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“Alex sold his soul to the devil,” Garcia told Ladra.
Gonzalez did not return a call from Ladra. He hasn’t wanted to talk to me since Political Cortadito exposed that he was living outside his district after it was redrawn for 2012.
Read related story: State Rep. Eddy Gonzalez lives, works outside his district
But Dominguez did call me back to defend his endorsement and the ad. He said Garcia looked the other way and did not do anything to bring attention to the union worker, an issue that he says was brought to the forefront by Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, a former state rep who beat Garcia for the county position in 2012 
but left in midstream when he was tapped as Gov. Rick Scott’s No. 2.
Ladra guesses that Alex conveniently forgets the fact that Lopez-Cantera complained he couldn’t fire the guy either. Oh, and that the former State Rep. brought the issue up in his campaign to make the office independent of the county.
But is that really what is wrong with the property appraiser’s office? That one of the many overpaid employees among the nearly 400 workers is on paid leave while serving the other employees interests and needs? Or is it, rather, that too many property values are challenged? Or could it be, perhaps, that there is too much Homestead exemption fraud?
Is this really what the campaign should be about?
Gonzalez and his messenger, David “@#$%^&!” Custin, have to attack Garcia because they have nothing else to run on. He has no experience as a property appraiser or with property, period. Even as a legislator, Gonzalez was always lame. He is best known for sponsoring the Miami Dolphins stadium tax scam that, lucky for us, was killed by his colleagues who knew better.
Gonzalez is also implicated in the absentee ballot fraud investigation (and I use the word “investigation” loosely) that netted three Hialeah boleteros in 2012. Private Investigator Joe Carillo — who was the first one that caught Deisy Cabrera picking up and delivering ballots and going in and out of the Gimenez Hialeah campaign office — says that, as a Hialeah Council member, Gonzalez was involved in absentee ballot fraud in the 2004 Hialeah election. Challenger Adriana Narváez won at the polls, but Gonzalez kept his seat after getting almost three times as many AB votes. Miami-Dade Police questioned campaign workers and employees of the Hialeah Housing Authority — which is said to control somewhere around 3,500 votes — during an investigation that went nowhere (don’t they all?).
“He stole an election then and he’s trying to steal one now,” Carillo told Ladra.
But since this is a countywide race, he can’t count on the Hialeah AB machinery alone. That was proven when he came in number two — and by 10 points — to Garcia in the primary Aug. 26.
Read related story: Que paso? Eddy Gonzalez heads into runoff as numero dos
Lo mas lindo del caso is that Dominguez, a once promising young political wannabe who has tainted himself with the Gonzalez stench, se presto pa’ esto. It breaks Ladra’s heart that Dominguez is on the TV ad, acting like he is outraged at the intentionally exaggerated misrepresentation.
Like Ladra said, it’s not like we needed another reason to vote for Pedro Garcia. But if Gonzalez intends to lie or at least exaggerate his way into this position, what would he do once he’s there?
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Eddy Gonzalez’s ‘$400,000’ attack ad is a desperate last stab added by Ladra on
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With all do respect to Mr.Dominguez and Mr. Gobel, we grow tired of all the negative messages lacking factual information filled with misrepresentations the taxpayers deserve better. Neither Dominguez or Gobel have first hand experience or knowledge since they did not work at the PAO to make the statements they have made. The employee in question did/does participate in union functions such as meetings, negotiations, grievance representation but these are not 40 hrs a week , they are a small portion of the time. The employee for the majority of the week does perform his job duties in PAO. This is stipulated in the contracts between the County and the Union, Union Employees. All County departments have employees that serve in the same capacity. This is not a Mr. Garcia decision to make as it has been misrepresented. As to the rest of comments made by Mr. Dominguez, Gobel they are lacking first hand knowledge and a distortion of the truth.
[…] Read related story: Eddy Gonzalez’s ‘$400,000′ ad is a desperate last stab […]
I voted for Pedro Garcia, and my family and friend have also. Pedro will win Nov. 4th Period
The Property Appraiser’s administrator/manager, Jaime Martinez that Lopez-Cantera hired was part of his administration was found committing Homestead fraud. In addition the present administration still continues to endorse and follow Lopez-Canteras policies and procedures. The homestead fraud was covered-up by the present administration from May 2012 till Feb 2014, and not until October 2014 was he just allowed to resign versus being fired after committing a criminal act which is a misdemeanor. Whether the Property Appraisers office is independent or not, if it run by a POLITICIAN the corruption will get worse.
Mr. Berrios – You are misinformed. Pedro Garcia is not an elected politician. Pedro has four decades of experience not just as a property appraiser but more importantly, as a magistrate. That experience in unequaled. And you can see that his list of endorsements includes Miami Association of Realtors, Government Supervisors Association of Florida and the Kendall Federation of Homeowner Association, among others.
http://nhexposed.blogspot.com
Above mentioned blogger has been supporting Pedro Garcia and making claims against Eddy Gonzalez at every opportunity. Mr. Horta is a convicted felon posing as a blogger. Blogs such as Political Cortadito are very informative, but this guy is a piece of garbage. Last I checked Mr Gonzalez has never been charged with anything, unlike Mr Horta. Pretty obvious he and Mr Garcia are tied at the hip. Shame on you Pedro.
Alex D what a joke, he just did it to make some money, he has lost alot pumping money into his 3 losses, had to compensate somehow
Naturally the Herald endorsed Albert Armada the worst of the 5 candidates in the primary. Our county is going to shit quickly Elaine. I voted for Dominguez in the primary but will vote for Gonzalez against Garcia. The better of two lifelong politicians. The herald just endorsed another disaster in Joe Garcia. We need another newspaper in Miami!
We need better representatives in our community. THIS is what we have to choose from? Both are garbage. Miami is in such bad shape because we put incompetent people in charge. God help us!
Carlos, please tell me what it is that Eddy Gonzalez was so effective with during 8 years at the State House.
The fact is that the person or people responsible for the union employee no-show is Mayor Carlos Gimenez and the commission, not Garcia. The ONLY reason Lopez-Cantera brought it out was because it was a good negative campaign tactic for his independentization effort, which might very well be a good idea (I think more needs to be discussed about how that would work and what the oversight would be).
But, clearly, Pedro Garcia will not BE ABLE to go back to business as usual. He will be forced by a much more aware community, by a much more active community, by this blogger, to face these issues head on.
Do I think he could have done better the first time around? Sure.
But I still think he’s a better choice this time around than the absentee ballot fraud stained “Here Comes Hialeah” who is all about protecting his cronies. Sorry.
Love, Ladra
Elaine, with all due respect, I believe we are missing the point. I could go on forever on the numerous issues plaguing that office… but will only stick to the topic you’ve written on. It took Lopez-Cantera just a few months to expose what was wrong with the office while Pedro ignored it for years. CLC’s attention to the matter then uncovered 44 other similar cases county-wide. It’s an absolute travesty. This type of scenario serves to further strengthen the argument as to why the PAO needs to be independent… part of which is to be able to negotiate union contracts; something Pedro opposes. Is it a coincidence that Pedro is endorsed by the same union who negotiated the current contract and doesn’t want the PAO to be independent? Rather than focusing on the minutiae and questioning the trivial aspects of a 30-second television commercial (i.e. “was it $400k in one year or over 4 years?” or “was it Pedro that paid him or the county?”), why aren’t we asking “How did we allow this to happen?”, “Who’s responsible for this?”, “How do we prevent this from happening again?”. Bottom line… Pedro’s message has been consistent throughout this campaign – “I was the former property appraiser… and I will continue to do what I did before.” That’s not good enough. His track record says it wasn’t good enough. And the tax-paying homeowners of Miami-Dade County shouldn’t accept it as being good enough. Pedro is the reason I ran in the first place and is the reason I’m supporting Eddy Gonzalez. Eddy will make a difference. Eddy will push for independence. Eddy will not be beholden to tax agents who make a fortune on the inefficiencies and inadequacies of a poorly managed PAO. We’re dealing with two savvy politicians. The question is… who’s been the more effective elected official? The answer is clear.
I stand firmly in my endorsement of Eddy Gonzalez for Property Appraiser. If anyone has ” sold their soul to the devil” it’s Mr Garcia who has accepted thousands of dollars from tax appeal agents who prey upon the inefficiencies of the property appraisers office.(I don’t accept lobbyist money) Mr Garcia did a terrible job in his 4 years as appraiser and literally overtaxed residents of Dade County by not including short sales and foreclosures. Miami dade county residents should not give him a second chance. Mr Garcia stated many times during the debates that he believes that we have reached our limit on fighting homestead fraud??? Amazing when we lead in fraud with everything else! Mr Garcia also stated that he does not want the appraisers office to be an independent office like all other 66 counties in Florida???? My platform as a candidate was 100% different than Mr Garcia and almost the same as Eddy Gonzalez. For the same reason Carlos Goebel another candidate who I highly respect has endorsed Eddy Gonzalez as well. This election is about the future of the office of the appraiser. Those are the facts. Nothing personal against Mr Garcia, but his time is up, it’s time for someone else to step into the job. It was an easy choice, VOTE Eddy Gonzalez for appraiser.
Alex give us a break….what deal have your brokere for yourself with this
endorsement.
Don’t we have any persons that are not Recycled politician with a different last name that could do this job? The corruption of recycling is they owed too many favors to donors. Please look at the Tax Rolls and the Miami river Properties, Marinas are getting “Farming property rates” See Allied Marine 21 ave and N.w So . River Drive . We are tired of hearing that this or that Politician is coming to Save Us. When in Reality they are coming for The Money and the Benefits. Hope For New Faces, Stop The Negative Adds