So, apparently, there was a secret summit in Westchester last night about the proposed elimination of property taxes. At least, that’s what it feels like. Because unless you’re on Miami-Dade Commission Chairman Anthony Rodriguez’s Christmas card list, you probably didn’t even know about it.
Rodriguez quietly gathered some heavy hitters — state lawmakers, county officials, “subject matter experts” (read: Miami-Dade Chief Budget Officer David Clodfelter) — at the Westchester branch library’s Health & Wellness Center to talk about blowing up the property tax system in Miami-Dade. Because eliminating property taxes is all the rage in Florida’s political circles.
This has taken on a whole new life since Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed putting the elimination of all state property taxes on the 2026 ballot — because it would have to be a constitutional amendment.
The chairman told Political Cortadito that Monday’s meeting of the minds was a basically an effort to educate the Miami-Dade legislative delegation on the consequences that eliminating property taxes would have on core county services. At a time when the county, after much hand-wringing, closed a $402-million budget hole, while still spending millions on community based organizations and subsidized transit, state lawmakers had questions: What exactly is the county funding? Is there a better way? How do we pay for cops, parks, and potholes without a property tax bill?
Read related: Miami-Dade budget restores 100% funds to non-profits = self preservation
“I think it was healthy for our Dade delegation members to understand what services couldn’t be cut, like the sheriff, fire, transportation, parks,” Rodriguez said. His question to them was how would ad valorem property tax funds be replaced. “Is it going to be a sales tax?” And if so, does that mean the sales tax will increase?
He said options were discussed, such as extending homestead exemptions for anyone owning a home for more than 20 years or over 65, which Miami-Dade Property Appraiser Tomas Regalado has also championed, and ending the trigger on higher tax assessments for inherited properties.
Even in the city of Miami, the mayoral candidates are discussing tax relief as part of their platform.
But there were no real replacement proposals or solutions offered Monday by the state legislators, who have just begun to meet in committee on this idea.
“I don’t think they’re there yet,” Rodriguez told Ladra. “What they did not say was that they were looking at a full blown elimination of property taxes across the board. And that’s good.”
Don’t get the wrong idea. He said he wants to vote for that.
“I’d love to support that. I pay high taxes myself,” he said. “But I also want to see the grass cut and I don’t want to see garbage and filth on the corner when I drive my kids to school.”
Read related: Miami-Dade’s billion-dollar disconnect: Tax collector flush, county in the red
Among the panelists there Monday were Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, State Reps. Vicky Lopez and Toby Overdorf, co-chairs of the new Florida House Select Committee on Property Taxes, and State Reps. Omar Blanco, Juan Carlos Porras, Alex Rizo, Mike Redondo and Miami-Dade Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez, who is everywhere.
Blanco said it was an important meeting and he was glad to have heard directly from Clodfelter, director of the Office of Management and Budget. While there is a need to address affordability, he said, there was no intention to diminish services.
“I think that we all agreed that essential services need to be protected,” Blanco, a veteran firefighter and former fire union president, told Political Cortadito Tuesday.
“We don’t have a property tax relief issue; I think we have a property affordability issue,” Blanco said. “In the last five years, property values have doubled in South Florida. Nobody anticipated this.
“Elderly people, for the first time I can remember, are being forced out of their homes because they can’t afford living there,” he added.
Like Rodriguez, Blanco doesn’t think a blanket, one-size fits all elimination of ad valorem taxes will work. There are three municipalities in his district: Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, and Cutler Bay. The latter two contract their police services from the county sheriff’s office. For Cutler Bay, the amounts to practically 100% of their ad valorem taxes. The rest of the services are paid with fees.
Rodriguez, who has also opened his arms to welcome the state DOGE into the county’s books, called the property tax system “long overdue for serious scrutiny.” He’s not wrong there. But if you’re going to start dreaming up “alternatives” for sustainable revenue, don’t you think the public ought to be in the room where it happens? The chairman said it was open to the public. But what public? Nobody seemed to know this was happening.
Read related: Anthony Rodriguez rolls out red carpet for state DOGE, calls it ‘collaboration’
At least it won’t be the last such gathering. It seems that the talks about eliminating property taxes and what might replace that — which could be special taxing districts or increased sales tax as well as discount services are just starting. And while Rodriguez has not necessarily been a beacon of public engagement at county commission meetings (#IAmCamila), he said that there would be plenty of opportunities for Miami-Dade residents to chime in.
After all, they are the people who are going to be chipping in, one way or another.

Ladra’s gonna keep digging where the politicians don’t want the light to shine. You can help. If you value this kind of independent, watchdog journalism, throw a bone in the bowl here. Every little bit helps keep the bark loud and the bite sharp.

The post Anthony Rodriguez, Florida lawmakers discuss elimination of property taxes appeared first on Political Cortadito.

Read Full Story

¡Por fin! Someone running for Florida Attorney General who actually wants to enforce the laws already on the books instead of dressing up in campaign cosplay with the governor in some makeshift prison in the middle of the Everglades.
Democratic candidate José Javier Rodríguez brought that message to Miami at a press conference Monday, where he was joined by workers and union leaders to call attention to something most Tallahassee insiders would rather ignore: the ongoing, unaddressed, and completely avoidable crisis of wage theft in Florida.
The timing is no accident. On September 30, Florida’s minimum wage will go up again — as required by the constitutional amendment passed overwhelmingly by voters in 2020 — this time, to $14 an hour.
But aquí está el problema: a higher minimum wage means nothing if nobody enforces it.
And according to Rodríguez — and, frankly, to anyone paying attention — millions are being stolen from workers every year by employers who simply don’t pay what they owe. “Florida voters did their job. They raised the minimum wage,” Rodríguez recently told Orlando Weekly. “Now it’s time for the Attorney General to do theirs.”
Under Florida statutes, the AG already has the power to go after these crooks. Civil action. Statewide enforcement. The tools are there and include the power to impose a fine of $1,000 per violation, payable to the state, for any employer found to have willfully violated minimum wage requirements.
But Florida’s recent Attorneys General have acted like their job description ends at press releases and culture wars.
Read related: Repeal of open carry ban makes Florida unsafe — a Wild West cosplay zone
To be fair, it’s not just the currently appointed James Uthmeier, who would rather record hype videos about Alligator Alcatraz and put more guns on the street than protect the state’s low-wage earners. DeSantis’ new bulldog is sharp, loud, and bites off more than he can chew. He thumbs his nose at judges and has already shown that he aims to enforce laws not always because they’re clearly legal, but because they feel like they advance the mission. It’s clearly not a priority for him. There’s not even a mention on the state’s website.
But according to workers advocates, the Florida AG office has not brought a single civil action to enforce the minimum wage law since it was enacted back in 2005.
Between 2011 and 2016, AG Pam Bondi — now the U.S. Attorney General for Donald Trump — took no enforcement action for minimum wage violations that were reported. Between 2016 and 2019, the Orlando Weekly reported that the AG’s office received 29 complaints of minimum wage violations, but had no evidence of any fines issued or monies recovered.
More recently, there were 12 complaints lodged in 2023, but records show that only one person recovered wages — about $544 — through the attorney general’s intervention.
¿Y mientras tanto? The dishwashers, construction workers, cashiers, and nursing home aides — the backbone of Florida’s economy — are being ripped off and left on their own to fight for crumbs. Statistics show that the industries most affected include agriculture, food service/hospitality, retail, and low-wage personal services (laundries, salons, etc.) and that immigrant workers, Black and Latina women, people of color overall are over-represented among those hurt by wage theft.
“It targets those least able to fight back,” said Jeffrey Mitchell, president of the South Florida AFL-CIO, who joined J-Rod at a press conference Monday. “What good is a $14 minimum wage if no one enforces it?
“Wage theft is an injustice that has become too common, too comfortable, too tolerated in the state of Florida,” said Mitchell, who has been on the frontlines for years and knows exactly what’s at stake. “It happens in our kitchens, on our construction sites, in our hospitals, and in our homes.”
Karla De Anda, a workers’ rights and labor trafficking advocate, said she knows nannies and domestic workers who work 14 hours a day, six days a week, for $600. These are typically undocumented women who fear speaking out, more now than ever. And they don’t vote.
Currently a partner at Sugarman & Susskind, specializing in workers rights, Rodriguez also served as assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Labor under Joe Biden. Before that, Rodriguez was a state rep and a state senator until he lost to Ileana Garcia in the stolen District 37 election in 2020, where former State Sen. Frank Artiles ran a ghost plantidate against him.
Read related: Waiting for the other shoes to drop from Frank Artiles arrest in sham senate race
Now, Rodriguez is making wage protection part of his platform in his comeback campaign for Florida AG.
“Unlike other states that aggressively pursue wage theft cases, Florida’s Attorneys General have looked the other way,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve been fighting for workers for years — as an attorney, as a legislator, and in the Department of Labor — and I know the difference it makes when someone stands up for everyday people.
“While workers are losing money they earned, politicians in Tallahassee waste resources on political theater and Washington headlines. As Attorney General, I will enforce the minimum wage law with lawsuits, investigations, and real accountability, because every worker deserves to be paid what they are owed,” Rodriguez said.
“If you work for a living, I am your candidate.”
This is real life for thousands of Floridians, especially in South Florida, where the cost of living keeps climbing while wage protections remain a joke. Florida has roughly 1 million workers who earn minimum wage and who are uniquely vulnerable because former Gov. Jeb Bush had the bright idea of dismantling Florida’s department of labor more than 20 years ago. Efforts by Democrat legislators to establish some replacement have been fruitless.
Meanwhile, counties like Miami-Dade and Broward struggle to do the AG’s job for them, setting up local enforcement systems to catch violators. And not well.
How many billions of stolen wages will it take for someone in Tallahassee to grow a spine?
The post In 2026 Florida AG race, Jose Javier Rodriguez promises to protect wages appeared first on Political Cortadito.

Read Full Story

Six of the 13 candidates in the Nov. 4 Miami mayoral race will face off on stage at the Hyatt Regency downtown for a real, bonafide debate starting at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
They are: Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo, former Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla, former City Manager Emilio Gonzalez, Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins, former Miami Commissioner Ken Russell and former Miami-Dade Commissioner Xavier Suarez, the first Cuban-born mayor of Miami in 1985, wanting a comeback 40 years later.
For those of us who are watching from home — it will be broadcast live on CBS News Miami — there’s something we can do to make it more, um, soportable. This is the first Political Cortadito-sanctioned drinking game and everyone is urged to be responsible and stay put. Don’t pull a Pepe Diaz and get arrested for DUI.
Read related: Miami mayoral hopefuls face off — but only the “top six” make debate cut
Since there are a few expected quips, zingers and BS lines to come out of the candidates’ mouths Tuesday night, why don’t we play along? The rules are real simple. Take a bottle of your choice of alcohol. And then follow these instructions, carefully.
Take a sip or a shot when:

Joe Carollo interrupts someone before they finish their sentence.
Alex Díaz de la Portilla blames the media, the feds, or “political enemies.”
Emilio González says “manager” or “efficient government.”
Eileen Higgins mentions transparency or accountability.
Ken Russell tries to play the peacemaker.
Xavier Suárez references his experience or calls back to the “old days.”

Take two sips or two shots when:

Read Full Story

No walk-ins, no exceptions, no joke
Oye, mi gente, don’t even think about just strolling into the mayoral debate at the Hyatt Regency Tuesday hosted by the Downtown Neighbors Alliance like it’s open mic night at Thank You Miami Cocina and Beer House. Security is going to be tighter than your tío’s guayabera after Nochebuena.
“We’re taking this very seriously,” DNA President James Torres told Political Cortadito. “Think TSA checkpoint.”
And he means it.
After the Ukrainian refugee killed on a public train in Charlotte and the shocking assassination of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk at a Utah university campus event, organizers aren’t taking any chances. No walk-ins. No maybe-I-can-slip-in-with-a-smile.
“This is a ticketed event,” said Torres, adding that a private security firm has been hired to work with Miami Police and hotel security staff. “For the safety of everybody, constituents and candidates, as well.”
Everyone who wants in has to be pre-registered, credentialed, and ready to have their bags searched like you’re trying to sneak rum into Ultra. And it’s already sold out after more than 350 people RSVPd on Eventbrite.
Expect metal detectors, wrist bands, bag checks, and a serious security presence. The goal? To keep the sparks flying on stage, not in the audience.
Read related: Miami mayoral hopefuls face off — but only the “top six” make debate cut
“I have no choice,” Torres said about the safety enhancements. “We know there will be some heckling. But if it gets out of line, people will be escorted out, because it’s a live telecast.”
So if you were planning on showing up last-minute to cheer for your favorite candidate, sorry. You’ll have to watch the fireworks broadcast live on CBS News Miami or the CBS News app, safe and sound on your couch — where the only pat-down is from your dog jumping on you during commercial breaks.
The debate starts at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
The post Security will be tight at Miami mayoral debate post political violence across U.S. appeared first on Political Cortadito.

Read Full Story

The hottest ticket in Miami Tuesday seems to be the circus, er, Miami mayoral debate hosted by the Downtown Neighbors Alliance. The show is sold out. All 350 seats at the Hyatt Regency venue have been reserved. Walk-ins are not allowed due to “security reasons,” (more on that later). So it’s an exclusive gig.
And this show — broadcast live on CBS News Miami — promises more drama than a telenovela marathon.
But don’t expect to see all 13 candidates on stage. Nope. The Downtown Neighbors Alliance (DNA) and CBS Miami decided to whittle the field down to the six who hit at least 5% in a poll of likely voters. So only the “frontrunners” made the cut. Nobody really needed a poll for this, but the debate stage is set for:

Joe Carollo – Known as “Crazy Joe,” or “Loco Pollo Carollo,” the master of vendettas and late-night commission meltdowns will be the first to watch. He talks slow, so it might be difficult for him to get his thoughts out in 30-second shifts. Expect him to bellow. He loves the sound of his own voice.
Alex Díaz de la Portilla – Let’s call him “Cara Dura.” Suspended from office by the guv after he was arrested in September 2023 on 14 felonies, including money laundering and bribery — charges that were dropped late last year —  than election wins in the last decade. He’s still betting Miami voters have short memories. Expect him to blame the radical left and their agenda for his arrest and persecution.
Emilio González – The former city manager is the one who went to court and got the election back on the ballot after city commissioners moved the election and basically cancelled the Nov. 4 mayoral race. He’s been aggressive on the campaign and has a platform of policy that sounds like it should be delivered in PowerPoint. Expect him to focus on efficiency and rooting out corruption and he’ll try to sound like the only adult in the room.
Eileen Higgins – Known as “La Gringa,” mostly because she carved out her county district base in Little Havana, she will try to sound like the smartest person in the room. She has to convince Miamians she’s got citywide appeal and will probably throw in some Spanish because she can.
Ken Russell – You probably know him from TikTok. Mr. Nice Guy, who’s been running for something nonstop since he discovered politics, is going to try to keep things cool and collected. But he also has an impeccable memory of Miami’s reality and could be the only one who brings us back there from time to time.
Xavier Suárez – Miami’s first Cuban mayor and the original “Commissioner Loco,” who now everyone considers their professor, now in comeback mode, trying to look like the elder statesman instead of the throwback candidate, despite the fact that he is the father of current Mayor Francis Suarez. When they talk about dynasty politics, this is a classic case.

All candidates are confirmed, said DNA President James Torres, who told Political Cortadito that this is not a typical kumbaya forum. “This is a real debate. This is not softball,” Torres said. “We are going to be asking the questions the voters want to ask.”
The candidates will each draw a number out of a basket to get a seat and then have a minute to introduce themselves before CBS Miami anchor and moderator Eliott Rodriguez starts the questions. They’ll have one minute to answer and 30 seconds to rebut if their name is said by another candidate. They will also be allowed a two minute conclusion, which Ladra thinks is a mistake. The last time Carollo got two minutes at a Downtown Development Authority meeting, he took six.
This beautiful opportunity presents us with a bunch of possible fireworks displays and other exciting would-be scenarios and, yes, Ladra is salivating.
Carollo and Díaz de la Portilla on the same stage? The DNA should have charged admission to raise funds to fight the DDA (more on that later). Because people would pay to see that. Ladra wonders if Crazy Joe will call ADLP “the mamey king,” as he’s done on his morning radio show, because Alex keeps handing the fruit out as he knocks on doors.
Then there is the Higgins and Gonzalez dynamic. A poll when had those two in a runoff after the clusterbunch Nov. 4, and their respective camps have already attacked each other on a partisan level. It will be interesting (read: awkward) to see them standing together. Ladra hopes the draw numbers to stand side by side.
“I plan to not be part of any dysfunction,” Gonzalez told Ladra Monday.
Read related: Partisan divide is strong in Miami mayoral race, Gonzalez vs Higgins
Higgins is brave if she shows up. First, because she is likely thinking she doesn’t have to, as one of the two frontrunners in that poll, and secondly because this is not her audience. The DNA has been hard on Higgins inaction and lack of engagement on the issue of the Miami Downtown Development Authority, of which she is the vice chair, which has come under fire from the DNA.
Ladra hopes Suarez doesn’t look too lost and Russell doesn’t stay too nice.
All in all, it could be un arroz con mango. Because arroz con mamey just sounds gross.
There are seven other candidates left out in the cold, even though their names will still be on the ballot. Because apparently, democracy has a minimum entry fee now: 5% in somebody’s poll.
Ladra understands the limitation. You cannot have a serious debate with 13 people on the stage and there are some who aren’t serious contenders at all, so why give them the time and space that would be taken away from viable candidates?
The benched wannabes are:

Read Full Story