In their first meeting with the five newlyelected members, the Miami-Dade Commission moved Thursday to poach former Vice Mayor and Budget Director Jennifer Glaser Moon from the newly-elected mayor’s office.
Nobody heard Mayor Daniella Levine Cava complain. Moon is the woman, after all, who said “Under this mask, I’m saying fuck you,” on a hot Zoom mic while Levine Cava spoke, critically, during a commission budget hearing. And la alcaldesa just demoted her in the first 24 hours on the job, stripping her of the transit and elections departments and the vice mayor title, so she could “focus on the budget,” a County Hall insider said.
Perhaps what Vice Chair Rebeca Sosa offered Moon was an out when she invited her to come to their side and become a budget advisor to the board. The new Commission Chairman Jose “Pepe” Diaz said that he wanted to budget another position on the commission and Sosa jumped on the opportunity to get a budget analyst of their very own.
Every other commissioner oohed and aaahed about how great that would be. It is something they have coveted for years. Well, except Commissioner Eileen Higgins who made sure everyone knew it was not a unanimous decision.
Read related: La Alcaldesa Daniella Levine Cava wastes no time to hire, meet with staff
Commissioner Raquel Regalado was already practically salivating about Moon helping to guide future adjustments to the budget. “I hope we can make some changes as we move forward in real time,” she said. “We know there is going to have to be a course correction.”
Higgins likely stayed out because she is an ally of La Alcaldesa Daniella Levine Cava — one of the few left. DLC rubbed many of them the wrong way for the last six years and she beat former Commissioner Esteban “Stevie” Bovo in the race, which some of his pals may never forgive. Commissioner Rene Garcia already came out salty AF.
We could be looking at a weakening of the strong mayor powers under Levine Cava, who won with unyielding Democrat Party support in a supposed non partisan race marked by its partisanship. This might just be the first nick. There are now six Republicans and six Democrats on the commission. The District 8 appointment might tilt the ship left or right, but it’s still more GOP. There used to be seven Democrats and five Republicans, because former Commissioner Xavier Suarez is an NPA.
Wielding power over the county’s $9 billion budget is one of the perks in a position with no vote. It is the crown jewel of the job. Nobody wants to do the rest. Everyone just wants to spend the money.
Read related: Public cut out of final ‘public hearing’ for Miami-Dade’s $9 billion budget
So, does this mean that the mayor has to hire a new budget director? Does it mean that there will be two dueling budgets — the mayor’s and the commission’s — presented every year? Does it mean Moon will have veto power over expenses? Is she, in essence, going to be a 14th commissioner?
This is another coup d’etat happening under our very noses. It’s contagious (Miami has one too). But it’s not entirely a surprise as many political observers expect Levine Cava to clean house (Transit chief Alice Bravo is next).
Well, okay, Moon seemed genuinely surprised by the offer — which did not come with any stated salary or benefit package, which we guess comes later. She said she had to think about it, talk to her family.
“I’m a little embarrassed. I really appreciate what you all are saying,” Moon told commissioners. “Do I have to say yes right now?”
See? She’s negotiating and playing hardball already.
Miami-Dade commission may weaken new strong mayor’s powers on budget added by Ladra on
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