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 make it fair across the board. When the pension was suspended in 2009 at the height of the city’s financial woes, it cut off future commissioners but current commissioners at the time were grandfathered in. “It should be either all or none,” Gabela said, even though those electeds were vested in an existing pension program and had defined benefits that could not be removed without risking legal action.

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As Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo is termed out of office and mulls a ridiculous run for mayor — everyone knows he can’t win citywide — it is looking like his old opponent, Alfonso “Alfie” Leon, may run for the open seat again next November.

“I am planning on running again. Will be making an announcement soon,” Leon texted Ladra after she called and texted him to confirm his intent to run. The personal injury attorney was in court Friday and said he would call Political Cortadito next week. But we couldn’t wait to share the news.

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Victoria Mendez sure knows how to land on her feet.

The former Miami city attorney, unceremoniously fired for incompetence and conflicts of interests, is also in the midst of a Florida Bar investigation. Yet, she’s winning awards and landing a new job.

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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 Gabela and Joe Carollo, who seem to have formed an alliance.

Ew.

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Residents continue lawsuit to block amendment

Voters in the city of Miami voted yes down the line to three referendums on the Aug. 20 ballot. The first two questions will replace the city’s auditor general with a new office of inspector general, which has broader investigative powers. More on how that office will work later.

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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 that have the potential to blow up.

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