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.
Annette Taddeo for Miami-Dade clerk fills out Christian Ulvert’s dance card
Former State Sen. Annette Taddeo announced Monday that she would run for Miami-Dade County Clerk and Comptroller against Juan Fernandez-Barquin, a former state rep that was appointed to the job by Gov. Ron DeSantis last June.
This completes campaign consultant Christian Ulvert‘s dance card for 2024. He’s got all the five of the big countywide races on his watch. Let’s call it the Ulvert Slate:
Political retaliation in Coral Gables as Mayor Vince Lago loses his cool again
Can you imagine a sports bar without TV screens? Neither can Fernando Yanes, the owner of Bar77 on Giralda, where fans can almost always find a football or futbol game to watch.
Yanes has been working to make the TV screens up against his windows legal since code enforcement cited him last year. The city has a 12 foot setback. But these are screens for his outdoor tables.
Judge scolds, mutes Miami Attorney Victoria Mendez in virtual hearing
Tricky Vicky is also under investigation by the Florida Bar
Coral Gables Commissioner Ariel Fernandez proposes to replace manager
But Peter Iglesias has not resigned or been fired — yet
Old and new PACs start to raise, trade funds again to prepare for 2024 election
Several political action committees had good quarters at the end of the year, according to the latest campaign finance reports filed in January, ending months of reporting zero contributions in some cases.
Citizens for Justice, a PAC for Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle, raised $182,000 between October and November. It hadn’t reported any financial activity since August of 2020. Stuart Miller, co-CEO at Lennar Corporation, gave the biggest gift: $100,000. Real estate developer Michael Wohl gave $20,000 and car mogul Alan Potamkin gave the PAC $25,000, which is more than double the $10K contributed by car mogul Norman Braman. Spice king Joseph Badia gave $10,000.
Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo raises $200K+ for his PAC on non-election year
He isn’t up for election this year, but Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo‘s political action committee had a really good fundraising quarter at the end of the year, getting $202,066 in contributions in the three months through Dec. 31.
What for? Maybe to pay the legal fees for his multiple appeals, since the days of him abusing the city attorney’s office are apparently numbered.
Audrey Edmonson wants Miami-Dade job back, challenges Keon Hardemon
A new PAC for incumbent reported $375 in donations
Feds move to take Joe Carollo’s Coconut Grove house for $63.5 mil judgement
Commissioners wife’s bank accounts could be next
New petition drive aims to oust Miami’s Joe Carollo from Bayfront Park Trust
The battle cry is “Joe must go.” The aim is to remove Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo from the Bayfront Park Trust, where he is chair, because of what downtown residents say is an abuse of his power and mismanagement of Maurice Ferre Park, which is also under the trust’s purview.
In the same 24 hours as U.S. Marshalls posted seizure papers on the door at his Coconut Grove home — in connection with the $63.5 million judgement against him for violating the first amendment rights of two Little Havana businessmen (more on that later) — there’s a petition for Carollo’s removal from the Trust, begun by Downtown Neighbors Alliance President James Torres, who ran for commissioner in District 2 but lost. Torres and many other downtown residents — and anybody with a brain and a conscience — think that the new D2 commissioner, Damian Pardo, should chair these important boards that govern public parks in the heart of the district.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez jokes at SOTC about public trust, transparency
He must have been joking, right?
In his State of the City address Tuesday, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez talked about transparency and public trust.
