Miami-Dade junket to Japan is latest trip on La Alcaldesa’s world tour

Miami-Dade junket to Japan is latest trip on La Alcaldesa’s world tour

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Commission Chairman Oliver Gilbert and several county commissioners and staffers are in Japan on an “outbound mission” to encourage business and economic development, growth, expansion, trade, tourism and cultural exchanges. A delegation of public officials and about 30 business leaders left Nov. 25 for the trip to visit Tokyo and […]

Miami-Dade moves to negotiate lease for one new airport hotel, not two

Miami-Dade moves to negotiate lease for one new airport hotel, not two

Second place bidder almost gets ‘consolation prize’ Miami-Dade leaders have long wanted to have a four-star hotel at Miami International Airport to elevate the facility to world class status and give overnighters a decent place to stay on campus. The Miami International Airport Hotel is more than 60 years old and an embarrassment, county commissioners […]

Chairman Oliver Gilbert doles out committee seats; some win, some lose

Chairman Oliver Gilbert doles out committee seats; some win, some lose

Miami-Dade Commission Chairman Oliver Gilbert assigned new committees and appointed the commissioner who will serve as chair and vice chair of these new committees, which are often where the details of projects and policies are debated. Every woman on the commission got a chairmanship, which means that five women will be chair of something or […]

Miami-Dade commissioners more than double compensation in budget vote

Miami-Dade commissioners more than double compensation in budget vote

But county ‘ambassadors’ program with $25K stipends was killed Ka-ching! Right after denying property owners an additional percentage or two in a tax break, Miami-Dade Commissioners on Tuesday approved a budget that more than doubles their compensation to a whopping $138,000 a year in a sneaky move that took many — including commissioners — by […]

Commissioners go out of their way to defend, promote moving the UDB

Commissioners go out of their way to defend, promote moving the UDB

It was painful to watch. But worth noting. And Ladra may watch last week’s Miami-Dade Comprehensive Development Master Plan meeting again. Several Miami-Dade County Commissioners went out of their way and made excruciatingly strange arguments Thursday to defend and promote a land use change that would replace 800 acres of farmland with an industrial park […]

Hillary, Cory Booker back Trayvon Martin’s mom in county race

Hillary, Cory Booker back Trayvon Martin’s mom in county race

If you thought Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert is going to have an easy coast in the Miami-Dade Commission race to replace the termed out Barbara Jordan, think again. Gilbert may have more experience and campaign money, right now, but all the momentum belongs to Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old who was unarmed […]

Political musical chairs: Recycled electeds vie for 2020 county seats

Political musical chairs: Recycled electeds vie for 2020 county seats

When Audrey Edmonson took over as chair of the county commission last month, she mentioned term limits that will force her to step down in November — and lamented there’s going to be a brain drain because of it. “The board will never have as much combined experience as it does today,” she said. “There […]

Miami Gardens battles county for control of Sun Life Stadium

Miami Gardens battles county for control of Sun Life Stadium

We all got a close up and rare look at  the contentious battle between Miami Gardens and Miami-Dade County for control of Sun Life Stadium Tuesday in a joint meeting of both municipal governing bodies over the city’s lawsuit against the county for regulatory oversight.  And it got a little testy. “How much more time […]

Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert about faces on stadium

Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert about faces on stadium

So now that the proposed Miami Dolphins stadium renovation scam, er, deal would take taxes away from his little, scrappy city, Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert — who supported the team’s last plan for using tourist tax dollars — says Sun Life Stadium is not all that. Gilbert told the Miami Herald Wednesday that he wants Miami […]