Miami City Commissioners deferred making a decision last week on allowing up to 45 giant LED billboards downtown — and some critics worry the can will be kicked down the road until after the November election. You know, so commissioners don’t have to be held accountable.
Or maybe so they can collect more contributions from billboard companies.
Residents and activists who are against the giant, flashing signs don’t stand a chance. They haven’t donated tens of thousands of dollars to the five people who make the decision.
According to campaign finance reports put together by activist Dani Rivera (follow her on Twitter) Becker Boards LLC has spent at least $117,000 since 2019, arguably to get what they want. The most recent donations include $30,000 in April to Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla‘s political action committee, Proven Leadership for Miami-Dade, $7,500 to Miami First, Commissioner Joe Carollo‘s PAC, $8,300 to Mayor Francis Suarez, between his city PAC and his presidential PAC, and $15,000 to Commissioner Sabina Covo‘s PAC, Dream Miami. They also gave $10K to a PAC called Transparency and Accountability for Miami.
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Diaz de la Portilla got another $100,000 from Truth is the Daughter of Time, the PAC owned and managed by former Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, who has been the longtime registered lobbyist for billboard companies. And Rivera’s research shows that Sarnoff’s PAC has gotten more than $487,000 from outdoor sign companies. So far just this year, several signage companies donated $185,000 to the Daughter of Time. Last year, it was $130K. It’s his only donor.
So, ADLP got at least $150K from billboard companies.
But that was expected. What was unexpected was Covo, the newcomer, who says she is not connected to or swayed by any special interests. She even said at the meeting that she would vote against the billboards. But then she voted in favor of the deferral.
Or will she support a watered down version of the code after they give her another check? As always, she seems very flexible.
At the very least, she should return the $15K. Or did she spend it already? Did the billboards fund this glossy mailer that takes several headlines out of context?
James Torres, who is running against her in the District 2 race, says there is nothing that could make the change palatable. The president of the Downtown Neighbors Alliance, spoke during public comments and said that the community was united in “strong opposition.” Torres brought a huge stack of petitions against the proposed changes and said he had collected more than 10,000 signatures rejecting the “intrusive” signage.
“Imagine downtown along with our beautiful bay and open spaces being cluttered with bright digital billboards,” Torres said, comparing it with Times Square and Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong. “We will not stand for this because it is not the correct thing to do.”
He reminded commissioners that the planning and zoning board voted 10-0 against moving forward.
Nathan Kurland, a realtor who lives in Coconut Grove, said the amendment to the code had a bunch of problems: no restrictions on electronic message systems, no restrictions on media towers, no addressing of sign maintenance.’
“The sign code should but does not require that the illumination shall not be visible from residential units, shall not shine into adjacent property and shall not create a nuisance or a property distraction,” Kurland said.
“Over and over again, this commission has opened the barn door to an industry that has significantly changed our unique subtropical community into a flashing and distracting mess everywhere that residents and tourists look at,” Kurland said.
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He is right. This has come up many times for at least the last 10 years and residents have always been against it.
The current sign code amendment would allow up to 45 more LED signs — including mega signs of 1,800 square feet and 10 floors in height — on government owned properties, including in city parks. The parks and properties that are likely to be targeted include Bayfront Park, Maurice Ferré Park, Virginia Key Beach Park, Adrienne Center for Arts, Pérez Art Museum, Miami’s Children Hospital, Olympia Theater and others.
The vote, which has been deferred twice already, was deferred until September and could come back with studies that show what the financial impact is — Carollo said he fears having more billboards will water down the value — and the amount of light pollution and interference the signage would produce.
Commissioner Manolo Reyes said he has already asked for a study of “how the light would affect the neighborhood and how much light pollution we are going to have there.”
He also said that the billboard companies had not met with residents. “And that is inexcusable,” Reyes said.
This comes back to the commission in September. Let’s see how much more money the sign companies spread around between now and then.
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[…] Carollo at least $57,000 in the last few years through his PAC, Truth is the Daughter of Time. It also gave more than $150,000 to the PAC belonging to former Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who was suspended after his arrest last September […]
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[…] Read related: LED billboards could buy their way to Miami streets via campaign donations […]
[…] Read related: LED billboards could buy their way to Miami streets via campaign donations […]
” How this lady got elected is still a mystery to me.”
I think she pulled ‘ A Fraga ” which is run against the influence of special interest , developers and after elected do a 180 and ignore the ” little people ” work only for special interest .
Fraga is the Mayor of Doral who ran on not working for developers , within weeks of being elected she did a 180 and is owned by developers .
How this lady got elected is still a mystery to me.
City Commission’ , out to kill the goose that layed the. Golden Egg! . 2024 proposed General Fund, $1.08 billion, 72 % goes to salaries & benefits. Property tax revenues, $555 million, by contrast, 2015 approx.. $410 million . Downtown has undergone total transformación, & it’s adding to the coffers, it’s mostly high end , tthough we hope it’ll remain democrátic preserve the ” ornato “.
As They have done Before ? The Bill Boards by Our Xways Are Not Legal and They Where Illegally Install as The Banners Advertising Covering Building Walls and WINDOWS XXX
” Commissioners are public servants and need to reflect the views of the community and voters they represent not those of special interests such as billboard companies.”
Beautifully stated but as you and everyone here knows they make a grotesque amount of money working only for special interest which is why they fight for the position of commissioner .
The above the table ” consultation ” fee is big and who knows what else goes on .
Working for the actual ” little people ” of Miami is not something they do .
You have a greater chance of winning Mega Million lottery then finding a Commissioner AND Hispanic Mayor in Miami who is not up for sale.
Commissioners are public servants and need to reflect the views of the community and voters they represent not those of special interests such as billboard companies.
Several months ago James “Jim” Torres stood up at City Hall and told commissioners to allow LED billboards at Ferre Park FKA Bicentennial Park, Bayfront Park AND Virginia Key Park. Yup. Check the video tape.
I have to tell you James Torres has been on the move for US as a community.!
He speaks the truth for the community, he keeps it real for all of us. he has my vote in November election
https://www.votejamestorres.com/
Great job Dani for exposing these fake ass crooks especially S Covo aka Covid she has lied to the community and done ZERO BUT for SPECIAL interest she does it ALL!
COVO=’s Special Interest NOT D2 interest. she is a PAY to PLAY
CASH out COVO!!!
She is a FAKE and as bad as crook as ALL OF THEM
Give back the $15,000.00 that your PAC received from Becker.
CASH out COVO!!!
RETURN the money you fake A&& , pay for play looser
OPEN stmt to S COVO
simply stated
RETURN THE MONEY YOUR a FARCE and NOT TRANSPARENT you got the money from BECKER since MAY!!!
YOUR as CORRUPT as ALL OF THEM.
YOU should be fired in November(and that will happen)
Make good with the community RETURN the MONEY COVO.. you lied to the community and your now a PLAY TO PLAY
James Torres has my VOTE! he stood front and center when City Manager via Mayors office DEFERED the item. and asked Chairwomen King to allow him to speak on this item, so much so that the Commissioners began to debate the item! and than wanted to take his 2 min away, But he stood firm for the community/city and gave it his ALL.
Covo who stated she would not vote for this, made the mistake of taking $15,000.00 from Becker and than after Commission meeting on Telemundo Covo aka COVID made the comment she was in agreement with Reyes to get a study!
HELLO are you as stupid as a box of rocks?
We suggest that you return the $15,000.00 back to Becker from YOUR PAC and place the community first! You are no better than the rest of these gangster, after you stated you would be open and transparent… YOU a FAKE A&&.
Elected officials show their votes can be bought. Alex DLP accepts a fortune in money from billboard companies. No surprise he is a loud and aggressive promoter of the visual pollution. And no surprise disgraced ex-commish Marc Sarnoff is a billboard lobbyist. He only became a commish to get money for himself. Sabina Covo?
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