A ‘message’ to the mayor: Careful, they may veto you. Without a doubt, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez was already walking a fine line. Last week’s last minute veto of an 8-4 decision by the county commission, for many, is just the last straw in a series of possible political abuses by the man we elected […]
On tonight’s big budget night, which everyone has been anticipating, commissioners are flying blind. Pretty much just like the rest of us. That’s because the last minute about-face made by Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez — who first proposed a small tax increase to maintain services and then switched to a more politically convenient (really? how’s […]
While all eyes are on the Miami-Dade County Commission and its budget hearing today, there will be phones ringing off the hook at the homes of voters in Miami Lakes and Homestead, where there are city elections Oct. 1. That is because absentee ballots drop for voters in both cities Tuesday and Wednesday. Miami-Dade Elections […]
People are still asking what really happened with the million dollar campaign to elect Miami Commissioner Francis Suarez as mayor? How could an up and coming, popular politico — son of Miami’s first Cuban mayor, who many considered the natural heir to the seat — just decide to throw in his towel? Did he jump? Or […]
The arrest last month of Sweetwater Mayor Manny “Maraña” Maroño on federal bribery and extortion charges left the city shocked (a little), embarrassed (a lot) and one commissioner short after Jose Diaz became acting mayor when the governor suspended Maroño. The decision was slated to be made Monday night, but because Commissioner Manuel Duasso was missing […]
There’s a crowded ballot in the race to replace suspended Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi, who was arrested last month on charges of bribery and extortion after a two-year FBI sting in which he allegedly accepted kickbacks for facilitating a bogus grants application. But only two of the hopefuls are experienced candidates with money to […]
Vice Mayor Lynda Bell did not answer several calls to her cellphone to see how she felt about her name being “pulled out of a hat” for recall by a group of activists who are angry about budget cuts. But late Friday, her office issued a statement that shows she will not back down from […]
Ladra was almost right. I had bet on Miami-Dade Commissioner Esteban Bovo being the chosen one. After all, rumored recalls have dogged him since last year’s primary when his district aide was caught collecting absentee ballots at his Hialeah office. But my second choice was Vice Chair Lynda Bell. That was the name pulled out […]
Pick a commissioner, any commissioner. A group of activists will go to County Hall this afternoon and pick a name out of the hat. The winner, if we can call the chosen that, will face a recall effort for their vote on keeping the tax rate flat and slashing county services. “We are on a […]
Ladra has to admit: This is not the Diaz I had hoped to see in the 2014 race against State Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez (D-Little Havana). Republican wonderkid and Coral Gables attorney Daniel Diaz Leyva has filed paperwork to run against Rodriguez next year. Naturally, Ladra had hoped for a non-presidential year rematch between J-Rod […]