Referendum could be a fake play for a $90 million trophy

Referendum could be a fake play for a $90 million trophy

Might we call it a fake punt? While the owner of the Miami Dolphins and Sun Life Stadium seems to be putting an earnest effort into a public referendum that would get him $289 million in tourist tax dollars, it’s a known longshot. So maybe he’s really making a pass for a different kind of score. Because […]

Voter registration deadline on Dolphins deal another dupe?

Voter registration deadline on Dolphins deal another dupe?

Talk about manipulation. We posted the last piece on the referendum and why Ladra doesn’t like it before we realized that the last day to register to vote in the special, shotgun May 14 election on the Miami Dolphins public funding stadium deal is Monday. That’s right, only five days after it was approved by […]

Not all referendums are created equal; this one is less than

Not all referendums are created equal; this one is less than

There are so many things that are bothersome or just plain wrong about the Sun Life Stadium deal and the much-touted referendum vote for the public financing of apparently desperately-needed upgrades to the private home of our beloved Miami Dolphins, that this may become a Political Cortadito series. But, for the most part, the main concerns […]

Dolphins stadium vote follows parade of flowers, not debate

Dolphins stadium vote follows parade of flowers, not debate

Despite what the Miami Dolphins say on their website — that “nearly five hours of debate yielded a favorable vote” — there really was no debate before the Miami-Dade Commission gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a hotly-negotiated, “unprecedented” deal that will give the team’s owners a revenue stream of nearly $300 million to fix up the stadium. […]

Miami Dolphins deal is gamble or inside knowledge

Miami Dolphins deal is gamble or inside knowledge

Even without knowing whether or not the state legislature will give the needed green light, the owner of the Miami Dolphins and Sun Life Stadium will have to plunk down $4.8 million this week to go to the cost of a referendum vote if they want the public to pay for up to half of the facilitity’s […]

County’s Dolphins Stadium vote today seems offsides

County’s Dolphins Stadium vote today seems offsides

Talk about putting the cart before the horse. Or, rather, putting the field goal before the end zone. Miami-Dade County Commissioners are poised to approve today Mayor Carlos “Not So Golden Boy” Gimenez’s much-ballyhooed “framework” for getting the billionaire that owns the Miami Dolphins up to $200 million in public money to renovate his private stadium, which […]

Francis Suarez here, Francis there. Baby X is everywhere

Francis Suarez here, Francis there. Baby X is everywhere

We keep running into Miami Commissioner Francis Suarez, who has cast his hat in the ring for mayor now against the incumbent, Tomas Regalado in that city’s November election. Saw him earlier this month at a Coral Gables debate, there to support his friend, newly-elected Gables Commissioner Vince Lago. Then saw him Tuesday night at the Lago […]

In the Gables: Hoping for a new checks and balances

In the Gables: Hoping for a new checks and balances

Well, the results in Coral Gables tonight were not surprising for many. While I don’t know how voters could tell the difference between the two, longtime activist Pat Keon, who lost her first bid for office in 1997, beat out longtime activist Mary Young to replace the termed-out Commissioner Maria Anderson. Oddly enough, that sleeper […]

Commissioner-to-be Vince Lago lives in the Gables

Commissioner-to-be Vince Lago lives in the Gables

Voters are still casting ballots and what Ladra calls the electoral Happy Hour — 5 to 7 p.m. — is still in full swing. Everyone is counting on a photo finish between Pat Keon and Mary Young in one of the commission races, but the other one is pretty much a done deal already, despite […]

Top 10 reasons to vote for Ralph Cabrera today in Gables

Top 10 reasons to vote for Ralph Cabrera today in Gables

Because I am not yet rich or lucky enough to live in the beautiful, tree-lined Coral Gables, Ladra wants to ask her friends and supporters there to vote for us and cast their ballots for Ralph Cabrera for mayor. Yeah, I know. Everybody tells me this is a losing battle. That is why I thought […]