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

Coral Gables has a Fictitious Master Plan, or Is it Amendment 4?

November 1, 2010 Leave a comment

There have been several actions taken recently by the Commission of the city of Coral Gables that demonstrate that its members are 1) captured by developers;  2) captured by the “too big to fail” UM; and 3) desperate for money to pay for huge unfunded liabilities and softball contracts with firefighters and police.

Thanks to the soon-to-be-absent commissioners and mayor, who seem to care little about the future pattern of development of the city after they leave the deus, the city is stuck with a 20-year master plan for UM and a potentially hugely distorted pattern of development, traffic and transportation in the commercial district.  All of this is happening because the commissioners are terrified by the possible approval of Amendment #4 that would take city development out of their hands and put it in the hands of citizens.  Yes, their commitment to developers stand ahead of their belief in local democracy and citizens.  At least, for reasons he had, thanks to Bill Kerdyk for voting against these buildings (but sorry, he voted for the UM master plan and commercial-health district).

Vice Mayor William “Bill” Kerdyk sees a dangerous trend in Coral Gables’ central business district: upzoning properties one at a time.

via Gables approves taller buildings in business district – Coral Gables – MiamiHerald.com.

Filed under Business and Commerce, Community, Coral Gables, Government

← Older posts

Newer posts →