Miami is a fast paced community with a rapid fire news cycle. Our blog keeps you current on the most important issues affecting the tax payers of Miami-Dade county. Read, share, comment, and as always let us know what topics you want us to tackle.
Miami’s Tower Theater could be given to Bay of Pigs vets for museum, housing
Miami City Commissioner Joe Carollo wants to turn over the operation of the historic and iconic Tower Theatre — South Florida’s highest-grossing art-house cinema and home of the Miami Film Festival — to the Bay of Pigs Veterans Association.
The non-profit — which has a museum and library in a house nearby dedicated to the April 17, 1961 invasion of Cuba by the 2506 Brigade — could also enter into a lease with the city to develop a museum and affordable housing in the theatre’s parking lot.
Miami-Dade commissioners more than double compensation in budget vote
But county ‘ambassadors’ program with $25K stipends was killed
Joe Martinez suspended hours before final budget hearing; no replacement
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis finally suspended Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez Tuesday, three whole weeks after he was arrested on public corruption charges for allegedly taking $15,000 in exchange for sponsoring legislation that would benefit the owners of a shopping center and grocery store.
Martinez, who attended the first budget hearing and voted against it, did not return calls and texts to his phone. But he has previously said that he will speak when he can, by which he means after the trial is over or when the charges are dropped.
Former fire chief is on the short list for Joe Martinez seat in Miami-Dade
Add former Miami-Dade Fire Chief and ex president of the International Association of Firefighters Al Cruz to the shortlist of District 11 residents who could be appointed to replace Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez, who is facing a public corruption trial.
Gov. Ron DeSantis hasn’t yet suspended Martinez, who was charged with unlawful compensation for taking $15,000 in exchange for legislation. But he’s given every indication that he will. Someone close to the talks about Grumpy’s replacement told Ladra Wednesday that the governor said he would name someone in a couple of days. Is that two? Yeah, this feels like a Friday thing.
Joe Carollo’s war with Virginia Key smells of future development coming
Developing story: Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo lo tiene metido con Virginia Key.
It’s not just the ludicrous idea of shipping the city’s homeless to an encampment on the historic property. It’s not just the retaliatory raid he orchestrated on the concessionaire who had been there for five years.
Miami commission approves $2.5B budget, tax break at Saturday hearing
Miami Commissioners approved a $2.5 billion budget Saturday after almost zero discussion and a weekend public hearing that lasted about two hours.
They call it a $1.5 billion budget, but that’s just for operating expenses. The capital projects budget is almost another $981 mil.
Don’t live in Miami? Commissioner Joe Carollo says your opinion don’t matter
If you don’t live within the city of Miami boundaries, don’t bother to care about it’s businesses or it’s residents or it’s history or it’s future. That’s what Commissioner Joe Carollo said Saturday when he dismissed a speaker at the budget hearing who was making a plea for more transparency and more sustainability funding.
First, Jeanette Ruiz, program director at the Miami Climate Alliance, thanked the commission for the Saturday hearing, which she said makes it easier for people who can’t go during the week to participate in the process. But Ruiz also said more had to be done to promote or announce the hearing.
Miami-Dade passes $10B budget w/ tiny tax ‘cut’ and shady ‘ambassadors’ fund
About six hours after the first public hearing began Thursday, Miami-Dade Commissioners gave preliminary approval to the mayor’s $10 billion budget, which focuses on affordable housing, infrastructure and clean water while cutting the tax rate by 1%.
“This year we will continue rebuilding our community and economy stronger than ever by prioritizing critical investments in making Miami-Dade more affordable and livable, upgrading our infrastructure for future prosperity and resilience, helping small businesses thrive, and connecting residents to opportunity,” Mayor Daniella Levine Cava writes in her budget message.
School Board rejects LGBTQ+ History Month as casualty of ‘Don’t Say Gay’
After about six hours of emotional public commentary and discussion among the Miami-Dade School Board members, the decision was made not to recognize October as LGBTQ History Month, as they had in 2021.
A non-academic, mostly symbolic item that passed last year 7-1, failed this year 8-1, revealing a seismic shift in policy driven by the state’s sweeping swing to the far right.
Ron DeSantis to suspend Miami-Dade’s Joe Martinez–when he finds a stand-in
It’s just a matter of when.
Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters on Wednesday, at a press conference about toll rebates, that he will eventually suspend Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez, who was charged last week with unlawful compensatio. Prosecutors allege he took $15,000 in exchange for sponsoring and writing legislation for a couple of District 11 business owners.
