Coral Gables Environment, Politics and Government
March 15, 2011 Leave a comment
I was glad to hear from candidate Brad Rosenblatt that he opposes tax increases. This is a good first step in placing some limits on pensions, unnecessary capital projects, salaries, staffing, and city organization.
March 14, 2011 Leave a comment
I have found this way to donate directly to the Japanese Red Cross via Google.
I personally find this is the most efficient and rapid way of helping out without paying the overhead of US organizations.
The site is
March 14, 2011 1 Comment
Based on multiple and well financed ads, the Mayor has decided to overlook the past, except for a few awards that recognize the city of Coral Gables (also, ignoring the ones about the best city manager and the best city attorney), he pictures the beauty of Coral Gables (hardly one person’s achievement), and runs his campaign on virtually the same theme as Obama,”Win the Future.”
His feel-good-everything-is-great-campaign openly favors more taxes (he talks in terms of a “reasonable cost to taxpayers”) but he has nothing to say about how to ameliorate high salaries and unfunded pension liabilities, the failed Biltmore lease, the (still top secret) Biltmore audit, the continuing Country Club uncertainty, capital projects and city indebtedness, the disappearance of financial reserves, among others.
The Mayor’s view is perfectly fine if you don’t mind paying more taxes, and there are some apparently in the quiet Coral Gables PAC, the BID, commercial and residencial property owners and long-term residents who don’t mind paying more taxes.
This may be a winning formula for the Mayor if candidates Cason and Korge split the votes.
March 11, 2011 Leave a comment
I wonder what will happen to Coral Gables’ property values this year. Won’t there be enormous pressures on the city of Coral Gables to raise tax rates yet again.
Dear candidates for commissioner and mayor: This is your real life challenge, not Miracle Mile, parks, trolleys or public security.
Zillow found that 46.3 percent of all South Florida homes sold in January sold for a loss, down from 49.2 percent during the previous January.
South Florida home values have fallen 54.8 percent since their peak in June 2006. Nationwide, home values have fallen 28.2 percent since the peak.
Nearly 43 percent of all single-family homes in South Florida with a mortgage were underwater in the fourth quarter. Nationwide, 27 percent of homeowners owed more than what their home is worth.
via Zillow: S. Fla. home values down in January | South Florida Business Journal.
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