The Florida Public Service Commission should change its name. Because it is of absolutely no service to the public.

This week, the PSC approved an $811-million robbery, er, we mean rate increase for poor, old Florida Power & Light over the next three years. The utility giant was looking at a measly $1.6 billion in projected revenue next year, according to quoted experts. That just wasn’t enough for those greedy corporate monsters, who by the way got a $75.5 million rate increase approved in 2010 and both a $350 million and a $620 million rate hike in 2013. I guess we should consider ourselves lucky they didn’t get the whole $1.3 billion in increases that they asked for this year.

The amount approved translates to an increase in profits to 10.55% for the giant utility and its shareholders and about $13 more a month for the average 1,000-kWh user by 2019. The average monthly consumption for the 8.9 million residential customers in Florida is about 1,141. Observes say the average bill of $132 a month will go to $147 or so by 2019. Half of that increase will be seen in the bills that arrive in January (about $7 for the 1,000-kWh user).

Not only did the five-member PSC approve this, it did so unanimously and with no discussion of the objections raised by others, like the Sierra Club, which argued that the expansion of natural gas hurst the environment, and AARP. which argued the return on equity for investors was too high and called instead for a $300 million rate decrease for residential customers. Both organizations delived thousands of petitions and comments from Florida residents urging the PSC to deny the increase.

Instead of approving more natural gas plants, the PSC should be making it easier for consumers to choose solar.

Other critics said the ruling flies in the face of the FP&L-backed amendment rejected by Florida voters Nov. 8 which would have limited consumer’s ability to use solar energy. The voters have spoken and we have said that we want solar energy alternatives. We don’t want FP&L to build two dozen new natural gas plants that we don’t even need.

It’s amazing that they would not even discuss how this ruling aligns with the stated desire of voters. Aren’t they the Public Service Commission? Key word: Public.

But while the AARP and Sierra Club fight our battles, where are our esteemed electeds? Why weren’t they at the PSC hearings advocating against this? How come none of the county lobbyists paid with taxpayer dollars were in Tallahassee urging the PSC to reject the rate increase? Why is it that the AARP, which seems to be doing all the heavy lifting in this fight, is the one calling for regulatory reform?

Where are our esteemed electeds?

Newly-minted Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, who in November beat incumbent Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla — who, ironically, works for FP&L as a lobbyist — is the first to cry foul, calling the rate “disappointing” — an understatement when he could have said it was highway robbery — and calling it “further evidence of the need for reform in Florida away from a monopoly system overly controlled by a small handful of giant utilities.”

I’ll say.

“That’s bad for the consumers, bad for the market, bad for the environment and ultimately bad for our democracy,” J-Rod added in his statement.

But from the rest? Nada. Silence.

But even though I suspect other Democrats who have spoken against the rate increase — Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner, Miami-Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava — might make statements of their own, J-Rod is a lone Democrat voice in a field of Tallahassee Republicans who have long defended FP&L’s hold over us.

Maybe what we need is a Democrat at the PSC. Under former Congressman Joe Garcia‘s watch — he was chairman of the PSC from 1991 to 2000 — FP&L lowered rates by $1 billion, the single largest energy rate cut in Florida’s history.

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez will meet Wednesday afternoon with Meg Daly and Parker Thomson, founder and president and the director, respectively, of the Friends of the Underline, a group of activists who want to transform the stretch of land underneath the MetroRail tracks into a 10-mile linear park and bike/walk trail from Brickell to Dadeland.

It’s a brilliant idea that should be supported. Gimenez has long been a supporter of the Underline, which he mentioned in his State of the County address earlier this year and featured in an ad for his recent re-election campaign.

But we were supposed to break ground in 2016– and now it’s been pushed back to the Fall of next year.

Last week, Friends of the Underline collected $47,000 in donations during Give Miami Day. Twenty percent, or at least $24 million, of the estimated $120-million project — which will be designed by James Corner Field Operations the firm that designed New York’s High Line — is to be raised from private donors. So far, Swire Properties has donated $600,000 and three other developers donated $75,000 in total.  The Knight Foundation gave $515,000.

According to published reports, the $120-million price tag is divided into three parts: $80 million for the trail, $20 million for intersections and $20 million for destination parks.

Each portion also has its own budget and finance sources, according to a story in the Real Deal, which reports that $7 million in public funding has already been secured for the Brickell segment of the trail. That breaks down to $3 million from Miami-Dade County, $2 million from the state of Florida, $1 million from the Florida Department of Transportation and $1 million from the city of Miami, which has committed $50 million in impact fee monies.

Ah, that must be it. Gimenez can sniff out a new public trough from miles away and under water. He smells money he can direct toward his friends and family. It’s only bonus that most of the public money comes from the city of Miami.

May Ladra suggest that Daly and Thomson, whose name was spelled wrong on the mayor’s calendar, watch the budget and the awarding of contracts closely?

The mayor’s meeting with the Friends from the Underline is at noon at County Hall Wednesday. It’s clear after that.

He beat a bribery rap in federal court. Then he won several judicial rulings to get back into his elected office to finish out his term. He even beat a possible DUI investigation when he hit a tree on the side of a road and ran away from the accident on foot.

It took voters in Miami Lakes to finally take Mayor “Teflon” Michael Pizzi out — of office.

Pizzi solidly lost the mayoral runoff Tuesday to Councilman Manny Cid, who promises to usher in a new era. It was a massive rejection for Pizzi — who was first elected a Miami Lakes council member 16 years ago — with a 77 percent vote to bring in someone new, likely elating most of the council members and several resident activists who have been battling with the beleaguered politician for years.

Read related story: Michael Pizzi makes it a three way race in Miami Lakes

“It’s time for new leadership. That was our message from the beginning,” Cid told Ladra. “We’re closing one chapter and opening another one. It’s definitely time to move forward.”

How will he be a different mayor than Pizzi?

“One thing I’ve always been focused on from the beginning is accessibility and transparency,” Cid said. “For a long time, there have been open wounds in this community. We need to heal.

“I will be a mayor for all, regardless of whether they voted for me or not.”

Even for Pizzi, who wished Cid well as the two left a voting location at the end of the day. A little birdie told Ladra he even saw them hug. Pizzi must have known he was toast.

Read related story: Young GOP VIPs back Manny Cid for Miami Lakes mayor

At a victory party Tuesday night, Cid thanked Pizzi for his 16 years of service and told supporters that he would focus on fostering unity on the council so he can promote his vision for the town, which he plans to announce at a press conference Wednesday morning.

“My vision is one of a new genertion for this community,” said Cid, 33, who championed for the town to get control of its special taxing districts (done) from the county and for Miami Lakes to have its own city postal destination — instead of Miami or, worse, Hialeah (still working on it).

He says the priority for the next few years will be addressing traffic issues.

“My vision is to work with all the stakeholders for the benefit of Miami Lakes,” Cid said.

Some of those stakeholders might include charter school czar Ignacio Zulueta and his family, who contributed at least $3,000 to Cid’s campaign, according to his finance eports. Real estate investors and former partners of former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina, Marty Caparros and Alex Ruiz, contributed $5,000, but Ladra was told that Ruiz is a high school buddy. Zachary Exposito and his family, who own construction firms and car washes, gave at least $2,300. And then there were mulitiple lobbyists who donated, but lobbyists give in every race, don’t they? He also got a lot of support from realtors and realtor PACs.

Read related story: Michael Pizzi wins Round 1 vs Miami Lakes for legal fees

Cid outraised and outspent Pizzi, the incumbent, with $105,000 collected as of Nov. 24. Pizzi had raised almost $70,000, including nearly $10K to a PAC run by Charlie Safdie.

The contributors include attorneys David Reiner, Clay Reiner and Ben Kuehne, who represented Pizzi in both the bribery trial and the lawsuits to regain his seat.

Pizzi has sued the city for $2.25 million to pay the fees for his legal dream team, which included six other attorneys who did not give a cent.

The three who did gave $2,500 between them.

Miami-Dade is going to own Tallahassee this year.

Half of the leadership positions in the Florida House — the most powerful half — have gone to 305 legislators, giving the Miami-Dade delegation a louder voice in how priorities are sought and funded in the Sunshine State.

It starts at the top with State Reps. Jeanette Nuñez (R-West Kendall) as House Speaker pro tempore and Carlos Trujillo (R-Doral) as chair of the appropriations committee. Then we have State Rep. Jose Oliva (R-Miami Lakes), presumed the next Speaker of the House, serving as chair of the Rules & Policy Committee, and Reps. Jose Felix Diaz (R-Kendall) and Michael Bileca (R-Pinecrest) serving as chairmen of the Commerce and Education committees, respectively.

We haven’t had that many reps in leadership positions since… well, Ladra can’t remember when.

State Rep. and Speaker Pro Temp Jeanette Nuñez looks over the rest of the House leadership team from the 305 squad: (Clockwise from top left) Reps. Jose Oliva, Carlos Trujillo, Jose Felix Diaz and Michael Bileca

These are, arguably, the most important committees. And it could translate to a big year for Miami-Dade issues and projects. Tallahassee is a trickle up process. The agenda for those different policy areas are dictated by the chairmen of the committees. No education bill will move without Bileca’s approval. No bill on insurance, workman’s comp, gaming, energy, alcohol or tobacco will get to the floor without Pepi Diaz giving the green light. Oliva basically decides which bills make it to the floor, which Nuñez will now help run as Corcoran’s No. 2.

Appropriations is perhaps the most important because it has to do with the money. The pet projects all have to go through this committee — and Trujillo’s hands. He can rack up a ton of favors. 

“We are the leadership team,” Trujillo told Ladra. “Issues dealing with education, all policy, insurance and budget are controlled by Dade County. We have a seat at the table, influencing the decisions that are made.”

His priorities, he said, are going to be passing a balanced budget and increasing state reserves. “We will face a $1.8 billion dollar shortfall,” Trujillo told me about the upcoming session.

The number of local legislators in positions of leadership might be an indication that, after many years of infighting and bickering, the delegation has matured and there is a unified front that is gaining respect.

This could represent a legislative bounty for Miami-Dade residents in issues that are near and dear: changes in insurance rates, funding in education, funding for Jackson, funding for the Port of Miami.  

Nuñez, for example, has long waged war against MDX and their power to increase tolls. She may gain traction on this front this year because of the 305’s leadership role. Not necessarily because she will champion a bill. Committee chairs and Nuñez will be too busy to present their own bills this year. Its because she’s got more palanca now.

“People across the capitol and in the House know it’s important to the delegation,” Trujillo said.

What he didn’t say is that what’s important to the delegation just became important to them. Didn’t it? 

It should be a very good year for us.

No matter how they feel about the presidential results of last week’s election, the victory over the proposed and misleading solar choice amendment, which was soundly defeated, and the 72% turnout in Miami-Dade will be celebrated Wednesday when the League of Women Voters of Miami-Dade County gets together for a post-election gathering.

“I know that we are all dealing with the election results in our own way and within our respective organizations,” wrote League President Susan Windmiller in an email Monday.

“However, we should take some comfort in knowing that the voter turnout in Miami-Dade was 72%! and that we defeated Amendment 1 re: solar energy, a real David v. Goliath victory!”

She also wants to focus on the impact that the presidential election results could have in increasing popular participation in politics. The non-partisan group, famous for its voter registration drives, also takes on policy issues and is currently focused on advocating campaign finance reform.

“The League believes that there is tremendous opportunity for engagement in democracy like never before and we very much look forward to working with you in the weeks ahead,” reads the email announcing the post-election Cocktails and Conversation event, which begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Made in Italy in Wynwood, 10 NE 27th St.