Miami Lakes has a $20 million general obligation bond referendum on the ballot to renovate and improve Optimist Park, which has a port-a-pottie and enough chronic flooding to cancel multiple baseball games.
Vice Mayor Jeffrey Rodriguez, who has been out at early voting every day to push a yes vote, gets the prize for the best campaign ad this cycle. And it’s not really an ad. It’s a graphic he posted on the Facebook I Love Miami Lakes page. But it’s a good one.
The image shows how much the additional tax for the park improvements will cost property owners — in croquetas.
If your home is worth $225,000, the bond will cost you the price of one croqueta a week. If it’s a million dollar mansion, you pay the price of four croquetas a week.
Talk about making it relatable. Every budget story should be like this.
Rodriguez took the price of croquetas from the Vicky Bakery online menu, which was $1.40, and added 10 cents for tax.
“When you put it to people that way, it makes a lot of sense,” Rodriguez told Ladra.
Rodriguez, who is not seeking reelection, said the whole reason he ran four years ago was because of the state of Optimist Park as not taken seriously.
“Twenty years ago, they were talking about renovating it. The pay and you go option doesn’t really work for a project so large. You have to do it all in one shot,” Rodriguez said.
“Parks say a lot about a community and that park doesn’t meet up to the standards of Miami Lakes,” he said. “We’ve let this park deteriorate for so long.”
Rodriguez negotiated with the Miami-Dade School Board, which owns the property, for a 60-year lease.
Miami Lakes Optimist Park $20M bond referendum cost in croquetas added by Ladra on
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[…] was referring to Cid’s failed bond referendum for Optimist Park in 2022 that would have raised $19.5 million in property taxes — which almost 60% of voters […]
Tone deaf Rodriguez, Cid, and their cronies got the smack down on the bond vote. Let’s see what shadiness they try to pull now. Good riddance Rodriguez. Slide the key to the town you were given under the door on your way out. Enjoy the extra croquetas you can now afford.
When it comes to Miami Commissioners the rule should always be ‘ Give them nothing ‘ because they answer to developers , special interest NOT the people .
They are clever at doing for everyone but us yet wording these self serving ventures like they are doing us the favor . They are not .
The office of Commissioner has ONLY hurt Miami.
Yea and will benefit Hialeah and carol city kids. I voted no. They can play on sunny days.
This watch dog blog missed the mark promoting this particular ad. It is a trojan horse for Miami Lakes residents and the mayor is already touting this “award.”
Town council, which includes Mr. Rodriguez and Mayor Cid (both whom voted in favor of the bond) paid consultants approx 25k in taxpayer money to skew the language on the ballot in favor of the bond when they were advised that using the clear, concise language originally planned would not deliver the intended result. They are attempting to dump a 20 million dollar debt on the backs of the residents for a baseball park used by less than 10% of residents for land not owned by the town but leased from MDPS. 100% of the upgrade cost,100% of the maintenance (700k+ annually) paid by residents. (For a park not owned with fields they have extremely limited access to.)
It should be noted that the town manager, his assistant and two other council members were against this bond.
What a foolish ad and comparison. Sadly Miami Lakes is run by a bunch of arrogant men who are bullies. They are trying to force this bond down our throats and have demonstrated many unethical and unprofessional behaviors. Members of the council hired a consultant and paid $25,000 to write the wording for the ballot question that is deceptive and misleading. Our elected officials have berated and belittled citizens that have expressed any opposition. The bond is for a total demolition of a perfectly good park and then the construction of a completely new park. The town does not own the land. The land is owned by the Miami Dade School Board. So the taxpayers are on the hook to pay $20M for something that is not needed on a property we don’t own or have control of. On top of that the taxpayers are fully responsible for over $700,000 in annual maintenance cost. That cost is likely to go up with the new park. Bottom line is the bond smells like spoiled croquetas.
Yum I LOVE croquetas
Most are reluctant to vote yes on anything because things are often not done correctly , politicos here can not be trusted and projects often go way over budget since zero accountability is the norm here .
I’m in Doral and that park con with bonds worked here with the Mayor Bermudez who was recently sadly rewarded with election to Commissioner so he can work only for developers that much more .
A bond was taken out which as you know is not free , taxes were raised for the park and years go by , nothing is being done and he leaves Doral with a park which is just barren ground
” Rodriguez took the price of croquetas from the Vicky Bakery online menu, which was $1.40, and added 10 cents for tax ”
In theory but in reality it NEVER works out this way , NOT in Miami it does not.
Btw , II know some here will wind this blasphemous but croquetas dipped in duck sauce are delicious .