Amid Miami Beach chaos, mayor Dan Gelber raises funds for race

Amid Miami Beach chaos, mayor Dan Gelber raises funds for race
  • Sumo

The videos circulating on social media are shocking: Groups of men pummel people to the ground; women brawl on the street, ripping the weaves from each other’s heads; a man punches a woman in the face and knocks her out; people drink openly in vehicles and, despite closing Ocean Drive — or maybe because of it — traffic is a nightmare.

Welcome to Miami Beach Spring Break 2019, where — despite a public outreach campaign and the expenditure of $700,000 in overtime to put a cop on every corner — the chaos is such that some people in South Beach feel trapped in their homes. Many feel police have lost control.

Where is Mayor Dan Gelber amidst all this? Well, he’s having a fundraiser at the Miami Beach Golf Club on Alton Road Tuesday night.

Gelber, who is so far unopposed, probably scheduled this in advance. But it was poor planning. And perhaps it should be cancelled.

Read related: Miami Beach commission election gets interesting already

After all, if the situation is such that you have to call an emergency city commission meeting for Tuesday morning because your police department is losing control of the streets, then maybe you shouldn’t be asking folks to fund the extension of your job Tuesday evening.

At least one Miami Beach voter posted that “hosting a fundraising event in the middle of the current traffic and crime crisis is an incredibly clueless and callous act.”

Also, Gelber has already raised $71,960 in just one month, according the the last and only filed campaign finance report ending Feb. 28. With no real challenge, he could have easily postponed this powwow.

3 Responses to "Amid Miami Beach chaos, mayor Dan Gelber raises funds for race"

  1. Haaa Haaa,Funny Gustavo,No thank you for Mayor of Miami Beach ! The real power and money is with the City Manager of Miami Beach .Plus I never have given even a dime for any Politicians except for me paying taxes on top of taxes that work against me including services that Miami Dade County taxes many people and Businesses that help the Politicians who work with their Lobbyists ,consultants, Fundraiser people too .Pay to play at it’s finest .These Fundraiser people,Lobbyists ,Consultants with the Politicians here in Miami Dade County would fit right in with the Chicago Politicians !

  2. TOO Many Bad parties in Miami beach While officials are looking the Other Way ? If You don’t Like It Make your mark at The Voting Place . Who wants to go to the beach When All this trash is in it ? I propose Christopher Davis for Mayor ?

  3. WHY DOES HIS CONTRIBUTION LIST INCLUDE SO MANY REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS WHEN THE CITY CODE PROHIBITS REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS:

    Sec. 2-489. – Prohibited campaign contributions by real estate developers.
    A. General. (1) (a) No real estate developer shall give a campaign contribution directly or indirectly to a candidate, or to the campaign committee of a candidate, for the offices of mayor or commissioner. Commencing on the February 15, 2003, all applications for development agreements and for changes in zoning map designation as well as future land use map changes shall incorporate this section so as to notify potential real estate developers of the proscription embodied herein.

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