District 7 coulda been a 3-way

There could have been three names on the ballot for the commission seat in District 7. Voters in South Miami and Coral Gables who think that on May 24 they may choose a new commissioner to replace Carlos Gimenez, who resigned last month to run for mayor, may have been ripped off — and could […]

Published story in Biscayne Times

With 11 people in the race to replace recalled Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, the May 24 election is almost certain to be inconclusive. It’s highly unlikely any candidate will gather more than 50 percent of the votes, which is needed to win outright. A runoff election is scheduled for June 28. In that race, […]

Gimenez calls Robaina on his flip

Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina, who has skipped (read: snubbed) several of the mayoral candidate forums or debates in recent weeks (maybe he’s too busy being mayor of “the second largest city in the county” until the day before the election), finally made it to one Monday night. But maybe he should have missed this one, […]

"Education" on "reform" tonight

One of what we suspect will be several “town hall” meetings and forums on the charter reform questions voters will see on the May 24 ballot is in Palmetto Bay Tuesday evening. Commission Chairman Joe Martinez and newby Commissioner Lynda Bell, former mayor of Homestead, have invited the public to “share their input on changes […]

Artiles to sponsor Ladra’s law

Embarassed yet accountable State Rep. Frank Artiles (R, District 119 but he doesn’t live there yet) finally called me back today and said he had no hard feelings. “I know you were just doing your job and congratulations,” Artiles said, but maybe a little sarcastically, not like everybody else. While he will take full responsibility […]

Proliferation of the PACs

Newly former county commissioner Carlos Gimenez has more money for that mayoral bid than we first thought. More than half a mil, to be exact. Because he has two accounts. The campaign fund is the one with $229,295 in contributions, but the PAC Gimenez formed in November has raised more than that, with $277,716 in […]

Artiles’ "home" turf, Part II

Ladra had no idea when she started howling Tuesday about the residency violation by State Rep. Frank Artiles (R, Disrict 119, except he isn’t living there) that the post would resonate so loudly and so widely. But we are glad. Maybe all the outrage will lead to some action and common sense. Several people who […]

District 7 hopefuls to talk

Former State Rep. Julio Robaina (R, District 117) and former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez, running to replace county commissioner and mayoral candidate Carlos Gimenez in district 7 will share time next Tuesday with the Miami Young Republicans, aka the Biscayne Bay Republicans.Both candidates will speak and present their differing visions for the county, discuss their […]

Mayoral forum is a yawner

Maybe it’s because Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina and rapper-turned-political-columnist Luther Campbell, the most colorful of the county mayoral candidates, were no shows, but the forum Monday night presented by DFAM at some union building in Allapattah was a real snoozefest. Don’t take it from me. Ask anyone who was there. Better yet, ask those who […]

Artiles lives outside district

Lucky people of Palmetto Bay! You have not one but two newly-elected state representatives looking out for your neighborhood interests in Tallahassee: Rep. Michael Bileca (R, District 117), which encompasses parts of Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay and South Miami and for whom you actually voted, and State Rep. Frank Artiles (R, District 119), whose electors live […]