Ladra must have misheard.
Didn’t newly sworn-in Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins say she would conduct a proper search for a new city manager? You know — open it up transparently to competition and seek résumés from city managers who have, say, managed a city?
Because what Miami got instead was a memo quietly sliding across commissioners’ desks announcing the political patronage nomination of James Reyes, Miami-Dade County’s Chief of Public Safety, whose résumé is long, impressive… and entirely devoid of actual city manager experience.
But who needs that when you have connections?
Reyes is not only one of the top advisors to Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, he was a client of Christian Ulvert — 
the political consultant behind Higgins’ historic run as Miami’s first female mayor — last year when he lost the sheriff’s race to Rosanna Cordero-Stutz. She can’t make him the police chief, because he’s not a cop — which is why he lost the sheriff’s race. But he’s a pretty boy with potential. He could run for something again.
And just like that — abracadabra — the professional search evaporated faster than a City Hall ethics pledge.
The appointment still needs commission approval on January 8, but make no mistake: this wasn’t a search. This was a selection.
Read related: A beautiful beginning: Eileen Higgins sworn in as Miami mayor; now what?
To be fair, Reyes is no lightweight. And, well, he has a track record for keeping criminals in line, which might come in handy at Miami City Hall. Higgins’ appoint of a law enforcement professional to city manager could be sending a message: The party is over.
Reyes ran Miami-Dade Corrections during the time the jail system went back into federal compliance after more than a decade under a DOJ consent decree. That’s not nothing. He climbed the ranks at the Broward Sheriff’s Office, managed billion-dollar budgets, and earned plaques, awards, and acronyms galore. But corrections may end up eventually in the new Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, so there’s that.
But here’s the thing: running jails is not running a city.
A city manager doesn’t just oversee departments. They navigate zoning wars, developer tantrums, pension landmines, procurement disasters, Sunshine Law traps, and elected officials who believe the city charter is more of a suggestion.
Miami is not a corrections facility. Although maybe that’s exactly why Higgins thinks Reyes is perfect. Because if you squint hard enough, City Hall does resemble a detention center: repeat offenders, questionable behavior, and an alarming number of people who should probably be supervised more closely.
In her letter to commissioners, Higgins praises Reyes’ “servant leadership,” “transformational vision,” and ability to “restore trust 
in City Hall.”
Bold words, considering Miami City Hall is where trust goes to die.
And while Reyes has undeniably managed massive budgets, his experience has been internal-facing — command-and-control environments where orders flow downward. Miami governance, on the other hand, is a knife fight conducted in public, with lobbyists, developers, unions, activists, and commissioners all pulling in different directions.
Could this choice be tied to her words about not necessarily adhering to the 287g agreement with the federal government about assisting in the detention of immigrants?
Read related: Miami could join 250 Florida cities with 287g contract to help ICE vs immigrants
Ladra wonders how long Reyes will last. Sure, the city commission has changed, but there is a history of churning out city managers and Reyes doesn’t seem like he’s just going to go along with them. Let the betting begin. Ladra’s money is on three months.
And who’s next? If this is the new logic, Ladra has questions. Will former State Rep. and former Miami Beach Commissioner David Richardson — another one of Ulvert’s other clients who lost a constitutional office in 2024 — be named finance director. 
How about J.C. Planas — another Ulvert client who lost the supervisor of elections race last year — as City Attorney?
Actually, both of those would make sense. Richardson is a forensic auditor who can sniff out the former administration’s shenanigans and Planas, although he does not always prevail, is almost always fighting the good fight. And he won’t break the law for his bosses. And can we find a place for former Sen. Annette Taddeo, the Ulvert candidate who lost the county clerk’s race? Maybe in economic development?
But how much influence is Christian Ulert going to have at Miami City Hall now. There were already fears that Ulvert would take Higgins’ victory and, like he did with DLC, get his glass menagerie of people on display. The veteran Democrat consultant, who is respected and feared with equal fervor, came up frequently during the campaign as one reason not to vote for Higgins. Now people fear this move to appoint Reyes proves them right — Ulvert’s grip has expanded to Miami government.
Let’s play Miami City Hall bingo for a minute here. Who else could become part of La Alcaldesa 2‘s Dinner Key cabinet?
PR and government relations guru Helena Poleo, who was the director of communications in Doral once, might get the job in 
Miami. She was at the first and secret, invitation-only swearing in –before the official swearing in — where Barby Rodriguez Gimenez, the congressman’s daughter-in-law, was the officiator. Does she have that authority vested in her?
She didn’t only swear Higgins in, Rodriguez sat smiling in the picture next to her, between the mayor and longtime BFF and Chief of Staff Maggie Fernandez. Between them. Ladra thought at first it was AI.
Read related: Miami’s public safety circus: A sardonic welcome to new Mayor Eileen Higgins
Astute political observers say a Gimenez or two in a new Miami City Hall is not unforeseeable, particularly if it’s true that Congressman Carlos Gimenez made some sort of deal to secretly support her. I mean, why else have Barby herself officiate the swearing in?
Ladra expects one or two Transit Alliance kids to get in as aides or something. But nobody with any real chops is going to do anything with transit, because she wants to keep that business — transit and housing — to herself. Some political observers noted that could also be why Reyes is such a great choice for city manager — no experience in transit.
So far, only Reyes is announced as a new hire (after Fernandez). And Miami is being asked to accept that a career corrections administrator — talented, credentialed, but never tested in municipal chaos — is suddenly ready to run one of the most politically combustible cities in America.
All because the consultant math checked out. I mean, really, Miami City Hall might become the next place for Ulvert to grow a new Democratic bench.
Reyes says he’s honored. Higgins says he’s the future. And Ladra thinks he’s being positioned to run for something else later. Now, commissioners get to decide whether Miami wants a city manager… or a warden.
Maybe this is just another case of campaign loyalty trumping experience, dressed up in bureaucratic buzzwords and rushed through before anyone can ask uncomfortable questions.
Or maybe Reyes will be what the doctor ordered. Maybe he’ll bring discipline, order, and accountability to a building that desperately needs all three.
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Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins names James Reyes warden, er, city manager added by Ladra on
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We are told new Miami City Manager lives in Broward County AND he has never lived in Miami. Higgins sure screwed up.
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We shouldn’t be so negative; on the upside, this guy has a lot of experience dealing with lowlifes. The gig doesn’t require an MBA from Wharton. A blind man can see the mismanagement, and the county Mayor‘s office is shedding itself of the last overpaid reminder of the Freddie Ramírez disaster. (and Reyes will make a killing on his state pension since it’s based on the average income of the highest five years of service)
Ultimately, it looks like Higgins is turning out exactly what critics were worried about, the same old corporatocracy, but in heels, which will dissipate her supporters and leave her without a popular base
So it’s like George Will says, it’s good to go through these reversals every 20 years and remind people
Eileen Higgins has started her 4 year reign disappointing everyone, except her boss Christian Ulvert and a bunch of lowlifes who suddenly got handed important jobs for which none were qualified. Most disappointed are Miami’s taxpayers who pay $2 BILLION in taxes and fees so these lowlifes can receive massive pay and benefit packages. Higgins was so busy giving the taxpayers money away she didn’t even know ex-mayor Francis Suarez was continuing to steal from Miami’s taxpayers as he kept his $1 Million per year 24/7 taxpayer paid chauffeur scheme. Doesn’t Higgins have anyone who tells her how Miami works? Doesn’t Higgins read Political Cortadito?
So Higgins continues to disappoint Miami voters and Miami’s residents. This Reyes dude lives in Broward County. He is a novice. He does not know how Miami works. He just wants a massive pay and benefit package. Will he get taxpayer paid training wheels? Will Reyes’s every decision go through Christian Ulvert first?
There has to be a national search for a qualified city manager. City of Miami desperately needs a manager who knows subject matter expertise and best practices. This guy doesn’t . Hate to say it but told you so- Ulvert will dictate – and be the gate keeper, until the Commissioners say Hell No.
”This County is MAGA country”
I would no longer say this and agree Trump did win 55 percent of Miami voters but that is not over whelming , I doubt he would even carry 30 percent now but that is just my opinion however he would not carry 55 percent .
James Reyes. Jami? Dude has zero experience in Miami. Now taxpayers have to pay for his on the job training? Didn’t 19 people die while he worked at Broward County jails? This dude is just another client of the corrupt Christian Ulvert… just like Higgins and Levine Cava. FYI Reyes does not live in the City of Miami nor has he ever worked there.
Would we see Them at The PALENQUE NIGHT CLUB ?
Not surprising, doesn’t that dude pretty boy (not my type) he’s nothing special live in Broward?????
Como fue?
@baby yoda- u need to be a writer, so well done.
Not surprising at all. Like I said before, City of Miami will become a County step sibling. The current City payroll is full of former County veterans but al least, and for the most part, they know their craft. As always, mostly good, hardworking people get tainted by a few rotten freeloaders. It happens at the County and at the City, as well. But anyone who thought that someone in the pocket of special interests and developers was going to keep their word, soon will realize that Mayor Karen will always stand on the warmer side of the street. Strike 1.
Reyes, Richardson & Planas lost their elections last year because Trump won 55% of the vote in Miami-Dade County, and carried all Republicans on his coat-tails.
This County is MAGA country, but the REC gets in the way, and has handed the County Mayor & City Mayor to Democrats!
Here is our problem on a micro and macro scale: Micro example: You have individuals on the outside with massive followings like Otaola and Billy Corben: They are both exposing the same corruption at touchpoints in the venn diagram of City of Miami / MDC specific corruption. For example, Christian Ulvert is Machiavellian actor, profiteering Qatari operative placing cronies into positions of power through illiberal means and then making corrupt deals at the people’s expense. However, if you are a follower of either, you likely have some type of disdain for the other one because one will criticize Trump and the other Biden and so forth. But yet, when it comes to local corruption – it is the exact same message. So what would the devil do? The devil wants you to pay attention to Trump/Biden (now Mamdani), not the common truth. And the people, the media, everyone falls face first into that abyss – each and every time. And now – not too soon after the dust settled from the fantasy of “First Democrat woman in 30 years” (also manufactured spin) nonsense, – the hangover has set in; a Pyrrhic victory, indeed. I have a warning to my fellow liberals who fancy themselves more learned, intelligentsia and tolerant than their MAGA sworn enemy, want to “win” at all costs, see Trump visages in corners where he is not, and who have shut their eyes as they made the deal with the devil: “Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”
Disappointing to change course on the promised nationwide search for city manager.
To me it is the first strike,
Very disappointing. Not saying Reyes is a bad guy or horrible pick, but just another Miami connected insider, and looks like another deal with Ulvert, who all the special interest and developers love.
Oh well for change in Miami. The Miami political circle is insane. Same old same old no matter who wins. Developers and Special Interest are always in control until voters pick a no-name no-body.
Gimenez back at City Hall? Please dear God NO!
Thank you for letting people in on the Ulvert train (or maybe trainwreck) at City Hall!
Well well, Madam Mayor Higgins is TRULY in line for King maker Ulvert,
This has now become “County Commissioner II”
Sad day, they whole city is on a fire sale.
So, we have the following:
Ulvert tie in’s
Higgins/Daniela
Ferendez (COS)
Reyes, as he scape goat
Pardo-Higgins- JC-Richardson
Were fucked
If anyone thinks someone that took lots of money from developers things are going to change. It’s sad when employees are so scared to come out of their comfort zones, and hire people that make them sleep better at night versus doing a good job. More of the same coming just a new list of characters..
Wash, rinse and repeat, the joke is on everyone thinking an elderly lady can control miami money, land use attorneys, corrupt cops and firemen etc..