Legalized or medicinal marijuana may be a state issue, but it could play a small, supporting role in some municipal elections in the 305 after local police agencies have suggested fines instead of arrests for possession of a small, personal amount. Last week, the Miami-Dade Police and Miami Beach Police departments suggested fining people found […]
Just six months after being made chair of the Miami-Dade County Commission, Commissioner Jean Monestime has nabbed the “Elected Official of the Year Award” given out by the South Florida chapter of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA). He will get it Thursday at the group’s annual awards reception at Parrot Jungle Island. That’s […]
There might be another candidate declared soon for the Miami-Dade County race for mayor in 2016 — but we’re not talking about Commissioner Xavier Suarez, who says he is still considering the contest. Former Commissioner Joe Martinez, who lost against Gimenez in 2012, must smell the blood in the water and has strongly hinted that he […]
Maybe it’s because she’s new. But on Tuesday, freshman Miami-Dade County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava showed that she does something other Miami-Dade Commissioners find it hard to do: She listens to the voters. Levine Cava sponsored an item to urge the legislature to set aside $500 million for land acquisition and Everglades restoration from somewhere, […]
The biggest problem about Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Mr. Giveaway” Gimenez‘s proposal to sort of privatize Vizcaya — putting operations in the hands of a non-profit board that can raise and spend monies without the cumbersome public, transparent processes of government — isn’t that it smells like another land grab or inside deal. It isn’t that it […]
Concerns about Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s reorganization and expansion plans for Vizcaya Museum have been mounting and will have to be publicly vetted at a commission workshop to be set in the near future. Gimenez, in one of his famous last minute Friday memos, requested a workshop “in light of the public comments and media […]
With zero discussion, and more than two months before the first budget hearing — and the loud boasts about not raising taxes begin — Miami-Dade Commissioners gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a tax increase for more than 116,000 property owners. Yes, a tax increase. In June. The administration has found that these property owners, in […]
As if the current salary wasn’t already too high, Miami-Dade commissioners increased it Tuesday when they approved the pay and benefits for incoming County Attorney Abigail Price-Williams, who becomes both the first woman and the first African American to hold that position. She will take charge of the office in September, after longtime County Attorney […]
Today, Baby DLP refers to someone other than the youngest brother in the well-known political family. But Papi DLP still refers to the oldest. Congratulations go out to Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla (R-Coral Gables) and his longtime associate/assistant Elinette Ruiz — who are expecting a baby girl in July. The parents are registered […]
Miami-Dade County will see close to 9% more taxes come in next year thanks to increased property values and new construction, according to a report delivered Monday by Property Appraiser Pedro Garcia. Whew! Maybe now we can open all our libraries all five days of a work week? And even add weekends to those that […]