A political action committee collecting signatures to get three referendums on the ballot in Coral Gables submitted the first batch of petitions Friday for two of the measures. Gables City Clerk Billy Urquia said he received 2,078 signed petitions for a charter amendment to require a voter referendum approval before elected officials can raise their […]
Mayor uses advisory council to push personal agenda Coral Gables commissioners recently got two different versions of Mayor Vince Lago‘s 2023-2025 “strategic priorities plan” within weeks of each other, with one glaring difference: The second one did not have changing the date of the city’s elections from April to November, something that has already been […]
The “undersigned residents of Coral Gables” who supposedly penned the letter to the editor supporting Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago and urging against his recall are a bunch of developers and other Lago lackeys, some with financial interests in the City Beautiful. The content of the letter (which was probably really written by campaign consultant […]
Timing is suspect; alleged violation was six months ago Last week, someone filed an ethics complaint against longtime Coral Gables activist Maria Cruz, alleging that she exploited her official position as a volunteer member of the city’s code enforcement board. The complainant: Rainmaker Brian Goldmeier, a fundraising consultant for many politicians — including Coral Gables […]
No, it’s not a resignation letter. A missive sent to Coral Gables residents by Mayor Vince Lago Thursday starts like he might be announcing his swan song. “Before anything else,” it starts, “I want to thank you for everything you do to make The City Beautiful the greatest place in America.” Tun, tun, tun! Lago […]
A new political action committee in Coral Gables has formed with the intention of getting three charter amendments on the ballot. According to it’s website, Accountable Coral Gables is promoting a change in the election date to November on even years — which there is already a petition being circulated for — the requirement of […]
The debate ended in September, when the new majority on the Coral Gables Commission — Melissa Castro, Ariel Fernandez and Kirk Menendez — voted to keep the Election Day in the City Beautiful in April on odd years rather than move it to the general election on even years. Commissioners also voted unanimously to create […]
The possibility that Miami-Dade Aviation Director Ralph Cutié would become the next city manager in Coral Gables was very short-lived. On Tuesday, Cutié — who oversees operations at the beleaguered Miami International Airport — was named as a potential (preferred?) replacement for City Manager Peter Iglesias, whose third vote for termination from Commissioner Kirk Menendez […]
The city of Coral Gables wants to terminate the lease with Fritz & Franz Bierhaus — a German restaurant that has become very popular, especially for soccer games — but has given the owner three weeks to come up with a proposal at market value rent so he can stay. This is the restaurant where […]
Coral Gables City Manager Peter Iglesias can count. Only because he knows he has three votes, can the manager lash out at Commissioner Ariel Fernandez like he did at Tuesday’s city commission meeting. Se puso feo. “You are the most disrespectful person,” the manager told him. They were talking about the lease at Fritz & […]