It took a lawsuit against him for abusing his power, but Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo was finally stripped of his post as chairman of the Bayfront Park Management Trust, which he has been leading for almost eight years. This comes a month after a whistleblower lawsuit from two former employees who say that Carollo used […]
After several months of holding the Omni Community Redevelopment Agency hostage, Miami Commissioner Miguel Gabela — who has pushed for its expansion into Allapattah, the heart of his District 1 — looks like he is ready to compromise with a CRA all his own. Miami Commissioners last month directed City Manager Art Noriega to expedite […]
Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo is defending himself against another civil lawsuit, this time from two former employees of the Bayfront Park Management Trust who say they were forced to resign after they uncovered, and reported, inadequate accounting methods and questionable expenses. In their whistleblower complaint, filed last month, former executive director Jose Suarez, a longtime […]
At first blush, the item on the Miami City Commission agenda for Thursday’s meeting about expanding the pool of tow companies for the Miami Parking Authority — which currently only uses one company with political connections — sounds like a good idea. It just seems like too sweet a deal to let one company with […]
The controversial and massive changes to Miami’s tree ordinance — which regulates the removal and pruning of trees — are seemingly unnecessary and, worse, directed by the development industry, which taints the legislation. Everyone knows that Commissioner Miguel Gabela, the dope they roped to sponsor this, is going to defer the vote at Thursday’s commission […]
The city commission meeting Thursday turned into a shouting match between commissioners Miguel “Mike” Gabela and Manolo Reyes basically because of the contentious fight on the self-serving lifetime pensions for electeds that Gabela has championed twice before changing his mind, also twice. Gabela said he stood by the principle of his idea, which was to […]
One lifeline: Mayor Francis Suarez could veto In Miami on Tuesday, city commissioners voted 3-2 to give themselves lifetime pensions after Commissioner Miguel Gabela went back on his word to put the question before voters in a referendum, which he said on an AM radio show in August. Commissioners Damian Pardo and Manolo Reyes voted […]
The first city of Miami budget hearing on Saturday was dominated by a plea from the community to increase police patrols, especially in the Downtown Miami area and marine officers on the Miami River. But the discussion on the dais was dominated by the growing tension between District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo and commissioners Miguel […]
If there was ever something that should go to a referendum for voter approval, it is pensions for our electeds. And Miami city commissioners should go to the ballot if they want to reward their behavior and “hard work” with lucrative lifetime retirement benefits. It’s not too late. The deadline for municipalities to submit a […]
This meeting has been cancelled due to weather. The agenda moves to a special meeting Tuesday. At first blush, it may seem like Thursday’s Miami City Commission meeting is a sleeper, especially compared to recent meetings. Nothing on LED billboards. Nothing on redistricting. But a closer look at the agenda reveals a bunch of items […]