Dysfunctional Democracy: More on the Coral Gables’ Leaf Blowers

During times of economic and financial crisis, a single Coral Gables commissioner has directed a huge amount of his energy and time to trying to regulate gasoline leaf blowers for its citizens (exempting, of course, the city and its subcontracts, as if their leaf blowers will not have an environmental impact).   He states he has done in depth research on the subject, looking at other cities and towns with the leaf blower regulations.

Imagine if the commissioner had used nearly as much energy in evaluating the impact on Coral Gables citizens of increased taxes, unfunded pensions and health plans, overpaid public security employees, defective lease management and a chaotic city organization.  If he had directed the same passion to these everyday problems as he has to leaf blowers this city might make some progress that favors its taxpayers and not the quiet interest groups standing behind the commission.

The environmental impact of traffic in Coral Gables is hugely more impacting on the citizens; the commission has approved a significant expansion in traffic around the University of Miami–these impacts tower over any tiny, miniscule impacts of a few leaf blowers in the hands of low paid lawn workers.