Miami Commissioner Manolo Reyes campaigns early as opponent is rumored

Miami Commissioner Manolo Reyes campaigns early as opponent is rumored

It took him more than 30 years to finally get a seat at the table, or rather dais. But less than 12 months after being elected to the Miami city commission last November, Manolo Reyes is already campaigning again for next year. He hasn’t really stopped. With $116,000 already in the campaign coffers, according to campaign reports […]

Carlos Gimenez finds hidden millions — yet again — at budget crunch time

Carlos Gimenez finds hidden millions — yet again — at budget crunch time

Well, what do you know? Pushed into a corner by a majority of Miami-Dade County commissioners and an army of activists and angry residents to restore the funding cuts he proposed for transit services (bus routes and Metrorail hours), Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez suddenly found at least $16.2 million we didn’t have before. More found […]

Playhouse ‘restoration’ ain’t what 2004 voters had in mind

Playhouse ‘restoration’ ain’t what 2004 voters had in mind

Proposal sounds like development bait and switch Before members of the city of Miami’s Historical Preservation Committee meet Tuesday afternoon to consider an application to “restore” the Coconut Grove Playhouse, they ought to look up the word restore in the dictionary. Then they ought to categorically deny this proposal because it is more about redeveloping […]

Calusa golf course controversy shows ‘covenants’ are crap

Calusa golf course controversy shows ‘covenants’ are crap

A group of West Kendall residents in a longtime fight against the redevelopment of the Calusa Golf Course won an important battle last week when the Miami-Dade Commission basically did nothing — and, effectively, killed a proposal to turn the 168 acres into more homes. But Ladra has a feeling that the war is not over and […]

Carlos Gimenez, er, Stevie Bovo wins commission chair

Carlos Gimenez, er, Stevie Bovo wins commission chair

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez was elected the commission chairman Tuesday. Sure, the board chose Commissioner Esteban Bovo, Jr. over Xavier Suarez. But the victory belongs to the mayor, who now has a compliant chairman and control of the commission agenda. You could see the satisfaction on his face when the two embraced after the vote. […]

Tight race for commission chair: Xavier Suarez vs Stevie Bovo

Tight race for commission chair: Xavier Suarez vs Stevie Bovo

County Hall is abuzz with speculation about who will become the chair of the Miami-Dade Commission for the next two years. But the only thing that is certain right now is that it won’t be unanimous, like it was in 2014 when the commission showed a unified body behind today’s Chairman Jean Monestime. In a very […]

The Cortadito Calendar: Political events of the week

The Cortadito Calendar: Political events of the week

This is a new feature that debuts today on Political Cortadito. The Cortadito Calendar: A weekly calendar of political powwows, events with electeds and meaningful or not so meaningful meetings. Now you know what’s going on. You have no excuses. MONDAY — Dec. 5 7 p.m. — The New Administration and Prospects For Peace present New York […]

Beacon Council head leaves just as report is questioned

Beacon Council head leaves just as report is questioned

The head of the Beacon Council resigned last month. But it’s likely he would have been fired anyway when his contract expired in October. That’s because it looks like Larry Williams has exaggerated his accomplishments. Williams, president and CEO of the Beacon for the past three years, announced in late August that he was taking a […]