Smile! New ‘Political pics of the week’ feature begins now

Smile! New ‘Political pics of the week’ feature begins now

A new weekend segment on Political Cortadito will recap photos from the week that show our elected representatives in action. You know, kinda like a visual week in review. Ladra’s new walking on Instagram, but several politicos already use it — as well as twitter and Facebook — to let people know what they are […]

Homestead’s Steve Shiver strikes out on bowling alley

Homestead’s Steve Shiver strikes out on bowling alley

Steve Shiver’s sweetheart deal to build a 32-lane bowling alley on city property in Homestead seemed like a sure thing. Homestead council members, sitting as a committee of the whole — which is just another name for the Homestead Council — had agreed last week to sell the bowling alley to a group of developers […]

Details on the ‘Beach-based’ David Custin/JC Planas split

Details on the ‘Beach-based’ David Custin/JC Planas split

Almost everyone in the political 305 has the same basic theory about the very public and nasty breakup between consultant/lobbyist David Custin and campaign attorney JC Planas — that it has to do with newly-elected Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine. Oh, and money, of course. A couple of sources close Beach government have suggested that […]

Budget score: County labor 0, NCL/consultants $413 million+

Budget score: County labor 0, NCL/consultants $413 million+

On the same day, in the same meeting, in the same room where the Miami-Dade Commission voted Tuesday to keep taking 5% from 25,000 or so county employees contributing to a group healthcare subsidy fund that they were promised would end in January, the county gave $3 million away to NCL Cruise Lines. All while Miami-Dade Mayor […]

Mayor Carlos Gimenez veto sticks, minority rules; now what?

Mayor Carlos Gimenez veto sticks, minority rules; now what?

Three months ago, when the Miami-Dade Commission restored a 5% concession to the county airport and sanitation employees, Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa repeatedly said that she could not give to one group and not the others when their time came. She even used the analogy of her children, saying she couldn’t give one milk and deny […]

Political breakup: David Custin, JC Planas partners no more

Political breakup: David Custin, JC Planas partners no more

It seems that campaign consultant David Custin can’t keep a long-term relationship with anybody. Word is that Custin and his attorney pal JC Planas, who share a multitude of political clients and most recently conspired, er, I mean worked together to elect Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, are at odds with each other. Is it […]

Big mistake? No Hispanic on Rick Scott’s shortlist for No. 2

Big mistake? No Hispanic on Rick Scott’s shortlist for No. 2

For months, we’ve been hearing so many Hispanic names floated for a possible stint as the No. 2 to Florida Gov. Rick Scott that many of us just assumed one would be picked. But we didn’t even make it to the shortlist. Locals Latinos in the mix were Sen. Anitere Flores, Miami-Dade School Board Member […]

Bruno Barreiro recall might be about the after-race

Bruno Barreiro recall might be about the after-race

Some have wondered if the effort to recall Miami-Dade Commissioner Bruno Barreiro is real. But one of the organizers says that the only reason we haven’t seen petitions yet is that the targetted elected has to be in office for a year first, by state law. Barreiro was sworn in last January and the effort is […]

Philip Levine, Michael Gongora smile for the holiday camera

Philip Levine, Michael Gongora smile for the holiday camera

Maybe it’s the holiday spirit. Among the attendees Thursday night at the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s fourth annual LGBT Holigay Celebration and Toy Drive to benefit the Miami-Beach Police Department’s Toy Drive were newly elected Mayor Philip Levine and his campaign adversary, former Commissioner Michael Gongora, who lost the race last month […]

‘New kid’ runs vs ‘golden oldie’ Commissioner Javier Souto

‘New kid’ runs vs ‘golden oldie’ Commissioner Javier Souto

Calling himself the “new kid on the block,” Marco Antonio Valdes officially kicked off his campaign for Miami-Dade commission in District 10 on Wednesday with a happy hour at 94th Aerosquadron. Valdes calls himself a “muchacho” at 45. But that’s just because he is running against the county’s “golden oldie.” Valdes filed papers weeks ago […]