When the unions come to heads with the Miami-Dade Commission today on their multiple impasses, one commissioner may be even more aggressive toward them than others.
Judging by Monday’s committee of the whole performance, Commissioner Esteban “Stevie” Bobo has taken on the role of labor raider in the county’s very obvious efforts to lay blame for their finance woes on public employees and balance the budget on their backs.
It’s almost incredible that Bovo was the commissioner to bring up the 48 county employees who are paid with taxpayer dollars and work all day for the unions. He said the unions should pay those positions.
While that seems like a huge number — and a public image nightmare that the unions could and should address, pronto — Bovo forgets to mention that these salaried union positions were probably negotiated by the commission in previous bargaining rounds, given in exchange for something they took away.
Like raises. Or health insurance contributions. Or retirement benefits.
But that’s besides the point. It’s incredible because he’s not the best one to talk about such things.
Wasn’t Jorge Forte, one of the lobbyists who was arrested earlier this month for his role as bagman to Sweetwater Mayor Manny “Maraña” Maroño, taking a county paycheck as Bovo’s chief of staff while he was meeting with undercover federal agents to bilk the U.S. government out of job-creation funds with bogus grant applications? While, yes, he was.
In fact, Forte took the first kickback payoff of $6,600 at a Miami Beach eatery — money authorities say he was to split with Maroño — while he was still employed by the commissioner, two weeks before his last day in March, 2012.
Bovo also complained that many firefighters have a second job or own side businesses. But there are no rules against entrepreneurship or outside employment that doesn’t conflict with your job and is declared. And wasn’t Forte already involved in the 7 Strategies company with Maroño when he worked in Bovo’s office? While, yes, he was.
And wasn’t it Bovo’s commission aide, Anamary Pedrosa, who got busted by the Miami-Dade Police Department for collecting ballots at the district office while she was being paid with taxpayer funds to, one would assume, follow the law and not do those things. Why, yes, it was.
If Bovo is going to talk the talk, he should walk the walk.
One can’t help but wonder how many of his other staffers have side jobs. Or how many other county employees — not just the firefighters — have their own family companies or moonlight positions to help make ends meet.
Not everyone can have a no-show job like Bovo can.
But he may have to go back to the private sector sooner than he expected: Ladra has heard more rumblings about a recall against Bovo. Not from former State Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who threatened to recall Bovo last year after the AB scandal but did nothing. I think it was more self-promotional than real.
No, this time, I hear that labor unions are moving against him.
And while Ladra was not supportive of the county recalls against former Mayor Carlos Alvarez and Natacha Seijas — not because they were good, mind you, but because the recalls were bad — this is an effort Ladra might be able to get behind.
If the State Attorney’s Office doesn’t do something about Bovo, we the people should.
Tainted Commissioner Steve Bovo should walk the walk added by Ladra on
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Jeff, I agree with you on the unions and responsible government but just because you disagree with someone doesn’t give you the right to call them clueless. I’ve seen the phrase here several times and I’d bet it’s the same commenter.
It’s idiots like you who detract from the issues. Just state the facts and leave out the name calling. I just did it to make a point.
Clearly, some of you are clueless….government needs to live within its means. These union contracts nickel and dime us to death….what starts out as a $60,000 turns into a $90,000-$100,000 job with benefits and add ons. The public employee needs to be mindful of what property owners can afford. Elected Officials do not get re-called for keeping taxes low.
He has the same smile as Steve Carell in Anchorman. The lights are on, but no one’s home. The powers behind him like him because he does as he is told. Just another empty suit.
The LOVE affair continues
Still Mr. Bovo’s as Chair of Finance Committee, put forth the Mayor’s flat millage rate for the 49 branch library system.
If two commissioners reconsider their vote and reinstate the correct millage from two years ago befire it was halved, the Mayor will actually have to take responsibility, which he sluffs off again and again, for the destruction of the library system if he vetoes their vote as he stated at the town hall meeting at WDR.. Now, he says it was just my recommeñdation, the BCC voted on this. Contact Diaz and Barreiro. Give them courage to raise taxes and use the Dolphin’s fiasco election $1 million money to pay to resend the tax bills for $700,000. Your library system was a an investment of millions and Commissioner Gimenez signed off on the building growth since 2004. Now he’s bankrupted it? And the Main Library’s historical repository is under threat of destruction. http://www.diariolasamericas.com/portatil/interior.php?id=160002
Bovo is living in a glass house. You know the old saying… Time to start throwing those rocks back his way!
Good morning ladra we love you PARA LA CALLE BOVO (BOLETERO)