Day 60: Game clock ticks on Dolphins stadium deal

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As the last day of the 2013 legislative session begins, there is one sound that is going to be heard loud and clear in the heads of those who are furiously driving the bill that would give the Miami Dolphins’ owner a potential $379 million in public funds to roof and renovate his private stadium, and those who are vehemently opposed to it.

This is it, folks. This is the last play in the final seconds of the most important game of their season. If the House continues to refuse to take the bill to the floor — where it needs a two thirds majority, or a whole 80 votes, to waive the rules about it going to committee first — then the measure is dead and the May 14 election is cancelled, even though close to 50,000 people had voted absentee as of Thursday.

And, frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Dolphins and the county, led by Ross’ chief negotiator, Mayor Carlos Gimenez, make an argument for letting the election go on anyway, you know, just to see what would happen. After all, Ross already paid for it. Can’t he say he wants to have it anyway? What’s the harm? (More on that later).

While the bill is not on the day’s calendar, there has been much talk about a Hail Mary pass that some expect to come early today. Because any move to introduce the Senate bill — with changed language to make it more palatable — in the House on Day 60 would most likely have to be in the morning.

Tallahassee is sending mixed signals. The bill’s sponsor, State Rep. Eddy “Here Comes Hialeah” Gonzalez (R-Hialeah) was quoted in the Miami Herald as saying that anything could still happen. And he had been there long enough to know that, said Gonzalez, who is termed out in 2014. But State Rep. Michael Bileca (R-Pinecrest), one of the stadium deal’s critics, told reporters to start writing the obituary.

So, which is it?

Sources with inside knowledge explained to Ladra that if House Speaker Will Weatherford brings the bill to the floor bypassing committee, he has to get a waiver of the rules, and that it has to be approved by 2/3rds of the vote. Those same sources are counting and think that the pro-stadium forces to not have the 80 votes they need for that. Do they have 70? Maybe. Even 75 is a possibility. But 80 is going to be tough sell, las malas lenguas say.

If it gets to the floor, however, everyone — even the opposition — thinks it could very easily pass. Because, then they only need 61 votes.

Nearly all the Democrats — save State Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez and maybe a couple more — are in favor. And a lot of the Republicans, too. And a preliminary review of campaign reports show that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and his chief lobbyist Ron Book have distributed tens of thosands of dollars to grease the wheels.

One can almost guess how our Reps are going to vote based on those reports.

For the Dolphins stadium bill, we have the following of our local Reps, in addition to Gonzalez:

• Co-sponsor Erik Fresen (R-Coral Gables), who has $1,500 from Ross’ companies and $2,500 from book.
• David Richardson (D-Miami Beach) who has $1,500 from Book and $500 from South Florida Stadium (you got conned, Representative. Almost everybody else got $1,000 or $1,500).
• Daphne Campbell (D-North Miami), who got $500 each from Book and from the stadium.
• Sharon Pritchett (D-Miami Gardens), who got $1,000 from Ross and $500 from Book.

But since Ross and his lobbyists are counting votes, they needed to reach outside of Miami-Dade. Yeas may also come from State Reps.:

• Katie Edwards (D-Plantation), who got $1,500 from Book and $1,000 from Ross’ companies.
• Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed (D-Deerfield Beach) who got $1,000 from Book and $500 from the stadium.
• Mark Pafford (D-West Palm Beach) who got $1,500 from Book and $500 from the stadium.
• Holly Raschein (R-Key Largo), who got $1,000 from Book and $500 from Ross’ stadium.
• Rey Rodrigues (R-Estero), who got $1,000 from Book and $500 from the stadium.
• Jason Brodeur (R-Sanford), who got $1,000 each from Book and Ross (and as early as January).

And, yeah, I’m still counting.

But Ross isn’t the only billionaire in town.

I’m not so sure but Ladra thinks that those who took contributions from auto magnate Norman Braman, who is loudly against the Dolphins stadium deal, and reported zero from the Miami Dolphins and South Florida Stadium, may vote against it. That includes:

• State Reps. Michael Bileca (R-Pinecrest) and Carlos Trujillo, leaders of the stadium resistance movement, who got $2,000 each from Braman and nada from Ross or Book.
• Jose Felix “One More Pepe” Diaz, also got $2,000 from Braman and nada from Ross or Book, which is weird, because Book — whose power will dwindle when this does’t go through (more on that later), gives to everybody.
• Frank Artiles (R-South Dade), who got $1,500 each from Book and Braman.

If I were State Reps. Jeanette Nunez (R-Doral) or Kionne McGhee (D-South Dade), who got $2,000 and $1,000 from Book, respectively, I would be upset that neither Braman nor Ross came bearing gifts. But if I was State Reps. Cynthia Stafford (D-North Miami) or Barbara Watson (D-Miami Gardens) I would wonder why I didn’t even get anything from Book, who is a habitual contributor.

But counting doesn’t make Ladra feel any better, so we are going to just quietly watch the session and see what happens. You can watch, too. And then later we can compare notes and give them a grade from A to F.

Ladra will admit now that any Rep who votes no to waive the rules on the Dophins stadium bill gets extra credit.