Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago may have conflict of interest in Little Gables

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Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago may have conflict of interest in Little Gables
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The Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust has gotten a complaint about Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago and his intense interest in the annexation of Little Gables, where his lobbyist brother represents the largest property owner.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ladra knows Lago said that nobody in his family had any business interest in the area. But that was a lie. He was very dramatic about it, pulling out an affidavit at a public commission meeting in August and signing it, “under penalty of perjury,” in front of the City Clerk.

“For the record,” he said, declaring himself the lead negotiator on the annexation process. “Neither I nor any member of my immediate family have any property or business interest in any property or business located within the boundaries of the area commonly referred to as Little Gables.”

Read related: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago wins automatic re-election with no challenge

He got up and handed the affidavit to City Clerk Billy Urquia. “The city clerk will notarize it. This will be a public record,” Lago said.

“People have made very strong allegations that I own a property in Little Gables, that I have a business interest in Little Gables, that I have accepted money from lobbyists in Little Gables to bring this back,” he said. “I am putting it on the record that that is furthest from the truth.”

Wellllll. Not furthest.

The mayor’s brother, Carlos Lago, is the registered lobbyist for Titan Development Partners, the business that owns the mobile park in Little Gables that could become another Old Spanish Village. In fact, there are some old plans floating around that would turn it into a “Moorish village.”

Carlos Lago has been registered to lobby for Titan Development with the city of Miami since 2014.

Wait… take a look at the fine print on the mayor’s affidavit. There’s a footnote that says “‘Immediate family’ is defined in accordance with the Miami-Dade County Ethics Code (Sec. 2-11.1(b)(9), as spouse, domestic partner, parents, stepparents, children, and stepchildren.”

Um, that’s missing a few words.

According to the county’s municode found here, “Miami-Dade County Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance,” (Sec. 2-11.1(b)(9), says “the term ‘immediate family’ shall refer to the spouse, domestic partner, parents, stepparents, siblings, half-siblings, step-siblings, children, and stepchildren of the person involved.”

Siblings, half-siblings, step-siblings.

Did the mayor miss that? Or did he knowingly and intentionally delete those words when he made that big public todo about not having any business interest in Little Gables?

Because he couldn’t have signed it if it said siblings.

And doesn’t this mean that he actually does have a conflict of interest? Me thinks the lady doth complain too much.

The city is reviewing the annexation of Little Gables — for the umpteenth time in 34 years — because it is a public safety matter, Lago said. And he is right that Coral Gables Police and Fire could respond quicker to that area more often than not. It’s an enclave, an unincorporated island surrounded by the cities of Miami and Coral Gables on all sides. Having the county respond there is not the most efficient way to provide services.

Read related: Little Gables annexation dreams dashed by staged ‘grassroots’ effort

Little Gables should definitely be annexed into the City Beautiful already.

But Lago, who did not return several calls and text messages over several days — and he was told what it was about — should not be involved in any part of it. He should recuse himself from any further votes or even discussion on the annexation.

And he should stop lying.

“There is no hidden agenda,” he said Aug. 24. “There is no benefit on my part.”

Keyword: My. Because the benefit is on his brother’s part.

Affidvait from Vince Lago on conflict of interest by Political Cortadito on Scribd

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38 Responses to "Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago may have conflict of interest in Little Gables"

  26. The City staff are just employees who are serving the residents of the City of Coral Gables. Unless they reside in the city they have no input on this election. There are too many employees who have agendas other than providing the best service to residents. That usually originates in their relationships to some elected officials.
    The resignation of several city “employees” would be a positive outcome of this election.
    Lago can vote against all projects because he knows the remaining lap dog commissioners will vote for it making him look like a hero. he has never had to cast a deciding vote.
    Bucelo and Arango will be two new lap dogs.
    Ariel has provided a needed service to this city in exposing the slime behind the commission and its decisions.

    Reply

  28. If Fernandez’s election causes the resognation of the City Manager, then …… Fernández is the best choice!!

    Reply

  30. Tired-

    IMO, Bucelo is an extension of Lago. He’s endorsed by Lago and he sits on the newly formed “Mayor’s Advisory Council” for Lago. If you like Lago, vote Bucelo who has little experience and will likely look to Lago as a mentor (until Lago slits his throat, in the metaphorical sense- there’s a long list of wounded) and owes him for the endorsement. The fact anyone took an endorsement from Lago exposes their lack of meaningful, genuine community engagement.

    Vote for Ariel for the only chance of real discussion on the dais. Keep in mind, he has a terrible relationship with City staff; he’s treated them disrespectfully for as long as I can remember. You may have the impression that staff is terrible but he’s crafted that narrative through his blog. If you yourself are not engaged, you have no source of information.

    We have two bad options.

    Reply

  31. Alright I’m a young Gables resident and I’m getting nonstop calls for Bucelo. Who exactly is the best candidate in this race to stop all the zoning changes and nonstop construction? I will vote for anyone who tries to put the brakes on this racket.

    Reply

  32. Ariel Fernandez is a David Rivera crony. He has used his blog to spread misinformation and also to attempt to create political advantages for his paying consulting clients in the past. His website should be called the Gables GRANMA. Last election his paying client was Joe Carollo crony/relative Javier Banos who lost like Fernandez always loses. Now he is running his own campaign while moonlighting as an independent journalist? Conflict, much? Leave the real journalism to Ladra. Does Coral Gables want David Rivera/Joe Carollo-brand politics? Fernandez harasses and antagonizes City staff people and has an infamous temper. He has directly threatened the Police Chief Hudak in writing to bring back Frank Fernandez to oversee public safety. Just ASK Hudak for it. His election would result in absolute chaos at City Hall including the likely resignation of the City Manager, the Police Chief and many more decent employees. Meanwhile, Alex Bucelo ran a strong and decent campaign last election, he has since then served on the City’s most critical board for the last two years gaining invaluable experience as it relates to the City’s complex zoning code. While people are giving him a hard time over Lago’s endorsement, no elected official has been tougher on development over the last 8 years than Lago and anyway Lago didn’t endorse him last election. Bucelo is his own man, has gained experience and earned support, and there is room on the dais for a younger candidate. It says A LOT that every single member of the current Commission and basically every past Commission is endorsing Bucelo, even though Fernandez WORKED on the prior campaigns of both Lago and Anderson. No one who has ever endured the misfortune of working with Fernandez would ever support him. Even his own founding partner at Gables Granma (I mean Insider) resigned because of Fernandez’s conduct. Why? Because he does not have the temperament or leadership skills required of the job. Voters have always rejected him. They must do so again.

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  33. This story was leaked after Ariel Fernandez went on the radio to discuss it last week. Why? Because even though he worked on Lago’s last campaign and Fernandez has pathetically kissed his butt for years, Lago endorsed Bucelo this time. Before that Fernandez would have never said anything negative about Lago.

    Reply

  38. Doesn’t his brother own a home in high pines? I seem to remember Lago stating he wanted to revisit annexation because his brother bought property there. It was soon after he was elected Mayor and before June 23 2021. Check the commission transcripts. I could be wrong but I seem to recall something of the sorts.

    Reply

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