State Rep. Eddy Gonzalez‘s mailer arrived in Ladra’s mailbox Wednesday, urging me to give him my vote for Miami-Dade 
Property Appraiser.
Also urging me from their smiling photographed faces were Sen. Anitere Flores, Miami Beach Commissioner Jonah “Potty Mouth” Wolfson, State Sens. Oscar Braynon and Dwight Bullard and State Rep. Daphne Campbell.
But when my father’s mailer arrived Thursday, the pictures of the three black Democrats were replaced by a photo of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Tainted 
Boy” Gimenez — who owes Gonzalez for his absentee ballot fraud in Hialeah in 2012 — and a quote where the mayor urged Papi to “join me and vote for Eddy Gonzalez.”
It’s the exact same mailer. Same size. Same colors. Same layout. Same other photos. Same message. The only other difference was that my father’s mailer was in Spanish. So, basically, Eddy Gonzalez is using blacks to appeal to Anglo NPAs and Gimenez to appeal to Hispanic Republicans over 65.
That’s probably pretty smart. But when is the Miami Herald or one of his opponents going to call out this “racist” campaign?
Read related story: Eddy Gonzalez has quick cash in property appraiser race
“I support Eddy Gonzalez because he has the credentials and the dedication to bring positive change and true service to the 
consumers at the Property Appraiser’s office,” Gimenez says in his quote — which was most likely written by Gonzalez campaign handlers. “As a state representative, Eddy was a tireless defender of the taxpayers of Miami-Dade County.”
Yeah, Ladra remembers how he defended us when he wanted to give Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross hundreds of millions in tourist tax dollars that we collect and can use for other needs so that the billionaire developer and sports team owner could renovate his own privately-owned stadium.
Interestingly, that measure that he sponsored in Tallahassee just last year wasn’t one of the things he touted on the mailer. Guess he ain’t that proud of it.
Gonzalez is seen as the giant in the race and many observers — and most of the candidates — expect him to do very well. After all, he has about all of the 5,000 or so absentee ballot votes in Hialeah public housing sewn up (more on that later). Most of the smart money is on a runoff between him and former Property Appraiser Pedro Garcia, who was beaten out of his job by former State Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera in 2012. The job opened up again after C-Lo was tapped as Lt. Gov. by Gov. Rick Scott (read: Scott’s campaign people).
The other three candidates are two-time loser Alex Dominguez, who actually seems more prepared for this job than either 
Garcia or Gonzalez, appraiser Carlos Gobel, who also seems more knowledgeable than the aforementioned three and Albert Armada, who inexplicably got the Miami Herald endorsement even though he was fired from the city of Miami in 1991 after administrators learned he had approved a lease for Fire Station No. 4, known as Firehouse Four, that had the 1923 city-owned building as collateral for the investors’ million dollar bank loan. He was known as Alberto Armada then, so you maybe the Herald editorial board didn’t Google him with the O at the end of his name.
Next to Armada, even Gonzalez looks like a decent choice. But don’t let looks deceive you. “Here Comes Hialeah” is just looking for a place to land while he waits out for the mayor’s job in Hialeah, which is what Gonzalez has always wanted. He is termed out of the house, can’t make anything off a no-show job if he isn’t elected, and so will need to get a place holder seat
until the current Hialeah hoodlums run their terms out.
And what exactly would he do as property appraiser? The mailer says he would bring “new leadership and customer service” to the office. His platform includes cracking down on fraudulent property tax exemptions, improving customer service, “ensure accountability and transparency by holding monthly town hall meetings” and more accurate appraisals to lower the number of appeals before the Value Adjustment Board.
But those are basically the same promises of all the candidates.
Read related story: Lines drawn in battle for Miami-Dade Property Appraiser
And, c’mon! Who does Gonzalez think he’s kidding. He’s going to get in there and be briefed and continue to let the people running the office do so when he’s there, taking his three-hour lunch and the cigar breaks he’s gotten used to in Tallahassee, meeting with his onetime colleagues and lobbyists at Cuban Crafters to talk about his future. He is not going to be running the property appraiser’s office. He’s too used to having a no-show position.
Hopefully, both absentee and in-person voters — black, white or Hispanic — will realize this and tell him to go get a real job in the private sector. For once.
Eddy Gonzalez: A tale of two mailers — black and Hispanic added by Ladra on
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I stand corrected. Mr Armada does have a Masters Degree. But the other two candidates have never given away a historic landmark. Not good Observer.
anyone but eddie
Who you calling a little dog, you anonymous hack, you?
Wanna know how many times Ladra has been threatened with lawsuits? Quite a few. That happens when you expose the truth. And wanna know how many times those threats have come through? Zero. That happens when those people don’t have a legal leg to stand on and are just trying to deflect attention from their own incompetence and/or shenanigans.
I know the three criteria for any slander or libel lawsuit. Do you? You should look it up before you make any more idle threats.
Stop foaming at the mouth and go get a rabies shot.
Love, Ladra
Mr. Armada is the ONLY one of this group who is an MAI appraiser (Member Appraisal Institute) – this is the highest designation in the profession. Two questions come to mind: 1) If you were electing, say someone for Sheriff, wouldn’t you want the person to have police experience? The Property Appraiser function is not purely administrative; it is highly technical and requires a solid background in the field. 2) Wouldn’t you want to elect someone for who the Property Appraiser position would represent the pinnacle of his PROFESSIONAL career, rather than someone who will use this elected position as a “stepping stone” in his POLITICAL career?
The only person that cares about Armada being a member of MAI is Armada. Your cover is blown.
There are many who care; for example clients who require an accurate appraisal. By the same token, property owners of Dade County should care a GREAT DEAL about the professional qualifications of the person who will be responsible for assessing their properties. The Herald got it right; they focused primarily on the professional qualifications of the candidates.
Get your facts straight little dog. Someone should tighten your leash before you get sued. Liable, slander, defamation of character are all real consequences of your poor representation of journalism.
Hollow, gut-less individuals such as yourself are the reason why our tort system is in shambles. And, yes, I’m sure you ARE NOT a lawyer. You clearly are too stupid to even be a lawyer. No, you are a tiny tiny little man, and I’m guessing having you as a husband/father/brother is quite the ordeal.
I don’t believe Armada even wants to be property appraiser. I saw the LULAC forum and he seems to support Pedro Garcia. He agrees with everything he’s done and seems to highly respect him. Not sure why he decided to run against him, especially when Pedro announced his candidacy early in January. I have not seen one of his signs anywhere in the county, or a mailer, or an ad. Makes me think he is just a pawn to dissipate some of the votes.
It’s a shame that elected positions don’t have minimum requirements. Miamians are stuck in a vicious cycle of dishonest, dishonorable leaders and it seems there is nothing we can do about it. Most voters base their selection on a fancy mailout. Most don’t dig deep and find the candidates that are truly worthy of their votes. I’m even surprised to read some of the coverage from the Miami Herald. Candidates are just endorsed without listing the qualifications of the other candidates and discussing why they feel one deserves the endorsement over the other. Lazy articles and too late in the game. Absentee ballots have been out a week already and like Ladra said, a good portion have probably already been picked up. I wouldn’t be surprised if Gonzalez takes the majority in August, he’s paid good money for those votes.
I checked out all the candidates. Only candidates with a Masters Degree are Gobel and Dominguez. Either of them would be a better choice than the rest. I agree with you Ladra.
Mr. Armada has a Master of International
Business from Florida International University…
again, get facts not rumors…
Dear Ms. Fernandez, I did not get the facts about Alberto Armada and Firehouse Four from Mr. Dominguez. It had been written about in New Times.
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/1996-02-15/news/four-alarm-foulup/
It doesn’t say he was fired. It only says he no longer worked at the city. Someone at the city told me he was fired or forced to resign (same thing) after this incident. Ladra also smelled something because of the name change, which seems like an intention to hide this chapter of his life.
As for Dominguez… I don’t think he would agree that I defend him. After all, Ladra has called him a perennial candidate who always loses.
That said, I do think he has some fresh ideas about the property appraiser’s office and, in this race, I like Dominguez and Carlos Gobel the best. Yes, I do. I have the right to and you have the right to like Alberto “Mr. Angry” Armada, who, from what I hear, works out of his garage. Some business. But, again, it’s your choice to support whoever you want.
Just as long as you don’t vote for Eddy Gonzalez.
;P Woof.
Love, Ladra
I do not understand why this blog defends so
much Alex Dominguez when he’s in bankruptcy!
Can someone going through that run such an
important department? Truthfully, you should
get the facts straight about Albert Armada,
what you’re publishing is just not true, something
Alex Dominguez threw at him on last debate without
any truth in it whatsoever….get your facts
straight from the source…not everything written
in the internet is true! Is your blog journalism
or trash?
Eddy Gonzalez is/was a lackey for Ernesto Perez and Dade Medical College. Do not vote for him.
Easy choice everyone. Vote Alex Dominguez.
Education? In today’s Miami Dade County government education, experience, professionalism or capacity are not necessary skills for directors or managers. Today, high paying positions are handed out in exchange for allegiance to Gimenez. Anyone who bucks the system is ostracized, disciplined, transferred or laid off. County government is no different than an organized crime family with Don Carlos on top and his crew of caporegime serving as executioners. It’s the same in every one of the 26 remaining departments. Eddy Gonzalez will fit fine in the current environment. The property appraiser’s office, already decimated by Lopez-Cantera. will sink to an all time low if this ball of corruption steals that election.
I couldn’t agree with you more. We elect people to run our government who wouldn’t make it past a resume screening in the private sector. We’ve got a bunch of rejects running our city.
Eddie Gonzalez has been involved in absentee ballot fraud since the early 2000’s. He learned his mastery in Hialeah, perceived by local, state and federal authorities as a lawless town where anything goes. Not surprised Gimenez is endorsing him. In fact it seems as though Gimenez does not have a choice but to endorse him since Gonzalez and campaign manager Al Lorenzo worked hand in hand to collect many ballots for Gimenez in 2012. Gimenez would endorse the devil himself if it meant keeping a tight lid on power in our county. God help the residents of this county if this sewer rat gets elected as appraiser. Poor Pedro, a good and decent man will get beaten a second time by the same machine. By now Gonzalez has had his team pickup all the ballots in Hialeah. One has to ask what sort of education or training has prepared a Neanderthal such as Gonzalez to lead the county appraiser’s office?