Increased property values could = more library hours

Increased property values could = more library hours

Miami-Dade County will see close to 9% more taxes come in next year thanks to increased property values and new construction, according to a report delivered Monday by Property Appraiser Pedro Garcia. Whew! Maybe now we can open all our libraries all five days of a work week? And even add weekends to those that […]

Miami-Dade mayor, lobbyist pals head to Paris Air Show

Miami-Dade mayor, lobbyist pals head to Paris Air Show

Next month, just as county employees hunker down to prepare and/or brace for next year’s budget, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Mr. Giveaway” Gimenez, his chief of staff, at least five other county employees and a few of his lobbyist pals will travel to France for the Paris Air Show and a side trip to Marseille. Ah, […]

Two new county directors include mayor’s longtime aide

Two new county directors include mayor’s longtime aide

UPDATED: The mayor has appointed two women to two department director positions that had been left vacant in recent weeks — and both get about $30,000 more a year. Inson Kim, his longtime advisor who followed him from the District 7 commission office to the 29th floor, will be the director of the Community Information […]

Heat’s sweet Parcel B parking deal causes commission clash

Heat’s sweet Parcel B parking deal causes commission clash

Call to action: Contact info for each commissioner provided so you can tell them to do what’s right 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 […]

For Miami Commission, Teresa Sarnoff leads money race

For Miami Commission, Teresa Sarnoff leads money race

As expected, Miami Commission candidate Teresa “The Missus” Sarnoff — who wants to replace her termed-out hubby Marc Sarnoff — is beating the other candidates in the fundraising department with almost $390,000. To put it in context, that is more than the all the other candidates combined. To put that in context, there are eight […]

Here comes the cash: Parade of new PACs in time for elections

Here comes the cash: Parade of new PACs in time for elections

With elections in November looming in four of Miami-Dade’s biggest cities, and eyes on the local and state elections in 2016, the political action committees are coming. Folks like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera have shown that you don’t need hefty personal accounts if you raise the heavy-lifting funds for […]

Gimenez Vizcaya proposal to take $48 mil out of public eye

Gimenez Vizcaya proposal to take $48 mil out of public eye

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Mr. Giveaway” Gimenez‘s plan to privatize Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, transferring operations to a non-profit board like the one at the county-owned Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, comes just as the public park and tourist attraction considers a $50-million plan to renovate its existing space and expand across the street. […]

Columba Bush is suddenly on twitter, how #convenient

Columba Bush is suddenly on twitter, how #convenient

As he gets ready for formally announce his presidential campaign, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush‘s wife joined the twitter nation Friday afternoon when she issued her first tweet from @ColumbaBush. “Privileged to meet @ICADV leaders while in IA with Jeb this weekend. Join me in supporting Domestic Violence prevention. Call 1-800-933-0333,” she posted shortly after […]

Sweetwater election fallout creates anti mayor majority

Sweetwater election fallout creates anti mayor majority

Who is really in charge in Sweetwater? Some might think it’s the newly elected mayor, Orlando Lopez, who won Tuesday with 55%  of the vote after he booted his main opponent, defacto incumbent acting mayor Jose Diaz, off the ballot when a court agreed with his lawsuit that said Diaz should have resigned his commission […]

Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter kicks off reelection among pals

Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter kicks off reelection among pals

It was like a Sunshine Law violation waiting to happen: All but one of the city council members showed up to the kick off of Mayor Jeff Porter‘s reelection campaign Thursday night — an intimate affair with about 100 or so people in the Champion’s Club at the Miami-Homestead Speedway. In a rare sign of […]