances

Jean Monestime, Rudy Moise jump into the bunch Every so often, South Florida politics experiences one of those rare celestial events that only comes…

By Ladra on June 3, 20261 Comment

The Kelly Tractor fight really isn’t about tractors at all — it’s about the UDB

Family wants to build on 246 acres of wetlands The bulldozers are still in the parking lot. And the Urban Development Boundary is back…

By Ladra on June 1, 202610 Comments

Jimmy Morales, PortMiami director quit over Fisher Island fuel depot fiasco

The political fallout from Miami-Dade’s spectacular failure to secure the last major fuel depot serving PortMiami claimed two high-profile casualties late Wednesday when Port Director Hydi Webb and…

By Ladra on June 4, 202616 Comments

Miguel Gabela’s D1 counsel runs PAC that got $50K from Ultra Music Festival

Remember when Miguel Gabela was going to clean up City Hall? He was the reformer. The outsider. The…

By Ladra on June 17, 2026

‘Neutral’ activist worked for mayor

The chairwoman of the Miami Voice recall PAC, Vanessa Brito, has repeatedly said she was going to stay…

By Ladra on June 30, 2011

Mayor, Miami Heat bait and switch to ‘better deal’ for who?

One after the other, Miami-Dade Commissioners who voted in favor of a new agreement with the Miami Heat…

By Ladra on June 4, 2014

Hialeah political machine behind judicial hopeful

She threatened to get involved in the county’s judicial races and now Absentee Ballot Queen Sasha Tirador has…

By Ladra on April 20, 2012

Financial finesse? Miami-Dade budget shortfall disappears in final version

Was the county’s $402M budget gap just a drill? Remember that $402 million budget hole Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella…

By Ladra on September 15, 2025

ADLP hit by attacks in all negative Senate 40 GOP primary campaign

And the hits just keep on coming against former Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla in the Republican primary…

By Ladra on July 11, 2017