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The Miami Heat organization’s sweetheart deal with the county to lease Parcel B next to the American Airlines Arena for its overflow parking and event staging — and a suggestion that the team’s owner pay fair market value for the prime waterfront property, instead of the bargain basement way-below market prices they pay now — turned into a territorial pissing match last week between two of our county commissioners.
Apparently, and preposterously, Miami-Dade Commissioner Audrey Edmonson thinks that property is hers. She seemed to indicate Tuesday that because AmericanAirlines Arena and the surrounding county-owned properties lie in her district, only she can make suggestions or decisions about the best use of that Parcel B, which, by the way, is yours and mine as much as it is hers or anyone’s.
In fact, Commissioner Juan “Zorro” Zapata was representing all of us across the county when he brought the item up again last week, an item he has been dragging through the process since last summer, when he first suggested that the county (that’s us, by the way, not you, Commissioner Edmonson) get (A) an appraisal and (B) rent that is closer to what the land is worth. Especially in light of the fact that we, the taxpayers who voted for that sports complex to happen, have been screwed for years on the participation rent — as the Heat artificially inflated costs to share less revenue — and especially given that the Heat gave us Parcel B back when they realized they would have to repair the seawall, at a cost of about $6 million.
Read related story: Mayor, Miami Heat bait and switch to ‘better deal’ for who?
The appraisal provided a fee schedule for everything from private parties ($2,500 a day) to carnivals ($18,000 a day) to outdoor concerts ($36,000 a day) and, yes, even valet parking for the Miami Heat ($4,000 a day) and staging for concerts and events inside ($1,100 a day). The proposal seemed to fix a bad deal where we are undercharging right now, as per market value. Zapata’s resolution would have thrown out the agreement we have now — which gives them that land for $80,000 a year to use basically as a surface parking lot that likely generates a tight little profit for ’em — and provide a new one for $230,000 a year.
That’s only $150,000 extra county revenue every year. I bet the Heat can still turn a profit on it.
Ladra can’t help but wonder if that is what the sports organization pays in yearly retainer to lobbyist Jorge Luis Lopez — photographed here with his third NBA championship ring — and if Edmonson wasn’t actually protecting County Hall’s favorite palm greaser rather than the voters in her district, and in the rest of the county as she swore in her oath, who certainly could use the additional funds in our budget. Put it toward books or something.
“If you’re going to do this for one parcel in this community, you need to do it to all parcels in this county. There has not been any kind of fee schedule for any other piece of property,” Edmonson said. “It seems we are singling out one parcel.”
Por supuesto we are singling out this one parcel. This is the parcel where we are currently being robbed.
“This property is unique,” Zapata said, adding that you cannot compare it to any other county parcel because of this situation with the Heat. “This was supposed to be park space. It never became park space. It just became space that was used by other folks for convenience for commercial purposes with not enough benefit to the county,” he said.
Edmonson should have been co-sponsoring this, not fighting it tooth and nail. But being singled out was only her first argument against it. The second was that the proposal didn’t allow the commission to waive fees or provide discounts to non-profits they deem worthy. But it does. Zapata’s resolution
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Face facts people…it will never change.
As long as people like Ralph Garcia-Toledo and Jorge Lopez are pulling at Mayor Toolboy’s knickers, nothing will change in this town. They will have the money to outspend and quash any viable competition. Garcia-Toledo, or “Pizza the Hut” as he is referred to on the 29th floor of County Hall, is as corrupt and unethical as he is overweight. Jorge Lopez is a self-promoting scumbag whose days can’t end soon enough.
Face it people, long lost are the days of decent people running this town.
The Mayor has surrounded himself with absolute garbage…from the previous two clowns to Heckler (while he’s out yanking on the DGA’s checkbook to make a living, all his clients are moving over to more effective firms) to Llorente (another lowlife, just ask the coeds in Tallahassee)…the list goes on and on. And now this ignorant, barely-coherent Commissioners are just falling in line.
Thank you to Juan Zapata and Xavier Suarez for continuing to put up the good fight. The rest are garbage.
But again, when special interests are paying for their festivals and message and ground game, it is unrealistic to think anyone has a shot.
So strap in people, cause it’s about to be strapped-on and given to you.
If there was any law enforcement agency worth its salt in this state López and that crew of lobbyist gangsters would have been convicted and imprisoned long ago but that is impossible based on the fact we are saddled with the most corrupt county mayor and State Attorney in all of Florida. So, for the time being, we will continue to give up our green spaces, paying through nose in tolls for public roads and public parks our taxes have previously paid for and electing connected hoodlums who care little about civic life and more about how to enrich themselves while in public office.
Parcel B should be a park, just like Commissioner Zapata said. The Miami Heat promised to build a park, including a mini-soccer field on that site. Instead the Heat parks trucks and toilets there. Audrey Edmonson being lobbied by Jorge Luis Lopez? Can’t Edmonson think for herself?
Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners
The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) are the people elected in 13 districts to represent citizens of Miami-Dade County.
Governance
The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners is the governing body of unincorporated Miami-Dade County and has broad, regional powers to establish policies for Miami-Dade County services. The government provides major metropolitan services countywide and city-type services for residents of unincorporated areas.
Miami-Dade has a MAYOR with the POWER TO VETO COMMISSION ACTION ITEMS. In January 2007, the Mayor was given additional powers providing for the oversight of the day-to-day operations of Miami-Dade. The Mayor can only serve two terms of four years.
Through ordinances and resolutions, the 13-member Commission sets policies and establishes laws for the community. Miami-Dade County is structured into 13 districts. Residents choose only from among candidates running in the district in which they live. Commissioners are chosen in non-partisan, single-district elections and can serve two four-year staggered terms, with elections scheduled every two years.
In November 2012, the Miami-Dade County Term Limit Amendment was approved, modifying the County charter to establish term limits of two consecutive four-year terms.
Adopted Resolution R-688-14 Mover: Juan C. Zapata
Seconder: Audrey M. Edmonson
Vote: 9 – 0 Absent: Monestime , Heyman , Suarez , Bell
File Number: 141158 File Type: Resolution Status: Adopted Version: 0 Reference: R-688-14 Control: Board of County Commissioners
File Name: RECOMMENDED FEE SCHEDULE FOR USE OF PARCEL B
Introduced: 5/19/2014 Requester: NONE Cost: Final Action: 7/17/2014 Agenda Date: 7/15/2014
Agenda Item Number: 11A7 Notes:
Title: RESOLUTION DIRECTING COUNTY MAYOR OR MAYOR’S DESIGNEE TO EMPLOY APPRAISER TO APPRAISE PARCEL B OF THE FEC PROPERTY, WHICH PARCEL IS LOCATED BEHIND THE AMERICAN AIRLINES ARENA, TO ASSESS ITS FAIR MARKET RENTAL VALUE AND TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT TO THE BOARD FOR ITS APPROVAL A RECOMMENDED FEE SCHEDULE FOR USE OF PARCEL B BASED ON THE RESULTS OF SUCH APPRAISAL; AND ESTABLISHING BOARD POLICY TO FUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT COUNTY PARKS WITH FEE REVENUES REMAINING AFTER PAYMENT OF COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF PARCEL B Indexes: NONE Sponsors:
Juan C. Zapata, Prime Sponsor
Month-to-Month Extensions of Permits
Administrative Order 8-5 currently provides an administrative process for issuance by the County Mayor or County Mayor’s designee of a one-year permit, plus a one-year renewal term for private businesses to conduct private business on any County property. Such permits are issued for short-term concessions, use of parking lots, and similar County revenue-generating contracts with private businesses, usually for special events or when there is a need to provide certain goods and services to the public that are not currently provided by the County. Such permits are intended to be used while a competitive process is underway for the use of County property. There is currently no authorization provided in the existing Administrative Order 8-5 to allow the County Mayor or County Mayor’s designee to extend such permit until a competitive contract is awarded. As such, the proposed Implementing Order 8-5 includes new language, authorizing the County Mayor or County Mayor’s designee to extend revenue-generating permits on a month-to-month basis when such a situation exists. This change is not intended to diminish the County’s long-established competitive bidding process, and the County will follow all applicable competitive procedures in awarding concessions, leases, or related contractual agreements.