A “New Agenda” for the City of Coral Gables

October 12, 2010 Leave a comment

Consider a list of issues and proposals for a New Agenda for a newly elected mayor, commissioners (old and new) and the city manager that could be discussed in the coming election campaign.

Help by sending your suggestions and I will include them all in a running list on a separate page on this blog.

Here are some example of what I imagine might be relevant or, at least, good ideas to challenge to candidates.

  • Prepare and discussion a long-range financial plan for the City of Coral Gables;
  • Freeze and/or reduce actual amount of taxes paid by citizens during the next three years;
  • Accelerate a plan of reducing pensions and health benefits, especially for firefighters and police;
  • Prepare a plan on how to reduce unfunded pension liabilities during the next five years;
  • Have a community town hall meeting at least twice a year to discuss the budget and other issues;
  • Develop a realistic and flexible agreement with the Biltmore that protects the taxpayers not just now, but in the coming years;

Filed under Community, Coral Gables, Election, Politics

Who is to Blame for the Education Mess?

October 11, 2010 Leave a comment

It is not self-evident that the quality of teaching and teachers are mainly responsible for our education slipping backward?  I think that experience in running complex enterprises is that in some cities and schools it is the teaching that is to blame, in others, it is school management, teaching methods and materials, community culture of education and bad (or good) school boards.

I would place enormous weight on school boards and the community that sets the priorities for education.  Teachers will gravitate to places where teachers are trusted and respected.

I am very suspicious of single approaches to solving big problems.

It’s time for all of the adults — superintendents, educators, elected officials, labor unions and parents alike — to start acting like we are responsible for the future of our children. Because right now, across the country, kids are stuck in failing schools, just waiting for us to do something.

So, where do we start? With the basics. As President Obama has emphasized, the single most important factor determining whether students succeed in school is not the color of their skin or their ZIP code or even their parents’ income — it is the quality of their teacher.

via How to fix our schools: A manifesto by Joel Klein, Michelle Rhee and other education leaders.

Filed under Community, Florida, Miami-Dade County, National

Let the People Pay in Coral Gables

October 11, 2010 Leave a comment

The Mayor has an important message.

There is a principle in public finance called “benefits received,” in which people who get the benefits should pay the full costs.

We should pay not only the true cost of parking, but the cost of refuse and solid waste collection, using the swimming pool, playing golf and tennis, using the highways, using the parks, using the hotel or restaurant, using water to irrigate our lawns, etc.  Taxpayers should not have to subsidize their neighbors.

Of course, as a community, we must pay for social safety nets and other social benefits and common or public goods like fire and police protection that benefit the entire community, as well as the individual.

We don’t want firefighters to be checking to see if we paid the fire fee before putting out the flames, since our neighbors also benefit by putting out the fire.  Some of the cost may be paid, for example, for fire fees and emergency ambulance services, but their should be a limit to this.

“In this new age of challenged tax revenue, the fact is people keep yelling they want cities to act like businesses,” said Donald Slesnick, mayor of Coral Gables, where starting Monday drivers must pay for an extra two hours of metered parking as well as on Sundays. “We’re starting to act more like a business in terms of pay as you go.”

via Pay as you stop: Parking costs going up – Miami-Dade – MiamiHerald.com.

Filed under Coral Gables, Taxes and Fees

What Think the Candidates? (Part 2)

October 8, 2010 Leave a comment

The taxpayers of Coral Gables are still waiting for the views on the city’s budget, taxes, spending, salaries and pensions of numerous candidates for city office of commissioner or mayor .

Must we assume for now that they are all complacent about of the budget and associated taxes?

Filed under Budget, Coral Gables, Taxes and Fees

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