Watchdog Report: Commissioner Weithorn Says Terrific Resort Tax Collections Help with City Budget
By Daniel A. Ricker
Special to the SunPost
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
The Watchdog Report contacted the mayor and commissioners last week asking about the city’s upcoming budget and the Memorial Day Urban Beach Weekend debate and only Commissioners Deede Weithorn and Michael Gongora emailed back by my deadline Sunday.
Weithorn, up for reelection in November and a CPA wrote that when it came to the city’s 2011-2012 budget that some of the pressure is off since some tax collections are up. The commissioner wrote, “We are confident we will have a balanced budget with no tax increase thanks to terrific resort tax collections.”
Gongora sent his monthly email bulletin and here is the schedule for the next public meeting concerning the holiday weekend being held this week on Thursday down at city hall.
Commissioner Michael Gongora monthly newsletter: Speaking of events, the City of Miami Beach’s Joint Meeting of the Neighborhoods/Finance & Citywide Projects Committee s will be discussing the issue of Memorial Day at the September 1st meeting at 4:00 p.m. in the City Manager’s Large Conference Room at City Hall. Residents have spoken out against the increased crime, traffic, congestion, litter and nuisance during this weekend and would like to see events next year, which will help diminish these quality of life challenges. Many have suggested the City of Miami Beach program an event to commemorate our soldiers who have lost their lives fighting to protect our freedom – the true meaning of Memorial Day. Others have suggested programming diverse cultural events, which will attract a wide spectrum of visitors. Still others have suggested closing city streets and nightclubs to protect the residents during this weekend. Whatever your ideas or suggestions might be, please come to the Neighborhoods/Finance & Citywide Committee meeting and share your thoughts.
CITY OF MIAMI
She’s back, Commissioner Spence-Jones suspension lifted, will fill District 5 seat again until Nov. 2013, Dunn just a “regular citizen” now
Parking spot name changed, check; picture on the outside wall of the commission chambers changed, check; name on the dais, check; name on the office door, check, her photo on city webpage, check; as formerly suspended Miami Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones is reinstated by Gov. Rick Scott to her office last week after being suspended twice by Gov. Charlie Crist after being charged with diverting public money to a family business. She has maintained she was innocent of all charges. State attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle dropped the last grand theft charge last week after a critical witness, former Miami-Dade Commissioner Barbara Carey Shuler and Spence-Jones mentor recanted her statements after she was given immunity to prosecution. However, the state attorney still maintains she was right for her office to bring the Grand Theft charges but just cannot prove them now. The legal saga that went on for almost two years and saw the commissioner found not guilty at an earlier trial for another reason has sent past District 5 Commissioner Richard Dunn, II out the door. Though he is asking to be paid for the rest of his term that would have ended in Nov. 2013, but is likely to get little sympathy from the commission given the tough budget straits Miami is in with a $61 million budget hole. However, Dunn in Jan 2010 when he accepted the commission appointment knew when Spence-Jones was suspended that she could be back at anytime. If she was acquitted or the charges were dropped and she now gets back pay, around $180,000 since being out of office but will have to pay her own legal expenses since the second set of charges happened before she was a Miami commissioner, that already had the city picking up the around $120,000 in legal costs for the case when she was declared not guilty. Spence-Jones on Michael Putney’s Sunday show This Week In South Florida said she felt “exonerated” and wants too “put it behind” me and move forward she said on the show. She also said that she had no problem with Mayor Tomas Regalado and expects to have a good relationship with him when she is back on the dais. local10.com
Mayor Tomas Regalado said Spence-Jones on Friday was visiting city Manager Johnny Brown and she was planned to move back into her office on Saturday said the mayor. The Watchdog Report went bye city hall about 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and I could not verify that had happened but given how fast government employees move when it comes to elected officials. I suspect that on Monday she will be open for business and seeing constituents after her long absence from the five-member commission that has changed significantly since her departure at the end of 2009. Her new colleagues on the body are Commissioners Francis Suarez, Frank Carollo, and Willy Gort the commission chair and Regalado replaced former Mayor Manny Diaz in Nov. 2009. However, Commissioner Marc Sarnoff is still there and the two commissioners have crossed swords in the past and it remains to be seen if they go after each other where they left off years ago and the community from all ethnic groups are holding their breath whether there will be a new round of fireworks on the dais. While the city tries to deal with a $61 million budget shortfall that had Miami declaring financial urgency and trying to force the unions into concessions, but time is running short. Since a balanced budget for 2011-2012 must be approved by Sept., 30 and the first budget public hearing will be Sept. 5. after 5:00 p.m. in the commission chambers.
Category: CITY, WATCHDOG REPORT
