Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s $9 billion budget passes

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s $9 billion budget passes

The first public hearing for the 2019-2020 Miami-Dade budget Thursday was pretty uneventful. It passed 10-3 and there was very little protest. Most of the speakers simply want more money for affordable housing or some program. Nothing really seemed dire. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez must be doing the happy dance. He seems to have hoodwinked […]

Affordable housing tops issues at 1st Miami-Dade budget hearing

Affordable housing tops issues at 1st Miami-Dade budget hearing

Years past, residents would come to the Miami-Dade County budget hearings to beg for the restoration of police jobs or library hours or to save grant funding for this or that community-based organization. This year, the majority of the speakers at the first hearing for the $9 billion 2019-2020 budget on Thursday had one request: […]

Dems look to run someone vs Vance Aloupis in HD115

Dems look to run someone vs Vance Aloupis in HD115

While there isn’t one yet, we can expect a challenge to State Rep. Vance Aloupis in 2020. Someone is polling voters in House District 115, a very flippable seat that state and local Democrats want badly. Voters in the district — which stretches from Doral through Westchester, Kendall, Pinecrest and into Palmetto Bay — were polled via […]

MDC trustees ignore community, continue tainted president search

MDC trustees ignore community, continue tainted president search

It was a bit chaotic at the Miami Dade College Board of Trustees meeting Thursday, where a “surprise” interim president was named and members continued to press for a politically-motivated do-over of a selection process to permanently replace the retiring Eduardo Padrón, whose last day is Friday. “A shitshow,” said one faculty observer. “A circus,” […]

Ricky Arriola draws 3rd challenge in Miami Beach commission race

Ricky Arriola draws 3rd challenge in Miami Beach commission race

With less than two weeks left before qualifying, a third candidate has filed to run against Miami Beach Commissioner Ricky Arriola. Stephen Cohen, a real estate investor specializing in the South Beach luxury condo market, on Tuesday joined Raquel Pacheco, a retired soldier, business owner and PTA mom, and Jonathan Welsh, a healthcare marketing executive, in the race to unseat […]

State Rep. Javier Fernandez turns carpetbagger to run for Senate

State Rep. Javier Fernandez turns carpetbagger to run for Senate

State Rep. Javier Fernandez (D-Coral Gables) announced Wednesday that he will run next year in Senate District 39, where Anitere Flores (R-Kendall) is termed out and Democrats have a real opportunity to pick up a seat. But first, he has to move there. There is no other Democrat in the race now. Pinecrest Councilwoman Anna Hochkammer, another carpetbagger who announced in […]

Opportunities for public to speak on $9 billion Miami-Dade budget

Opportunities for public to speak on $9 billion Miami-Dade budget

After eight public meetings that were scantily attended — one person went to the Hialeah town hall — the public will have at least three opportunities to comment on the $9 billion 2019-2020 Miami-Dade budget before the commission votes on it next month. The first look comes courtesy of Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, who has her […]