The accolades are ridiculous.
Over and over again — at the city commission meeting Thursday, on Spanish radio, on the internet, in the street — people keep thanking Miami Mayor Francis Suarez for his veto of the self-serving lifetime pensions for electeds that commissioners had voted earlier this month to give themselves.
Some voters in Miami Lakes got a long, rambling text message about the village mayoral election — but not from one of the candidates. It was from former Mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi , who recently got a $1.7 million settlement from the city for his defense costs in a federal bribery trial.
Vice Mayor Antonio “Tony” Fernandez, who is running to replace termed-out Mayor Manny Cid, voted against the settlement. And Pizzi is trying to make that seem like a bad decision.
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.
But voters can always split this baby
The Miami-Dade County Elections Department finished on Wednesday an in-depth test of its voting equipment in preparation for the Nov. 5 general election.
The “Logic and Accuracy Test” is the final test prior to equipment deployment for the election, a department statement read. Each step of the voting and tabulation process was tested: ballots were cast according to a predetermined outcome of a mock election, the votes were tabulated, and reconciled to ensure they were counted accurately.
Earlier this year, the Florida Legislature made significant changes to condominium laws to enhance the safety, financial transparency and governance of condo associations. These new changes, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, were mostly in response to the tragic 2021 collapse of the 12-story Champlain Towers South in Surfside, which caused the deaths of 98 people.
These changes — which include stricter qualifications for and accountability from board members — have been the topic of radio shows and podcasts. Several elected officials have had public forums for the community to discuss the consequences and provisions of these laws. Now it’s Miami-Dade Commissioner Rene Garcia‘s turn.
