The most interesting thing that happened at the Miami-Dade County Commission meeting Tuesday — besides a little fight over a tiny parcel of vacant land in Palmetto Bay (more on that later) — was the debate over who has the better head of hair: Vice Chairman Anthony Rodriguez or Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera.

“The guy who buys gel by the ton is talking about the guy who buys hair dye by the ton,” said Chairman Oliver Gilbert, about Cabrera and Rodriguez, respectively.

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The Miami-Dade Commission talked about garbage this week. Not the usual garbage. Real garbage.

Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has suggested a $36 annual garbage fee increase — or $3 a month — as part of her 2023-2024 $11.6 billion budget. To keep the current $509 annual fee would mean a cut in services, she said. But county commissioners, who approved her tiny. fake tax cut — a millage decrease that doesn’t actually cut anyone’s taxes — balked and deferred making any decision until Sept. 6.

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All five new county commissioners were sworn in at separate ceremonies Tuesday after winning their elections Nov. 8 or in the August primary.

Miami-Dade Commissioner Anthony Rodriguez didn’t have to go to a runoff after getting 56% against three other candidates in the District 10 race to replace termed-out Javier Souto. The former state rep (Republican, District 118, Westchester) had State Rep. and future Speaker Daniel Perez (Republican, District 116, Kendall) swear him in.

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Marleine Bastien and Kevin Marino Cabrera won their respective races

The last two new Miami-Dade Commissioners to be elected Tuesday couldn’t be farther apart on the political spectrum.

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DEVELOPING STORY: Coral Gables Commissioner Jorge Fors, who is in a heated runoff for the Miami-Dade Commission seat in District 6, has filed a lawsuit against his opponent, GOP political operative Kevin Marino Cabrera, over what he says are lies and “doctored images” of Fors in a series of mailers.

“I won my current seat in 2019. I know South Florida political campaigns can get ugly, but this is beyond the pale. Enough is enough,” Fors said in a statement. “Cabrera showed us he will do or say anything, even outright lies, to get elected.”

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When did we decide that forums were better than debates? And why? Spoiler: They’re not.

The first commission candidate forum put on by The Miami Foundation was boring enough that Ladra recommends a recording, if they have one, but only for anyone having trouble getting to sleep. Yawn.

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