Coral Gables: Haven’t Met a Candidate Who Didn’t Hate Taxes; Haven’t Met a Commissioner Who Didn’t Like Taxes

March 29, 2011 Leave a comment

So far I haven’t met a politician that is in favor of more taxes (except Mayor Slesnick).

All of the current candidates for office have come out against more property taxes.  Of course, the current commission has been approving more taxes all along during this recession so we can’t be sure what they will do on the day of truth.

There are many prevailing pretexts:

  • It is the city manager’s fault;
  • We are holding to the roll-back millage rate (the roll-back rate keeps the total taxes the same as the previous year; so careful, if property values fall this means you pay more taxes);
  • Our taxes are just a small percentage (give or take 26% )of your  total property taxes in Miami-Dade County.  This is real deal!
  • You are paying a lower millage rate this year (but you may still pay more property taxes if your property value went up, unlikely for now, but happended during the real estate boom); and
  • We dare not cut police and fire services (the ultimate trump card);
  • Since the city manager couldn’t cut pensions we will have to charge more taxes.
  • We have cut the staff as much as we can without reducing the “quality of life;” and
  • We don’t have reserves.

Therefore, careful with the property tax gambit.

It takes real courage to fight against taxes and really cut the budget.

Filed under Coral Gables, Election, Taxes and Fees

With Slesnick, Sanabria and Kerdyk, You Get No Change in Coral Gables Government

March 28, 2011 1 Comment

With the election of these three candidates you will surely get more taxes, fees, no salary and pension reform, no fix at the Biltmore, unrestricted commercial development, Miracle Mile construction, more subsidies for the Museum, no city organizational reform, charter schools, among others.

(Make up your own list if you want.)

Filed under Coral Gables

For Whom I Would NOT Vote In The Coral Gables Election

March 26, 2011 1 Comment

Following a process of elimination, I would not vote for the following:

I would not vote for Mr. Slesnick.  He has had 10 years in government and has led to city to its present state.  We lived with a corrupt and unethical city manager, we had taxes increased even in bad times, we saw the virtual collapse of the Country Club and, of course, we have the still secret audit of the Biltmore lease, and unrestrained support for city unions and pensions.  Add to this a poorly run IT Department and EDEN software, a weak Finance Department and a widely criticized Building and Zoning Department.  You have  here a good number of reasons to end the Slesnick Era.

I would not vote for Mr. Rosenblatt.  His program is to continue more of the same with lots of sponding on rehabilitating Miracle Mile (where he has a business), settle the Biltmore lease and keeping taxes low.  I am glad to know that taxes are low and, presumably, potentially could be raised just a little more in the future.

I would not vote for Mr. Sanabria.  He is supported by the Fraternity of Police who are completely and virgorously defending the benefits of good salaries and even better pensions that they have acquired over the years with the acquiescence of the mayor and city commission.   I don’t believe that Mr. Sanabria can be counted on to defend the voters against more taxes and fees.

We need three strong votes against more taxes for the future–we will not get them from Commissioners Anderson, Kerdyk and candidate Sanabria, so electing Mr. Sanabria would be budgetary lethal for the taxpayers of Coral Gables.

I might not vote for Mr. Kedyk.  I don’t see that he has contributed any heroic measures to the city (I know that many don’t agree with that view), and he has clearly voted for taxes, but not as many taxes as Mr. Slesnick might desire, nor more than Mr. Cabrera would have wanted.  The facts are that he has consistently voted for taxes.  He never raised a voice against the former city manager, had no problem to approve the UM Grid and he has been relatively quiet about the Biltmore, the Country Club and similar issues.  He is not a reformer and we need real reforms in the organization and financial management of the city of Coral Gables.  Almost certainly he will be elected so one should be careful about the other candidates that you vote for, if you want real reform and to reduce your taxes.

I might not vote for Mr. Quesada.  He appears to be a nice enough fellow, but he is a totally unknown quantity in the city.  He seems like the continuation of the Slesnick-Kerdick-Withers coalition and  the business-led support for the unbridled commercial growth of the city, which sucks in police, fire protection and other resources away from the residents and taxpayers who are having a hard time paying their taxes and fees.

Filed under Budget, Coral Gables, Election, Employees and Unions, Finance, Government, Politics, Taxes and Fees

Louis Vuitton on Miracle Mile?

March 26, 2011 Leave a comment

Executives of the French brand known for its trademark handbags and accessories said this week they will leave the Bal Harbour Shops at the end of June and move to Aventura Mall where they will eventually more than double the size of their store. Also on the agenda: opening a second store in the burgeoning Miami Design District by 2014.

via Louis Vuitton moving to Aventura Mall, Design District – Business – MiamiHerald.com.

This counters the many unrealistic expectations about the future of Miracle Mile, except from the property owners who would like to have taxpayer subsidies.  Miracle Mile will never be much more than it is now, even with new shrubs, sidewalks and thoroughfares, even with a pile of subsidies from the taxpayers.  Miracle Mile will never be a Dadeland Mall, a Merrick Park, the Design District and surely not Aventura Mall.  The adjacent Museum has apparently failed from the start.

Then what is the justification for spending a risky $16 million of city debt on this street, eliminating parking, cutting down the existing trees…

A task for the new commission of the city of Coral Gables is to bring this project into a realistic perspective.

Filed under Business and Commerce, Coral Gables, Property Values

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