Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez has come up with a genius solution to the county’s massive traffic gridlock and mass transit problems: Cars that fly.
Ladra is not kidding. Gimenez wants to be George Jetson.
We don’t have money to expand rail, which is what was promised to the people 
with the half-penny tax increase in 2002. Not even for one extension south or north up to Broward. Not even for a light rail across the bay to Miami Beach.
But we apparently can find the money to entertain thoughts of a public private partnership with Lilium, a German engineering startup that raised $90 million to build air taxis just last year and whose five-seat jets could be crossing our skies in as little as two years, according to the mayor’s vision.
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You know, like those Amazon drone planes only bigger and carrying people. Don’t 
worry. They have parachutes! These electric-powered jets are safe because they have parachutes that discharge if there is any “in-flight failure” or collision.
“So you can just float down,” Gimenez told Miami Today. And, apparently, they took him seriously.
Gimenez has met twice already with representatives from Lilium, the last meeting taking place with executives Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s definitely cutting edge, so I’m interested,” 
the mayor told Miami Today after the first meeting earlier this month, because you know how he loves shiny new stuff. “We have an interesting place to try out the new concept. We want to be the city of the future.”
Is that why you are buying so many buses?
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Not that this isn’t something that Ladra is happy to welcome into our world, like jetpacks and hologram TV. It’s kinda awesome. It’s just not a transit solution.
The five-seat jet can go 186 miles in an hour. 
Except there doesn’t need to be five people for a trip that, for now, would start and end at one of the county’s four airports — MIA, Opa-Locka, Miami Executive (formerly known as Kendall-Tamiami) and Homestead. Eventually, there will be ports built elsewhere. The developer of Paramount WorldCenter Miami designed a skyport atop the 60-story building for future air taxis.
And certainly it won’t come cheap. Think Uber Super X.
How does this do anything to take care of the massive gridlock most of us face daily? Answer: It doesn’t. But Gimenez isn’t concerned with that. This air taxi idea seems like a quicker turnaround and he is all about immediate gratification.
And shiny things.
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And immediate graft? Ladra tried to find out who the lobbyist was for Lilium and couldn’t find anyone in the county lobbyist registrations going back to the beginning of the year. But maybe it’s early. Maybe that’s next as they meet with commissioners.
It’s too bad that Gimenez can’t get excited about finding ways to make a public private partnership for rail happen because that is what the people were promised and that is what the people want.
Nothing, not even flying cars, will be an acceptable alternative.
Carlos Gimenez has head in the clouds with air taxi vision added by Ladra on
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Strong Mayor was a mistake;
” thinking that his employees were doing business as if it were 30 years ago”
They are because in my opinion ( being PC) the Cubanos I call the ” Calle Ocho’s” have never cared about corruption and they have zero political standards .
Since no one here knows me I’ll confess that 90% of my extended family here are ” Calle Ocho’s” . My parents though very ” lechon y congri ” type Cubans are not and left Miami years ago .
Its not about Rep or Dem because on a local level that doesnt mean a thing in this Cuban ” Cosa Nostra” banana republic . Same crooks slither from one office to another as do their family members .
I actually came here so what that says about me is sad , lol , Do love the weather .
I do respect voters and look down on non voters so though I can be caustic I hold my tongue with the ” Calle Ocho’s ” , non voters I consider garbage .
Gimenez is like Commissioner Jose Pepe Diaz , EVERYTHING is about lining their own pocket but the majority of voters wouldn’t have it any other way because they know this and continue to reelect the same Cuban Crooks .
Those who dont vote are worse and have yet to meet a non voter in Miami who you could even have a normal conversation with .
I’ve spoken to County Mayor Gimenez and his primary focus on change was “make it cool.” I found him lacking in awareness about what was occurring in departments that offer direct public services, thinking that his employees were doing business as if it were 30 years ago.
Must be lobbyists involved
What a joke !