You gotta give it to Daniella Levine Cava, the Democratic Party darling running in the non-partisan county commission race against incumbent Lynda Bell: She knows a good campaign issue when she sees one.
And she jumped on it quick.
The last meeting of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Tarnished Boy” Gimenez‘s blue ribbon task force for the library system wasn’t even over yet this Wednesday morning and Levine Cava was already issuing a statement in advance of the final report (even though the first drafts have apparently been made available to the blue ribbon people, who were providing feedback at today’s meeting).
Basically, Levine says the county — which may cut library hours from five days a week to four days at most branches — has to shift its priorities.
“Daniella Levine Cava believes we must continue to make our library services fully accessible to communities across Miami-Dade County,” her statement read before quoting the candidate, who made a reference to the ridiculousness of slashing library services while giving away millions in tax rebates and “economic incentives” to billionaires.
“We cannot shortchange or balance budgets on the backs of our children who deserve to have every tool available to succeed, nor undermine the critical services libraries provide to seniors and those lacking home internet and job seeking resources. We have to set priorities in the County and my priorities are to fund libraries and essential services rather than giving tax breaks to those who can afford to pay their fair share,” Levine said.
“The current proposal under consideration to waive property taxes for a sports franchise must be closely examined in light of the lack of funding for pressing community needs such as library services, public safety, and key social services.”
Boy, is she going to gain points with that.
And this, posted on Facebook Tuesday night: “There are tough choices, but the public has expressed its support for libraries, and we are one of the poorest funded systems. Let’s not be pennywise and pound foolish. We need a longer term vision and the courage to implement it.”
Bell voted in favor of the budget proposed by Gimenez last year that would have drastically cut library and fire-rescue services.
Levine was around last year for the multiple town halls where people begged the mayor to keep staffing levels and libraries open. The outcry eventually forced him to use reserve funds to keep libraries whole. But he warned that budget cuts may still be necessary this year and formed a blue ribbon committee to come up with ideas and recommendations for cost savings and earnings.
Without serving on the committee, Ladra can think of a few: charge more for computer rental and copies, rent out rooms for events and parties, lease concession space for counters like Starbuck’s or Versailles (who wouldn’t go for a cafecito or pastelito at the library) or for food trucks outside, partner with brands who can sponsor specific corners at the library — Verizon can set up charge stations for telephones, for instance.
I don’t know what is going to come out of the blue ribbon task force (more on that later). But I hope they got creative.
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RAISE MY TAXES. Tired of this backward progress we are making.
We’re hijacked at the pump, the grocery store, by insurance premiums, etc… Those have a significant impact on our budgets.
A few well spent dollars on libraries and safety is money well spent. However, Gimenez doesn’t have the stones. A true public servant serves and worries about the election later. (Think Harry Truman)
DO NOT RAISE MY TAXES
We welcome Daniela Levine Cava as a civic minded candidate who has the wisdom to view the public sector as the building block of our community. We need more candidates like her in the commission in order to challenge our lobbyist friendly Mayor Carlos Gimenez. It is not just the libraries, it is every county department that is currently in a state of chaos. The objective of Gimenez is to sell off county services to private industry. The destruction caused by this blue blooded wanna be fireman will haunt us for the next 20 years.
Daniella Levine speaks for me! Finally!
“Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries.” Anne Herbert – You’re throwing away millions of dollars already spent on libraries to save pennies. Perhaps if you attend one of the library’s free seminars on wealth building you could afford the $17.25 per $100,000 worth of a property that is being taxed.
My library tax for one year (2013) was $15.30. In order to attend the 2 1/2 hour blue ribbon meeting today, I was was charged a fee of $14 to park in the county garage. There is no reason to underfund library services in a vibrant and thriving city. A better bargain is hard to find.
anything to keep my taxes down
Fund the public library system sufficiently to reach the goals of 9,000,000 circulated materials.
Palmetto Bay and Homestead are sending out indicators that they will be raising taxes this year. Palmetto Bay reserves are being wasted and in Homestead their budgets have been unsustainable for four years so their reserves and the city owned utilities have been plundered. Homestead has several bond referendums coming up this May if approved those bonds will add to the already forecast millage increase. Add in Daniella Levine’s elitist lifestyle of the rich and wannabe famous and those in South Dade and all of Miami Dade County had better be prepared to fund unions, non profits, studies of nothing, useless self serving seminars and additional affordable housing in South Dade. Normally a candidate would not move from Coral Gables to South Dade into a million dollar home for a $6,000 a year elected position on residency requirements. So now she owns two million dollar homes and will wreck the county budget with the other millionaire commissioners who fund everything that comes before them. Her agenda is very transparent. Eye On Miami even cropped the Mona Lisa from Levine’s most recent picture posted on that blog. The wheels are already in motion to portray her not as an elitist spendthrift too bad the facts can’t be cropped.
Fund everything that comes before them? I assume you’re talking about every pro sports franchise that’s come before them.
Because clearly the model of public money for pro sports franchises has prove so successful every where it’s been used so far.
So you have a clear choice vote to spend your taxes to build community infrastructure, libraries, parks, fund fire and police and some form of a social safety net or fund a gladiator culture where we give taxes to billionaires so that can hire millionaire to play each other for your amusement and which 90% percent of you can’t afford to attend.
Clear choice
BTW Ms. Bell’s leader, mentor and idol, the mayor, also boast a luxury Coral Gables home, raised in an elusive private school with an ivy league degree. Currently drawing a mid six figure (publicly funded) income/pension/401 which I believe makes him the highest elected earner on the dais resident elitist.
Let them read Vanity Fair. Library and Books are changing face it same happened when they invented the printing press today books are available indifferent formats no need for such huge spaces. Books as we know them won’t disappear but they are evolving. Unfortunately some folks will lose their job just like the folks at the horse whip factory, Kodak, vinyl record factory etc etc etc
The citizens WANT to pay for their Libraries and the mayor is not allowing them to do so. Gimenez lowered the millage when he entered office. Is THAT what the people of Dade County wanted? To save about $13 a year by having many of OUR Libraries shut down?!!?
In a county of ever-increasing population, who in their right mind would even THINK of taking money away from Libraries? (and much less suggest CLOSING them!!!)
We need Commissioners and a Mayor that recognize and appreciate the great value that Libraries have. And then have what it takes to place the millage where it belongs (the historical average is about .37)
Charging more for laptops and copies while giving billionaires welfare is not a good solution either.
Fully fund the libraries! Period.
Or, instead of privatizing the libraries piecemeal, we could — I dunno — just fund the libraries?
During the Task Force, Sen. Souto again cried out for philanthropic efforts from our more wealthy residents — but was quickly shot down by reps from the Knight Foundation and Miami Foundation — and for good reason. You said it very succinctly: *just fund the libraries* and thats it.
It is irresponsible to rely on philanthropic efforts to fund a *county* service. Now, partnerships are a fantastic idea, if they work appropriately, but again, cannot be relied on permanently for funding.