Open letter dare to Miami Beach’s new Mayor Philip Levine

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Dear Mayor Elect Philip Levine:

In a matter of hours, you will take your duly elected office as the newly named mayor of Miami Beach and I would like to take this opportunity to extend an olive branch and make some recommendations and requests.

I know my words may fall on deaf ears. After all, you and I did not start off on the best foot. But I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt and hope that we can start fresh. It may be better for you if we have a decent working relationship, since I’m going to be watching you like a hawk either way.

First, I ask that you not take this matter of public office lightly and realize that you have an obligation to serve all the residents of the city, not just those who voted for you or those who like you. That includes former Commissioner Michael Gongora and former Mayor Matti Bower, who you attacked and clobbered with your $2 million campaign. It includes Steve Berke, who ran in the primary against you and who you constantly lied about — since he was not taping a reality show but filming a documentary — and who only wants the best for the city you both call home. It includes activists like Carla Probus, who you belittled and disrespected at one of the mayoral debates. It includes former City Manager Jorge Gonzalez, who you also lambasted during your campaign, and former Commissioner Jorge Exposito. It includes Alex Fernandez, the aide to Commissioner Deede Weithorn, who you had leveled an ethics complaint against after he endorsed the candidates that were not on your slate and who is apparently losing his job because of you.

Do you really need to be so petty? Wouldn’t it be better to show how magnanimous you can be by agreeing to disagree and move on?

In fact, I am also going to ask that you allow dissent within your administration. City government, like all government, benefits from having some internal opposition. Only in the presence of criticism and questioning can your ideas and agenda truly be in the public’s best interest.

This is a different role than the one you’re used to as CEO of your multi-million dollar empire. You are not the boss here. The people are. Guess what? That includes Gongora, Berke, Bower, Expo, Gonzalez, Probus and Fernandez.

I would also ask that you also extend an olive branch to the media, and I am not just talking about myself here and other bloggers that you so casually dismiss and attack and level legal battles upon, but even The Miami Herald, who you apparently believe will distort anything you say. Really? Really?

The press can be the best conduit to the public, to let the citizens know what you want to do and how you want to do it. And vice versa, by the way. You should not take everything that journalists question as an attack just because they listen to your detractors. Maybe you should listen more and be open to the fact that you, like the rest of us, are not perfect. Maybe you can improve your mission and messages with such input.

There will be a lot of people in your ear now. More than you expected. Let me warn you about people like David Custin, who you may think you know but who Ladra knows has a history of meddling in city government business after he has elected someone to office. Just ask former Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi. Don’t let Custin or any lobbyist, attorney or special interest convince you to put things on or take things off the commission agenda when it is convenient for them. If you are going to pay back political favors — and I would caution against it — do it when it is convenient for your citizens.

Don’t try to control the commission. Everybody knows you have at least four votes in your pocket at all times, but try to let these equally elected officials have their own independence. Try to let Joy Malakoff, whose campaign you apparently financed, have her own voice. Don’t pressure anyone to fire their aides. Don’t threaten to take choice boards and committees from them if they don’t do as you say. Refer to item above about this being public office and not your private business. That may take some getting used to.

It can be easy to abuse this position. We’ve seen it done before. It’s easy to think that you can get away with stuff, whether illegal or unethical, because it happens all around us. But you will be watched, I gather, more closely than most. So you better stay on your best behavior.

This also gives you an opportunity to redeem yourself. Prove all your critics, Ladra included, that they were wrong and become the best thing that ever happened to Miami Beach.

I dare you.

Love, Ladra

  David Custin, Matti Bower, Miami Beach elections, Michael Gongora, Philip Levine