If there ever was a municipality that needs an independent inspector general, it is the city of Miami.
One commissioner who was suspended after his September arrest on 11 felony charges, including bribery and money laundering, in connection with is vote to give away a public park. Another former commissioner is being investigated for promising a city job in exchange for an endorsement. The mayor is embroiled in an FBI investigation over other bribery allegations in “consulting” payments made by a developer who was seeking permits and concessions from the city at the time. And the city manager has given incomplete accounts of the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of office furniture that the city has purchased from his wife’s family business.
It’s almost like Miami needs two inspectors general.
Miami voters will likely get the chance in the Aug. 20 primary to establish the position, thanks to a pair of referendums proposed earlier this year by Commissioner Manolo Reyes.
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City commissioners will vote Thursday on moving those referendums forward. One would eliminate the current office of auditor general and the other would replace that position with an independent inspector general that has more power to conduct wider investigations. The minimum qualifications, term, powers, duties and responsibilities of the Inspector General as well as the organization of the Office of the Inspector General will be determined by ordinance, which will provide that the Office of the Independent Inspector General:
- be sufficiently independent to assure that no interference or influence external to the Office adversely affects the independence and objectivity of the Inspector General.
- be empowered to perform investigations, audits, reviews and oversight of City contracts, programs, projects, abuse, waste and mismanagement as well as City-funded contracts, programs and projects.
- be empowered to provide inspector general services to other City agencies and authorities upon the approval of a request to provide such services by a majority of the of City Commission.
- have subpoena power.
The referendum and the official ballot question language presented at the meeting Thursday shows that the intent is for this individual to have a wide array of powers to investigate practically everything.
“Shall the City Charter be amended to create an Independent Office Of Inspector General who shall, at a minimum, be empowered to perform investigations, audits, reviews and oversight of all City officials, employees, and departments, City funded contracts, programs, and projects for abuse, waste and mismanagement, issue subpoenas, and provide services to other City agencies and authorities, with such office’s term, powers, duties and responsibilities to be further established by ordinance?”
That’s 71 words. The maximum is 75. They can add four more: “Leases and license agreements.” Por si las moscas.
All the inclusivity is by design, said Commissioner Manolo Reyes, who in January proposed changing the auditor general position to one of an independent inspector.
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“This is just the first step to removing the cloud of widespread corruption cast over the city of Miami,” Reyes, who has said he could run for mayor, told Ladra in a text message.
None of the commissioners can vote against this, so it’s certain to pass. And Ladra would venture to say that it will pass by an overwhelming majority of voters in August.
But this is not a panacea. The city of Miami Beach and Miami-Dade County each have their own independent Inspector General and that doesn’t mean the municipalities are corruption free. It is just a step, as Reyes said. Another wrench in the toolbox.
And Miami can use all the tools it can get.
Miami Commission considers Inspector General question on August ballot added by Ladra on
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