Seems Like No Leadership, Just Big Spenders

June 13, 2011 2 Comments

The city of Coral Gable is replicating a model that we have seen before.   These are the elected officials, politicians starting their next campaign, indifferent voters giving birth to indifferent politicians who have pharaonic dreams about big money and big projects.  They see the future of the city as glamorous spending on capital projects to which they may attach their names, like empty museums of the all-so-brief history of the city.  Renaissance of what–I thought we had a great quality of life already.

Backward budgeting–get the money first and then spend it all on who-knows-what, pitting the citizen groups against each other to see who gets the most.

Filed under Coral Gables, Finance

Democracy and Renaissance in Coral Gables

June 9, 2011 1 Comment

I believe there is a lesson to be had about our so-called democracy in Coral Gables–the candidates are financed by the few, the government is selected by the few and there are very few who are concerned with the day-to-day decisions of government.

We can only wish that these “few” do not drive the city down the same road of financial and administrative mismanagement of the last ten years, through their decisions to borrow, spend and tax its citizens during the worst recession in US history.

Filed under Coral Gables

For The Record–Obama Did Too Little Stimulus, Not Too Much

June 7, 2011 Leave a comment

It seems like governments are being run by people who are too optimistic about the future.  We have one in Coral Gables, and, no doubt, one in Washington that has led into a very slow recovery.  No one talks about the 20 unemployed/underemployed.  Sad, but true.

By fall 2009 it was obvious that the pessimists — those who warned that the aftermath of the financial crisis would be a prolonged period of high unemployment, not the V-shaped recession and recovery envisioned in the original stimulus plan — had been right. The case for doing more — and at least for demanding more action, so that the other party could at least be accused of obstructionism — was overwhelming.

via The Fatal Pivot – NYTimes.com.

Filed under Coral Gables, Economy

Coral Gables Property Values–Another Demonstration of “Transparency”

June 6, 2011 Leave a comment

Wondering what he is waiting for–instructions from the “boss.”

Or could it be that he is waiting to see what’s happening with the mysterious Biltmore negotiations?

Or could it be the roll-back millage rate for Coral Gables?

 

Others are taking a wait-and-see approach. Coral Gables Finance Director Don Nelson said he is waiting for more information to get a clearer picture of budget forces before he could comment. The city’s tax base stayed flat at $11.8 billion in the past 12 months.

via South Florida cities find silver lining in real esate news – Miami-Dade – MiamiHerald.com.

Filed under Coral Gables, Property Values

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