(Continued from previous page)
Edmonson is said to have conceded already, which is smart because that puts her in the position to gain the most. She goes straight to the front of the line and has the chance to go from chairing the Health and Social Services committee to the Economic Development and Port of Miami committee she so desperately wants, according to sources, and which is an “open seat” because it used to be chaired by Bell, who was voted off the island.
Edmonson may even get a leadership position in both if she plays her cards right and can get the vote for Monestime unanimous, as it should be. She can pull the black votes that Monestime may not necessarily have in the bag — because he’s also Caribbean, really, and often the African American community separates itself from Caribbean blacks (but that’s a whole ‘nother story).
But nobody dislikes Monestime. He is often referred to as the gentleman on the commission and he is almost universally liked by everyone. The Cubans, ni hablar. They love him. He’s like one of us.
He’s also a pretty quiet lion who only speaks when he has something to say and it is always about the business at hand and his constituency, not the politics of the dais. The fact that he’s not in love with his own voice and doesn’t pontificate is a great thing. Because when he speaks, people listen. But he also has an Achilles heel: Monestime is so noble, such a buenote, that he could be taken advantage of by the more savvy and seasoned politicians on the dais — which is everybody except Levine Cava.
Commissioner Esteban Bovo is expected to get the vice chair position as well as the juicy transportation committee chairmanship. Commissioner 
Xavier “Mayor Sir” Suarez originally wanted transportation, but he may settle for vice chair if Moss, who is chair now, gives that up for something new, like infrastructure — which Ladra hears everybody is wrestling for. Could that have anything to do with the massive, mandated $1.6 billion worth of water and sewer improvements coming in the next 10 years?
But Suarez really wants chairmanship of the Metropolitan Planning Organization, although he needs more commissioners to attend the meetings (that’s a whole ‘nother story).
Juan “Zorro” Zapata, who has been vice chair of finance, wants to chair that committee and keep infrastructure and capital improvements. Jose “Pepe” Diaz wants to keep the powerful campaign finance tool that is the land use and development committee. But he’s also expressed an interest in public safety and animal services (the public safety part) and transportation and aviation, although he is not going to get that for past allegations of conflict stemming from his employers business at the airport.
Ladra expects Levine Cava to have expressed an interest in land use and development also and can’t wait to see the dynamic between Pepe and Daniella at those meetings. Fun, fun, fun! Health and social services is also a natural fit for the newest commissioner, who may not get a chair but will be a member of these two committees, mark my words, and maybe vice chair in the latter.
Bruno Barreiro will also want to be in land use or economic development and the port, which is in his district, and Sosa may want to be involved in aviation committee, which is in hers. Where those two land is anybody’s guess, though Barreiro is probably closer to the new chairman so he’s likely in a better position.
They probably won’t get culture and recreation, though. Nobody, but nobody, is taking culture and recreation away from Commissioner Javier Souto. That’s his baby and they’ll have to pry it from his cold dead fingers, as they say. But, no, literally.
All of this will be set in motion after Monday’s chairman vote. That’s when the real races begin.
Pages: 1 2
Musical committee chairs is the power game at County Hall added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →