Veteran Miami Commissioner Willy Gort will not get to coast into automatic re-election
after all since he now has a real challenge from a former zoning board member who is running on a single issue: Crime.
Miguel “Mike” Gabela, a real estate investor and auto parts business owner, filed to run in March but launched his campaign for real last month with a five-point crime fighting plan. He sent an email blast Tuesday with links to several news stories about burglary and shooting incidents — even a murder — in the district, which includes the neighborhooods of Allaphattah, Blue Lagoon, Flagami, and Grapeland Heights.
“The troubles in District 1 in the City of Miami continue to mount, and our current commissioner has shown no interest in addressing these issues,” Gabela wrote. “That’s why I have decided to run for Commissioner in District 1, because I want to bring a proactive approach to the problems in our District.
“The headlines dealing with our district in the newspapers and TV news reports say it all… and the crimes continue to occur at an alarming rate. In fact, Districts One’s crime rate surpasses the national average in almost every category.”
His five point plan calls for (1) more police staff, (2) new and/or enhanced bike and foot patrols in commercial zones as well as crime watch programs, (3) increased communication and coordination between departments, particularly between police and code enforcement and zoning, (4) monthly town hall meetings in each neighborhood to communicate with residents and address issues like lighting and (5) a crackdown on illegal cafeteria bars and nightclubs.
“That’s a big issue here especially in the east. Not all the cafeterias, just the ones into drugs, into prostitution, into gaming with these gambling rooms in back,” Gabela told me, and Ladra knows because she has been on raids with the Miami Police department.
Gabela, who has lived in Allapattah for 35 years, also believes his experience as a business owner will help him better represent the residents of District 1. “As a businessman, I know the importance of knowing who my customers are as well as their needs. As a commissioner, I will make sure to keep in close contact with the residents and ensure that their needs are met,” he says in the email.
But he is making crime his central issue because it is what he hears about time and time again as he knocks on hundreds of doors.
“We need infrastructure improvements and we need to fix sidewalks, too, but I don’t want to be all over the place. 
I am going to stick to the key issues that residents are concerned about — and number one is crime, number two is crime and number three is crime,” Gabela told Ladra.
“The level of fear that exist in this district is simply unacceptable” Gabela said, taking a jab at the incumbent. “The current commissioner is disengaged from this community and only reacts to, as opposed to being proactive in preventing crime.”
Case in point, he says, is the police staffing issue. There are 350 officers due to retire in the next couple of years, Gabela said. “And we have not put a new policeman on the payroll in three years.”
He served on the city’s zoning board for almost ten years and ran against Gort already once before — in 2010’s special election to replace then-Commissioner Angel Gonzalez, who was forced to resign in 2009 as part of a guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge of abusing his position to get his daughter a job. Gort, who had been a commissioner for eight years ending with an unsuccessful mayoral run in 2001, won the January 2010 special election with 55% of the vote.
But Gabela came in second in a crowded field of nine candidates, with 13 percent of the vote. Sure, it was a distant second. But he beat former commission candidates like Richard Tapia and Mike Suarez with barely two months to campaign.
And he showed he has no qualms about financing his own campaign, putting $75,000 into the almost certain second-place finish. Which is good, seeing as how he will probably have to do that again. Gort has reported raising almost $150,000 for his campaign, including $25,000 just in June, his largest month since he started taking contributions in March of 2014. And he’s only spent about $3,700.
Gabela has spent all but about $1,000 of the $6,850 he’s raised. Or, actually, of the $1,750 he raised and the $5,100 he loaned himself.
Time to write another check, Mike.
Willy Gort challenger Mike Gabela runs on one issue: Crime added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
[…] an auto parts dealer who has been knocking on doors since February, has run at least twice in this district already. Last time, in 2019, he forced Diaz de la Portilla, a political consultant and professional […]
[…] who has been knocking on doors since February, has run at least twice in this district […]
Got a point dame un beso y te digo
Pericles,
Are you El Mariconson de Frankie?
Well both of you gentleman seem to be big on claims and light on facts. However, I will point you to some other interesting sites which make fantastic statements like you make.
http://exopolitics.org/obama-admits-space-aliens-control-usa-was-he-joking/
http://www.trueconspiracies.com/
As for Placido, he worked for Willy but Willy never provided him legal cover or excuse his actions.
As for Frank what proof do you have to implicate him in Com.Gonzalez’s conviction? What did Frank have to do with his daughter?
Again I implore you to bring facts to this debate. Not just scream fire in a crowded theater.
Frank,
It seems that Got-A-Point shut you up. Afraid to talk cause you don’t what else will be revealed. Scared shitless. It appears that is what you all do the employees at the City.
Frank:
Puta! Here you go! Deny Commissioner Gort is not part of this!
http://www.crespogram.com/index_public_html/PART_IV_-_THE_PUMPKIN_PATCH_GANG.html
I meant to say “led” not “lead”. Frank are you not the same guy who is double dipping? While you were Ex Commissioner Angel Gonzalez Chief of Staff, legislation was passed specifically for you, so you can collect the City’s pension and collect your salary. You son of a bitch. Yes folks the same Commissioner Gonzalez who went to jail. Whose daughter had a no show job with a contractor doing business with the City of Miami.
Also, how about Placido Diaz? He was also part of Commissioner Gort’s staff. Yes. The same guy who was a former corrupted City of Miami cop. The crook took advantage of the elderly by having them sign over property deeds to him. The same guy who last year said he was going to kill himself. The same who was several weeks ago was trying to become Chief of Police of the Sweetwater Police Department.
Frank- go ahead deny it! So I can come out with more shit!
Frank:
Give me a break. You have all people is as corrupt as the Mexican Government. You were Director of Community Development when it was in shambles and millions went missing. Commissioner Gort is clueless as a rock. If he can’t lead not even a horse to drink, what makes you believe he can lead to solve a problem. LETS GET TO THE POINT. GORT WAS IN THE CITY THAT LEAD TO THE CITY’S FINANCIAL PROBLEMS, INCLUDING DECLARING FISCAL URGENCY TWICE!
Pericles is not Frank Castaneda. Castaneda is Frank Castaneda. I know that it is easier to attack than to build especially when you lack a strong resume. Commissioner Gort has served this Community for many years before he was Commissioner. When he returned, the City’s Budget was in shambles, we were a laughing stock and now there are more than 100 Million in reserves. The only reason that anybody can say we need more Police Officers is that now thanks to the labor of Commissioner Gort there is money in the bank, and everybody in the world not only thinks that Miami is a great City but is willing to invest in Miami. Miami with Commissioner Gort has gone from a bankrupt City to the investment Center of the U.S. That is what you call leaderdship. Everything else is just sour grapes. Sincerely, Castaneda
Still working with inane ad-hominem attacks instead of facts or evidence. Let me know when you are willing to engage in a meaningful discussion, we could do it here or under the bridge where you live.
Emilio Acosta and Pericles is Commissioner Gort’s Chief of Staff. El Hijo de Puta, Frank Castaneda.
District 1 will have had 4 elections by the time this one comes around in the last 5 years. I challenge any elected official in the U.S. who can say the have faced this many contests and have one each one with a commanding MAJORITY.
Maybe Gort is not the best politician, but I assure that having Mr.Gabela sit on the dais would another major ego to the dais only looking out for themselves and not their constituents. Mr.Gabela has never lifted a finger in his community, the way Gort has through Kiwanis, Boys and Girls Club, Calle Ocho etc and Liga Contra el Cancer.
As far as corruption, I think too many people use it as an ad hominem attack without basis when they see an incumbent. The “corruption” many speak of has never been proven. I hope those that say they love our system of government would not by so hypocritical as to forget that we are innocent until proven guilty.
I would be interested in seeing if Mr.Gabela is capable of understanding the nuances of city government in passing his crime fighting plan, or if he plans on enforcing it with a cape and a car.
Such a shame to read such ignorant, uninformed remarks. Com. Gort has lived in his district for,over 50 years and has been active and involved in this community all his life. As Commisssioner he has been devoted to his people and to problem solving . Mr. Gavels is a divisive individual,who has never contributed anything to this community, if you really want to know who he is and what he can’t accomplish read the minutes of any Zoning Board Agenda where he participated as a member.
Willie Gort:
Is a corrupted Commissioner who tends not to forget how to have lobbyists put money into his pocket, but sure as hell is clueless up in the dais. A sock puppet is better than Gort, after all Mayor Thomas Regalado has a hand up his ass anyways.
Where is Willy? Us voters elected him to represent us many times and this place looks terrible (like we’ve been bombed) and stepping out of your house is an adventure (I here Bagdad is safer). I want to meet this Gabela and see if he’s the person to turn this around, I’m sure Willy Gort ain’t .
Gabela is proactive, Willy has not done a dam thing in the district, all he care about is his own interest, he hasn’t done a thing for the district, only make it worst. My vote is for Miguel