If there was ever something that should go to a referendum for voter approval, it is pensions for our electeds. And Miami city commissioners should go to the ballot if they want to reward their behavior and “hard work” with lucrative lifetime retirement benefits.
It’s not too late. The deadline for municipalities to submit a question to the Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections for the November ballot is July 26.
But if the matter is deferred Tuesday to the July 11 meeting — as las malas lenguas have told Ladra could happen — then that might make it more difficult to get a referendum question written and approved in time. The next scheduled city commission meeting after that is July 25, one day before the deadline. The discussion has already been delayed when last week’s meeting was postponed due to heavy rain and flash floods.
Commission Chairwoman Christine King and Commissioner Miguel Gabela have sponsored the ordinance that would reinstate the pension for elected officials, which was closed in 2009 during the city’s financial crisis.
That doesn’t mean people weren’t still getting paid. According to city records, the following former mayors and commissioners are among those cashing in:
- Michelle Spence Jones collects the most of anyone, because of the backpay she got after her reinstatement, with $10,601 a month for $127,210 a year
- Manny Diaz gets $6,875 a month for a total of $82,500 year
- Tomas Regalado collects $7,046 a month or $84,552 a year
- Wilfredo Gort gets $8,488 a month for $101,856.84 a year
- Marc Sarnoff collects $5,039 monthly for $60,468 a year
- And former Commissioner Joe Sanchez, who is running for Miami-Dade sheriff this August but was a city commissioner for 11 years (1998 to 2009), gets $6,283 a month, or $75,396 annually
Commissioner Joe Carollo‘s benefits were suspended when he was elected again in 2017. But because he was commissioner and then mayor from during various years from 1979 — when he was the youngest commissioner elected at 24 — to 2001, he collected $7,071.96 a month until then. And when he’s termed out he will collect $8,750 a month, or $105,000 a year. For the rest of his life.
These annual pension benefits are more than the average household income in Miami, which is just under $80,000, and much more than the median household income at about $48,000.
The city’s electeds, who represent those people, should let voters decide if they deserve a pension or not. Ladra predicts a solid rejection.
Read related: Pensions, homeless, Bayfront Park on agenda for Miami City Commission
This has been brought up at least twice since the pension was suspended in 2009. The last time it was former Commissioner Keon Hardemon, who is now a Miami-Dade commissioner, who wanted to reinstate it in 2019, which was the year before he ran countywide.
It passed first reading but then Commissioner Manolo Reyes, who always voted against it, riled the masses up on Cuban radio and people started complaining. It died in second reading.
Ladra expects Reyes to hold the line again.
It’s not like commissioners are not well compensated for what is supposed to be a part-time public service. By ordinance, the mayor’s salary is set at $97,000 and commissioners salaries are $58,200. They can also put part of that into an investment account, although the city won’t match.
If the ordinance is passed, commissioners would become eligible for a pension after serving seven years in office. Payments would begin once out of office. They must be age 55 after they have served 10 years in office or age 60 if they have served less than 10 years. Pensions for electeds would equal to half their salaries to start, but annual cost of living increases could bring it up to 100% of their pay.
The proposed ordinance would make anyone who is in elected office after October 1, 2023 eligible for retirement benefits. So does that mean that Hardemon and former Commissioner Ken Russell, who were both elected after the pension program was ended in 2009 and were not in office last October, would be left out? And is that legal? Could they sue the city?
This could be the reason why the administration is reportedly trying to get the item deferred. To get more legal clarification.
But the intent could also be so that it’s too late for a discussion about a ballot referendum, which is really the only thing they should consider.
The commission meeting begins at 9 a.m. at City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, and can also be viewed live on the city’s website.
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Lifetime pensions for Miami electeds should go to a public referendum vote added by Ladra on
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