Juan Zapata’s ‘West End’ is criticized — with poetry

Juan Zapata’s ‘West End’ is criticized — with poetry

Weak. That’s what Michael Rosenberg thinks of “West End,” the catchy neighborhood name that Miami-Dade Commissioner Juan Zapata came up for his West Kendall/Hammocks district. Rosenberg, president of the Kendall Federation of Homeowners Associations and the founder and executive director of the Pets’ Trust, didn’t like the way Zapata just changed the name of his […]

Gimenez on Matthews: Campaign optics, not leadership

Gimenez on Matthews: Campaign optics, not leadership

Breaking news: Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez is Cuban again. Gimenez wrote a letter to TV show host and author Chris Matthews Thursday blasting the political pundit, host of MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews, for his comment about a boring GOP debate without Donald Trump. “Whose going to watch a debate between the two Cuban guys,” […]

All about the optics: Cops ‘graduating’ class is just for show

All about the optics: Cops ‘graduating’ class is just for show

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez is all about the optics. Under fire on an election year for letting the police department get dangerously understaffed, Gimenez will attend a ceremony Thursday for the “largest graduating class” of police officers. But like a lot of other things the mayor does, it’s not entirely true and mostly for show. […]

More protesters than audience at Carlos Gimenez SOTC

More protesters than audience at Carlos Gimenez SOTC

If you take away the employees who had to be there — the deputy mayors, the directors and assistant directors, the police command staff — and the mayor’s family, the press and the family members of the three employees he decided to highlight in his State of the County address, the lobbyists and the students […]

Carlos Gimenez: Same ol’, same ol’ at SOTC (enter year here)

Carlos Gimenez: Same ol’, same ol’ at SOTC (enter year here)

Wednesday morning, some of us heard another State of the County address that sounded a lot like the last State of the County address a year ago. Maybe that’s why there were almost more people outside protesting the mayor (more on that later) than inside listening to him talk and talk and talk. It’s almost […]

County commission says adios to local Cuban consulate

County commission says adios to local Cuban consulate

Hey, President Obama: We don’t want your stinkin’ Cuban consulate here. Okay? Let the spies go to Tampa or Key West. That’s what Miami-Dade Commissioners told the leader of the free world last week when they voted to approve a resolution that urges the federal government to seek another location for a consular office to […]

County moves special taxing district funds to cities’ control

County moves special taxing district funds to cities’ control

As part of the effort to right the ship with the special taxing districts that were getting charged too much or too little, county commissioners will consider on Wednesday a move to put the control of those neighborhoods — and their special taxing monies — in the hands of municipalities.  Not only will cities and […]

A tale of two Uber laws — and the main differences

A tale of two Uber laws — and the main differences

Two competing ordinances to finally regulate “ride sharing” services or “TNEs” like Uber and Lyft will likely dominate the already full-agenda Miami-Dade County commission meeting Wednesday. We know taxi cab drivers are already a staple in commission chambers whenever this comes up (and sometimes when it doesn’t). And now, Uber has rallied riders to flood […]

As regulation looms, Uber goes mafioso with ad campaign

As regulation looms, Uber goes mafioso with ad campaign

For about two years, Uber has been operating its alleged “ride sharing” service illegally throughout Miami-Dade, picking  passengers up and taking business from taxis and causing a ruckus at County Hall. And now that there is going to be a serious consideration of rules they might have to adhere to, the company has launched a […]

Bruno Barreiro to speak at Beach Tuesday Breakfast Club

Bruno Barreiro to speak at Beach Tuesday Breakfast Club

This week’s speaker at Miami Beach’s first Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club of the new year is Miami-Dade County Commissioner Bruno Barreiro, whose district includes the seaside city. Barreiro has been the commissioner for District 5 since 1998, when he won a special election after then Miami-Dade Commissioner Bruce Kaplan was arrested for mortgage fraud and […]