The West District of the Miami-Dade Police Department may be one of the biggest geographically. It may be the most populated. It may have the second highest number of calls for police service. But it is also the most understaffed when it comes to patrol officers. That’s what Commissioner Juan Zapata says after he rode […]
The Florida Supreme Court approval of new congressional maps will affect District 26, where freshman U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo now has a real battle on his hands. Curbelo was elected last year against one-term Congressman Joe Garcia, who had a cloud hanging over his head about absentee ballot fraud just as former Congressman David Rivera […]
We all got a close up and rare look at the contentious battle between Miami Gardens and Miami-Dade County for control of Sun Life Stadium Tuesday in a joint meeting of both municipal governing bodies over the city’s lawsuit against the county for regulatory oversight. And it got a little testy. “How much more time […]
Miami-Dade County commissioners gave preliminary approval Tuesday to an ordinance that would force elected officials and any candidates for elected office to disclose when they were soliciting funds for any political action committee. Hmmm. Doesn’t that sound familiar? Am I the only one having de ja vu? Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, who sponsored the measure, said […]
Miami-Dade county commissioners on Tuesday will hear another litany of sob stories from the mayor’s office about why the county can’t go out to bid again on red light cameras. And Commissioner Sally Heyman is tired of the excuses. “I’m not happy about it,” Heyman said of a status report that basically doesn’t move the […]
The much ballyhooed ghost legislation that Mayor Carlos Gimenez had his staff write to legalize Uber and Lyft is not going anywhere. Not anytime soon, anyway. But it’s not because Commission Chairman Jean Monestime has been stalling, like Gimenez and his people have been saying on TV and radio shows for the past couple of […]
On the second try, Opa-Locka Commissioner Luis Santiago was successful Tuesday in firing City Manager Steve Shiver, who was hired less than three months ago to deal with the city’s financial mess. Santiago had tried to fire Shiver in October — for another reason, an alleged bribe he made to a vendor — but was […]
Sometimes, there’s not enough to report for a full blown story, but the info is too good not to pass on. So, to get you these tiny gems of political intrigue, Ladra introduces you to a new sometimes feature: Political Cortaditos — a collection of briefs, updates and small developments. Fatima Perez dumps Beach for […]
Christmas could come early for the operators of so-called “ride sharing” services like Uber and Lyft — if Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez gets his way. As part of a plan to institute some regulations that will make them legal, Carlos “Mr. Giveaway” Gimenez wants to forgive $1.4 million in fines that the companies have amassed since […]
Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi is having a tremendous run of luck in the courts. First, he was acquitted of federal bribery charges after being caught in an FBI sting applying for grants he allegedly knew were bogus. Then he got the court to agree with him on having Gov. Rick Scott lift his suspension […]