A longtime advocate of clean water and Everglades restoration, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava — who boasts the nickname “Water Warrior” — will work with other electeds across Florida to address the algae blooms and other water quality issues that plague the state.
Levine Cava was selected to serve on the Florida Association of Counties’ (FAC) Water Policy Committee alongside 36 other county commissioners from across the state’s other 66 counties.
Read related: Daniella Levine Cava defends Everglades — and democracy
“I am honored and excited to represent Miami-Dade County on the Water Policy Committee as water is our most critical natural resource,” Levine Cava said in a statement. “Water is the foundation of our communities and our economy; it must be protected and conserved.”
As a member of the Water Policy Committee, Levine Cava will take her conservation agenda and get to address the widespread water crisis affecting Florida coastlines, lakes, springs, estuaries and rivers.
“A number of local leaders from across the state stepped forward to participate,” said FAC President and Hendry County Commissioner, Karson Turner. “This committee represents the diverse water needs from every water basin in the state and their commitment to their communities and willingness to address these recurring issues head on.”
The committee was created with a mission for counties to set policy priorities on the local, state and federal level and will work with the state and Governor Ron DeSantis who signed Executive Order 19-12, in response to the algae blooms that last year threatened our ecosystems — and our tourism — shortly after being elected. In addition to securing $2.5 billion for Everglades restoration over the next four years, and placing a priority on water quality and supply, the order emphasizes the need to engage local government officials in the protection of Florida’s vulnerable coastline and natural resources.
The Water Policy Committee will meet for the first time during the FAC’s Legislative Day in Leon County on March 27. More information and a full list of the Water Policy Committee members — Lee, Martin, Marion and Volusia counties got two commissioners on there instead of just one — can be viewed on the FAC website: www.fl-counties.com.

Read Full Story

A Miami Beach community activist and PTA mom has filed to run against Miami Beach Commissioner Ricky Arriola in this year’s November election.
Monica Matteo-Salinas, chair of the board of the Miami Beach Community Development Corporation, filed paperwork on Friday to run for the Group V seat, which is currently occupied by Arriola, who is only in his first term. So let’s not mince words: This is a challenge.
Bold move for a political newcomer.
“Am I excited? Yes. Am I scared? Gulp, yes,” Matteo-Salinas wrote on her Facebook wall. “But it has always been my DREAM to run for office. Win or lose, this is who I am. From PTA mom to community activist, I have a big mouth – and an even bigger brain. And I’m not afraid to use them!

“My journey starts today. Stay tuned!”

But Matteo-Salinas is not entirely new to the political scene. She has served as Florida Director of the Campus Election Engagement Project, a non partisan effort to increase the student vote in federal, state and local elections, for the last two years. Simultaneously, she was campus coordinator at Miami-Dade College for the Institute for Civic Engagement and Democracy and Vice President of Advocacy for the PTA at her sons’ school.
She also spent three years as a development manager at Catalyst Miami, a non profit that helps other non profits on the ground with community building initiatives and that was founded by Miami-Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine-Cava. She is an advocate for human rights, quality education & affordable housing.
Expect her to get a lot of Democratic Party support.
Also expect years of mismanagement at the Miami Beach Community Development Corp. — which received millions in city grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Develoment to become a campaign issue. There have been maintenance issues at public housing units, a six-figure deficit in the budget and friction with Miami-Dade County, which has taken over at least two properties. An audit of finances in 2013 found evidence that funds were misspent on ineligible expenses. The executive director resigned, two city officials quit and a third was fired.
But Matteo-Salinas, who inherited many of those problems when she joined the board in 2015, has taken steps to rectify the issues. But she may come under fire for efforts to turn the Capri Apartments into market-rate housing, which happened after she came on board.
Read related: Miami Beach mayor invites Castros to open Cuban consulate
She has to be better, though, than the hand-picked lackey that former Mayor Philip Levine put up there to vote for his items. Arriola — who went to Cuba as a tourist and wanted to bring a Cuban consulate back to Miami Beach — has since aligned himself with Mayor Dan Gelber.
Just a couple of weeks ago, he voted to make another lackey, former Commissioner Joy Malakoff, a commissioner again, to serve out the remainder of the term vacated by Kristen Rosen-Gonzalez.
Ladra would not be surprised if he simply backs down and doesn’t run for re-election.

Read Full Story

Florida Watchdog: DeSantis issues one-year deadline to eliminate all “vestiges” of Common Core

Sentinel: Gov. Ron DeSantis pushes to expand scholarship for students with special needs

Sun-Sentinel: More secrecy in Broward schools: Even School Board members can’t attend Parkland meetings

TCPalm: Millions for textbooks may be on hold after DeSantis announces end to Florida Standards