Watchdog Report Vol.11 No.14 August 15, 2010 – Est. 05.05.00 – I go when you cannot!

>>> If you think it is important to have someone watching your public institutions consider becoming a supporter or sponsor. For there is no trust fund and I do have to live. A convenient form is at the bottom of this week’s Watchdog Report with all the instructions on how to support this newsletter and news service that started its 11^th Anniversary on May 5.

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street

>>> Billionaire Greene finding out U.S. Senate race not for the feint of heart, being pounded by the press in profiles

Jeff Greene (Net worth $1.2 billion) is finding out that the press and media in person is different from buying television ads and creating slick campaign pieces in his bid to capture the Democratic Party’s nod to be its champion in the race for the state’s U.S. Senate race. He is facing U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Miami (Net worth $62,000 in 2002) in the closed party primary on Aug. 24 and the billionaire financier has carpeted bombed the state with negative ads concerning Meek, his family, and specifically his mother Carrie. However, The Miami Herald www.miamiherald.com and the St. Petersburg Times http://www.sptimes.com have done extensive stories on the man’s past activities since he got a Harvard MBA, business deals, and like his mega-yacht. He leaves an extensive wake when it comes to controversy behind him, like a trip to Cuba in 1997, he says for boat repairs, and denying a protected reef could have been damaged in Belize by the yacht’s anchor a few years ago. Greene faced off with Meek in a debate last week and again on Sunday www.wplg.com and the two of them were vicious in the attacks. Since only one candidate will emerge after the primary these attacks during the race will likely come back and haunt one of them in the future as the general election draws closer in November when Republican former state Rep. Marco Rubio, R-Miami (Net worth $8,351 in 08) and independent candidate Gov. Charlie Crist (Net worth $461,000) enter the fray as well, with the winner needing only 35 percent of the vote to win. Rubio and Crist have also had some critical press done on them, and the former Florida Speaker of the House has gotten extensive coverage from the www.miamiherald.com and www.miaminewtimes.com and he has some issues of his own that may play out further in the campaigns. In Crist’s case the popular governor, now dropping in the polls, has to worry about the trial of former state GOP Chair Jim Greer who he hand picked to run the party but went rogue when it came to charging personal items on the state party accounts, among other things.

Beth Reinhard, the political columnist with The Miami Herald wrote Saturday that Rubio banned her from his campaign bus, and Greene is getting annoyed with all the critical questions the press is asking and is reported threatening to sue the St. Pete Times for the paper’s long story on his past business dealings, and Greene’s friends like convicted boxer Mike Tyson (Greene’s best man) and former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss who stayed in his guest house for awhile. However, part of the turf that comes with going into big time politics is the thorough vetting of these candidates, their past activities and habits, because it does give a insight how they might be in the world’s most exclusive club, which getting into is not guaranteed by massive infusions of personal money into a  candidates campaign as one candidate is finding out in this race and another, Republican Rick Scott (Net worth $ 218 million) the gubernatorial candidate has also been getting mauled as well in the press.

>>> White House press release: The oil has stopped flowing and the well has been capped, but the work is far from over in restoring the Gulf region to the pristine condition it enjoyed before the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. With a backdrop of U.S. Coast Guard ships at Navy Support Activity Panama City, President Barack Obama on Saturday vowed he and his administration will not slacken their efforts in the Gulf until the environment and economy are fully recovered. “Our job is not finished, and we are not going anywhere until it is,” he said. The comments followed a half-hour roundtable discussion with area political leaders and small business representatives on the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The president called the spill the worst natural disaster America has faced, and detailed the technological difficulty that punctuated attempts to cap the well. He thanked the men and women of the Panama City Beach Coast Guard station for their tireless efforts.

“The Coast Guard was the first on the scene,” he said. “The folks here have toiled day and night, spending weeks and even months away from their family.” The president and first lady Michelle Obama started their Panama City Beach vacation talking with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Panama City Mayor Scott Clemons, Panama City Beach Mayor Gayle Oberst, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, hotel manager Lee Ann Leonard, charter boat Capt. Gary Jarvis and restaurant owner Carolyn Holman. Obama said he would dedicate most of his time in the region to listening, and at the end of the roundtable discussion he said he had learned firsthand how the oil spill has damaged the Panhandle’s economy. Jarvis has seen his business fall a full 50 percent, he said, and Leonard is relying on the off months of August and September to make up for dismal business in July, a month typically considered the height of the tourist season.

Oberst and Clemons introduced ideas about diversifying the Panhandle’s economy in an effort to protect the region from future economic turmoil if another natural disaster should rock the coast. The president laid out a general three-point plan for the Gulf’s recovery. First, he said the water and beaches must be cleaned. The majority of the oil has evaporated, been dispersed, skimmed or burned off by cleanup crews, scientists are reporting, Obama said. The economy must be returned to its full strength by rebuilding the public perception of the region and reopening fishing waters so fishermen can get back to their profession, he said. Ensuring the people of the Gulf are compensated for their hardship and BP is held accountable is the critical third step, he said. Obama said he has been adamant about the streamlining of the BP claims process and will continue to lobby for the delivery of speedy aid to those who are in desperate need. “Any delay by BP or the people overseeing these claims is unacceptable, and I will keep pushing to have those claims expedited,” he said. “… My job is to make sure we live up to this responsibility.” His trip to Panama City Beach this weekend marks the president’s fifth visit to the oil-plagued Gulf Coast, but his first vacation in the region. Obama said he and his family – his daughter Sasha and the family dog, Bo, were along for the trip; his other daughter, Malia, is at camp – are visiting in hopes of attracting public attention to all the region has to offer. “The beaches are beautiful; the restaurants are good,” he said. “The Gulf is open for business.”

Crist was optimistic about the effect of a presidential visit to Florida during a difficult season for the state and hopes the trip will promote all Florida has to offer. The visit shows the president is aware of the hardships facing the Gulf coast and that he is concerned about the people, Crist said. “It’s great to have the president here today and the first lady,” Crist said. “It’s all about jobs, jobs, jobs.” Michelle Obama visited the area earlier in the summer and encouraged Americans to come see the region’s beautiful beaches, but endured a round of criticism when the first family opted to take their vacation in Maine. After their roundtable discussion and visit to the Coast Guard station, the Obamas rejoined their daughter Sasha for lunch at Lime’s Bay Side Bar and Grill on the dock at the Bay Point Marriott. Plans for the vacation have been kept close to the vest, but the president said he likely would be visiting the white sand beaches of the Panhandle on Sunday before departing.

>>> Press release: U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was joined by eleven House colleagues in filing a brief today with the Supreme Court contending that Holocaust survivors and heirs of victims should  have access to U.S. courts to settle Holocaust-era insurance claims. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen: “My colleagues and I filed this brief in support of Holocaust survivors seeking to exercise their rights to pursue legal redress in U.S. courts against foreign insurance companies. “European insurance companies that have shamefully refused to settle Holocaust-era claims must be held accountable.  The United States government should be helping Holocaust victims rather than placing legal barriers in the way of justice. “It is imperative that the Supreme Court hear this case soon, as the time for the Holocaust survivors is running out.”

Note: Ros-Lehtinen is the author of the H.R.4596, the Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act, which seeks to protect the rights of Holocaust survivors by preventing preemption of state laws that were enacted to enable Holocaust survivors to have their day in court and to require insurance companies conducting business in those states to disclose Nazi-era policy information. >>> Background:   Following World War II, Holocaust survivors and families of victims approached insurance companies with claims.  Many were rejected due to the absence of death certificates and policy documents.  Such documents were often confiscated by Nazi authorities, leaving the insurance companies with the only proof of the existence of insurance policies.  The International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims (ICHEIC), a voluntary system controlled by the insurance companies, was established in 1998 to settle Holocaust-era insurance claims. However, ICHEIC has been criticized for its failure to adequately address the insurance claims issue. The ICHEIC process closed in 2007, yet insurance companies holding these policies continue to refuse to settle claims or disclose the identities of insurance policy holders.  The U.S. Government has asserted that ICHEIC, which no longer functions, should be the exclusive remedy for resolving Holocaust-era insurance claims.

>>> ZOGBY POLL: Interactive: GOP Leads In Congressional Vote Preference, 42%-41% Obama Approval Rating Remains at 43%

Republicans lead Democrats, 42%-41%, among likely voters on the question of which party’s candidates for Congress they intend to support. This is a tightening of the GOP margin from July 29, when Republicans led, 46%-38%. President Barack Obama’s approval rating remains as it was at the end of July at 43%. These results are from an August 9-11, 2010 interactive survey of 2,067 likely voters. Please click the link below to view the full news release on our website:http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.cfm?ID=1889

>>> Film on now deceased Miami Commissioner Teele on line —A reader passed on the movie done on former Miami Commissioner Arthur Teele, Jr., now deceased. I have not viewed it myself but here is the link: http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/miami_noir_the_arthur_e_teele_story/

>>> If you believe it is important to have someone watching your public institutions consider supporting the Watchdog Report for no money came in over the last week and I do have to live, thank you! The report is also shorter and with less real content because I am still weak and do not have my past energy level that allowed me to write all day Saturday and Sunday as in the past almost 11-years  that I have been doing this. I ask for my readers understanding during this time. >>> Further, I have been honored over the years by being named a WFOR-4 Hometown Hero in 2000, being profiled in a major way by The Miami New Times, The Miami Herald, and the Orlando Sentinel which ran as a nationwide story on me in the Tribune papers on Jan. 2003 and UNC Chapel Hill naming me one of the top columnists in Florida in a  multi-state study of the media back in 2004. I also thank Joseph Cooper for the opportunity to be on the WLRN/NPR showTopical Currents on www.wlrn.org since 2000, including yearly election coverage since then, and also the opportunity to be on Helen Ferre’s show Issues on issues@wpbt.org numerous times over the past decade.

>>> See what was said about the Watchdog Report in the Miami New Times 2003 — Best of Miami — BEST CITIZEN  — Daniel Ricker –

watchdogreport1@earthlink.net

Three years ago, we said Ricker was our Best Gadfly. Given his dedication and perseverance, this new honor, Best Citizen, is well deserved. Ricker goes to 2500 mind-melting meetings annually, from the Public Health Trust’s purchasing subcommittee to the Efficiency and Competition Commission to the Alliance for Human Services’ nominating council to the school board’s audit committee. Sometimes he’s the only public observer. Object: to be the Public Citizen for all those out there who can’t attend, and to connect and serve as an information bridge among the special-interest-dominated Miami-Dade governmental institutions that seem so problematic and indifferent to the democratic process.

This month his e-mail newsletter, The Watchdog Report, celebrates its fourth anniversary. In a former life, Ricker made a handsome living as an international salesman of heart pacemakers. As the hard-working publisher of Watchdog Report, though, he’s struggling financially — this despite the fact that his weekly compendium of meeting summaries, analysis, interviews, and commentary has become essential reading for anyone involved in public affairs. What his written work may lack in polish, it more than makes up for in comprehensiveness. So raise a toast to the man whose official slogan says it all: “A community education resource — I go when you cannot!”

FLORIDA

>>> Gov. Crist breaks with Scott & McCollum on tough Arizona immigration law

Gov. Charlie Crist Thursday in response to a question from the Watchdog Report said he did not favor state legislation mimicking the new tough Arizona immigration law. Crist at Macy’s in Dadeland said he thought “Florida is to diverse” for such a measure and it puts him squarely at odds with Republican gubernatorial candidates Rick Scott and Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum (Net worth $1. 32 million) both now calling for similar tough measures in Florida, including requiring people carry and produce documentation of their immigration status. Opponents of the new state law say legal and illegal immigration is a national issue and under President George W. Bush with help from Sen. John McCain, there was an attempt in the Congress to pass a new legislation, but that bill failed to materialize and get passed back then. In the nation, there are estimated to be about 12 million illegal residents, and parts of Texas, California, Arizona and Florida are ground zero to these people and the controversy is intense and heated about what the answer should be.

Crist, along with Florida CFO Alex Sink (Net worth $9.22 million) are taking a more moderate approach to the illegal immigration issue but McCollum who has the Republican Party faithful supporting him in central and north Florida took a hit with his local supporters here in South Florida including U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami. The veteran Congresswoman was said to be caught by surprise when the gubernatorial candidate, joined Scott in supporting these tougher state measures. The Watchdog Report has steered clear of this national issue over the past decade because people not only have a wide range of opinions, but their intensity to whatever side they support is at a fever pitch. And many new American immigrants that went through the process legally believe the people that just come here and stay is wrong and one Hispanic man on Friday said the real problem was these new arrivals were “illegal” and that fact should not be overlooked he thought but the debate must continue to go on for the issue is not going to go away.

>>> Press release: Gov. Crist: Regarding Federal Medicaid and Public School Assistance

“With the challenges Florida’s economy has faced, I am grateful to our federal partners for passing legislation to extend enhanced Medicaid funding for all Floridians.  Extending the Federal Medical Assistance Percentages will bring over $700 million to the State of Florida that will help address the needs of many Floridians and prevent drastic reductions in Medicaid benefits. I am also encouraged that Florida will receive more than $500 million for our schools, which could employ over 9,100 teachers. “Today’s action by the United States House of Representatives will certainly help us continue caring for vulnerable Floridians in need and make certain our children have the resources they need to remain competitive and successful.  I am confident these additional resources will help ensure the health of men, women and children, as well as the vitality of the Sunshine State students.”

>>> Press release: New General Revenue Estimates Give Legislators an Additional $800 Million for Next Year’s State Budget

Since the last General Revenue (GR) estimates were made back in March, Florida’s actual revenue collections have been exceeding expectations.  At the new GR Estimating Conference held today, state economists adopted a forecast that predicts that will keep happening, if only modestly.  Agreeing that Florida’s economy is in the “early stages of a gradual recovery”, the conference increased the GR estimate for the current year (FY 2010-11) by $260.1 million (1.1%) and increased the FY 2011-12 estimate by $338.8 million (1.4%). Add this to the $228.7 million by which actual revenues exceeded estimates in the fiscal year that just ended June 30, 2010 (FY 2009-10), and lawmakers will have over $800 million more to spend than previously thought when they craft the new budget next Spring.  Sales taxes—by far the largest GR source—were relatively stable.  However, higher than anticipated corporate profits increased the estimate of corporate income taxes by more than $400 million over two years.  Along with increased hospital fee collections, this offset a reduction in the documentary stamp and intangibles tax estimates—which are derived from real estate transactions.  The tight credit market is still a concern.

The state’s estimators are “cautiously optimist” about the future but warned that the potential impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is still unknown. They predict the recovery will begin in earnest in Spring 2011. After an unprecedented decrease in annual GR collections for three straight years (FY 06-07 – FY 08-09), it appears Florida has resumed the normal trend of annually increasing collections.  FY 2009-10 collections grew 2.4% and growth of 6.7% and 7.4% is expected in this fiscal year and next.   Still, current year revenues are $4 billion less than in FY 2005-06 and it is not forecast that collections will not exceed that that high water mark until FY 2013-14. More information on the new GR estimates will come next week when Florida TaxWatch continues its series of Budget Watches that examine the budget outlook for next year.  In addition to the GR estimates, that report will look at results from other revenue estimating conferences (lottery, transportation, etc.) as well as the new estimates for Medicaid costs and the impact of the newly approved federal aid legislation. Please visit our website at www.floridataxwatch.org.

>>> Press release: Dawn Shirreffs, Everglades Restoration Program Manager National Parks Conservation Association: Parks Group Applauds Approval of  River of Grass Land Deal to Restore America’s Everglades

“By unanimous approval, the South Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board last night approved a River of Grass land deal in the Everglades Agriculture Area to restore water flow back to Everglades National Park. The board has made a prudent investment in water quality that will make restoration possible. “The River of Grass deal will acquire 26,800 acres of agricultural land essential to increase storage, improve water quality, and relieve damaging water releases to the Caloosahatchee and St Lucie Rivers.  Acquiring this land, from a willing seller, will secure key tracts of land at the lowest possible cost. “We applaud the South Florida Water Management District’s efforts to overcome a shifting financial climate to protect the natural environment vital to South Florida’s economic growth.  This cash acquisition eliminates risks associated with financing while preserving the future option to acquire additional lands from U.S. Sugar in the Everglades Agricultural Area. “Last week, the United Nations relisted Everglades National Park as an endangered world heritage site, and now Florida has proven it is equally committed to preserving America’s Everglades for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.” >>> Download NPCA’s 2010 Reporter’s Guide to National Parks:http://www.npca.org/media_center/reporter_guide_form.html Follow NPCA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/NPCA

>>> Press release: Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, together with presenting sponsor, The Children’s Trust, announced it will launch the most widespread local youth talent contest in Miami-Dade history, Young Talent Big Dreams. Kids between the ages of 8-17 will compete for prizes ranging from performing arts scholarships and cash awards to tickets to local attractions and theatres. County-wide competition begins in September, with auditions at six local theatres, and concludes with the semifinals and finals during President’s Day Weekend in February 2011. The contest will feature a total of eight categories including individual song, dance, spoken word and musical instrument, and group categories of song, dance, musical groups and instrumental groups. Participation is free of charge and limited to residents of Miami-Dade County. Six preliminary auditions will take place in diverse locations throughout Miami-Dade, including the Miracle Theatre in Coral Gables, Joseph Caleb Auditorium in Miami; Mary Ann Wolfe Theatre at FIU in North Miami; the Wertheim Performing Arts Center at FIU in west Miami-Dade; ArtSouth Sanctuary Theatre in Homestead; and the Byron Carlyle Theater in Miami Beach. The semifinals and finals will be held in February 2011 in front of a live audience at the Miracle Theatre. Participants may compete in one category only, and those who pre-register will be given priority audition times. “We believe there is a lot of talent out there, but very few opportunities to showcase these extraordinary young individuals,” said Barbara S. Stein, Actors’ Playhouse Executive Producing Director. “Through this initiative, we hope to enable children from all corners of the county to participate and show us what they’ve got.”

Young Talent Big Dreams is modeled after the many reality TV talent shows that have gained in popularity in recent years. Judges will include a host of local celebrities and professionals from the performing arts community. Each act will be allotted up to one minute during their preliminary audition performance, and two minutes for the semifinal and final round performance.  Two contestants in each performance category from each preliminary audition location will be invited to compete in the semifinals and three contestants in each category in the semifinals will move on to compete in the finals. There will be eight winners and one grand-prize winner chosen during the finals. “This is a wonderful program in terms of scope and reach,” says Modesto E. Abety, President and CEO of The Children’s Trust. “We hope it serves to further highlight the value of arts education in our community, which does so much to not only stimulate artistic expression for our youth, but also to build self-esteem, improve academic achievement, provide cultural enrichment, create well-rounded citizens and broaden the horizons of all our children.” Participation in Young Talent Big Dreams requires parental consent and is limited to residents of Miami-Dade County. Detailed information including the audition schedule, competition rules, and registration forms, is available online at www.actorsplayhouse.org. >>> About Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre -Actors’ Playhouse is the nonprofit resident theatre company and managing agent of the historic Miracle Theatre on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. Actors’ Playhouse, which has brought home 63 regional Carbonell Awards for artistic excellence, is a Florida Presenting Cultural Organization and one of 22 major cultural institutions in Miami-Dade County. In addition to its main stage season, Actors’ Playhouse offers a year-round season of Musical Theatre for Young Audiences, a National Children’s Theatre Festival, a Theatre Conservatory and Summer Camp Program, as well as educational arts outreach programs for underserved youth. About The Children’s Trust www.thechildrenstrust.org The Children’s Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County.

>>> YOUNG TALENT BIG DREAMS PRELIMINARY AUDITIONS DATES AND LOCATIONS: Times: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Saturday, September 11, 2010 – THE MIRACLE THEATRE – 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL; Saturday, October 2, 2010 -JOSEPH CALEB AUDITORIUM, 5400 N.W. 22 Avenue, Miami, FL; Saturday, October 16, 2010 – FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERISTY,  BISCAYNE CAMPUS, MARY ANN WOLFE THEATRE, 3000 N.E. 151 Street North Miami, FL; Saturday, November 6, 2010   FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERISTY,  UNIVERSITY PARK CAMPUS  WERTHEIM PERFORMING ARTS CENTER -11200 S.W. 8 Street, Miami, FL; Saturday, January 22, 2011 – ARTSOUTH HOMESTEAD SANCTUARY THEATRE, 240 N. Krome Avenue, Homestead, FL; Saturday, February 5, 2011, BYRON CARLYLE THEATER, 500 71st Street, Miami Beach, FL; YOUNG TALENT BIG DREAMS SEMIFINALS -DATES AND LOCATIONS: Friday, February 18, 2011, THE MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL, Time: 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, February 19, 2011 – THE MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL Time: 1:00 p.m., YOUNG TALENT BIG DREAMS FINALS, Saturday, February 19, 2011 – THE MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL Time: 7:00 p.m. >>> Performers may pre-register online and will be seen before non-registered performers. Visit www.actorsplayhouse.org

FLORIDA SUPREME COURT

>>> Justice Perry taped by Gov. Crist in 2009, well rounded jurist, had net worth of $1.17 million through 2009

This will be the final look at the Court by the Watchdog Report this year and I have been doing this scan of the state’s top jurists for years now. Over the past years, I have found little of any concern when it comes to the judges and they represent a wide swath of talent and judicial experiences on the seven-member court. Justice James E.C. Perry is in the spotlight this week and Gov. Charlie Crist appointed him to the bench in March 2009. He is a former military officer and a Columbia University law school graduate.

Perry through Dec. 2009 had a net worth of $1.17 million and he lists $375,000 in household goods. His two cars are valued at $50,000 and $6,000, there is $20,000 in cash, his home is worth $700,000 and the one in the capital is valued at $250,000. The justice also has $122,000 in a ING deferred compensation account and his salary as a judge was $160,453. He lists receiving no gifts over $100.00 on his gift disclosure form for the year.

>>> Court’s web page: Justice James E.C. Perry – A native of New Bern, North Carolina, Justice James E. C. Perry was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court by Governor Charlie Crist and took office there on March 11, 2009. Before his appointment, he served as a circuit judge of Florida’s Eighteenth Judicial Circuit upon his appointment by Governor Jeb Bush in March 2000. Justice Perry later served as Chief Judge of the Circuit for a two-year term beginning July 2003. He graduated from J. T. Barber High School. From there he attended Saint Augustine’s College, graduating in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Accounting. After serving in the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant, he went on to Columbia Law School where he earned his Juris Doctorate degree in 1972. Justice Perry met his future bride, Adrienne M. Perry, Ph.D., while at Columbia Law School. A scholar in her own right, Mrs. Perry earned her undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Oswego. She then went on to receive a master’s degree from Columbia University and a doctorate in education from the University of Florida. Formerly the Mayor of Longwood, Florida, Dr. Perry is currently a professor at Stetson University. Married since 1971, they have three children – all college graduates. Their eldest son, Willis Perry, is a businessman in Tallahassee. Son Jaimon and daughter Kamilah Perry are attorneys in the Central Florida area.

Justice Perry has been actively involved in many community activities. A dedicated father, Perry managed his son’s AAU basketball team, the SanLando Greyhounds and played an active role in all their sports activities. He supported the Greyhounds through several successful seasons, and the whole family traveled cross-country with the team as they advanced through the championship playoffs. The Perrys were also involved in their daughter Kamilah’s activities, which included piano, ballet, and cheerleading. Justice Perry’s commitment to improving children’s lives extends beyond his own family. As founder and president of the Jackie Robinson Sports Association, Perry built a baseball league serving 650 at-risk boys and girls – the largest in the nation. However, the Association did more than coach baseball. Volunteers also served as mentors and provided free tutoring. In addition to his work with disadvantaged kids, Justice Perry served as captain of the Heart of Florida United Way Campaign and his firm served as general counsel for the Florida Chapter Branches of the NAACP. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees at Saint Augustine’s College. Justice Perry has been a member of the Carter CME Tabernacle Church of Orlando for more than 20 years. He is a former trustee of the choir. As an attorney, Perry was widely recognized for his legal skills and abilities. Prior to his appointment to the trial bench, Justice Perry was senior partner in the law firm of Perry & Hicks, P.A., where he specialized in civil and business law. Justice Perry has received numerous honors and awards including the Seminole County NAACP Humanitarian Award, the Orange County Chapter NAACP Paul C. Perkins Award, and the 2005 Martin Luther King Drum Major Award for Social Justice. In 2004, Justice Perry was honored by his hometown, New Bern, North Carolina, receiving the “Key to the City.” In 2005, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) selected Justice Perry as one of four individuals to be profiled during its national broadcast of An Evening of Stars: A Celebration of Educational Excellence. Most recently, Justice Perry received the prestigious Williams-Johnson Outstanding Jurist of the Year Award for 2006 from the Brevard and Seminole County Bar Associations. Justice Perry is frequently asked to speak at schools, churches, and civic groups. He has delivered the commencement address at several schools including the University of Central Florida and his alma mater, Saint Augustine’s College. Justice Perry was the first African-American appointed to the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit. Governor Jeb Bush issued this statement when he appointed Justice Perry to the circuit bench in March of 2000. “James brings a high level of professionalism, knowledge, and skill to the bench. His community service and commitment to the Jackie Robinson Little League demonstrates his dedication to the community. I am confident that his expertise, strong commitment, and dedication will continue to be an asset to the 18th Judicial Circuit and the state.” Following his appointment to the circuit court bench, Justice Perry ran unopposed to retain his seat. Justice Perry is the 85th Justice to take office at the Florida Supreme Court since statehood was granted in 1845. >>>Office Information: Justice Perry’s office phone is (850) 921-1096, and his judicial assistant is Dawn Stallworth. His staff attorneys are John Keyser, Mireille Fall-Fry, and Rachel Canfield. The mailing address is 500 South Duval Street, Tallahassee FL 32399-1925. Attorneys or law students interested in clerkships in this office should check our Law Clerk Recruitment Page. There also is information on Internships. All inquiries about this page: publicinformation@flcourts.org

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> Commission races heat up with 9-days left, runoff expected in Districts 2 & 8, but what will the turnout be?

On the Aug.24 ballot with early and absentee voting begun on Monday, turnout at the multiple sites has been low and does not portend well for participatory democracy in our Republic locally. The county commission races are David versus Goliath affairs with the incumbents raising hundreds of thousands to the challengers much more modest political war chests. Two commission races are expected to end in runoffs. The Commission District 2 race has incumbent Dorrin Rolle (Net worth $1.01 million) facing five other candidates and the District 8 race after Commissioner Katy Sorenson’s announced retirement (Net worth $1.34 million 08) after 16-years in office and she decided to hang-up her political spurs. Since then, a diverse pack of six candidates has entered the race and the Watchdog Report, once the primary is over. I will start to look at these two commission races candidates much more closely heading up to the general election in Nov.  Further, incumbents Commissioner Javier Souto (Net worth $790,000) is faced by challenger Miriam “Mimi” Planas for District 10 and Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz (Net worth $164,000) representing District 12 has drawn Heather Pernas as well, but both veteran politicians have raised tens of thousands of dollars more for their campaign and they are expected to cruise to victory.

>>> Press release: The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department was recognized by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), earning a combination of Gold and Silver Peak Performance Awards for three of its facilities. The awards were granted to the to the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department’s South District Wastewater Treatment Plant, North District Wastewater Treatment Plant and Central District Wastewater Treatment Plant, in recognition of their complete and consistent National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)compliance during calendar year 2009.The National Association of Clean Water Agencies represents the collective interest of America’s clean water utilities – dedicated environmentalists with a clear commitment to America’s waters. NACWA members are part of a dynamic communication network.

“We humbly accept these recognitions on behalf of the residents of Miami-Dade County”, stated John W. Renfrow, P.E. Director of the Miami-Dade Water. “Our efforts are rewarded not only by these honors, but by the realization that people understand the importance of the top quality services provided by our department. Our ongoing commitment is to serve the needs of Miami-Dade County residents, businesses and visitors by providing high-quality drinking water and wastewater disposal services. Toward that end, we will continue the task of outreaching, educating and communicating with our customers so that the importance of protecting our natural resources becomes second-nature to all Florida residents.”

>>> Press release: The Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe is seeking a candidate to fill a position on its Board of Directors for a private, for-profit child care provider. The candidate must reside in Florida and be associated with a private-sector child care center or family child care home business entity conducting business in Miami-Dade or Monroe County. Preference will be given to one whose center or family child care home is accredited by a recognized agency. Please contact Leeana Pena at 305-646-7220, ext. 246 for an application, or visit the ELC’s website at www.elcmdm.org and click on the Board of Directors Membership Application link on the homepage. Applications must be submitted no later than Friday, August 20th.Please note that candidates will be selected on Friday, August 27th and must be available for interviews on Wednesday, September 1st.

BROWARD COUNTY

>>> Verbal eruption on commission over ethics legislation has shouting match between Gunzburger & Rodstrom, not a pretty sight

On Wednesday at the Broward County Commission, long servnng Commissioner John Rodstrom, Jr., (Net worth $2.45 million) hammered Commissioner Sue Gunzburger (Net worth $5.35 million) for her endless touting of her attempt to get ethics reform passed, a tirade that ended with Gunzburger saying the charges were “untrue,” and the commission was adjourned for ten minutes (You can see the exchange on http://cbs4.com/ ). Gunzburger has said her husband was a very successful businessman and any business his company did with the county was at arms length and she did not vote on any of the contracts. Rodstrom challenged that portrayal saying the company’s products, such as environmentally friendly benches were scattered throughout public parks and the intensity of the exchange is something I have not seen in about ten-years. Gunzburger is facing a tough and combative race to retain her District 6 seat on the dais against former state Sen. Steve Geller, D-Hallandale Beach (Net worth $1.24 million) and the charges in television ads have been flying from both camps.

>>> Check out Gunzburger’ & Geller’s interview with Helen Ferre on >> This Week on Issues  – http://channel2.typepad.com/issues/2010/08/this-week-on-issues.html >>> Broward County Commission District 6 Primary Race -We invited the two Democratic contenders for the Broward County Commission District 6 primary race to discuss topics such as ethics reform, business growth and how to improve the County’s bottom line. Guests: Steve Geller, Candidate, Broward Commission District 6 -Sue Gunzburger, Candidate, Broward Commission District 6 >>>Broward Primary Ballot -SunSentinel’s Michael Mayo joins us to discuss key races in the Broward primary ballot, including the school board seats and how the “name change game” may affect the judicial races. Guest: Michael Mayo, SunSentinel

>>> County Commission passes strong ethics code, but Ritter adds a twist to the legislation

The Broward Commission passed a stronger ethics code on Tuesday that county voters will get to vote on but Commissioner Stacey Ritter added a subtle change that takes away much of the power of the new inspector general’s office. If approved by voters in November to initiate its own investigations, and any whistleblower must be identified, and if an accusation is untrue or spurious. The offending person can be punished in a number of ways. Bob Norman in his blog The Daily Pulphttp://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/ brings up these subtle changes and the commission should reconsider these changes or change the language of the ballot for voters will be voting for something, that they, if approved, will not be the ethics panacea they might believe. And after all the arrests of political officials over the year, the Ponzi schemes, if that has not created a climate for real change. Broward residents are on their own.

>>> Thank you for using the Broward County Commission Agenda E-mail Notification System. A new Broward County Commission Agenda is available. Point your browser to http://www.broward.org/commission/welcome.htm to view the new agenda.

PALM BEACH COUNTY

>>> Commissioner Santamaria in the spotlight, has stayed on dais while peers get busted, had $10.3 million net worth in Jan. 2010

Commissioner Jess R. Santamaria is in the spotlight this week but turmoil on the dais continues, after the sudden resignation of Commissioner Jeff Koons a few weeks ago after he left a off the wall message on an answering machine threatening some people holding out for a development he was supporting. Santamaria is up for reelection and has drawn Michael Jackson as his challenger for Commission District 6 state’s the county election’s office web page. The commissioner is in real estate and has extensive business experience.

What do we know about his finances?

Santamaria through Jan. 1, 2010 had a net worth of $ 10.3 million and he lists owning $100,000 in household goods. His total assets are $11.63 million, that includes $86,544 in cash, a home is worth $594,000 and his interest in a Real Estate partnership is worth $9.06 million, and a closely held corporation is valued at $1.4 million. His liabilities in total were $1.38 million, that includes four loans of which two are owed $314,000 and $649,000 and his total income for the year was $161,000.

>>> What are his current issues on his web page?

Current Priorities: • Reasonable managed growth; protection of the environment • Affordable workforce housing • Ending homelessness in Palm Beach County • Expediting economic growth in the Tri-City Glades area • Crime prevention and control throughout Palm Beach County • Demanding honesty in government and business and strict adherence to the Sunshine Law • Supporting the Ethics Commission & The Office of the Inspector General in fulfilling the objectives of their respective jobs.

The application time closed Monday and the following candidates have applied to be on the PHT 17-member board. The 15 applicants are as follows: 1. Johnathan Rose, 2. Zhayda Garzon, 3. Rene Alvarez, 4. Angel Medina*, 5. Lance Harke, 6. Gladys Ayala*, 7. Gregg Covin, 8. Alan Ezrin, 9. Ishoof Saif*, 10. William Real, 11. Carmen Alfonso, 12. Brahim Derder, 13. Diaz-Lacayo, Marvin, 14. Tonya Thomas,15. Steven Savola. (* indicates incumbent board member)

In the past sometimes up to 50 people have applied to be on the board but this time only a smaller group took the plunge, though there was only essentially a week to submit a application before the deadline passed and Nominating Council Chair Commissioner Dennis Moss may convene a council to extend the application process, something that has been done a number of times in the past.

>>> PAST WDR:  New trustees for PHT needed, only the best of the best need apply

The PHT Nominating Council met Wednesday and commission Chair Dennis Moss presided over the proceedings and set the date for the advertisements for applications to the 17-member board to run, be accepted and they set tentative interview dates. After the applicants are short-listed and have gone through a background check. The process last time resulted in around 60 applications with about 19 of the people applying being interviewed. Advertisements will run in a host of different print media outlets from Aug. 2 to Aug. 9, the submission deadline is 4:00 p.m. Aug. 9 with the County clerk’s office, and it is a volunteer post requiring over 30-hours a month dealing with health trust issues.  www.miamidade.gov/clerk .

The Council is expected to shortlist the names and tentative interview dates of the candidates, that will include the incumbent trustees is Aug. 31 and Sept 1, starting at 9:00 a.m. There are three incumbents expected to be applying again, but there are two other openings on the board that is the highest profile citizen board in the county. Also, the Council is required to add two extra names, and in this case, seven candidates ultimately will be on the slate for the county commission to vote on.  Further, the University of Miami has to fill its spot on the board after trustee Stanley Arkin stepped down from the board a few months ago.

>>> Short listed candidates may have to fill out the county employee form

The Watchdog Report over the past few years has been pounding the Council for stopping asking candidates to fill out the longer county employee application instead of the shorter 5-page form that is very general in nature. I brought this up to Moss last week and he indicated he would review the lengthier form and see if it should be used. I would further suggest that not all candidates initially fill the county forms out but only those candidates that are called in for an interview. Further, the county form makes the background check much more efficient since the applicant will answer questions and bring up issues themselves, and the document has to be notarized, and gives a much more balanced and informed understanding of who the applying person is over an extended period of time.

>>> Latest report from M-D County Inspector General: Jackson Health System’s Status Report re Office of the Inspector General’s Final Report on the Public Health Trust/Jackson Health System’s Use of the County’s Miscellaneous Construction Program, IG09-78A, August 13, 2010.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> City hall features quite a cast of characters stopping in; many visitors just want a piece of an elected official

I have been sitting in the lobby of Miami City Hall at Dinner Key more often than I have in a number of years, three or four times a week, but after the two surgeries, one which saved my life in February. I don’t have the same energy level and watching who comes into city hall and how members of the commission, their staff and others working there react to me has been one of the perks of watching the new Mayor Tomas Regalado administration and four new commissioners. In many ways, things are normal, but there are a few people that are overly defensive or think some snarkey comment is warranted whenever they see me. And from my past 13-years of watching government, people with that self absorbed attitude have a high incident of running afoul in some way in the future with the press or the authorities. Since starting the Watchdog Report in May 2000, I have met many people and 95 percent of the exchanges I have had with them have been normal but then there are other people who act like we are back in the 1990s when it comes to city hall but that is not a time to emulate, with a past manager and commissioner going to jail.

With the return of Commissioner Willy Gort some of the old guard of Miami politics are back in action, but the commissioner should realize this is not the 1990s and there is considerable more oversight in place than ever before and while I have no beef with Gort currently. It is of concern when a certain attitude pervades the institution, one of entitlement and arrogance and this is seen with many of these proclaimed important people. That are not commissioners or the mayor, but just someone that hangs on to these people, making their own self worth justifiable in their minds.

>>> Next week the Watchdog Report will cover what is going on with the Volvo Ocean Race coming to Miami in the spring of 2012, its impact on the economy and how much money the organization is asking for from the city of Miami. For more information go to www.volvooceanracemiami.org

>>> The following e-mail was sent  to (now former) Mayor Manny Diaz using his e-mail address on his extensive city web-page on Sept. 13, 2008 at 9:38 a.m. and to date there has been no answer from the mayor. It currently goes to his new e-mail address.>>> “Mayor Diaz, I wanted to ask you in the chamber today but not in front of Chair Joe Sanchez. My question is where did the extra $400,000 in the 2007 disclosure form come from? I will run what ever you respond unedited but I would appreciate closing this issue, as I am sure you do. Sorry but I have to ask.  Best to all. Dan”  >>>> The Watchdog Report through Dec.7 has yet to get a response or catch-up with Miami Mayor Manuel Diaz on where he got the extra $400,000 in cash listed in his 2007 financial disclosure forms. To see what CBS 4 reporter David Sutta’s take on this issue and the other city leaders financial disclosures go tocbs4.com Blogs . >>> Readers should stay tuned and catch the meeting on the city’s cable station channel 77. >>> Stream Channel 77, for all City of Miami meetings, (Commission, Village Council meetings, Waterfront, Zoning, PAB, Code, etc. hearings)    http://videos.miamigov.com/

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> County Property Appraiser Garcia faces the public at Breakfast Club meeting

Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club – PRESS RELEASE –Meeting Date: Tuesday, August 17th, 2010, Meeting Time: 8:30 AM -Meeting Place: David’s Café II, 1654 Meridian Ave., South Beach –Pedro Garcia, Property Appraiser for Miami-Dade County, will be this week’s guest speaker at the August 17th meeting of the Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club.  Mr. Garcia has worked in the real estate industry for 34 years as a Certified Appraiser and Real Estate Broker.  For the past ten years, he has been a Special Magistrate with the county’s Value Adjustment Board that hears property owner’s appeals against their assessments. Since taking office in January of 2009 as the county’s first elected Property Appraiser in five decades, Mr. Garcia has faced the task of reducing property values throughout the county to reflect the down-turn in the real estate market.  With property values slow to rebound, devaluation continues and county and local governments face continued declines in property tax revenues.  Is the end in sight?  How are commercial properties holding up?  And what are the projections for a turn-around?  >>>Everyone is welcome to attend. David Kelsey, Moderator for the Breakfast Club -For more information contact David Kelsey .  To be placed on the Breakfast Club ’s mailing list, contact Harry Cherry.  Both can be reached at TuesdayMorningBreakfastClub@Yahoo.com >>> http://www.miamidade.gov/pa/home.asp

Pedro Garcia, Property Appraiser, Miami-Dade County

CITY OF CORAL GABLES

>>> City Attorney Hernandez receives municipal attorney of the year award, has her hands full in tony burg

>>> Press release: On behalf of President Michael Blynn, the Board of Directors and myself, we would like to congratulate Elizabeth Hernandez, Esq., City Attorney for the City of Coral Gables for receiving the Florida Municipal Attorneys Association Attorney of the Year Award.  It is a wonderful accomplishment for one of our own. The award, the Paul S. Buchman Award for Municipal Attorney of the Year, is the highest honor given by the Florida Municipal Attorneys Association.  It is named after Paul S. Buchman, who was City Attorney for the City of Plant City, Florida for 42 years until his untimely death in 1991.  Mr. Buchman was known for his expertise, knowledge, and highest level of professional ethics.  She received this award because she is the embodiment of the qualities and character that Mr. Buchman represented in his distinguished career.

Liz is the Chief Legal Officer (City Attorney) for the City of Coral Gables for the past 15 years.  This award matches the same honor given to her by the Florida League of Cities when she was named City Attorney of the Year in 2005.  She was also a past President of the Florida Municipal Attorney’s Association, past President of the Cuban American Bar Association and former Chair of the Florida Bar’s City, County and Local Government Section.  This award also recognizes her community service as well as public service, including being on the United Way Cabinet and being the recipient of the 18th Annual “In the Company of Women” Award for significant contribution made to the quality of life for the Miami-Dade County Community given by the Miami-Dade County Commission and the Miami-Dade County Commission for Women.  Also, named as a top government lawyer by Florida Trend Magazine’s Legal Elite and the South Florida Legal Guide.  Editor’s note: The Miami Herald did a longer story in the Sunday Neighbors section www.miamiherald.com

CITY OF AVENTURA

>>> Mayor Gottlieb, Commissioners Stern, Joel and Weinberg reelected unopposed

With the qualifying date passed for city officials, Mayor Susan Gottlieb, Commissioners Michael Stern, Billy Joel and Luz Weinberg have all been reelected to the tony city’s commission dais. >>> County Ethics Commission report on salary and benefits: The City of Aventura’s Mayor receives a base salary of $10,000 per fiscal year.  The City Commissioners receive compensation in the amount of $7,500 per fiscal year. The Mayor and Commissioners receive reimbursement for authorized travel and per diem expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties in accordance with State law. In 2007, the Mayor received $4,662.56 in taxable expense reimbursements.  Commissioners received taxable expense reimbursement ranging from a low of $1,169.79 to a high of $4,702.56.

CITY OF MIAMI SPRINGS

>>> Two Miami-Dade residents convicted by feds for $21 million mortgage fraud scam

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Henry Gutierrez, Postal Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Michael K. Fithen, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, and J. Thomas Cardwell, Commissioner, State of Florida Office of Financial Regulation announced that on Friday, August 6, 2010, a federal jury in Miami convicted Mayelin Salas, 36, of Miami Springs, and Lucy Segurola, 51, of Miami, for their participation in a mortgage fraud scheme that resulted in approximately $21 million in fraudulent loans.  Salas and Segurola were found guilty of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.  Salas was also found guilty of mail fraud. According to the evidence presented at trial, Salas was an employee of State Mortgage Lending, a mortgage lending company in Doral, which was owned and operated by Magile Cruz. Cruz previously pled guilty and was sentenced in January 2009 to 120 months’ imprisonment for her participation in this scheme.  Cruz’s other companies included Star Lending Mortgage, Sherley Title Services, Doral Title Services, and Professional Title Express, all in Miami-Dade County. According to the trial evidence, in 2005, Salas participated in a double HUD scheme through which the defendants created and submitted to Fremont Investment and Loan, a lending institution, false duplicate HUD-Settlement Statement Forms, which grossly inflated the true purchase price of a property that Salas was purchasing.  Salas received a $5,000 payment from Cruz for her participation in the scheme.

The evidence at trial established that Lucy Segurola acted as a straw borrower on at least three loans totaling more than one million dollars.  Segurola allowed her credit information to be used to apply for these loans knowing that she was not the true borrower and that Cruz would be making the monthly mortgage payments.  The loan applications also included false employment verifications, pay stubs, income and funds on deposit, and IRS Forms W-2.  Segurola was paid a total of $15,000 for her participation in the scheme. The defendants face a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years as well as fines and mandatory restitution.  Sentencing has been scheduled for October 22, 2010. >>> Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Federal-State Mortgage Fraud Strike Force, with special commendation to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, and the State of Florida Office of Financial Regulation.   The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lois Foster-Steers and Kim Selmore. >>> A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

TOWN OF MIAMI LAKES

>>> Mayor Pizzi should stick with the job he was elected to do, not being a prankster

Who knew Mayor Michael Pizzi was such a prankster after he slapped a bumper sticker on a political rivals car, and the other elected official took exception of the actwww.miamiherald.com . The mayor says it was all playful and he was just trying to promote congeniality on the dais, but the joke is on him. The mayor portrays himself as just a small town attorney, who fights for the underdog but this representation sometimes rings hollow and in this case. He is acting like a teenager trying to get attention, and fits in with his traveling with an entourage to an awards ceremony a few years ago when he was awarded a UEL Orchid award for his past work. Further, he charges $500.00 an hour states documents on file at Miami Beach city hall and the man should skip trying to be the class clown and focus on running the small municipality he was elected to serve.

>>> County Ethics Commission report on salary and benefits >>> The Town of Miami Lakes’ Mayor receives an annual salary of $18,000.  The City Charter, section 2.6 (b), states that the City Council may establish by ordinance the salary for the Mayor. Each of the six Council Members as well as the Mayor may receive $4,800 annually “as reimbursement for expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.” The charter further allows the payment to be increased each year by an amount “equal to the percentage increase, if any, in the CPI for the Miami-Dade area, all categories.” With this adjustment, in 2007, the Mayor’s and Council Members’ annual expense reimbursements totaled $40,204. Additionally, the City budget shows that a total of $12,000 was dispersed in travel expenses for elected officials, plus an additional $6,500 for total annual cell phone reimbursements. The Mayor received a car allowance totaling $7,200.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

>>> Be election ready at www.miamidade.gov/elections – primary election Aug. 24

With the primary election Aug.24, if you do not know where you will be voting or where there are early voting sites go to www.miamidade.gov/elections for more information and remember that voter turnout is historically low in a primary, so every vote counts.

EDITORIALS

>>> Being a public servant is a 24/7 job, watch what freebies you take if you want to retire with dignity, not disgrace

Public officials getting comps and freebies is a way of life in South Florida if one watches how public officials get wined and dined, sometimes by others but many times by local establishments and once a public servant takes this path. It is a slippery slope for years to come. Elected leaders and public officials are public figures and what you do in your official or private capacity is a reflection on you and the organization that one is involved with and people need to keep this in mind, now that practically every resident  has a cell phone with a camera. I have written about this new technology and its affect in the public domain and officials need to play by the rules because with so much public discontent concerning government and public institutions. People have never been so empowered to blow the whistle when they see something that just does not seem right. And when it comes to officials excepting freebies, once they do. They start down a path that should not be treaded if they want to retire with dignity and respect, versus being thrown on the trash heap with other wayward public officials and public servants who thought it was just an innocent act, but in fact planted a seed that grew sufficiently to get them fired or even worse, thrown into jail for their wayward ways. For when it comes to this activity, you cannot be a little bit pregnant.

>>> PAST WDRs: Sept. 11 2005: Where is all the public money going after 18.8 percent property appreciation increase throughout Miami-Dade County and its municipalities?

All of the Miami-Dade public institutions are having their public budget hearings and the one thing that is clear with the surging values of homes is government is getting a unprecedented injection of public tax dollars but it will not go on forever. Miami-Dade County experienced a 18.8 percent overall increase in property values, and is presenting a $6.8 billion budget but government tends to expand to the revenue available, but these numbers are artificial in many ways and this rate of growth cannot be sustained in the years to come. Thus county and municipal governments must ponder this fact during these budget hearings for the future will not be so rosy and now is the time to scale back some items and commit more to future reserves. The danger to municipalities is especially acute given their smaller size and Miami is attempting to dip into its reserves to the tune of $30 million and while over $100 million is still held in reserve, it is odd that the city has to do this given the dramatic increase in the city’s tax role with all the new condominiums.

Governments historically spend like drunken sailors when things are good and moan and put surcharges or other fees on the backs of taxpayers when things turn bad.  In the case of government in South Florida it remains to be seen if they get this message, take preemptive and proactive decisions to sock more of this money away for a rainy or hurricane day, or will just fiddle like Emperor Nero and fall after the boom goes bust because they did not act, while they had a chance.

>>> People should not minimize the danger of killer bees, my father a physician at 65 died in 15-minutes this way

The danger of bees and potential allergic reactions that can prove fatal was highlighted after some people in Miami Gardens disturbed a hive of what were aggressive Africanized “killer” bees.  The swarm once disturbed went nuts attacking neighbors, rescue personnel, a television reporter and animals and a dog died. People’s sensitivity to a bee sting can change over their life but while most bees are compatible with humans, this strain of aggressive bee is very touchy, especially when it comes to protecting the colony’s queen bee.

I write about this because my father was killed by these killer bees in his large garden in New Hope, Pa. in 1981 while harvesting the nights dinner.  He was a physician and had many patients, especially farmers that were found many times dead in their fields with their tractors still running after being stung by some bees.

If you have a reactive response to bee stings, you should always keep the suggested antidote, epinephrine available in a syringe near bye for once stung. If you are allergic, you will go into antiphylatic shock and can be dead in about 15-minutes.  As was the case of my father.

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The Watchdog Report covers a few of the meetings attended weekly. It remains my belief that an informed public will make better decisions. Therefore, I go to meetings, make the presence of an informed citizen known, and bring the information to you.   The Watchdog Report is in the fourth year of publication and it has been an honor to be able to send this information to you. It is sent to readers in Miami-Dade, Florida, the U.S. and the world. The Watchdog Report is sent to thousands free and while readers have been prodded to subscribe the results have been mixed. Over 250 reports and Extra’s have been sent since May 5, 2000 and over one million words have been written on our community’s governments and events.  The report is an original work based on information gathered at public meetings, interviews and from documents in the public domain.

LETTER POLICY

I welcome letters via e-mail, fax, or snail mail. Letters may be edited for length or clarity and must refer to material published in the Watchdog Report.  Please see address and contact information. Please send any additions and corrections by e-mail, fax or snail mail. All corrections will be published in the next Watchdog Report. If you or your organization would like to publish the contents of this newsletter, please contact me. Please send your request to watchdogreport1@earthlink.net

Daniel A. Ricker

Publisher & Editor

Watchdog Report

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Copyright © of original material, 2010, Daniel A. Ricker

>>> Watchdog Report is expanding as a new service and this content is now available to other news media, no longer exclusive to The Miami Herald

The Watchdog Report is no longer exclusively with The Miami Herald, and excluding the one story a week that is printed in the paper on Monday in the Metro & State section by me. The rest of the 20 or so news stories weekly sent out Sunday in the Watchdog Report are now available to television stations web pages, and all the newspapers and other media in South Florida if the publishers have an interest to run part or all of the stories. Further, in 2000, I used to have some paper’s running the report in the Spanish press, that option is available again, and publishers should contact me.  The news content will not be free, but you can pick and chose the stories of interest, edit them if necessary but you must still keep the general story intact.  If you are a news outlet and would like to learn more about, the Watchdog Report and this offer contact me at watchdogreport1@earthlink.net for further information.

>>> Here is what past newspapers have written about the Watchdog Report publisher including a survey and regional study done by the U. North Carolina at Chapel Hill on the media in the southeast United States.

>>> The Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel & Sun-Sentinel articles on the Watchdog Report publisher over the years. >>> Published on September 9, 1999, Page 1EA, Miami Herald, The (FL) CITIZEN ADVOCATE’ KEEPS TABS ON POLITICIANS >>> Published on January 3, 2000, Page 1B, Miami Herald, The (FL) MIAMI-DADE WATCHDOG WILL BE MISSED >>> Published on January 20, 2003, Page 1E, Orlando Sentinel, PAPERWORK TIGER, Miami’s citizen watchdog piles up government files in his quest to keep the “little people” informed.

>>>Watchdog Report publisher named ‘Best Citizen’ 2003 by the Miami New Times  —The publisher would like to thank the weekly alternative paper Miami New Times for bestowing their 2003Best of Miami, ‘Best Citizen’ award to me and I am honored.  Thank you. To read the full story go to http://www.miaminewtimes.com/issues/2003-05-15/citylife2.html/1/index.html

From the spring of 2003:  U. North Carolina, Chapel Hill:  Southeast U.S. Media Report lists Watchdog Report publisher as leading Florida commentator >>> Selected excerpts from the report on Florida’s media sources

Those who do read the newspaper in Florida have a bevy of options for state government and political coverage. The dominant newspapers in the state are Knight-Ridder’s The Miami Herald (Acquired by The McClatchy Company in 2006) and the Poynter Institute’s St. Petersburg Times. Both papers endorsed Gore in 2000 but split on the 2002 gubernatorial race, with the Herald endorsing Republican incumbent Jeb Bush and the Times backing Democratic challenger Bill McBride.

Daniel Ricker of The Miami Herald also writes an influential column as well as an email newsletter called the Watchdog Report that goes out to more than 100,000 subscribers. FEBRUARY 2004 – Florida: Columnists in Abundance —ERIC GAUTSCHI, graduate student, School of Journalism & Mass Communication, UNC-Chapel Hill – D) LEADING COMMENTATORS – Resource Commentator Organization Type Web site –Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times Columnwww.sptimes.com/columns/bousquet.shtml -“First Friday” WPBT TV (Miami) TV Show www.channel2.org/firstfriday/issues.html –Lucy Morgan St. Petersburg TimesColumn www.sptimes.com/columns/morgan.shtml –Daniel Ricker Miami Herald/Watchdog Report Newsletter –www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/columnists/dan_ricker/ >>> Readers who would like to read the complete University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Southeast United States Media Report go to view the complete report or download all the data used in this study. >>> Watchdog Report Editor’s note to the NCU/CH study: The subscriber number referenced is incorrect and applies to readership.

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