Miami commissioners slap residents in the face with lifetime pensions vote

One lifeline: Mayor Francis Suarez could veto

In Miami on Tuesday, city commissioners voted 3-2 to give themselves lifetime pensions after Commissioner Miguel Gabela went back on his word to put the question before voters in a referendum, which he said on an AM radio show in August. Commissioners Damian Pardo and Manolo Reyes voted against it.

Pardo called it “self-dealing.”

Chairwoman Christine King, who co-sponsored the measure — and insiders say pushed it on Gabela in exchange for her support on his CRA issue (more on that later) — didn’t want to risk putting it to voters.

“I’m definitely not in favor of that because people are M&Ms,” she said. “Mean and miserable.”

King referred to emails she got from a resident critical of the city’s efforts to prepare for Hurricane Milton and also a hat the commissioner wore recently. “I would not leave my livelihood up to voters like that,” she said.

But wait one mean and miserable minute. Didn’t voters get a chance to vote for keeping the outdoor gym equipment in Maurice Ferre Park? Weren’t they also mean and miserable? Does that seem like a more important issue to take to voters than pensions?

Nah. More likely, King and Gabela knew this self-serving measure would not pass.

Pension payments would start only for electeds who serve two terms at one-half of the electeds’ highest salary, with annual 5% increases until it reaches 100% of that salary, and a 3% cost-of-living increase each year. Miami city commissioners make about $58,000 a year. But when added to their perks — health insurance, car allowance and cell phone expenses, principally — it goes to about $100,000. They would be eligible for pension after a seventh year in office once they are 62 years of age, or after 10 years in office once they turn 60.

Right now, they have a 401K option, to which they have to make contributions — just like all city employees. There is no employee contribution to the pension.

Yeah, voters would not have bought that BS. Especially in Miami, where the poverty rate is 20% and a larger percentage of that do not have pensions at all. Or 401ks.

In fact, this move is sounding like a dud in Tallahassee, too.

State Rep. Daniel “Danny” Perez, who is entering the next session as Speaker, said this could make the legislature think twice about allocating millions of dollars to the city of Miami for its programs and capital projects. After all, the city seems flush with funds, right?

“It’s unacceptable that Miami city commissioners are lining their own pockets at the expense of so many hardworking people in our city, which is why I strongly oppose their recent ordinance granting themselves excessive pension benefits,” Perez said. “This action not only raises serious concerns about fiscal responsibility, but also sends the wrong message to our constituents about the priorities of our city government.

“It is troubling to see elected officials placing their financial interests above the needs of the community,” Perez added, concerned about the future sustainability of this funding. “The provisions outlined in this ordinance create an unstable financial burden on taxpayers, rewarding politicians with lavish retirement packages while many families struggle to make ends meet.

“This ordinance undermines the principles of citizen participation and fairness that our constituents expect from their government.”

There’s still a tiny light at the end of the long, narrow tunnel: Mayor Francis Suarez, who has been absent on this discussion, could make a cameo appearance at his public job and veto the new pension program. It won’t pass an override, which needs four votes, and would force the commission to put it to referendum, where it will soundly fail, thanks to the mean and miserable voters.

Suarez did not answer calls and texts for comment and it seems unlikely he would suddenly have the courage to stand up to the commission. Besides, Ladra is pretty sure Commissioner Joe Carollo, who was the third vote in favor of the pensions, has something on Baby X.

Gabela, who seems to have turned into a discount version of his predecessor, former Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, (more on that later), also declined to return calls or texts.

Speaking of formers commissioners, there is a good likelihood that some of them will try to get this benefit back too, even though the program excludes anyone elected between 2010 and 2021, which is when King got into office. How convenient. Even if they have to sue. And why wouldn’t they?

Part of Gabela’s argument was that it was unfair that some commissioners got the pension but others did not. “The only thing I don’t like is we’re still leaving some people out,” Gabela said. So he wants Commissioner Keon Hardemon to get the pension too. ADLP wouldn’t be eligible because he did not get elected to a second term.

Commissioner Carollo was the third vote in favor and seems to be forming an alliance with King and Gabela to retain the majority bloc he lost when he was chairman of the Three Amigos. But he said he couldn’t vote against it since he has the pension from when he was commissioner and mayor from 1979 to 2001, and he collected $7,071.96 a month until he was elected again in 2017 when payments were suspended.

“I am vested so it would be hypocritical for me to vote otherwise,” Carollo said. But now, when he terms out, according to city data, he will collect at least $8,750 a month, or $105,000 a year. For the rest of his life.

He says they deserve it: “We work harder than the administration or anyone in the city. Commissioners are on call, just like a doctor.”

Yeah, like Dr. Kavorkian or Dr. Lecter.

They work so hard, the commissioners said.

“This is a 24/7 job. The myth that people are going to do this for free is a fallacy,” Gabela said, sounding very unlike the man who said last year that he just wanted to serve his community.

But that must have been just to get elected.

Christine King, Miguel Gabela

Miami commissioners slap residents in the face with lifetime pensions vote added by Ladra on October 16, 2024
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