State Attorney looks into mystery mailers in Coral Gables election

State Attorney looks into mystery mailers in Coral Gables election

The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office is looking into three mystery mailers attacking former Coral Gables Commissioner Ralph Cabrera in Coral Gables and attributed to a political action committee that has said it isn’t involved. Attorney and activist Jack Thompson sent the SAO an email with a link to an earlier Political Cortadito post about the […]

Florida Bar investigates candidate Jorge Fors for homestead fraud

Florida Bar investigates candidate Jorge Fors for homestead fraud

The Florida Bar has opened an investigation into the homestead exemption fraud by Coral Gables candidate Jorge Fors, an attorney and former president of the Coral Gables Bar Association. After receiving a complaint from activist resident Jack Thompson, Bar Counsel Richard Coombs responded that they would look into the illegal homestead exemptions Fors claimed for […]

Ralph Cabrera set to enter runoff with campaign cash advantage

Ralph Cabrera set to enter runoff with campaign cash advantage

There is likely to be a runoff in the Coral Gables commission race after Tuesday, where none of the four candidates are likely to pull away with more than 50% of the vote. And when former Commissioner Ralph Cabrera is headed for round 2, as expected, he may be better prepared than whoever the other […]

Development interests fund campaign for Raul Valdes-Fauli

Development interests fund campaign for Raul Valdes-Fauli

Whoop! There it is! The latest campaign reports are in — the last ones before the Coral Gables election on Tuesday — and, just as expected, Mayor Raul Valdes-Fauli got a windfall from real estate developers and the construction industry. More than $80,000 in seven days! That must have set some kind of campaign record in […]

Ralph Cabrera’s commission race advantage: others are unelectable

Ralph Cabrera’s commission race advantage: others are unelectable

Looks like the third time is the charm for former Coral Gables Commissioner Ralph Cabrera. Even if it’s just through the process of elimination. Cabrera, an insurance consultant, has tried to get back on the dais twice since he left office in 2013. But both times he ran for mayor against Jim Cason. This time he is […]

Mayoral race in Coral Gables is a do-over on over-development

Mayoral race in Coral Gables is a do-over on over-development

The mayoral race in Coral Gables is a rematch between Raul Valdes-Fauli and former Commissioner Jeannett Slesnick. But some people really see it as a do-over of 2017, a second chance to make things right. “Let’s not make the same mistake again,” is not just the headline of an email sent by the Gables Neighbors United group […]

Political operative Christian Ulvert runs for council in Miami Shores

Political operative Christian Ulvert runs for council in Miami Shores

Longtime Democrat political operative Christian Ulvert — who helped put Sens. Jose Javier Rodriguez and Annette Taddeo, Miami-Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine-Cava and Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber into office — wants a seat of his own now. Ulvert is running for city council in Miami Shores and had his kick-off earlier this month. How many chips you think he’s […]

Bob Graham, others host huge campaign gig for Jeannett Slesnick

Bob Graham, others host huge campaign gig for Jeannett Slesnick

Former Coral Gables Commissioner Jeannett Slesnick — in a bitter mayoral rematch race against Mayor Raul Valdes-Fauli — got a big endorsement Wednesday when former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, who served 1987 to 2005, gave her his support. Graham — who was also Florida’s 38th governor from 1979 to 1987 — and his wife Adele were among […]

Pinecrest water vote fails; no to $15 mil for 739 county water hookups

Pinecrest water vote fails; no to $15 mil for 739 county water hookups

Pinecrest voters rejected a plan Tuesday that would seek $15 million in bonds to pay for approximately 18.5 miles (98,000 linear feet) of pipeline infrastructure so 739 properties can connect to Miami-Dade County water. The vote came down to 63% against and 37% for taxing themselves an additional 23 cents per $1,000 of taxable value, […]