For four hours on a recent Wednesday, Miami-Dade commissioners sat around the dais debating the future of a mental health facility everybody claims they desperately want to open but nobody wants to fully pay for. And somewhere in the middle of all the speeches about compassion, fiscal responsibility, sustainability and “mission alignment,” an uncomfortable truth […]
Additional concessions are on the table — are they enough? Just when you thought the Calusa saga was heading for yet another showdown at County Hall, plot twist: the fight over the former golf course — and its politically famous bird island — is being punted again. But this time, not because Miami-Dade forgot to […]
Miami-Dade County commissioners did something Tuesday that felt equal parts principled stand and political performance art: they formally urged Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto Senate Bill 1134 — a sweeping measure that would bar local governments from funding or officially engaging in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. There’s just one small problem. DeSantis has already […]
As everyone knows, Raquel Regalado can count Residents of Calusa — fighting the development of the long-abandoned golf course with an organic, urban rookery into a mega gated complex of 500+ homes — got a mulligan Thursday when county leaders, again, put off a decision for another month. Ladra has been writing about Calusa since […]
DERM gets separated, Metro Connect survives First in a series of county budget coverage stories Miami-Dade’s $12.9 billion budget squeaked through Thursday night — or, more accurately, early Saturday morning — after another one of those all-night marathons at County Hall that leave everyone bleary-eyed and cranky. The biggest headline? Bus riders dodged a fare […]
Part 1 in a series of county budget coverage stories By the time Miami-Dade commissioners wrapped up their first budget hearing at 4:33 a.m. Friday, the only people left in the chambers were the diehards. And a very tired staff who must have had a lot of cafecito. But most of the 240 speakers during […]
RTZ overlay is for a student housing project: The Mark The latest chapter in the Coral Gables zoning soap opera will play out in Miami-Dade Commission Chambers this week. It started last Tuesday when County Commissioner Raquel Regalado took her Rapid Transit Zoning show on the road — to City Hall. Regalado showed up to […]
Meanwhile FIFA still gets $46M from taxpayers Say goodbye to addiction outreach teams, and hello to more overdoses and addicts, if Miami-Dade commissioners approve the 2025-2026 budget proposed this week by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. It proposes a number of cuts to fill the $402 million budget shortfall that the county is facing now that […]
Two Miami-Dade commission incumbents won last week with little oppositional pressure and/or much fanfare. Commissioner Keon Hardemon fought back an attempt by former Commissioner Audrey Edmonson to grab her District 3 seat back, winning 61% of the vote. And Commissioner Roberto “Rob” Gonzalez — appointed by the governor to replace suspended Joe Martinez after his […]
Let’s thank the Miami Foundation for having and recording a series of forums this month with candidates for several races on the August 20 ballot — and posting them on their website for all voters to see. We are lucky that they think it’s important. It is part of the Vote Miami awareness initiative to […]