If there’s one thing we can learn for sure from the lawsuit filed Thursday 
by Miami-Dade School Board Member Raquel Regalado and car mogul and political meddler Norman Braman (more on that later), it’s that esta flaca cubana is not just going to go away.
In fact, it looks like the would-be mayoral challenger for 2016 is ramping it up.
This is round three for Regalado, who took on Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Cry Wolf” Gimenez last year by arguably and single handedly defeating the courthouse tax, and on another front last month by getting the school board to consider legal action against the mayor for his lack of action and leadership on the Value Adjustment Board, which is costing the county and 
the school board tens of millions of dollars.
Read related story: Carlos Gimenez on lawsuit about VAB: ‘Not my job’
Now, she is going after the $9 million subsidy approved by the county for the Skyrise Miami project. The lawsuit is against the city of Miami and Miami-Dade County, but she might as well be going after Gimenez himself.
Gimenez was able to persuade commissioners to give $9 million to the would-be so-called “tourist attraction’s” developer — his buddy Jeffrey Berkowitz, who held the mayor’s kickoff fundraiser in 2012 and has personally contributed quite a bit a to his campaigns.
Regalado and Braman argue that voters were hoodwinked because they approved the referendum to approve the waterfront development only as a “privately funded” project. 
On the radio, it was promoted because it would be done without using any public tax dollars.
Berkowitz apparently thinks that means they can’t use city tax dollars, according to a statement he gave the Miami Herald, but that it doesn’t apply to the county. I don’t know how since the residents of Miami pay county taxes as well.
Either way this sure looks and smells like one of those bait and switch scenarios that the county has become famous for.
Read related story: Raquel Regalado hints louder on 2016 mayoral run
The lawsuit asks a judge to either block the subsidy or strike down the referendum. No public dollars means no public dollars, Regalado said.
The mayor didn’t propose the subsidy until October, way after the Aug. 26 primary election in which 68 percent of Miami voters approved this. But, of course, we all know that he knew he was going to do that way before — as the referendum was being debated. Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, the plaintiffs father, has withdrawn his support for the Skyrise Miami project because of the county subsidy.
Frankly, Ladra would never have allowed my constituency to vote on language that seems so intentionally misleading, referencing a Bayfront Marketplace lease renewal and sticking the $400 million “privately funded” project at the very tail end of all this money we’re going to get in rent and improvements, including additional parking, no less!
In other words, even Mayor Regalado thinks we’ve been hoodwinked by the master of smoke and mirrors bait-and-switch game known as Carlos A. Gimenez.
Mayor Cry Wolf and his very capable spokesman, Michael Hernandez, are going to say this is all another political ploy by someone who wants to take his job. But, of course, it’s political. He is a politician. She is a politician. The mayor was the one to recommend the juicy subsidy to his pal and generous donor… well, after waiting for the right moment. Didn’t he make it political?
And Ladra keeps hoping and dreaming Regalado wants to take his job because I’m pretty sure she could do it better.
Round 3 for Raquel Regalado: Mayor’s Miami Skyrise subsidy added by Ladra on
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[…] Round 3 for Raquel Regalado: Mayor’s Miami Skyrise subsidy February 6, 2015 […]
Do a little research. The City of Miami gave Swire the same deal for the Brickell Citicenter- public monies and land for infrastructure. Regalado did the same thing.
County Mayor Gimenez had an impressive track record entering into the first Mayor’s race as a County Commissioner, as a City Mgr., as a Fire Chief. All of these respectable experiences would seem to indicate a well-rounded leader. It hasn’t panned out.
Ms. Regalado has the potential of alligning the school board with the county – two separate entities that have not been working together. She has the potential of alligning the City of Miami with County planning. These two governments that should not be at odds (soccer stadium debacle, Nail Clipper building lies) but are, due to our current county Mayor and his rash style of conducting business.
I think Gimenez has found himself in a battle if she runs. His lack of leadership has created a bad situation for him.
However, there is a question out there that she needs to answer. What has she done? Other than meddle in county issues, what does her record show as a school board member? Has she passed any meaningful legislation or just coat tailed of the brazilian? Does she have any administrative experience? Or his she a populist and demigod?
Wonder if Saurez or Zapata or Sosa consider runs for Mayor also?
I guess what isn’t pretty clear to you is that, under normal situations (read: when the developer is not a friend of the mayor’s) those costs are born by the developer, either included in the proposal before it is approved or through impact fees they pay so that the county or municipality in question can fund the road improvements and additional strain on services.
The bottom line is people voted for this because they did not think that any public money would be used. Mr. Gimenez KNEW before the Aug. 26 vote that he was going to give his buddy Jeff $9 mil. He didn’t disclose that til mid October. That’s sneaky. And wrong.
Ms. Regalado is getting flack from the Gimenez apologists for doing what a lot of people in this county want to do but can’t. I wonder if us regular folks can join as plaintiffs. Then nobody can say this is politically motivated. It’s just the right thing to do.
Love, Ladra
In reading the ballot language you posted above, it seems pretty clear that no taxpayer funds should go to the “observation and entertainment tower”. It is my understanding that the monies requested by Mr. Berkowitz are to be used on upgrades to the roads, street lighting, jaywalk, etc… of the area around the tower and Bayfront Marketplace. Not on the construction of the tower itself.
Raquel is becoming an extremely shrewd player at this political game of attacking something different every couple of months, based on some polling that shows whether an issue is popular our not.
As we have all seen the past 6 years with “Mr. Change and Hope”, the easy part is to be a relatively unknown and launch attacks from the back-row. The hard part is once you get put in charge.
For all those misguided souls who trusted Carlos Gimenez when he ran for office and gave him a vote of confidence by electing him as strong mayor, we feel sorry for you. By voting for this megalomaniac you have helped elect and individual whose only intent is to create enough avenues of opportunities to put public monies in lobbyists and contractor pockets. Every day is a new thing with this guy. If not bonds for FIU or a new courthouse or a new project in Liberty City or the needle, etc., etc., etc. Meanwhile we are paying through the nose in taxes, tolls, permits just to appease this tyrant’s gluttony. And now get ready Key Biscayne! The next pitch will be a joint effort along with Donald Trump to take over the reins of the golf course and country club for a joint public/private ownership! Thank you misguided ones for electing the biggest crook this side of the Mississippi.