Political buddies Beca and Bell now commission co-chiefs

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Ladra should have seen it coming.

I was right about Commissioner Rebeca Sosa being elected chairman of the Miami-Dade County Commission today but hadn’t even given thought to the vice chair position, which went to none other than Commissioner Lynda Bell, one of Sosa’s biggest allies on the dais.

This marks the first time that two women are in the leadership positions — and Ladra thanks you for the historic moment — as well as the first time a Cuban-American woman is in the chair. Of course, because, it was a contest between a Cuban and a black, there is some chatter on how the votes were split — and whether they were ethnically divided (more on that later).

But how does this bode for the county and for us? Both women are considered to be close allies as well to Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos ‘Not So Golden Boy'” Gimenez. How will that play out on the dais, in policy and, maybe in committee appointments?

Let’s wait and see and give Sosa and Bell the benefit of the doubt, even if they, too, tend to get along and could be unlikely to challenge each other on county matters. After all, the two are best buddies.

They were drawn to each other naturally.

Bell and Beca were both mayors of their respective cities, Homestead and West Miami, before being elected to the county board. They’re also both active Republicans who like to mingle with the their state and federal partisan representation. And they’re obviously BFFs. On several occasions, each one has spoken very favorably of the other.

And it was Sosa, after all, who nominated Bell to the vice chair position after she became Chair elect.

First it was a three-way primary between Bell and Commissioners Sally Heyman (nominated by Commissioner Bruno Barreiro, to draw attention away from how loudly and absolutely he declined a nomination by someone else, “no, no, no.”) and Mayor Sir Xavier Suarez, who was nominated by Commissioner Barbara Jordan and eliminated in the first round. A runoff between Heyman and Bell finished with the latter getting seven votes to six — the same ratio as her buddy Beca. Ladra can’t help to wonder if it was the same seven votes and whether that is something a public records request can establish. It sure would be interesting. Especially since a motion was made and approved afterwards to make it unanimous. Then why the recorded votes? I hope that is still a public record.

The chairmanship election coming out to be for not one woman, as Ladra predicted, but two became fodder for comedic relief.

“As the only male even nominated today, I promise I won’t file a complaint with the EEOC,” quipped Suarez to rousing laughter.

Sosa, already showing her mothering leadership style, sort of admonished him, basically telling him that nobody ever complained all those times two men occupied those positions. Ahem. Ouch. Thank you, mother, may we have another.

And then — Bell or was it Jordan or another woman? — made another good point: that, at last count, there were eight men on the commission dais and five women.

Well, at least until 2014, when the other commission seats — Chairwoman Sosa’s, Vice Chair Bell’s, and Commissioners Javier Souto, Jean Moonestime, Jose “Pepe” Diaz and Sally Heyman — are all up for grabs again.

Three and three. Let’s see what team scores a net gain.