Coral Gables Watch

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

Congestion Pricing: Lessons for Miami from Washington, D.C.

December 25, 2006 Leave a comment

Washington has a possible lesson for Miami transit authorities, but it takes the political wherewithal to apply it since there will be some who will complain. Besides the Florida Turnpike it can be applied especially to I-95 and, eventually, other feeder roads that are overloaded. This is another reason to have a strong Mayor/County Manager form of government–can you imagine our County Council approving this.

The Washington area is the nation’s most aggressive laboratory for
atransportation innovation that is designed to cut highway
congestionand subway crowding but that could end up costing commuters
more intolls and mass-transit fees.

The notion of “congestionpricing”– charging people more to travel at peak times to spread out demand –could transform how Washingtonians travel, turning commuters into cost-conscious consumers. Instead of simply getting into their cars or onto the subway, they could be induced to consider traveling
atoff-times, when prices dip. Congestion pricing could also encourageothers to work from home or use telecommuting centers and perhaps leadto more carpooling and transit use.

Filed under Miami-Dade County

DOT in Miami-Dade Procurement Problems

December 22, 2006 Leave a comment

Just a small demonstration of the difference between sloppy public procurement and administration of contracts in one office of the DOT and work well done another one.

Dozens of electronic message signs hang underused or in complete darkness over Interstates 75, 95 and 195 in Miami-Dade County and along U.S. 1 and Card Sound Road in the Keys.

Tattered green garbage bags cover 22 traffic signals on I-95 on-ramps. The ramp meters were installed in late 2004 and early last year, but they won’t be turned on until late next year.

The dark signs and bagged meters are a sore reminder of how technology was supposed to ease congestion on South Florida’s highway network by providing real-time traffic information and regulating traffic flow.

But two brutal hurricane seasons, unforeseen technological glitches and a prominent contractor’s failure to deliver on time contributed to Miami-Dade and Monroe’s problems, according to Florida Department of Transportation officials and records.

”I understand why people are so frustrated,” said Rory Santana, who supervises the technology program for the DOT district serving Miami-Dade and Monroe. “They see the signs and the [ramp meter] signal heads out there, and they assume they should be up and running.”

In Broward, drivers on Florida’s Turnpike, the Sawgrass Expressway, and Interstates 595 and 95 have been receiving markedly more information from overhead message boards that have been deployed since 2002.

That’s largely because the Broward FDOT district procured most of the signs now operating in one large bundle in 2002. The Miami office has been acquiring them contract by contract since 1999.

Filed under Government, Miami-Dade County

Shopping Problems on Miracle Mile

December 22, 2006 1 Comment

I am reproducing a interesting and sensible posting on website City Hall Confidential by a local mechant frustrated with the lack of shopping on Miracle Mile and maintenance problems with the City of Coral Gables.

A few weeks ago, I wrote to Mr Slesnick and other city officials regarding the deplorable conditions of the sidewalk in front of my store. How dangerous and horrible they have been allowed to get.

In all fairness, I have written back and forth with the Mayor, and he has shown concern and determination in resolving this continuing problem, and I honestly thank him for his efforts. Unfortunately, I only received 1 return email from a commissioner, that was more of a political respense than one of a problem solver or a concerned resident/citizen.

So, the reason for todays topic, is to mention, that today is Friday Dec 22. One or two shopping days BEFORE x-mas ( the friday and saturday when the mile is “busiest” in the year.) Needless to say, I must be pretty upset to stop all my work to write this.

When I arrived to work this morning, I was beyond speechless to find 4 contractors, with white work vans, not just placing new tiles and cement in front of my store, but along both my neighbors, and even down the block. They have equipment, jack hammers, cement bags, and the somewhat noticeable yellow “caution” tape down 1/2 the block, (which could also be misunderstood for a police or murder tape) blocking access from the street parking through to the sidewalk, and ultimately to the stores to shop.

Now, I dont want to sound unappreciative of this work, because it is coming out very nice and fairly quick, ( versus city workers doing it in a week vs 2 days) but the fact of when this work is being done. “Common sense” would dictate, that if the city tore it up a month ago, someone giving orders, would have waited a few more days until AFTER the busy season, when there are less people along the streets and stores are less crowded.

This is yet another event that shows to me that the city doesnt care about residents, merchants ( which also pay city taxes) or much about the BID. Nothing shows common sence or apathy to merchants trying to make a living along historic Miracle Mile. Actually, at the rate the Mile is going, soon only a handful of stores/restaurants will remain open, due to ridiculous rents, no traffic of shoppers ( note that the people walking dont carry shopping bags) or ugly areas.

Just my opinion of course.
Thank You.
Danny Lister Jr.
General Manager
334 Miracle Mile . Coral Gables,FL 33134 . (305)445-4360 . (305) 445-4367 Fax
5740 Sunset Dr . South Miami,FL 33143 . (305)669-4207 . (305)669-4208 Fax
www.listerjewelers.com