The Florida Bar last week dismissed two complaints filed by former Miami Commissioner Ken Russell — who later announced that he would run for mayor (more on that later) — against former City Attorney Victoria Mendez and Mayor Francis Suarez, who is an attorney, after the latter gave the Miami Freedom Park developers back the $20 million they […]
A total of 6,144 absentee or vote-by-mail ballots were sent to Coral Gables voters last week for the April 8 election. They landed in mailboxes at the same time as several mailers for different candidates — and false attack ads from Mayor Vince Lago, who is fighting his first real challenge, against Commissioner Kirk Menendez. […]
In the race for Coral Gables mayor, the campaign financing is super lopsided. Incumbent Mayor Vince Lago has out-fundraised Commissioner Kirk Menendez, who has challenged him — more than 16 to 1. After coming in with a negative total in his December report, Lago’s campaign finance reports show he has raised $263,825 just since January, with $108,750 […]
Pero por supuesto. Former Miami Commissioner Frank Carollo, brother to the current commissioner, has filed to run for the District 3 commission seat that he served two terms, from 2009 to 2017. This was expected and is not good news. He may not be as bad as his big brother, Commissioner Joe Carollo, but Frank […]
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, facing the harshest budget year of her administration and almost certain cuts to services, asked all department heads earlier this month to identify where they could cut 10% of their expenses. Then, this week, she has recommended the county hand another $10.5 million subsidy to FIFA for the seven 2026 […]
Police and firefighter unions endorse Kirk Menendez It’s no surprise that both the Coral Gables Police and the Coral Gables Firefighters unions have endorsed Commissioner Kirk Menendez in his bid to become the next mayor in the April 8 election. Incumbent Mayor Vince Lago might want you to think that’s no big deal. But it’s […]
The Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust has dismissed two frivolous complaints against longtime Coral Gables activist Maria Cruz that were filed by proxies for Mayor Vince Lago — and most likely at his behest. The first complaint was filed by his fundraiser, Brian Goldmeier, and the second by lobbyist Jorge Arrizurieta, who was Lago’s […]
Miami voters could say no to political retreads or professional politicians by extending term limits this November. City Commissioner Damian Pardo wants to put a charter amendment on the Nov. 4 ballot so that elected officials who have served on the commission or as mayor for two terms cannot come back and run for office after […]
It’s time to dissolve the Miami Downtown Development Authority Op-Ed by James Torres, President, Downtown Neighbors Alliance The Miami Downtown Development Authority (DDA) was established 58 years ago in 1967, when Lyndon B. Johnson was president and Robert King High was Miami’s mayor. That’s right—this agency was created before Miami even had air conditioning in most buildings, let alone the […]
Representatives of homeowners in Downtown Miami, Brickell and Edgewater joined forces last week to respectfully ask the Miami Downtown Development Authority — an agency that focuses on promoting and strengthening the “economic health” of Downtown Miami — not to give $100,000 to the UFC for events at the Kaseya Center, formerly the American Airlines Arena. […]