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 […]

Xavier Suarez makes mayoral bid real — and dumps Gilbert, Higgins

Xavier Suarez makes mayoral bid real — and dumps Gilbert, Higgins

As expected, Miami-Dade Commissioner Xavier Suarez made his mayoral dreams official Friday when he announced publicly that he was going  for the top county post vacated by his nemesis, the termed-out Carlos Gimenez. “I want to put the resources of this county to work for the residents and taxpayers in a way that is both […]

Closing Melreese is political drama to benefit soccer mall developers

Closing Melreese is political drama to benefit soccer mall developers

News this week about soil contamination found by an environmental study at the Melreese golf course near Miami International Airport — which developers want to turn into condos, offices, a hotel, shopping complex, restaurants and, oh yeah, a soccer stadium — was not a complete surprise. In fact, the head environmental official in Miami-Dade says the […]

Fire union chief runs for Congress in CD26, creates GOP primary

Fire union chief runs for Congress in CD26, creates GOP primary

Miami-Dade firefighter Omar Blanco is not new to politics. The 15 veteran of the department and president of the International Association of Firefighters local union has campaigned both for and against candidates on both sides of the aisle. He has tousled with Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and House Speaker Jose Oliva — and won. Now, […]

First forum for seven wannabes in Miami’s commission District 1 race

First forum for seven wannabes in Miami’s commission District 1 race

Residents in the Allapattah neighborhood of Miami know Commissioner Willy Gort. who is termed out after serving since 2011, and also from 1993 to 2000. But, with the exclusion of former Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, many voters don’t really know the clusterbunch of wannabes in line to replace Gort. So the Allapattah YMCA […]

Miami-Dade budget: Mayor has money for his priorities, not ours

Miami-Dade budget: Mayor has money for his priorities, not ours

Last year, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez scolded county commissioners for plans to protect the environment, reduce crime in South Dade, create programs for children and fund fare-free circulators, like the trolleys in many cities, in unincorporated parts of Miami-Dade. We ain’t got the money, honey, the mayor told them. He complained of a five-year budget shortfall […]

Extension of MCM’s $120 million airport contract to get another look

Extension of MCM’s $120 million airport contract to get another look

A contract extension approved by the Miami-Dade Commission last month for one of the firm’s involved in the bridge collapse at Florida International University will get another look at the next commission meeting. Commissioners last month approved an 18-month extension for Munilla Construction Management — which is five months into a bankruptcy filing after the March 2018 […]