Call me cynical. But doesn’t it seem like Miami-Dade Commissioner Lynda Bell — who is fighting for her political life in the 
most heated commission race this year — has had a slew of publicity stunt events in recent days?
There’s no doubt that Bell is active year round, taking part in community events, working at area businesses for her “Work Days” initiative or sponsoring something or other every now and then. But there is also no doubt that she has stepped it up a notch in recent weeks as her re-election is solidly challenged by newcomer Daniella Levine Cava, a social services agency director whose momentum must be scaring the commissioner.
Bell served slices and pizza pies at Sal’s Italian Restaurant in Cutler Bay last Friday during one of her “work days” when she visits area businesses to see what a day in their life is like.
A few days before that, she was “pleased to announce” that the Miami-Dade Public Housing and Community Development was accepting online applications through July 21 from low-income families who wish to be placed on a waiting list for efficiencies, one-bedroom and two-bedrooms units in the Moderate Rehabilitation program.
Earlier this month, she took part in the street-naming ceremony for John F. Cosgrove Way, a stretch of U.S. 1 named for the founding mayor of Cutler Bay. Last month, she sponsored a free citizenship workshop at the library in Cutler Bay and attended a ribbon-cutting of a 100-unit affordable housing complex.
This week she sponsored an ordinance that would require former city employees or electeds, to wait four years, rather than two, before they can start lobbying the commission. Because she is suddenly anti lobbyists?
Last week, she sponsored an ordinance that regulates animal breeders and limits their breeding of dogs or cats to once a year. She calls it her anti puppy mill ordinance and says that this helps efforts to make Miami-Dade a no-kill shelter for animals, like the Pet’s Trust people wanted and got the community to vote for, but which she ignored at the time.
“We must make Miami-Dade County a more humane county,” the commissioner said at a press conference, where she got some free air time on TV. “And we can’t let dollars be our guiding principle when it comes to how we treat our animals.”
Ladra bets the Pet’s Trust people will be happy to hear that, since she has been voting against their $19 million initiative to curb strays and stop the killing a
t the shelter, a measure approved by 64% of the voters but which Bell has helped stall.
Nothing like a tough re-election to make you rethink things.
But, no, the animal lovers are not biting.
“It really is appalling to me to see this new puppy mill bill just passed by Commissioner Bell called a ‘landmark’ bill,” said Michael Rosenberg, founder and president of the Pet’s Trust. “It is another band-aid that does not stop the overpopulation, and does nothing to stop businesses from getting these puppies from out of state, where most come from.
“Commissioner Bell had a landmark bill in her lap — and she dropped it. She sponsored the Pets’ Trust [initiative], 45,000 people in her District voted for it, and she could have been the national spoke person for a program that would help end the killing of millions of animals around the country,” Rosenberg said.
But it’s so much easier to just hand them free food!
This weekend, Bell’s hit the motherload of election-time publicity stunts: The commission vice chair will be distributing packages of food — and exchange old and inefficient showerheads and lightbulbs for the new, more cost-effective ones — to the lucky first few hundred people who show up at the South Dade Government Center, 10701 SW 211th Street, from 9 a.m. to noon.
The event is being done in coordination with Farm Share and just by coincidence comes on the weekend before the absentee ballots are mailed to people’s homes for the August 26 primary. What happy timing!
After all, why go knock on doors when you can reach voters by having them come to you and handing them some free onions and bananas?
Lynda Bell gives away free food days before ABs drop added by Ladra on
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Farm Share is one of the Community Based Organization (CBO) that received $600,000 from Miami Dade Tax payers in 2013-14 to provide food to residents that need assistance,so yes it is with tax payers money and donations from the farmers down south. The police officers and a Sergeant from the South District were taken off the road and assigned to work Lynda Bell’s food distribution. These officer could be on the road handling calls for service as Mayor Gimenez wants the Economic Crime, Child Exploitation,Robbery Detectives and specialized units that are proactive preventing & solving crimes to be. But no, Commissioner Bell wants them for her special events. If you drove or had to walk by the dumpsters next to the South Dade Government Center you would see garbage, empty boxes and over 130 boxes FULL of tomatoes,yes FULL of tomatoes!!! They have been in the sun and of course are now ROTTING and covered in flies, the stench is unbelievable, Lynda Bell has no respect for the residents of Cutler Bay or Miami Dade County. Would she have left this garbage and trash next to her officer in Palmetto Bay where the tax payers pay rent for her office to one of her largest campaign donors? Of course not, she and her staff did not have to walk past this disgusting mess. According to her and the Mayor the overpaid garbage men/women can clean up her ROTTING food, bread & garbage bags full of trash, some not even in bags.Commissioner Bell also threw the light bulbs and shower heads in the pile without bags, hopeful the county employees that clean this up don’t get cut by the broken bulbs and who knows what else on the ground. I am sure Farm Share and the farmers that donated the food to be given away would want it left to rot,I will forward them the pictures so they can see what Comm Bell does with their donations. There are several churches in Cutler Bay that have food banks, as well as many other churches that would have more than happy to give to families on Sunday at church. Pine Wood Villas Retirement community in Cutler Bay for low income residents could have offered it to their residents. There are many CBO that the county gives money to that also provide food and meals for needy families, perhaps they could have used it. Commissioner Bell should be ashamed that she did not use the resources available to her, the elderly community she uses for photo ops for votes or the other community organization that receive tax dollars from the tax payer. I hope others will think twice before they attach their names and reputation to Lynda Bell, she will do nothing but bring them down. I hope other CBO that receive tax payer monies are not as wasteful and inconsiderate to the community they are helping.
Another corrupt politician in Dade County using discretionary funds ($800K yearly tax dollars) to buy their job again. This type of politicking has to stop, enough they live off the backs of the working class here in Dade while helping themselves to millions of dollars helping the rich. New stadiums, renovations, tunnels, then they want county employees to take cuts due to their overspending. ENOUGH!
Daniella Levine Cava represents herself and herself only. Farmshare food giveaways did not cost the tax payers anymore money. As the food is donated/purchased through federal, state, and local grants. And what’s wrong with giving food to needy people? According to Bell’s Facebook they served over 3,000 people?!?! Obviously there is a need and she was there serving the people. And Michael Rosenberg please go get a life and leave the tax payers of “Band-Dade County” alone once and for all! Your ballot item was a straw poll and only a straw poll! The voters were outraged to hear taxes were going to be raised and commissioners still found a way to work towards a no-kill shelter without raising taxes.
I never said it was a taxpayer event, I said Lynda doesn’t pay for any of it, ever.. but since you point out farmshare is a grant driven program, maybe I was wrong, it was taxpayer support event after all.
However I believe Ladra’s point is from all appearances, the sole purpose of this event is to buy PR for Lynda, maybe some donations are involved but with planning, logistics and staffing with county employees for the purpose of Lynda’s reelection.
A less flattering but more accurate description is Lynda is being a media whore. Not than that is newsworthy but the fact she is cranking it up now is telling how far down she realizes she is to a political newcomer she failed to take seriously.
Oh Pluzzzzzzzzze. Take a picture.
But, as the few folks that meandered in, there was a lady who pulled in driving a Mercedes who hopped right in line.
Where do you think grants come from whether they are local, state or federal? The Good fairy? The money comes from the taxpayer. I more than once have seen the budget cuts limit Farm Share, sending people flying off to lobby in Tallahasse and County Hall.
Grants fund the work the government often chooses not to do. However, it is NOT the job of the grantees to support political agendas and events. But, I am sure as I can be, that giving out free food on government property right before an election is not the intent of the grantor.
Every food bank has a location and a process which determines who is the recipient. Whether or not farm share does their own families or supplies food through other agencies is determined by the grantor.
And trust me, when a commissioner or state or federal rep approaches a food bank or any other grant funded service agency, they will do back flips to accommodate the politician. They know what side their proverbial bread is buttered on.
Twice now I’ve been told to get a life. Between writing songs, my piano playing, movies, traveling, reading, writing, hanging out with friends, going out to restaurants….I think I have that life.
But, after going into the killing room of MDAS, I witnessed a horror that needs to end. The Pets’ Trust was all about creating a solution….not the Band-DADE’S that the commissioners have done. We wanted to end the overpopulation and killing.
Yes, it was a straw ballot because legally that is the only method allowed to do this. However, you need to understand that all the commissioners said they would honor the will of the people. That is why we did it. Before we started, the commissioners told us if we were successful, they would do as the people said. We worked four months…non stop…to educate the community. WE WERE TOLD IF WE WON….THE VOTE WOULD BE HONORED.
You know what happened. Please watch. If you were an elected official that had 500,000 votes, and someone tried to take it away, would you run and hide?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLMLOz8kC8E
Ok Mother F Linda Bell
Cuban FBI, I’m sure you were not brought up by your mother otherwise she would have taught you a better language. I guess those that have nothing to say always end up cussing.
Christine,
Did you read the plan? If you would like to discuss any of this, please let me know.
There is nothing to hide.
Michael
Christine:
I was there. You are not being truthful.
There was a PBA campaign sign on a truck. It nothing to do with Ms. Cava… no food, just an A-frame sign and no people with it.
In fact, Lynda called cutler bay and complained and whined. Is she so worried that she is afraid of a stupid sign?
Please don’t lie Christine. There is always someone who knows the truth.
Christine you sound like Linda mother f bell.
Let me start with Rosenberg. I guess he will try to damage the campaign of those who did not vote the way he liked. Not only the Commissioners but many people are questioning who will be handling the money? Rosenberg? Sir, get a life you could do better and be more effective by working with the Commissioners and not against them. It is not as easy as 2 +2 = 4.
As to Commissioner Bell’s distributing food along with Farm Share. Hmm!! I have news for you. Cava which has no integrity or self respect also has a truck delivering food at the same time. This is Commissioner Bell’s event. If Cava had some decency she would respect Bell’s event. She could have done her some other time or at a different location. Hope the constituents see through Cava for what she really is.
Dear Christine,
It has nothing to do with “not voting the way I liked”. I am only one vote. There were 45,000 VOTES to save our animals in District 8. Those people spent hours in line to vote, and THEY are the ones we are now fighting for. We want their votes to count. Ms. Bell said she would listen to those votes, and she didn’t. You should be as upset as we are. That is…if you believe voting mean anything.
Then you have the “who handles the money question”, implying it would be me!!! Do you believe the commissioners would write a personal check to me for 19 million dollars and say…good luck?!?!? I keep hearing this over and over.
If you care for the truth, read the Mayor’s Plan of action and you’ll see all the details. This plan was signed by the Mayor and approved by all 13 commissioners. You will see who controls the money and how it would be spent.
http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/legistarfiles/Matters/Y2013/130924.pdf
Please try to find the part that says Michael Rosenberg gets the money. If you can find it, please let me know so I can quit my job!!!
You told me to “get a life”. I do have a life, and part of that life is trying to help save the lives of so many animals. If you voted for the Pets’ Trust…thank you…if you didn’t…..let’s take a trip to the killing room, and watch animals be killed, one by one because of overpopulation. That is why we are doing this. It is that experience that drives me. Tens of thousands of animals killed for no reason over the years.
As for working with the commissioners…they are the ones that agreed to put this issue on the ballot, and told us to educate the public. We did try working with them. Some honored that commitment..other’s didn’t. It is that simple.
Now we fight for our democracy….and we will not give up on our animals. If the will of the people means anything to you…..help us find leaders that respect that MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
Oh my God! The poor people got even more food than they expected. How evil.
Then again, why is my tax money going to a food giveaway that is clearly a political photo-op for Bell.
The Pets’ Voice wants to make this perfectly clear.
Lynda Bell sponsored the Pets’ Trust. When you sponsor something it means you BELIEVE in it, and should fight for victory, and never give up. She gave up.
These are her words……
“You know what, this puts it in the laps of the residents, and it says…YOU decide yes or no whether or not you would like to support the Pets’ Trust. I would like to co-sponsor, but we are giving the residents the choice”.
We believed in those words. We campaigned and galvanized the community as the commissioners challenged us to do. We educated the people…and most importantly….not only did WE WIN…but the community won. People from all over came together. 500,000 strong!!!
Then…the SPONSOR……did not FIGHT for us.
We pleaded with Commissioner Bell to do the right thing. She did not listen, but instead became part of the “band-DADE” solution.
Luckily we live in America where the choice is….keep it as it is….or change it.
45,000 people in District Eight voted and said….DO IT!!! What do you do when the elected official, THAT REPRESENTS YOU does not listen….the SPONSORING elected official, no less, does not do it?
It is our duty to make a change.
If a commissioner cannot abide by “Government of the People”, and decides it is a Government of Self Interest……it MUST be changed.
We believe that Daniella Levine Cava will bring that change.
Watch for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLMLOz8kC8E
Funny, NOW she embraces the South Dade Gov’t center as the heart of district 8 when she needs to connect with “her people” Wonder why she doesn’t want food needy people to see her actual six figure palatial district office 20 minutes away in the heart of Palmetto Bay?
Well, maybe she can do something nice up there next, after all it’s not like she actually pays for any of these events.
Call me cynical? Call me depressed! Depressed that voters actually fall for this shit. If it weren’t for the fact that she was barely elected with a majority four years ago, I would just say you all reap what you sow.