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Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosanna “Rosie” Cordero-Stutz touts new RoboCop car
Don’t be surprised if the next Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office car that rolls up on you doesn’t have a cop behind the wheel.
On Wednesday, Sheriff Rosanna “Rosie” Cordero-Stutz unveiled what she claims is the nation’s first autonomous patrol vehicle — a driverless police car that sounds like it rolled straight out of a 2000s sci-fi flick. They even gave it a cutesy name: the Police Unmanned Ground vehicle, or “PUG Patrol Partner.”
Ladra wonders who got paid for that branding job.
Read related: Miami-Dade Sheriff to county leaders: Budget cuts handcuff public safety
The PUG comes courtesy of Virginia-based Perrone Robotics and a one-year pilot program cooked up by a nonprofit called the Policing Lab. And, no, taxpayers aren’t supposed to be footing the bill — at least not yet. Which is a good thing, seeing as how the sheriff was demanding more tax dollars for her $1 billion budget just a few weeks ago. But Ladra can’t help but wonder if Perrone Robotics gets out of it: Data? Footage? What?
The 12-month pilot period aims to evaluate how the PUG affects improved response times, enhanced deterrence, officer safety, and stronger public trust. Miami-Dade is testing ground and this information will determine whether other agencies follow.
But Ladra doesn’t know how they’ll get those metrics if, for now, the robo cruiser — which can drive “pre-planned routes” — is assigned to the department’s Community Affairs Bureau. That means you’re more likely to see it at a parade or a school event with Sberiff Rosie and her entourage than rolling up on a burglary in progress. Like an upgrade on McGruff the Crime Dog.
At least while they work out the kinks — there will actually be a “safety driver” riding along in case the thing goes haywire. So, not exactly “driverless,” huh? The sheriff says it’s to get the public reaction and responses. But doesn’t it have the tech for that?
The vehicle is fully loaded: 360-degree cameras, audio sensors, thermal imaging, license plate recognition, even the ability to launch a drone that gives law enforcement real-time, live footage of a shooting in progress or other critical response scenario. It reportedly can also find someone hiding in the shrubs in a restricted area or a sniper along the rooftop, which is frighteningly becoming more of a thing to search for. Artificial intelligence supposedly automates patrolling and reporting.
Sounds cool until you realize it also means more surveillance toys pointed at you.
“For us, it’s a way to touch this community in a way that we really have never done before,” Cordero-Stutz told WPLG-Local 10 News, calling it a “game-changer.
“We are setting the standard for what will be the future of law enforcement in this country.”
Yikes. What if we don’t want to be touched in that way?
The sheriff says the point is officer safety, faster response times, and stretching resources without new costs. The Policing Lab director, Marjolijn Bruggeling, calls it a “smart, high-tech partner” that frees deputies to focus on “the complex and human side of policing.”
Okay, but forgive Ladra for being skeptical. This is not Miami-Dade’s first foray into high-tech assistance.
Remember the millions poured into ShotSpotter, the gunshot detection system that was supposed to “revolutionize” policing but mostly just misfired? Or the network of license plate readers that promised to catch criminals but ended up tracking ordinary drivers instead? Add the never-ending rollout of body cams, pitched as a transparency fix but plagued by storage costs, delays, and missing footage.
Read related: Miami-Dade could go above and beyond to help ICE with local detainees
Every few years, the law enforcement brass lines up with a new gadget that’s supposed to solve everything from officer safety to public trust. And every few years, taxpayers are left wondering if we bought more bells and whistles than actual results.
So, Ladra has to ask: is this really about “community trust,” as they say — or is it about testing how much robo-policing the public will swallow? Because today, the PUG is just smiling at kids in a school gym, a demo car to rally the crowds at community events. Tomorrow, it could be circling your block with nobody accountable in the driver’s seat.
And if something goes wrong — who are you going to call? The safety driver? The sheriff? Some machine?
If you want more of this kind of independent, watchdog reporting on local government, help Ladra keep the lights on (and the cafecito flowing) with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Drop a little love here.
The post Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosanna “Rosie” Cordero-Stutz touts new RoboCop car appeared first on Political Cortadito.
Vince Lago loves himself, business at Coral Gables State of the City address
Coral Gables Vince Lago gave his fifth State of the City address last month week and, true to form, it was all about him. Except the parts that were about his political enemies, as he made the annual speech an opportunity to attack them. Again.
Speaking to a room full of people at a Chamber of Commerce breakfast, it was almost predictable for him to make it all about the business community. But L’Ego also made it sound like his administration is some sort of Harvard case study in leadership and economic development. He even opened with a Warren Buffett and Bill Gates anecdote about “focus” — because he desperately wants people to put him in their company.
“Focus is what makes Coral Gables special,” he said. And here we thought it was the history-laden Mediterranean architecture and the strict zoning and Miracle Mile and the people. Silly us.
Ladra has heard Lago’s focus speech before. He’s focused on telling you how “fiscally conservative” he is while quietly shoveling tax breaks and red-carpet concierge services to developers and big business. He’s focused on touting “civility and transparency” while using City Hall and his pulpit to attack his political enemies. And now, he’s focused on getting voters to move city elections from April in odd-numbered years to November in even-numbered years — which sounds like more democracy, but also conveniently means that, as an incumbent with tons of money, he’ll have advantages that grass-roots candidates won’t.
The mayor almost didn’t make it to his big speech Thursday, he said. First, he awoke to a flat tire and had to Uber his way to the Biltmore. “And as I stepped out of the Uber, the skies fell on me,” he told the crowd, with a little “how dare they?” in his tone.
Maybe a little foreshadowing, no?
Because once he dried himself off, “in the bathroom,” and got behind the podium, Lago showed us some storm clouds of his own. “Good morning,” he said, and was immediately disappointed with the lack of animated greeting in response. “Either the coffee is not too strong or everybody’s still asleep.”
He never considered the third option: They’re not that excited to see him.
Read related: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago caves on election change; wants public vote
Yes, he dutifully rattled off accomplishments and buzzwords about “innovation” and “resilience,” he reminded everyone about rolling back the commission raises and even name-checked the city’s $4 million annual fund for sea level rise. He called Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson and Commissioner Richard Lara extremely talented attorneys dedicated to public service — and someone at table 10 almost choked on their bread — and showered City Manager Peter Iglesias with compliments.
“It is a privilege having this gentleman running our city,” Lago said.
But he also slipped into unscripted moments that were darker than usual, even for him. “Everybody wants to be my friend now,” he said, acknowledging he has “yes men” who don’t tell him the truth. “But I’m pretty sure that in four years, 99 percent of people who speak to me, probably won’t speak to me.”
Whoa. Somebody’s feeling the weight of the office. But Ladra’s got news for Vince. Not everybody wants to be his friend now.
Maybe it’s because he’s such a sore winner. Lago once again reminded everyone that he rolled back the commission’s “unjustified” 101% salary hike — which is more dramatic than saying they went from $36,488 to $65,000 a year, which doesn’t seem like a lot. The argument in favor was that the salaries were too low and had not been raised for years and that a higher pay would attract better, less corruptible, candidates — which make sense.
But saying 101% makes it look like they get a six figure salary, which is what Lago wants.
And he is sounding like a broken record. Lago won’t move on because he’s trying to squeeze more election juice out of that for his referendum and to hurt Commissioners Ariel Fernandez — who might not even run again — and Melissa Castro, who definitely should.
The mayor bragged about millage stability, even though the Gables cash cow is long fattened on some of the priciest property values in the county, not by the grace of his genius. He crowed about bond ratings, infrastructure modernization, and acknowledgements for the city’s technical prowess. And, of course, peppered the speech with side eye digs.
“As an elected official, you are required to run this like a business. Some people do, some people don’t. They see it as their own personal piggy bank,” L’Ego said, adding that he will look back in pride at his fiscal responsibility, for “always taking into consideration how hard it is for you to make payroll every two weeks.
“We should make every decision thinking about the bottom line.”
He sure knows his crowd.
He name-dropped some of the city’s technical contractors and the large businesses that have relocated to the City Beautiful, like Apple and Ryder. “Coral gables now holds over 8,000 businesses and over 140 multinationals,” Lago said. “Not just because of our locations, but because of our leadership, because of our planning and because of our incredible focus in regards to quality of life.”
He invoked George Merrick in saying the city had and talked about the University of Miami being “a cornerstone of our identity of growth.” He gave kudos to the tech director for “smart city” projects and patted himself on the back “for raising the bar in customer experience,” adding 20 new permitting staffers — because nothing says efficiency like hiring more bureaucrats.
Read related: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago has more city business than we thought
Ladra can’t help but wonder how many of those are going to be specific to the new Permitting Assistance Program, a concierge service to help businesses “open faster.” That must be real music to developers’ ears. It’s not for residents who still have to wait 10 months to get a fence approved. No, it’s another shortcut for friends with projects to get rubber-stamped while neighbors who don’t like the latest oversized box on their block get left holding the bag.
Vince Lago and Mark Trowbridge during the COVID pandemic.
Lago got misty remembering the late Chamber CEO Mark Trowbridge , who died in February after battling blood cancer, and even proposed naming a new downtown park after him, the location of which will be determined later after consulting with Trowbridge’s family. The mayor called it “a symbolic gesture to recognize his extraordinary impact… someone who helped shape the heart of our city.”
It was a touching moment. One touching moment.
Then, he welcomed lobbyist Jorge Arrizurieta as the Chamber’s new boss. Yes, that Jorge Arrizurieta — Lago’s buddy and longtime political insider who has “big shoes” to fill — probably with PAC money and influence-peddling.
Arrizurieta has served on the board of directors for the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and was a Trustee of the Miami-Dade County Public Health Trust. He was Lago’s appointment to the city’s board of adjustments — until someone notified them that he no longer lives in Coral Gables. He is so in Lago’s pocket that he once filed an ethics complaint against activist Maria Cruz, accusing her, of all things, of being an unregistered lobbyist.
It was legally insufficient because it was a lie. Cruz was not a lobbyist because she is not paid to represent any entity. She represents herself and the interest of certain Gables residents. She might be a pain in the, er, neck to some politicos (read: Lago), but she ain’t a lobbyist by any measure. And Ladra suspects that both Arrizurieta and Lago, whose permission he must have sought to file the complaint, know this.
But the people in the audience at the Biltmore Sept. 18 probably don’t know anything about it.
Lago also welcomed attorney Maria Garcia — a partner at Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton — as the chamber’s new chair and presented former chair, Addys Kuryla, with a key to the city.
And of course, the mayor wrapped it all in centennial bunting.
“As we enter our second century, we do so with clarity of purpose. I will continue to lead with civility and transparency,” he said, then went off script. “But I will not bend the knee when I see something wrong. I will continue to lead as I believe the city deserves leadership. We must be strong and make the decisions that are sometimes unpopular.
“No matter the pressure, no matter what they say and what they do.”
Read related: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago scores trifecta on post-election revenge tour
Ladra half expected him to give Political Cortadito and the Coral Gables Gazette a shout-out, like he does at every commission meeting.
So, the gist is that the City Beautiful is 100, and in Lago’s telling, that’s thanks to his civility, transparency, and “focus.” What he didn’t mention is his reputation for hardball politics, his cozy developer ties, or his barely disguised itch for higher office.
So yeah, the state of the city — at least the part Lago wants you to see — is business-friendly, developer-friendly, and Lago-friendly. The rest of us are just supposed to clap politely.
If you want more of this kind of independent, watchdog reporting that takes the spin out of local government, help Ladra with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Click here.
We’re No. 1! Real estate experts say Miami’s housing bubble is about to pop
Miami loves being at the top of lists. Best beaches. Best nightlife. Most international flights. But now we get to add a new crown jewel: world’s riskiest real estate bubble.
A new report from the Swiss banking giant UBS ranked Miami at the very top of 20 global cities in its annual Global Real Estate Bubble Index — meaning our overheated, over-priced, over-hyped housing market is now officially the most vulnerable in the world.
Congratulations to us!
This is what happens when you mix runaway insurance premiums, ballooning condo fees, climate risk, and developers who think they’re selling magic beans instead of bricks and mortar.
Read related: Coral Gables commission ‘fires’ development watchdog P&Z member
The bubble bursting risk score was set at 1.73. Anything over 1.5 is “high risk.” It’s a little bit smaller than last year’s, but still the worst in the world. Median sale prices have dropped to $595,000 in July, down from $640,000 a year earlier. Homes are sitting unsold for months longer than they used to, and sellers are cutting deals below asking. There were 224,165 homes for sale in Florida in July, up 9.3 percent from the same time in 2024.
It’s a steep fall for a city that just a couple years ago was the poster child of the pandemic boom, flooded with remote workers fleeing lockdowns. Tech bros from California and New York snapped up Brickell condos like they were fresh bagels from Dyker Park Bagels. Back then, properties disappeared in bidding wars before the ink was dry. Now? Listings are piling up like sandbags before a hurricane.
UBS analysts warn that Miami probably won’t see a 2008-style collapse. There’s still that tax-friendly, coastal-paradise shine. But affordability is at an all-time low, speculation has divorced prices from reality, and Florida as a whole has shed more than $100 billion in housing market value in just the past year. Miami’s housing market reported the lowest price growth since 2012 at less than 2%.
And Miami isn’t alone. Tokyo and Zurich also landed in the “high risk” zone, while LA, Dubai and Amsterdam are considered “elevated.” But our Magic City stands out as the epicenter of volatility — once the boomtown of the pandemic, now a case study in how quickly the party can end when the bills come due.
So, Miami, pop the champagne if you want. We’re No. 1 again. Just don’t expect to find affordable housing when you stumble home.
Read related: Miami Dade College gifts Donald Trump land for his library — and a hotel
And you know what’s coming next: The mayor and commissioners will act like they didn’t see this report. Instead, they’ll blame their predecessors, Tallahassee, or even the condo boards — anyone but the developers and speculators who bankroll their campaigns.
Don’t be surprised if we see a ribbon-cutting for another luxury tower before anyone at City Hall admits the market is teetering.
If you want more of this kind of independent, watchdog journalism — and less of the spin — help Ladra keep the lights on (and the cafecito flowing) with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Drop a little love here.
The post We’re No. 1! Real estate experts say Miami’s housing bubble is about to pop appeared first on Political Cortadito.
Daniella Levine Cava gives Higgins the expected abrazo in Miami mayor’s race
We all knew it was coming, but Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava made it official Wednesday, wading into the Miami mayoral election, backing her political BFF, County Commissioner Eileen Higgins among the 13 candidates.
Nobody is surprised. But the timing might be key: It comes 12 hours after a less-than-lackluster performance by Higgins at a mayoral debate hosted by the Downtown Neighbors Alliance.
Read related: One-liners and other memorable moments from Miami mayoral debate
La Alcadesa’s press shop put out a glowing endorsement calling La Gringa “ethical” and “results-driven” and listed off Levine Higgins’ greatest hits: affordable housing, smarter transit, small-business grants, tree planting, plastic-cutting, fertilizer bans. It was as if she was checking boxes. Echoing the candidate’s first video ad, Higgins “has a clear plan” to get it done, the mayor said.
“Eileen Higgins delivers for people — plain and simple,” Levine Cava gushed.
Ladra has been watching these two walk in lockstep for years. Higgins has been one of Levine Cava’s most reliable allies on the dais, backing her housing plans and climate measures and showing up for the photo-ops. They’ve practically co-hosted groundbreakings together. And they share a brain in political consultant and former Democratic Party operative Christian Ulvert.
So of course Daniella was going to bless her campaign for Miami mayor. Who else was she going to endorse? Joe Carollo? Xavier Suárez?
For her part, Higgins said she’s “honored,” for the mayor’s support. “We share a commitment to restoring trust in government and putting residents first,” she said in a statement. There was nothing about sharing the blame for a $400-million budget shortfall that caused much handwringing last month and a $93 million hole that still exists in the county coffers (more on that later). But Higgins did promise to cut red tape, bring transparency, and make City Hall “a partner, not a roadblock.”
Sounds nice, though Ladra will believe it when she sees it. City Hall has a way of swallowing reformers whole. Two words: Damian Pardo.
Read related: Poll has Eileen Higgins in Miami mayoral runoff with Emilio Gonzalez
Higgins is running for the seat vacated by the termed-out Mayor Francis Suarez against 12 other wannabes that include Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo, former Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, former City Manager Emilio Gonzalez, former Miami Commissioner Ken Russell and former Miami-Dade Commissioner Mayor Sir Xavier Suárez.
A poll weeks ago had her heading into a runoff with Gonzalez, but Russell — who came in third — inched up a few notches after Tuesday’s debate, since he was more willing than Higgins to go toe to toe with ADLP and Carollo, and not afraid of throwing the dynamite.
Reached by Political Cortadito, Gonzalez told Ladra that he was not surprised that Levine Cava would support her ally.
“The same commissioner who voted for a budget that left taxpayers with a $400 million hole despite record property values,” said Gonzalez, who last week announced a bunch of law enforcement endorsements. “Where did the money go? Into waste, perks and giveaways, not into solving the real crises families are facing.”
To be fair, the county mayor and commission closed shortened the gap to about $93 million that needs to be found by midyear.
Still, Levine Cava’s endorsement gives Higgins a little extra boost as she tries to separate herself from the crowded field. She’s already got labor unions, EMILY’s List, Equality Florida and Ruth’s List in her corner, not to mention bragging rights for being the only candidate who qualified by petition signatures. And now she’s got the county mayor’s seal of approval, which comes built-in donor networks, ground game machinery and establishment clout.
But Ladra can’t help but wonder if it also comes with some baggage. Miami voters don’t exactly swoon over County Hall meddling in city business. Levine Cava has her own critics who accuse her of being too cozy with developers, too involved in the non-profit industrial complex, too slow on housing affordability, or too eager to chase headlines. If Higgins becomes “Daniella’s candidate,” she risks carrying those grievances into the city race.
That’s probably someone polled DLC’s pull in the city this last week, before making the nod public.
Read related: Partisan divide is strong in Miami mayoral race, Gonzalez vs Higgins
And let’s not forget — in Miami politics, endorsements don’t always translate to ballots. Sometimes they just remind voters of the backroom club they don’t belong to. And let’s not pretend this was some bold, game-changing move. This was expected. Levine Cava and Higgins are cut from the same cloth — progressive, policy-heavy, coalition-friendly.
Daniella just made it official with a big, warm abrazo.
The real question is whether Miami voters — who have been burned again and again by promises of “integrity” and “accountability” — are willing to believe it again.
For more independent coverage of the Miami elections, support the watchdog journalism on Political Cortadito with a contribution. Every little bit helps keep Ladra’s bark loud and her bite sharp.
The post Daniella Levine Cava gives Higgins the expected abrazo in Miami mayor’s race appeared first on Political Cortadito.
One-liners and other memorable moments from Miami mayoral debate
Miami’s mayoral circus came to the Hyatt Regency Monday night, where six of the 13 hopefuls — which already felt like too many — crammed onto a stage for a debate that was more cafecito-fueled food fight than civic forum.
Traffic, flooding, homelessness, affordable housing, legal fees, corruption — they were all on the agenda. But what really animated the night were the sharp elbows, the personal digs, and the not-so-subtle reminders that Miami politics is still more blood sport than policy seminar.
There’s a lot to unpack here, so this is just going to be Ladra’s first pass. We still have to do a fact check on a lot of the claims that were made. And a breakdown of how each candidate answered (or not) questions about the issues. Stay tuned for all of that.
Read related: Miami mayoral hopefuls face off — but only the “top six” make debate cut
But we can immediately celebrate the zingers and one-liners that came from former Miami Commissioner Ken Russell and former City Manager Emilio Gonzalez, who were both the best prepared and who Ladra declares the winners. Russell, in particular, outperformed Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins, who is competing for the same votes and is supposed to be the front runner.
“I did leave ten months early on an eight year term, but I didn’t leave in handcuffs, like you,” Russell told former City Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who was suspended from office in September 2023 after his arrest on public corruption charges including bribery and money laundering, which were dropped late last year. ADLP — who was alternately defensive or dismissive when he wasn’t beating his chest about vindication — had just attacked him.
“You ran for three different offices when you were commissioner. You left early. You had a hissy fit. You ran out of your last meeting. You never passed anything,” Diaz de la Portilla said, although Russell did pass legislation as a commissioner. “So you are not going to be the leader of anything, or the adult in the room. You are the child in the room.”
Maybe The Dean should look in a mirror. Then he would see how much eye-rolling and smirking he did at his coming out party. Diaz de la Portilla acted like a sleepy toddler from the beginning — he was either late or hung back to make an entrance, depending on who you ask — to the end. He barely answered questions, using his time to hit Russell and Higgins. He used his closing two minutes, instead of talking about what he would do as mayor, attacking Higgins with some anti-woke babbling that isn’t going to play in that room.
“You want sanctuary cities? She’s to my left,” he said, pulling out that old communista card at the end of the night. “Defunding the police? She’s to my left. Cashless bail? She’s to my left. You want Miami to look like Portland or Chicago? She’s to my left.”
Maybe he was recording it for an out-of-context commercial. Nah. Because he looked drunk, angry and stupid. It was hard to watch because he was once drunk, giddy and brilliant. Someone mentioned that it seemed like alcohol has degraded his brain. He said the word “absurd,” a lot. It’s one of his favorites.
Read related: Eileen Higgins qualifies for Miami mayoral race, launches new video ad
And he pulled out the old “not one of us” card. “Just because you have a Cuban coffee and you play dominos does not mean you are part of that Cuban community,” he said, to Higgins. Is he going to recycle his “Cuban, vote for a Cuban,” mailers?
Diaz de la Portilla also seems like he he is running either to (a) redeem himself after his arrest — which is why the “political persecution” schtick is such a part of his campaign — or (b) help out his old frenemy, Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo, who he left almost hand in hand with, or shoulder-to-shoulder, all buddy-buddy, like they have a secret pact or something (more on that later).
Higgins looked tired — like her bedtime was approaching — and didn’t bring the energy she had at the Florida Rising candidate forum. That was also more her crowd. Tuesday’s shindig was hosted by the Downtown Neighbors Alliance, which has been critical of Higgins’ stance — or lack thereof — on the Miami Downtown Development Authority, which takes an additional tax from downtown property owners who want it to be eliminated.
She gets points for showing up at all, since her camp seems to think she’s going to win it anyway. And she gets points for sticking with the DDA in an anti-DDA crowd, explaining that she doesn’t think the city would provide the additional services that she, the only candidate who lives downtown, pays extra taxes for. She didn’t backpedal. Good for her.
But for all her talk about going to Washington and pulling federal dollars back home, Higgins seemed at times like a deer in the headlights.
And the headlights were Carollo and Diaz de la Portilla, who win first and second place, respectively, in who not to vote for. Higgins just doesn’t know how to deal with these two blowhards, who turned that stage into a Miami city commission meeting, circa 2022. There were times La Gringa threw her arms up in despair, practically begging the moderator, CBS Miami News Anchor Eliott Rodriguez, to moderate. But there was nothing he could do. He is but a mere human.
Someone desperately needed a chancleta.
And Russell must have done something terrible in a past life to have drawn the lucky podium between Carollo and ADLP, who took turns attacking him. He held his own. At one point, he quipped that Diaz de la Portilla wanted to rebut every time someone said the word “corruption.”
Read related: Miami’s Alex Diaz de la Portilla arrested on corruption, pay-for-play park deal
While Higgins and Gonzalez got the most applause — each from their own grupito of friends — Russell got a lot of unexpected laughs from the audience and, Ladra dares say, probably turned some votes. He shook off the nice-guy underdog vibe and his performance — sharper, more confident, more mayoral — pushed him up a notch closer to the perceived front-runners and made him look like a real contender.
Gonzalez also did well. He got what was arguably the biggest applause when he reminded people that he was the one who got the mayoral race back on track the ballot after the city commission voted to change the election from odd- to even-numbered years, which effectively and conveniently extended everybody’s terms by 12 months.
“I am the only one on stage here who is not a politician,” Gonzalez said. “But for me, we wouldn’t even be in this room.”
He talked about is daughter not being able to afford to live in Miami and a lot about corruption — “it isn’t even individual corruption, it’s systemic corruption” — and his relationships in Tallahassee and Washington. “I’m the common sense guy.”
Ladra thought his closing statement had too much about his 26 years in the military, especially with what’s going on across the country with the president trying to send troops into U.S. cities. But Gonzalez said he focused on his teaching gig at West Point — the instilling of “character” and always choosing what’s right over what’s easy — and he connected with the crowd, which was made up of a lot of his friends and supporters anyway.
“The bottom line is leadership. The mayor sets the stage, sets the tone, sets the tenor.”
And, yet, his best moment was probably when he accused Carollo of shaking people down for 40 years. “I guarantee you, people aren’t giving you money because they believe in your Judeo-Christian values,” Gonzalez told him.
Read related: In Miami mayoral bid, Emilio Gonzalez goes for the law and order vote
Carollo’s tone and tenor throughout was angry and defiant. He asked Gonzalez how he paid the legal fees for his lawsuit against the city — which is ironic since the city has paid millions in legal fees for Carollo — and suggested that the former manager’s firm, at which he is a partner, invested $500,000 in the campaign because they want something in return. “He’s going to be their consultant, making money on the side,” Carollo bellowed.
At one point, Carollo yelled at the audience, which booed him regularly. “Wait a minute! This is a democracy! You let me speak,” Carollo shouted, even though he went over the time limit almost every time he spoke.
And, of course, he attacked the media, too, for the coverage of the jury award of $63.5 million against him for violating the First Amendment rights of two Little Havana businessmen — and scores of others — for having supported his opponent in the 2017 election.
Former Commissioner Mayor Sir Xavier Suárez is a nice person and a statesman who doesn’t belong in this clown car. Ladra almost forgot to write about his participation because it was meh, even though he got some polite applause and a few uncomfortable laughs. He joked about being an “inverse dynasty,” because his son — the current mayor — was 8 years old when he became the first Cuban-born mayor of Miami.
But he seemed stuck in the past, talking about 1985 and 2002 because he wants to sound experienced. But he just sounded old and out of touch. He opened with a quote, which we should have all known he would do, and plugged his website, one of his books and one of his white papers.
Professor X still has a lot to teach us. He should stick to that. Maybe do a YouTube channel.
Still, he was much better than Carollo, who was easily baited by the mere presence of award-winning filmmaker and Miami activist Billy Corben, one of his most prolific critics. “These are the people who want to support this guy,” he said, pointing to Gonzalez, because Carollo would much rather face him in a runoff than Higgins. “Is this how he’s going to run City Hall?”
At least Suarez looked and sounded like he wanted to be there.
In his closing two minutes, Russell suggested the audience check out the other seven candidates who weren’t invited on the stage because they did not get at least 5% in a poll of likely voters. But first time hopeful Kenneth James DeSantis, a late entry into the race who calls the guv “Uncle Ron,” was in the audience. And he got an education.
“For me, it was a real missed opportunity not to be on that stage, because after watching it, I know I would have held my own,” DeSantis told Ladra. “What struck me most was how much a circus it became, from beginning to end. From a group of supposedly seasoned candidates, I expected more statesmanship and sharper debate skills. Some couldn’t even deliver a coherent closing statement. There was a clear lack of decorum and seriousness, at least from several of the contenders.”
Apparently, he hasn’t seen a single city commission meeting.
“It felt like watching the old guard cling to the past, and it reinforced exactly why Miami needs fresh leadership,” DeSantis said. “Our city deserves better than what we saw on that stage.”
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 One-liners and other memorable moments from Miami mayoral debate appeared first on Political Cortadito.
Anthony Rodriguez, Florida lawmakers discuss elimination of property taxes
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.
In 2026 Florida AG race, Jose Javier Rodriguez promises to protect wages
¡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.
Let’s get sloshed! Drinking game may make Miami mayoral debate tolerable
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:
Security will be tight at Miami mayoral debate post political violence across U.S.
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.
Miami mayoral hopefuls face off — but only the “top six” make debate cut
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:
