In their first meeting with the five newlyelected members, the Miami-Dade Commission moved Thursday to poach former Vice Mayor and Budget Director Jennifer Glaser Moon from the newly-elected mayor’s office.
Nobody heard Mayor Daniella Levine Cava complain. Moon is the woman, after all, who said “Under this mask, I’m saying fuck you,” on a hot Zoom mic while Levine Cava spoke, critically, during a commission budget hearing. And la alcaldesa just demoted her in the first 24 hours on the job, stripping her of the transit and elections departments and the vice mayor title, so she could “focus on the budget,” a County Hall insider said.
Perhaps what Vice Chair Rebeca Sosa offered Moon was an out when she invited her to come to their side and become a budget advisor to the board. The new Commission Chairman Jose “Pepe” Diaz said that he wanted to budget another position on the commission and Sosa jumped on the opportunity to get a budget analyst of their very own.
Every other commissioner oohed and aaahed about how great that would be. It is something they have coveted for years. Well, except Commissioner Eileen Higgins who made sure everyone knew it was not a unanimous decision.
Read related: La Alcaldesa Daniella Levine Cava wastes no time to hire, meet with staff
Commissioner Raquel Regalado was already practically salivating about Moon helping to guide future adjustments to the budget. “I hope we can make some changes as we move forward in real time,” she said. “We know there is going to have to be a course correction.”
Higgins likely stayed out because she is an ally of La Alcaldesa Daniella Levine Cava — one of the few left. DLC rubbed many of them the wrong way for the last six years and she beat former Commissioner Esteban “Stevie” Bovo in the race, which some of his pals may never forgive. Commissioner Rene Garcia already came out salty AF.
We could be looking at a weakening of the strong mayor powers under Levine Cava, who won with unyielding Democrat Party support in a supposed non partisan race marked by its partisanship. This might just be the first nick. There are now six Republicans and six Democrats on the commission. The District 8 appointment might tilt the ship left or right, but it’s still more GOP. There used to be seven Democrats and five Republicans, because former Commissioner Xavier Suarez is an NPA.
Wielding power over the county’s $9 billion budget is one of the perks in a position with no vote. It is the crown jewel of the job. Nobody wants to do the rest. Everyone just wants to spend the money.
Read related: Public cut out of final ‘public hearing’ for Miami-Dade’s $9 billion budget
So, does this mean that the mayor has to hire a new budget director? Does it mean that there will be two dueling budgets — the mayor’s and the commission’s — presented every year? Does it mean Moon will have veto power over expenses? Is she, in essence, going to be a 14th commissioner?
This is another coup d’etat happening under our very noses. It’s contagious (Miami has one too). But it’s not entirely a surprise as many political observers expect Levine Cava to clean house (Transit chief Alice Bravo is next).
Well, okay, Moon seemed genuinely surprised by the offer — which did not come with any stated salary or benefit package, which we guess comes later. She said she had to think about it, talk to her family.
“I’m a little embarrassed. I really appreciate what you all are saying,” Moon told commissioners. “Do I have to say yes right now?”
See? She’s negotiating and playing hardball already.
Miami-Dade commission may weaken new strong mayor’s powers on budget added by Ladra on
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Cava, and the taxpayers, need new clean eyes watching the County Budget. Taxpayers have been screwed for far too long.
Don’t forget the murderers running the shiny new high kill shelter that LIES to the public claiming to be “no kill.” Alex Munoz was a Gimenez boot licker & is who convinced El Commandant to spit on the public’s 65% vote to FUND THE PET’s TRUST in 2012 because he didn’t want to have to report to an oversight board. He, Kathleen Labrada & Lorna Mejia ALL must go & be replaced with a team of professionals not county employees who’ve lied & murdered for decades. Fund The Pet’s Trust as it was intended just like The Children’s & Homeless Trusts do NOT put funding into the kill shelter’s budget. Make Miami Dade a model for the rest of the country in turning high kill into NO Kill by the people’s will and a plan that actually works. I voted for you even tho your statement about funding The Pet’s Trust was the most subdued of any candidate. Indeed Alex Penallas’ endorsement was strongest but his years of prior cronyism went against him. You are a progressive, aggressive, competent, truthful politician and the breath of fresh air citizens needed after Gimenez’ criminality. Please be same for intelligent, sentient, loving, feeling, innocent companion animals losing their lives daily due to something that can so easily be turned around with responsible action: animal overpopulation via The Pet’s Trust high volume free & low cost spay/neuter assistance & educational program.
Maybe Ms. Levine is going to find a Director for Miami-Dade Transit which it hasn’t had. A career Transit Administrator, like other cities in the United States. Miami is a small system, but the Metropolitan area has made investments, and it may be time.
Why are we wasting money on a budget director for the BCC?
Does this mean that the OMB is not run effectively enough to meet the needs of the public?
Who was in charge of the OMB?
How is this new position going to help the overall good of the people?
Where is the fiscal responsibility?
How much will this new position cost tax payers?
Truth, behind this mask I’m saying that the person running the County’s 9 billion dollar budget should be a CPA with extensive accounting experience, not someone with a paper-mill after-hours business degree. However, it is widely known in county employee circles that Jennifer’s cozy relationship with former County Manager George Burgess turned her from a glorified accounting analyst into what she was just a few days ago. One sacred cow down and many more to go.
Truth,
Please use another name. I am “The Truth”, a well known political insider.
I do agree with you that Jennifer Moon should be fired. However, she knows where every Commissioners skeletons are hidden in the closet. I expect the Commissioners will give her cover. The same way Mayor Carlos Gimenez did, because she caved to him when he was about to fire her when he became Mayor. Moon gave Gimenez intimate details on the shell game being played with the Budget. She continued the same shell game with the Budget during Gimenez’s term.
The Finance Director Ed Marquez should follow suit and be dismissed. Alice Bravo who is known as a chronic, habitual, and pathological liar should definitely be fired. She has spent millions of taxpayers’ dollars on transportation studies that are worthless and baseless. She manipulated the procurement process to hire professional firms to skew the studies to support Mayor Gimenez’s initiatives.
This leads to Tara Smith, Internal Services Director and Namita Uppal, Procurement Director. They both have helped rigged procurement after procurement for Alice Bravo and other County Directors.
Ladra, take a look at the P3 on the new County Courthouse. This is bigger than the Marlin’s Ballpark scheme. A courthouse estimated to cost $280 million dollars will now cost the taxpayers’ over $2 billion dollars for the next 25 to 30 years.
Others that needs to go are Mike Fernandez and Mike Ruiz. The operations of the Solid Waste Department is in disarray. Deputy Maurice Kemp who is a lazy person who has never lifted a finger in Miami-Dade County or in the City of Miami as their Fire Chief. Lester Solas who has been willing to sweep problems and issues under the rug for all of the agencies he has led, which just about 8 Agencies. He his now overseeing the Airport. I hope Daniella puts him on the on-line baggage system and kicks him to the curb.
My list is endless. Let see if Daniella is serious about changing County Government.
Jennifer Moon has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Miami. This narrative that she only has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature is patently false. She is also one of the most experienced budget and finance executives in the country. It appears many people are jealous of her success.
The Corruption and Discrimination at DTPW has been Known for Years to the Point That “The Whole BCC” Has look the Other Way Including The CAO ,COE , OIG on The Transportation FIASCO W/ Ralph’s Friend TA ,SFL to Accommodate This Shuttles Services To Cut The MDT Bus system and in THE NWO WAY Allow Uber and Lyft to Operate W/O License’s ,Regulations “or” Commercial Insurance Violating All Rules of CODE -31 of The Municipal Code and W/O RFP’S Required?
Thank you for helping us come to grips with new realities.
NO MORE BUSINESS LOCKDOWNS, PLEASE!
Sincerely,
Jackson Rip Holmes
Alice Bravo worked at FDOT and at the notoriously corrupt City of Miami. Bravo never met a lobbyist she could not help grease the way to stealing taxpayer money. Bravo always had CLOSE relationships with lobbyist Francois Illias and with Gimenez’s favorite driver / lobbyist Fat Toledo. At the County Bravo screwed up Transit.
Has anyone asked Jennifer Glazer-.Moon about her qualifications for the job she has held for all these years? She holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature! That is it! Here is a woman who is in charge of a couple of billion dollar budget and she has never sat at a university for an accounting course! Her sacred cow status is now gone, Good riddance! She will walk away with a couple of millions in benefits.
And what of Alice Bravo, a political work horse brought in by Gimenez from Tallahassee to steer county contracts to his influential friends? (remember the FIU bridge?). She will be gone as well.
Please Mayor Cava, continue to clean house. Get rid of Ed Marquez and all of the cloned directors who covered up Gimenez’s crimes. Clean sweep that 111 building and let in some fresh air.