Mike Mena (read: developers) win Gables race, as expected

In their first run-off ever, Coral Gables voters on last week picked Mike Mena, a land use attorney who has never served on any city board or committee, over longtime activist Marlin Ebbert, a retired schoolteacher who was backed by the a group of residents irate about recent development decisions. It was 54 to 46 percent.

Everyone saw it coming after the first round two weeks ago, where Mena captured a whopping 44 percent in the four-way race. Ebbert, in second place, got 32 percent. He would have won outright if voters hadn’t changed the charter to require runoffs. And even if Ebbert had gotten every single voter that cast for her on April 11 to go out again two weeks later, and she didn’t, she would not have won.

Sadly, the commission seat was decided by just over, 5,100 voters and neither candidate got the numbers they got in the first round. Funny enough, Ebbert got the closest, with 2,392 votes (296 fewer than on April 11) while Mena got 2,794 — 849 votes fewer than his 3,643 earlier showing. It only proves runoffs are not the perfect pill some thought.

Mena was sworn in Friday with the two winners from the earlier election: Commissioner Patricia Keon — who won a challenge from former Commissioner Wayne “Chip” Withers — and returning Mayor Raul Valdes-Fauli, who beat Commissioner Jeannett Slesnick in a close race to win his seat back after 15 years out of office and out of sight.

Developers must be drooling. If the City Beautiful was attractive to them in the last few years, people with the right connections can now get their properties upzoned and secure variances for everything from height restrictions to setbacks. That Jeannett woman is out of the way. Her heir apparent was summarily dismissed. Ladra can see them now, licking their chops.

Mena spent more than five times what Ebbert spent to get this seat. His total as of the last campaign report filed, which was at the end of March before even the first round, was $136,540. Hers was $21,595.

Someone want to tell me again how you can’t buy an election?

It’s going to be up to Gable residents to keep these people honest. Ladra hopes they stay involved outside the election as they were during the race. Mena’s first meeting with the new Mayor Valdes-Fauli is next Tuesday, May 9.

Coral Gables, Marlin Ebbert, Mike Mena

Mike Mena (read: developers) win Gables race, as expected added by Ladra on May 2, 2017
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