Spitzter’s Government Reforms: Dare Miami-Dade Commissioners Take Note

January 1, 2007 Leave a comment

A first step of the new governor of New York was to institute clear steps toward establishing honest government. Would it be that both state, county and local governments take the same interest in good, ethical and open government. One can only hope that Spitzer is successful and that other states learn from this challenge and be driven to change.

Spitzer enacted measures to limit political consideration and mandate ethical behavior by employees of the executive branch.They ban gifts from lobbyists; end personal use of state cars, computers and equipment; prohibit nepotismand ban ex-employees hired by the Spitzer administration from lobbying the executive branch for two years.

Other executive orders ban statewide officials _ including Spitzer _ from appearing in state-paid commercials _ stopping a practice expanded greatly under Republican Governor Pataki, which critics called free campaign ads.

Another measure established a state commission to make sure candidates for judicial appointments are qualified. Yet another order requires many public meetings to soon be broadcast.

Filed under Coral Gables, Florida, Government, Miami

On the Hanging

January 1, 2007 Leave a comment

There is no great solace from the comments of Deepak Chopra on The Huntington Post, as follows:

The sad truth is that America’s moral position in Iraq–and the world
at large– hangs by a thread, and the execution of Saddam made the
thread thinner than ever.

Filed under International

Coral Gables Building and Zoning Study

December 29, 2006 Leave a comment

As reported in the Miami Herald, Coral Gables management is undertaking a two part study of the Building and Zoning Department. This department faces constant grumbling from individual home owners who are doing small projects and often face very inflexible, time consuming procedures and some unfriendly, indifferent and aggressive employees; and complaints from medium and larger developers who also suffer slow procedures in understaffed areas such as structural review. One B & Z employee has been charged for apparent grand theft and fraud, while the director of the unit is on paid administrative leave and has been rumored to being negotiating her retirement. Coral Gables did a study of the department a few years ago and a very substantial reorganization was recommended therein but has not instituted by the City. It is hoped that the issues of that study will come out in this new effort and that the deep organizational changes will be made to the benefit of all citizens.

Coral Gables next month officially will start an in-depth study of the city’s troubled building and zoning department.

The data gathering begins in January when a consultant will conduct
three focus groups — one each with residents, contractors and staff —
to learn how the city provides its services and where it falls short.

The consultant is Marily Rodriguez of Bal Harbour, who has 10 years of experience with this kind of work…

Filed under Coral Gables

Cost of Living in Florida–Snowbirds have Second Thoughts

December 25, 2006 Leave a comment

Orlando Sentinel–
…the life of a snowbird, formally known as a seasonal resident, and Florida is their top destination.

Each winter, hundreds of thousands of retirees leave their
Northern homes and flock to Florida. An estimated 818,000 people age 55
or older came into the state for the peak of the 2005 winter season,
according to a University of Florida study.

And many of Florida’s snowbirds are making the move permanent.

Others can’t afford to live here anymore, said Gerry Brissenden,
president of the Canadian Snowbird Association. Rising property taxes
and homeowner-insurance premiums are squeezing some retirees out of the
state.

“A lot of Canadians . . . are selling their properties and looking
to Texas and Arizona as other places to go,” Brissenden said. “If you
own property down here, you certainly want to insure it. When you can’t
insure it, you look and say, ‘Do I want to be here?’ “

Filed under Florida

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