What is “Quality of Life” in Coral Gables?

September 17, 2010 Leave a comment

Given the pervasive use of the term “Quality of Life” by city commissioners and the city manager of Coral Gables, among others, let’s see if we know what Quality of Life is.

The following summarizes a Quality of Life framework for another city (from which I have extracted the following).

The major elements elements of Quality of Life are

  1. Urban Environment that depends on a clean city, water quality, a vibrant downtown (no or few vacancies); the degree of urban sprawl; deterioration of the infrastructure; well maintained and well functioning infrastructure; active energy and water conservation; waste minimization.
  2. Urban Economy hinging on the quality of jobs; brain drain; availability of professionals; good municipal financial management; avoiding over reliance on a single revenues source like property taxes; having a diverse economy; support for small businesses; fostering community-based businesses.
  3. Community Assets involve affordable housing; maintaining quality of housing stock; active culture, arts and entertainment; good community centers; available sports facilities; access to public transportation; local urban planning; solid educational systems; opportunities for all cultural and ethnic groups; multi-cultural environment; strong sense of community and neighborhood; disaster response and preparation services.
  4. Individual Well-Being related to personal and property safety; crime and safety; social equity; meeting basic physical needs; quality education; inclusive education; income and material comfort at reasonable price; access to health services; water quality and supply; disaster response capacities.
  5. Community Leadership and Pride stemming from good governance with strong and local accountability; responsive, respected and trusted governance; improved community image; distinctive character; sense of individual empowerment; participation and belonging.

Quality of Life is complex and multifaceted as it supports a full community of citizens, businesses, university, government, temporary residents and visitors each with its role in the city.

The Quality of Life in Coral Gables does not just depend on the city government, commissioners or the city manager, how much money the city has in its treasury or how it spends its money.  The city is only partially able to determine the Quality of Life in Coral Gables and it is only partially capable of ensuring good governance and citizen participation–there are many community actors outside of the government.

We need a Coral Gables government that leads, promotes and faces the greater problems of the city, embracing economic growth and employment, promoting and protecting cultural values and creating sound structures of political and social participation.  We have made some progress in this city, but there is much to be done.

Filed under Coral Gables

Tropical Audubon Conservation Workshop: FYI

September 16, 2010 Leave a comment

TAS Conservation Workshop

Sat., September 18 | 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.|The Deering Estate

Tropical Audubon will host its annual conservation workshop to set the conservation agenda for the coming year at The Deering Estate. The day will begin with a bird walk at 7 a.m. followed by breakfast at 8 a.m. From 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., a series of knowledgeable speakers will discuss conservation issues.

7:00 a.m. Bird Walk

Meet at the visitor center, Ernest Lent to lead

8:00 a.m. Breakfast

Meet at the visitor center

8:15 a.m. Opening

Remarks by Tropical Audubon President, Joe Barros, and

Conservation co-chairs, John Ogden and Dennis Olle

8:30 a.m. Growth, Maintaining the Urban Development Boundary

& the Evaluation Appraisal Report

Mark Woerner, Chief, Metropolitan Planning Division, Miami-Dade Planning and Zoning

9:30 a.m. Parks Master Plan to Improve Bird Conservation

Maria Nardi, Park Systems Planning, Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation

10:30 a.m. Conflicting Issues for Restoration: Agricultural Drawdown & FPL

Sarah Bellmund, Ecologist, National Park Service

11:30 a.m. Next Steps for the Southern Everglades: Tamiami Trail, C-111 & BBCW

Ken Ammon , Deputy Executive Director, Everglades Restoration & Capitol Projects,

South Florida Water Management District

12:30 p.m. Lunch Provided

1:00 p.m. Open Discussion

3:00 p.m. Optional Historical Walking Tour

Lead by Deering Historian, TBA

Read for more information. If you would like to volunteer at this event, please contact Stephanie. Check us out on Facebook!

Filed under Coral Gables

Mayor Alvarez Answers about Taxes

September 15, 2010 Leave a comment

I am reproducing the response I got from Miami-Dade County from my note questioning higher property taxes.  You will feel the emotion in the Mayor’s pronouncements about both the great sacrifices of county employees, the county’s apparent domination by its unions and the great work that county leaders have taken to fix the budget.

Dear  Mr. McGaughey:

Thank you for your e-mail.  Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation regarding the proposed Fiscal Year 2010-2011 budget and what has been accomplished following collective bargaining negotiations with the County’s 10 bargaining units.

Unprecedented union concessions have produced $224 million in taxpayer savings.  Employees saw a one-year freeze in merit pay, premium pay, flex pay, longevity bonuses and a 5 percent reduction to their pay which forever resets the base, and sets the stage for another round of collective bargaining which will begin soon.  The three-year contracts that were hammered out over many months do include a 3 percent cost of living adjustment in the last three months of a three year deal.

While an increase may appear unreasonable to some considering the economic climate, our process is a complex one.  Unionized employees make up about 90 percent of the County’s workforce.  Collective bargaining takes place between management and union leadership, but all agreements must then be approved or disapproved by our Board of County Commissioners (BCC).  In fact, one bargaining unit has still not reached an agreement with the administration, and the BCC has yet to impose terms.

Proposing measures that have no reasonable chance of moving forward is an exercise in futility.  I would rather bargain in good faith, realize real savings right now and open the door to continued negotiations which could produce even more wage and benefit concessions.

As for property taxes, Miami-Dade will collect almost $38 million less in property taxes than we did last fiscal year.  Direct services remain intact.  Not a single park, pool, library or fire station will close, and sworn police and firefighters will not be laid off.

However, layoffs, reassignments, and departmental consolidations are all part of the proposal.  About 1,200 positions are slated for elimination, 600 of which are filled.  That will bring the total workforce to a little more than 27,000 positions.  The last time the workforce was at this level of staffing was in the late 1990s.

Once a budget is approved, we will have closed more than $1 billion in budget gaps during the past four budget cycles.  Balancing a budget is never a simple task, but we have tried hard to provide you a framework that maintains the quality of life services our residents have come to expect.

Sincerely,

Carlos Alvarez

Mayor

Miami-Dade County

Filed under Miami-Dade County, Taxes and Fees

Somerset Gables and Biltmore Neighborhood Association

September 15, 2010 Leave a comment

At this website you can follow the Biltmore Neighborhood Association’s battle against the establishment of a 735-student sized school in their neighborhood.

Their main point–you may like charter schools, but would you want one in your backyard?

…Somerset Gables, despite Judge Bailey’s ruling to not allow more than 110 students, has filed a lawsuit against the City to increase the number of students to 735.

via Home Page.

Filed under Community, Coral Gables

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