People Still Believe in “Old” Florida and Coral Gables Growth

November 3, 2010 Leave a comment

This proves that the old development coalition of developers and unions still think that Florida will return to its old growth of unfettered real estate and commercial development.  The mere thought of Amendment 4 sent land owners in Coral Gables running to the city commission for building zoning exceptions for downtown Coral Gables, and the commission jumped right into the game.

What is almost certain is that it will be a decade before any recognizable real estate investment returns, and it will have to take an entirely different form; so with or without Amendment 4, Florida will never return to the old model of population growth and real estate leading the state’s growth.  George Merrick is certainly turning over in his grave.

Our leaders will have to find a new growth model based on educating people–it is people who count, not land.

Amendment 4 would have required voter approval to change city, town and county comprehensive land-use plans.

Opponents included business groups, developers and some labor unions and they spent more than $12 million. They said Amendment 4 would seriously damage the economy, cost jobs and make it more difficult to lure companies to the state. They also said it will also cost municipalities tens of thousands of dollars or more to run the required elections.

via Florida voters reject land-use amendment – Politics AP – MiamiHerald.com.

Filed under Coral Gables, Economy, Housing

Is this Contract a Joke (Homestead)

November 1, 2010 Leave a comment

Quite a sacrifice by the union members–giving up a cost of living increase when there is no increase in the cost of living.  Also, Homestead pays almost 60 percent of its budget to the police!

Under the new contract, which will be in place until September 2012, union members will forego a cost of living increase but will be spared from layoffs for at least the next year. The agreement also entitles union members to an automatic raise — if the local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers negotiate in increase for their members — and increases base pay by 5 percent for any lieutenant who gets assigned to the detective bureau.

via Homestead and police union reach contract – Homestead / South Dade – MiamiHerald.com.

Filed under Miami-Dade County

Want to Vote for the Snake Oil Award–You’re Candidates Are

November 1, 2010 Leave a comment

For those environmentalists among you these are the candidates and where to vote.

BP — Nominated for its lead role in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which devastated the ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico and paralyzed the economy of the Gulf Coast.

Massey Energy — Nominated for its handling of West Virginia’s Upper Big Branch coal mine disaster, which killed 29 miners and was the worst U.S. mining accident in 40 years.

American Petroleum Institute — Nominated for producing a series of outrageous attack ads against clean energy, threatening our economic recovery and keeping us addicted to fossil fuels.

Koch Industries — Nominated for pouring millions into the climate denial movement and supporting junk science in order to protect its profits and pollute without regulation.

Filed under Environment

Note on ‘Super PAC’ Dollars

November 1, 2010 Leave a comment

The Super PAC’s will add to shaping future elections in the US by interested in both political parties.  The Supreme Court has opened the flood gate for this kind of financing, whether we like it or not.  What will hoped for democracy may be manipulated for groups with the money to do so–hopefully, voter will wake up and change our system of paid-for-politicians.

The independent-expenditure-only “Super PAC” committees are perfect for corporations and unions that want to spend for or against candidates. Former McCain ’08 counsel and FEC Chairman Trevor Potter described them as the “holy grail” of campaign finance to The Washington Post.

“There’s much less disclosure than even with 527s and there’s no danger in running afoul of the law by accepting large individual contributions, or contributions from previously prohibited sources–corporations and labor unions,” wrote Rick Hasen, the William H. Hannon Distinguished Professor of Law at Loyola Law School and author of the Election Law blog, in an email.

“Super PACs” do have to disclose their donors (unlike 501(c)(4) social welfare groups such as American Crossroads GPS), but many of them are simply too new. Ending Spending incorporated on Oct. 5, and voluntarily disclosed that its sole financier and founder was Joe Ricketts, owner of the Chicago Cubs and founder and former CEO of Ameritrade. The group is soliciting other donations as well.

via Millions of ‘Super PAC’ dollars flow through Tampa and into races nationwide « Florida Independent: News. Politics. Media.

Filed under Florida, Politics

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