The Miami Downtown Development Authority, an entity that was formed in 1967 to promote the urban core and bring development, has a budget of $13.5 million through a special tax levy on properties within its district boundaries in downtown, Brickell and Edgewater. About a quarter of that is on salaries, some of which seem excessive and […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Miami was reeling Wednesday after the Miami Herald’s Tess Riski reported the whistleblower lawsuit against Miami Commmissioner Joe Carollo filed by two former employees of the Bayfront Park Management Trust of using public funds for his personal gain. Among the details released was a $150,000 payment to America TeVé to broadcast the city’s million-dollar New […]
At first blush, the item on the Miami City Commission agenda for Thursday’s meeting about expanding the pool of tow companies for the Miami Parking Authority — which currently only uses one company with political connections — sounds like a good idea. It just seems like too sweet a deal to let one company with […]
The controversial and massive changes to Miami’s tree ordinance — which regulates the removal and pruning of trees — are seemingly unnecessary and, worse, directed by the development industry, which taints the legislation. Everyone knows that Commissioner Miguel Gabela, the dope they roped to sponsor this, is going to defer the vote at Thursday’s commission […]
Campaign finance reports filed last week by the candidates for Coral Gables mayor and commissioner show that nobody did very well in the final quarter of 2024. Donations slowed down big time. Mayor Vince Lago actually gave money back instead of raising any. His campaign report shows zero contributions, but that he returned two $1,000 […]
When Coral Gables City Manager Amos Rojas took the job last year amid the controversy after the firing of Peter Iglesias, he said he would only want to do it for a year. Time’s up. Rojas sent a note to his staff shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday explaining that he would resign, effective Feb. 28. […]
Healthcare business titan Benjamin Leon Jr., who founded Leon Medical Centers and made a fortune off Medicare patients — and who gave more than $3 million in campaign contributions last year — was appointed this week by President Elect Donald Trump as his new ambassador to Spain. Think of it as a thank you. More […]