Miami-Dade County residents aren’t just getting turkeys from their electeds this holiday season.
In District 12, the seniors get a holiday party Wednesday courtesy of Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz, who throws one every year but will miss the annual shindig because he is still recovering from surgery at the hospital.
In District 10, Coral Park High School’s mascot, Ramsy, gets $5,000 for a new costume courtesy of Commissioner Javier Souto.
In District 2, approximately 200 property owners will get a temporary reprieve from code violation fines, thanks to Commissioner Jean Monestime, if they bring their property into compliance during the extra time granted.
All three of them are up for re-election next year. Souto and Monestime have already drawn challengers.
Monestime sponsored the grace period ordinance passed Tuesday because he said that a third of property owners whose cases were opened by one complainant who had been previously cited as well were still pending. “I’ve had residents come into my office in tears because they simply cannot afford to pay the penalties that are piling up on their property,” Monestime said. “They want to fix these violations, but in this economy, where are people going to get the money to do that”
Um, how did the other 400 property owners do it?
“I thank my colleagues for their support today in my effort to provide help for my constituents,” the commissioner added.
And Ladra is quite sure that he expects those constituents to remember come next November.
Souto also got the commission to approve a $5,000 allocation from his district funds for a new costume for Ramsy, the mascot of the Coral Park Rams, after a story in the Miami Herald noted that the 6-year-old costume made of paper mache and used now is deteriorating and lacks ventilation, making it a bacterial heaven (ewwww). The new costume will feature quality material and a state-of-the-art cooling system to prevent humidity damage, a statement from Souto’s office said.
Um, whatever happened to car washes and bake sales?
“I’m very pleased to be able to make this donation to the school so students can continue cheering their beloved mascot at games and other events,” Souto added.
And Ladra is quite sure that he will be even more pleased if parents and family members of those 2,954 students vote for him.
Yeah, call me jaded all you like. But these gifts seem like smart investments for incumbent commissioners to make.
If you live in any of the districts where a sitting elected is up for re-election — which includes Commissioners Lynda Bell in District 8, Sally Heyman in 4 and Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa in 6 — now would be a good time to make your “ask.”
Happy holidays.
County commish gifts bring together holiday, election seasons added by Ladra on
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