Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago had another bad day at City Hall Tuesday.
Not only did he lack the votes to reject the proposed salary increase for himself and vice mayor — a grandstanding move that would have locked in future mayors and vice mayors — and is apparently losing the effort to annex High Pines/Ponce Davis (more on that later), but he was also censured by a majority of the commission for the false and disparaging remarks he has made about them and other critics on a two-week media tour.
It’s his own fault. Lago’s own words did him in.
In what looked like a warped version of “This Is Your Life,” Commissioner Ariel Fernandez presented a series of clips at the commission meeting, clips from Spanish-language television and radio interviews in which Lying Lago called the three commissioners — Fernandez, Melissa Castro and Kirk Menendez — uneducated and unprepared dummies who were not up for the complicated job of city commissioner.
He’s talking about a guy who worked 13 years in Congress, a woman with a PhD who runs her own business and Mr. Coral Gables, who has a law degree and worked as an assistant city attorney in Miami. Unprepared, indeed.
No, really. This is what Lago — a partner in a construction company and a new realtor with shady side gigs — calls collegial.
Read related: Coral Gables commission pay raise is red herring for Lying Vince Lago
There was no hole to crawl into as the audience and folks watching at home were treated to a series of colorful clips they likely had not heard before. So, instead, the mayor took to his phone. Was he playing Candy Crush or texting? A public records request is on its way.
“We have people here — Ariel Fernandez, Kirk Menendez and Melissa Castro — who are unprepared for the job,” Lago told Marilys Llanos of Telemundo in the first clip shown. “They have never had their own companies. They have never had employees. They don’t know what payroll is.”
Anyone could see that Castro was confused. “Is he talking about me?” She has employees and does payroll.
“You inherited your company,” Lago told her in a continued effort to belittle her. He probably knows that she and her late mother opened the permit expediting business together.
“Ariel Fernandez has never had a job in his life,” Lago said in another interview clip. But Fernandez has been a consultant for marketing, advertising, PR, international business and politics for more than 10 years and worked for the U.S. House of Representatives for 13 years before that.
“And now they are inventing that they are going to give checks to residents, especially seniors, for $100,” Lago said, belittling a relief grant idea that Fernandez floated during a budget hearing.
Read related: Vince Lago has conflict of interest with High Pines, Little Gables annexations
Interestingly enough, the tax cut the mayor wanted but failed to pass would have saved the average homeowner less than $100. Only the very rich with the multimillion mansions would save more.
“I did this in five months,” Fernandez said. “In 10 years, you never gave them a penny of relief.”
Fernandez said that the most egregious thing Lago said on the radio was how Bill Kerdyk, Jr., and the late Jeannett Slesnick also worked in real estate and “there was no problem, no one said anything.” He didn’t explain that they did not use their position to sell real estate to a developer who paid Lago’s BFF Miami Mayor Francis Suarez $10K a month while he was pulling permits and who is now being investigated by the FBI.
He aid the mayor violated six or seven of the criteria in his very own code of civility that he sponsored and passed at the city.
Fernandez said that the mayor could give his raise to a city department or a charity, pre-tax, like others, including Donald Trump and John F. Kennedy, have done in the past. But that Lago just wanted to talk about it again so he could continue to put out lies about the commissioners that he has been fighting since they were elected over his choices in April. In fact, Fernandez said that both the mayor and vice mayor wanted to keep their salaries low to “limit the people that can run against them” in two years.
Fernandez also said that Lago had made some misogynistic comments on a recent trolley tour. “You said, and I quote, ‘Real men do not let their wives work.’ You said they should be like you and tell her, and I quote, ‘to stay home with the children.’
“Mr. Mayor it’s the 21st century. Look around you,” Fernandez said. “We are in a room of fully capable, qualified and dedicated women who have Bren forced to work twice as hard to advance their careers because of men like you who believe they need your permission.
“You owe …all the women in our city an apology.”
Read related: In Coral Gables, Melissa Castro calls out Vince Lago for his rudeness, disrespect
So accusations were slung from both sides. Only Fernandez didn’t go on a traveling media tour “m order to portray a false crisis and deflect from the real issues,” Fernandez said, adding that the mayor’s “henchmen” (read: former Commissioner Chip Withers) were harassing and bullying his critics.
After the mayor’s motion to keep his and the vice mayor’s salaries the same, with only a CPI increase, failed, Menendez — who seemed shellshocked by some of the clips — moved to censure Lago “for the disparaging and personal comments made about his colleagues in the media.”
It passed 3-2. Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, who repeated that her issue with the raised salaries was the lack of public input and transparency, voted against it.
“This is your legacy,” Fernandez said.
Nothing written here can do this meeting justice. So people should watch the hostility for themselves at the meeting video, available on YouTube. Make popcorn first.
Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago gets shut down, censured by 3 he disparaged added by Ladra on
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[…] was too far? This was too far for a man who was censured himself in 2023 for his own repeated disparaging statements — or TV interview and radio — including saying that Ariel Fernandez‘s wife was […]
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[…] Read related: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago gets shut down, censured by 3 he disparaged […]
[…] Read related: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago gets shut down, censured by 3 he disparaged […]
[…] Read related: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago gets shut down, censured by 3 he disparaged […]
[…] Read related: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago gets shut down, censured by 3 he disparaged […]
Saying “no estan preparados” does not mean Mayor Lago stated they were uneducated. Taking time out of a meeting meant to address important city issues to hear these two individuals complain like children really shows what their priorities are along with their requests for exorbitant pay raises for doing public service. Why didn’t the commissioner play the clip about the alleged woman comment made by Lago? This is shameful behavior for someone with a PhD and for someone who worked in government for 13 years. Seems like someone was bullied their entire life and now instead of taking this once in a life time opportunity to work and make good use of their time, they rather bully others to deflect. Stop wasting my time and money and do your jobs. Lastly, I would like to know if the city offers programs for new incumbents to practice public speaking?Not being able to get a coherent sentence or thought out is concerning for someone making decisions on behalf of our city.
Virginia , Lina ,
Agree with both of you and think the car allowance now for other Commissioners is over 1K , it was $800 in 2009 .
” Despite pocketing an $800 monthly car allowance, several Miami-Dade commissioners use sworn police officers to chauffeur them in county cars — costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands a year in overtime and raising concerns about personal abuse of public money.
Commissioner Jose ”Pepe” Diaz was ferried at least 144 times in 2007 and 2008 by Kevin Greenwood, one of the commission’s sergeants-at-arms who provide security at meetings and, of late, have essentially become personal drivers for a handful of commissioners.”
https://eyeonmiami.blogspot.com/2009/05/pepe-diaz-key-largo-bungalow-by.html
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” Low salaries for public service lead to corruption ”
We will disagree because here REGARDLESS of salary , etc you still etc the standard , typical Hispanic corruption.
Many of these positions over lap and over kill as far as way to many government offices here .
” We need to make these positions more palatable to teachers, firefighters, accountants, etc… so the commission is a reflection of the people it represents.”
I agree in theory but Miami looks to be ” Meet the new boss , same as the old boss ” because that Special Interest big money owns them fairly fast .
Again you are not mistaken but I simply do not see higher salary here making any difference at all with so much big money luring them to the shadows.
I applaud the decision on the higher salaries. Commissioners oversee a multimillion dollar budget and are technically on the job 24/7. They deserve a decent and comparable salary. Low salaries for public service lead to corruption and it keeps day to day people from running for office. Anyone with a mortgage and kids in college cannot live on a low salary. That’s why you see millionaires running for a $40,000 per year job, because it buys them access and control. We need to make these positions more palatable to teachers, firefighters, accountants, etc… so the commission is a reflection of the people it represents.
All I have to say is “Unbelievable!”.
It might be disgusting to have dirty laundry air at the commission meeting BUT it is necessary to air that laundry so that the residents know what is really happening. I trully believe that most residents do not approve of that type of behavior that our Mayor is displaying. Who is really the unprepared dummy?
$700 monthly car allowance is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. I lease a perfectly good Honda accord for $380/month. $700 is nothing but flashy cars and a waste. Not to mention expense accounts so the meals and trips can all get expensed. It’s a public service job, remember!! ! Drive a Buick sedan, not a Denali or Range Rover!
NEVER look for Heroes in politics and sometimes the Mayor is a self serving , up for sale disaster and the City Counsel , Commissioner/s are no better.
Political party is irrelevant .
Many is wall to wall with Bob Menendez and George Santos types .
Frank ,
By the way there are top cops in Miami , in fact I know one in this video here in Doral but yes A LOT of hanging out and texting and working at night you see it .
Lack of patrolling results in savage drivers , OFTEN drunk , countless illegal trailers without plates no brake lights . I just got home from work and in last 2 years the above has sky rocketed ,
Miami Chisme – Woman Leaves Husband, Moves in with the Man across the Street – Doral Florida’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2YWETEUifc
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Another Republican SUCK-cess story.
I am embarrassed to be a resident of Coral Gables. Yesterday’s circus was disgusting. I love how Melissa Castro says we are better than Miami. Ladies and gentlemen we are no better than Miami after yesterday’s display. The only difference is no one is in an orange jumpsuit. They all need to be removed from the dais.
People here attacking the media and the blogs. Like Ladra said, watch the commission. You only need to believe your eyes and ears to see Lago attack someone’s wife, past commissioners, take pictures of Castro’s laptop, belittle Castro, and shrink into his chair under the gravity of guilt. Lago is the one dealing with the most corrupt people in Miami government, and he is the one on the lying circuit. Believe your eyes and ears— that is all it takes.
” I don’t understand why folks leaving comments don’t include include their full name. If you have something you believe is worth saying, put your name behind it ”
That is self defeating as far as work is concerned , local police ( I find lazy texting addicts ) and politicos you might contact for something .
Posting with your full name isn’t going to change a thing .
I don’t understand why folks leaving comments don’t include include their full name. If you have something you believe is worth saying, put your name behind it. Throwing out inflammatory comments anonymously is a cowardly way to roll. Having said that, does Mayor Lago really want to get into it with Billy Corben? What can possibly go wrong?
I am in favor of annexation of little gables. However, thank you for this viewing recommendation. This meeting is highly entertaining.
This is so NOT Coral Gables. In the past, commissioners would disagree with respect and class. This ‘news’ media plus the Insider are biased. There is nothing good ever coming out of these outlets. I am deeply sorry for the lack of empathy and for continuing to spread the fire vs. asking for collaboration. Instead of helping the residents and the City, you are dividing, using words like liar and sleazy. What is this? You can disagree, but be more careful with words. They will come back to bite you one day.
I think it would be best to start from scratch. New commission. New people who do not bring hatred or unfinished business to the dias.
Excellent reporting Ladra, keep it up
Just like our U.S. House of Representatives they are spending all our money (original rates or new rates) fighting with each other and doing NOTHING for the City.
Do nothing congress, do nothing commission.
Lago has been on a race to the bottom for a while now. Thank you Ladra for calling it out and continuing to put a spotlight on him and ALL the commissioners to allow us residents to know what is really going on. Lago’s petty personal attacks have no place in the Gables and his interest do not lie in improving the City Beautiful but to maintain power and enrich his and his friends fortunes. There is a lot more to come on Lago’s shady real estate dealings. The whole commissioner/mayor raise is long overdue, just look at some of the other Miami districts where the raises absolutely reflect the increase. If we want to attract real talent in our city and get hard working commissioners that actually care about the city instead of being in the pockets of developers, we absolutely need to raise their pay to a somewhat live-able wage. You get what you pay for.
We desperately need a good candidate to run against Lago in the next election whom has the real interest of Gables residents in mind instead of Lago’s alliance to developers and others. I believe the majority of us residents would much rather have a new candidate to choose from.
Great reporting. Thank you for this important public service. Well done!
Three of the Coral Gables commissioners are greedy pigs for voting to increase their pay and benefit packages by 60% to 100%. With almost zero public notice. Greedy pigs.
” FDLE ” Follow *The MONEY * The COUNTY CLERK Has The EVIDENCE ?
If Mr. Lago is doiong things like Trump why he has not be indicted for fraud?
CORRECTION: Mayor Lago was censored by activist commissioners: Melissa, Ariel plus useful tool, Kirk.
This is just a vendetta against a Mayor who is defending the interest of the residents.
Let’s set the record straight.
Another well done post keeping the public informed. And yes like the other commentor, Ladra keep barking!
Ariel, Kirk and Melissa don’t need to go on a media tour. They have gables insider and you to be their mouthpiece and do their dirty work. Political propaganda at its finest. And if that wasn’t enough you have billy Corben showing up to our commission meetings now. That guy is a sleezeball and only came to promote his podcast so he can get clicks.
Would be nice to see you do some investigative journalism on the 3 amigos.
Also, you forgot to mention that Lagos wife works and has a full time job. Doesn’t seem very misogynistic in his part.
Congrats you have turned coral gables commission meetings into a joke just like the city of miami. But hey, at least you, billy and gables insider will get more clicks!
How low can the Commissioners get. It was disgusting to have the dirty laundry air in a Commission meeting. Who knows what the truth is but I am very disappointed in the one Commissioner who showed short clips without context in front of all to see. What an embarrassment. I’m done with CGNA and Gables Insider. They think they represent all the citizens of Coral Gables but they only represent a small minority.
Well done and fair Ladra. Keep barking.