Watchdog Report Vol. 10 No. 39 April 4, 2010 Medical Issue
CONTENTS
Argus Report: U.S. Rep. Ros-Lehtinen seeks sustainable fishery management but not at fishing industry and sport fishing expense
Florida: Crist calls for federal investigation of Greer, marked contrast to when Cardenas top of state GOP
Miami-Dade County: Commissioner Rolle continues to misread the ethics compass, chaired committee meeting without revealing business ties with lobbyists
Broward County: There he goes again, Gov. Crist suspends two municipal commissioners, brings governor’s total removals to 36 since taking office
Palm Beach County: Feds arrest four and charge them with identity theft of cancer patients
South Lake County: Gov. Crist made the following appointments: South Lake County Hospital District Board of Trustees
St. Johns County: Gov. Crist taps two for Governing Board, St. Johns River Water Management District
Monroe County: Gov. Crist taps Walters for SFRPC, three county regional planning council
Public Health Trust: Marathon PHT meetings, critical Ad Hoc Financial Sustainability Restructuring Committee should be able to handle larger public attendance
City of Miami: Mayor Regalado says SEC has expanded scope of investigation of past bond sales and documents
City of Miami Beach: “Mr. Miami Beach” Aller makes major mistake potentially beneficial to Solomon’s winning $100,000 wedding
City of Doral: Feds indict 16 in Black Market money laundering scheme
City of South Miami: Manager Carleton fires back after last week’s story, in his own words, slightly edited
Community Events: Friends of the Japanese Gardens and the City of Miami Department of Parks and Recreation Present — HARU MATSURI (Spring Festival)
Editorial: As the months click by, will “New Normal” of national economy sink in with public institutions?
Letters: Reader on the Watchdog Report and my health
Sponsors – Publisher’s mission statement & Subscription information is at the bottom of this issue
>>> Just because you do not take an interest in politics does not mean politics will not take an interest in you. –Pericles (430 B.C.)
>>> May you and your family have a happy, safe and reflective Passover and Easter Holiday.
>>> The Watchdog Report publisher would like to thank the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation www.knightfoundation.org for funding the University of Miami’s Knight Center of International Media http://knight.miami.edu within the University’s School of Communicationwww.miami.edu assistance to rebuild my web site www.watchdogreport.net that is now on line again, since the previous one was shut down in July 2008. Past reports will continue to go on line in the future, potentially as far back as May 2000. This institutional support is a major break through for me, and I am deeply appreciative of the help these two substantial international institutions have given me at a time the site was an unbudgeted expense and to keep the Watchdog Report a community education resource, while also being a decade old news service.
>>> 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 decade old newsletter and news service soon to start its 11thanniversary on May 5.
ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street
>>> U.S. Rep. Ros-Lehtinen seeks sustainable fishery management but not at fishing industry and sport fishing expense
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami Tuesday met with fishermen from Miami to the Keys to discuss the impact of new federal legislation on the local industry. Fishermen over the decade have been hammered by the numerous hurricanes that have hit South Florida. Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado held the event at city Hall he told the Watchdog Report. He said they also discussed a idea put forward by the AFL-CIO trying to help Haitian immigrants possible through a HUD program.
The veteran congresswoman and ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee sent the following letter to the Obama administration last week on the subject. >>>Dear Administrator Crabtree: I am writing to voice my strong opposition to Amendment 17B, as approved by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. If enacted, Amendment 17B will economically devastate commercial and recreational fishermen in South Florida, as well as the shore side small businesses they support. The recreational and commercial fishing communities face tremendous challenges in the wake of multiple fishery closures and extended bag limits, including Amendment 17B. While I fully support the need for a long-term, sustainable fishery management plan, I feel that the actions undertaken by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council completely disregard the economic consequences of enacting multiple, wide-ranging fishery closures at once. Generations of commercial fishermen, recreational anglers, and charter boat captains are being regulated out of businesses. I sincerely hope that you will consider the economic future of these hardworking men and women, as you make your final recommendations to Commerce Secretary Gary Locke. Thank you for your prompt attention and consideration. I look forward to discussing this important issue with you, as it affects so many members of the South Florida community that I am privileged to represent.
What about the meeting with AFL-CIO officials?
Regalado said the congresswomen met with Fred Frost of the AFL-CIO to discuss a way to use HUD funding to rehabilitate a building that could be used by Haitian and other not for profits or community service agencies and create some jobs.
>>> Press release: THREE INDICTED FOR ILLEGAL ARMS SALES TO BOLIVIA -Fourth Man Charged as Felon in Possession of Firearm
Jeffrey H. Sloman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Hugo Barrera, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), and James K. Loftus, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (“MDPD”), announced the April 1, 2010 indictment of Moises Vargas Rojas, 22, of Miami, Frank Roman Goycochea, 20, of Miami, and Alfredo Asbun, 51, of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, in connection with their participation in an alleged conspiracy to illegally export arms to Bolivia. In addition, defendant Alfredo Rodriguez, 55, of Miami, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The defendants were previously arrested and charged by complaint. Vargas, Roman, and Asbun were arraigned this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrea M. Simonton. Rodriguez will be arraigned Tuesday, April 6, 2010, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Brown. According to the indictment, from September 2009 through March 18, 2010, defendants Vargas and Roman purchased hundreds of firearms at gun shops in South Florida for resale in Bolivia. Vargas and Roman would either sell the firearms to defendant Asbun in Miami, who would ship the arms to Bolivia, or would ship the arms by common carrier to an individual in Bolivia. According to the indictment, at no time did any of the defendants tell the shippers that the boxes contained firearms. Instead, the defendants falsely told the shippers that the boxes contained automobile parts. Moreover, neither the defendants nor the Bolivian recipients of the firearms were licensed to deal in firearms.
U.S. Attorney Jeffrey H. Sloman stated, “Although there is no terrorist connection in this instance, we cannot underestimate the potential danger that illegal arms trafficking poses to our national security. Illegal firearms can easily fall into the wrong hands. For this reason, we will continue to aggressively prosecute arms smugglers.” “Stopping the illegal flow of firearms continues to be one of our top priorities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Hugo Barrera. “This multi-agency investigation, the seizure of these deadly firearms and the arrest of these gun traffickers is just another example of how we do that.” Director James Loftus of the Miami-Dade Police Department stated, “The issue of gun violence extends beyond the borders of Miami-Dade County. We stand committed to working with our state and federal partners in this ongoing effort.” According to the indictment and affidavits filed in support of the previous criminal complaints, defendants Vargas and Roman purchased the firearms, and completed the required ATF Forms 4473. In these forms, the defendants falsely claimed that they were the ultimate owners of the firearms. In fact, however, the defendants knew that the firearms would be resold to Asbun or shipped to others in Bolivia, where they would be resold at a higher price. In this way, from September 24, 2009 through March 18, 2010, defendants Vargas and Roman allegedly purchased 372 firearms from Miami Police Supply, a licensed gun dealer in Miami-Dade County, completing corresponding false ATF Forms 4473 for each of these purchases.
More specifically, on March 18, 2010, ATF agents observed defendants Vargas and Roman deliver several boxes to Knez Trading, a freight forwarding company. The defendants told the shipper that the boxes contained automobile parts for shipment to Bolivia. In fact, however, the boxes contained 39 firearms, including twenty-three (23) assault rifles. According to the criminal complaint affidavit, on March 18, 2010, ATF agents and MDPD detectives followed Vargas and Roman to a residence in Miami. While at the residence, agents observed a Chevrolet Trailblazer pull into the front yard of the home. Defendant Alfredo Rodriguez, the owner of the Trailblazer, and defendant Asbun got out of the Trailblazer and entered the home. A short while later, all four defendants (Vargas, Roman, Rodriguez and Asbun) left the home carrying firearm cases, which they began to load into the trunk of Rodriguez’s Trailblazer. According to the criminal complaint affidavit, agents then approached the defendants and ordered them to put down their weapons. A subsequent search of the Trailblazer led to the seizure of four (4) Olympic Arms .223 caliber assault rifles and approximately 3,200 rounds of ammunition. A subsequent search of Vargas’ home resulted in the seizure of 15 firearms, including 10 assault rifles. A search of Rodriguez’s home resulted in the seizure of another 84 firearms.
The 16-count indictment charges defendants Vargas, Roman, and Asbun with one count of conspiring to deal in firearms without a license and to deliver guns to a common carrier for shipment to Bolivia, without providing notice to the shipper that the shipment contained firearms (Count 1). These three defendants are also charged with one substantive count of dealing in firearms without a license (Count 2), and various counts of making or aiding and abetting the making of false statements in ATF Forms 4473 (Counts 3-13). Defendants Vargas and Roman are charged with delivering arms to a common carrier for shipment to Bolivia, without written notice to the carrier that the shipment contained firearms (Count 14). Defendant Asbun is charged with illegal possession of firearms by a non-resident alien (Count 15), and defendant Rodriguez is charged with illegal possession of firearms by a convicted felon (Count 16). In addition, the indictment seeks the forfeiture of the firearms, ammunition, and $4,000 cash seized during this investigation. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 5 years in prison on Counts 1-14, and 10 years in prison on Counts 15-16. Today’s indictment is the culmination of a two-week investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Miami Dade Police Department. In addition, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Sloman also thanked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for their assistance in this investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roy Altman. >>> 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 http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov
>>> Press release: Zogby Interactive: 27% Say Someone in Family Has Lost Job in Past Year; 59% of Jobless Have Been Out of Work More Than One Year
23% in Job That Pays Less Than Previous Employment UTICA, New York – Twenty-seven percent of U.S. adults say they or a family member has lost a job in the past year, and 59% of the unemployed have been out of work for more than a year. Among those with jobs, 23% are earning less than they did in their previous employment. These are among the results of a Zogby Interactive survey of 2,471 U.S. adults conducted from March 17-19, 2010. The poll’s margin of error is +/- 2.0 percentage points. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups. Main findings include: Job Losses – Job losses in the past year have struck people across all demographic groups. Overall, 27% report having lost a job in that time, and that includes 17% of people with household incomes of more than $100,000 and 26% of people with college degrees. Those with household incomes of less than $35,000 reported job loss at 41%.Please click the link below to view the full news release on our website: http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.cfm?ID=1840
>>> I wanted to thank the over dozen people and organizations that have sent me money over the past weeks and it was more than appreciated and you will each hear back from me by mail in the future. Thank you for the support. 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.
>>> PAST WDR: I have been in the hospital after emergency surgery, one more procedure to go, need the community’s financial help to keep at this!
I have not communicated or sent out a Watchdog Report since the end of January because I had a catastrophic medical issue that required one emergency surgery and another in a few weeks after about two months of convalescing at the hospital and home. I would like to thank surgeon Jorge R. Rabaza, M.D., (Recently honored and awarded the Person of the Year at South Miami Hospital) and the rest of his vascular surgery team of Verdeja, Rabaza, Gonzalez, P.A., who practice at South Miami Hospital (http://www.miamihope.com/doctors/index.asp.). I went to the emergency room Feb. 8 and later in the evening, the operation was done, and it was touch and go. I also want to thank all the nursing and support staff located in the forth floor annex of the hospital who took care of me for over a week after the operation and your kind manner and medical attention was deeply appreciated. I have not had the strength and mental clarity to write until the last few days and to say I need a miracle is an understatement regarding my financial survival. I have been unable to send invoices to past supporters and just paying my rent currently is a big deal and hope you will consider doing what you can to keep me out in the field and reporting back after I get back on my feet and I am feeling better. The support form is at the bottom of this truncated issue for your convenience and if high definition transparency of what your public institutions are doing is important to you. Please help and support me financially during this particularly rough patch. >>> Editor’s note: If you see people that represent these two organizations, let them know you appreciate how they helped me keeping this free news resource out in our community for all to read if desired.
>>> See what was said about the Watchdog Report in the Miami New Times 2003 — Best of Miami — BEST CITIZEN — Daniel Ricker –
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
>>> Crist calls for federal investigation of Greer, marked contrast to when Cardenas top of state GOP
Jim Greer, the former head of the Republican Party, under investigation for how party monies were being used, a secret contract given out to himself has now fired back at his critics by suing the party but Gov. Charie Crist (net worth $466,000) seems to have given him up calling for federal authorities to launch their own investigation. Greer was hand picked for the job by Crist and for years the governor gave him cover but the revelations have continued to come with Greer getting the heave ho a few months ago and he was replaced by state Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine. This political turmoil comes while every statewide office is up for election including the whole Florida Cabinet and Greer is the antithesis of what a state party chair should not be with these irregularities.
Greer also was a cheerleader for Crist running for the U.S. Senate early on and he alienated many conservatives in the state who were just starting to look at former House Speaker Marco Rubio; R-West Miami (net worth$ 8,351) long shot bid that now has the 39-year old state legislator leading by double digits in the polls. Further, back when Gov. Jeb Bush first won office, the state Republican Chair was Al Cardenas and the attorney kept a low-key profile, raised a lot of money for the party and lived in a small apartment when he lived in Tallahassee. The attorney while also a great speaker realized any political party should watch over how this party money was raised and was it used responsible.
>>> Press release: Governor Charlie Crist today announced the following appointments and reappointments: Environmental Regulation Commission (Senate Confirmation Required)
Rhoda Glasco-Foderingham, 63, of Coral Springs, attorney with the City of Coral Springs, reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2010, and ending July 1, 2013.
Cari L. Roth, 52, of Tallahassee, attorney and shareholder with Bryant Miller Olive Law Firm, reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2010, and ending July 1, 2013.
Melissa L. Meeker, 40, of Stuart, consultant with Hesperides Group LLC, succeeding Paul Parks, appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2010, and ending July 1, 2011.
Sarah S. Walton, 32, of Pensacola, attorney with Philip A. Bates P.A., succeeding Anthony Clemente, appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2010, and ending July 1, 2013.
>>> Press release: Governor Charlie Crist today announced the following reappointments and appointments: Board of Pilot Commissioners (Senate confirmation required)
Frances Bohnsack, 59, of Miami, director of Miami River Marine Group, reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2010, and ending October 31, 2013.
Jeffrey Jones, 47, of Miami, sales associate for Coldwell Bankers, reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2010, and ending October 31, 2011.
Donald Molitor, 72, of Cocoa, retired, reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2010, and ending October 31, 2012.
Louis de la Porte, 49, of Tampa, general counsel, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, succeeding John Hiers, appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2010, and ending October 31, 2011.
Jorge Viso, 50, of Tampa, harbor pilot for Tampa Bay Pilots Association, succeeding Harold Brandenburg, appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2010, and ending October 31, 2013.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
>>> Commissioner Rolle continues to misread the ethics compass, chaired committee meeting without revealing business ties with lobbyists
Dorrin Rolle (net worth$ 1.02 million), the long serving county commissioner representing District 2 got a write-up in thewww.miamiherald.com last week concerning a company he set up with Roosevelt Bradley, a former director of the transportation department and lobbyist Mark Coats. While the men claim the company never got any business regarding of all things the MIA baggage shrink-wrap contract. The commissioner who chairs the commission’s air and seaport committee never disclosed this relationship when he ran the meetings in 2009. Rolle since taking over the commission district seat after his predecessor James Burke went to federal prison has had past run ins when it comes to ethics issues. In the early 2000s, Rolle using his official commission stationary wrote a memo to then Mayor Alex Penelas asking that the mayor put more county money into the budget for the James E. Scott Community Agency, an organization he was the CEO at. The Watchdog Report at the time broke the memo and the ethics commission ruled the elected leader could not use his official capacity to enhance public funding for the community’s oldest social service organization founded in 1925 by Captain Scott. However, since then the organization has had many issues to deal with including Rolle’s successor at JESCA also going to prison.
Further, Rolle, in a county television interview when asked how he could do both jobs said he believed the two jobs came together with one helping to provide needed services for at risk youth while helping to get county funding for the organization. However, it has been that relationship that has dogged the commissioner over the years and extensively reported in the Watchdog Report including JESCA having around $170,000 in bounced check charges back in 2004. Further, Rolle in his leadership capacity was paid over $170,000 a year in salary though about a year ago, he retired and the social agency is now mired in bankruptcy and its state was documented in a county IG report. >>> Audit of the James E. Scott Community Association, Inc., IG08-66A, October 2, 2009.
What about the shrink-wrap contract at MIA?
For some reason, the shrink wrap-contract for over a decade has been a tumultuous affair that one time went on for over four hours in a packed commission chambers and was a classic meeting with then county manager Merritt Stierheim defending the administration’s company selection that was being challenged by a large swath of the county’s busiest lobbyists. Further, within this contentious discussion was a sub drama of whether a hearing judge was awake, dozing or full asleep during the competing arguments and the county after that instituted the video taping of such hearings.
>>> Memo dust up between Commissioner Jordan and Manager Burgess.
Commissioner Barbara Jordan (Net worth $ 1.9 million) has a beef with county Manager George Burgess after he sent the District 1 commissioner a memo on her legislation to add a trained medical person to a county SWAT team. A reliable source that has seen the correspondence said Jordan believes the manager is taking her idea and she shows the legislative timelines at the commission. She also believes it is a pattern with the Mayor Carlos Alvarez (Net worth $1.66 million) administration that commission requests and wishes are sometimes twisted or modified when it comes to implementation.
>>> Crunch time for county departments as next year’s budget looms in Oct.
Anyone that thinks Miami-Dade County is not feeling financial pain after already cutting $800 million over the last three years has not looked at the Fire Rescue cuts which are around $60 to $70 million in the next budget year. And that large department is not alone feeling the financial crunch and why any extra funding for the Pubic Health Trust is a non-starter.
>>> GMCVB: PORT OF MIAMI REPORTS CONTINUED GROWTH OF CRUISE PASSENGER NUMBERS IN JANUARY 2010 –The latest figures released by the Port of Miami indicate that cruise passenger traffic for the first month of January 2010 stands at 508,712 passengers, an increase of 20.7% over last year’s 421,629.
BROWARD COUNTY
>>> There he goes again, Gov. Crist suspends two municipal commissars, brings governor’s total removals to 36
There he goes again; Gov. Charlie Crist suspended two municipal commissioners last week, number 35 and 36 for the governor since January 2007 when he took office. Broward residents are still reeling from the arrests and sentencing of a slew of elected leaders and high profile citizens. In this most recent case, Coral Springs city Commissioners Vincent Boccard and Tom Powers got busted for meeting with union representatives www.miamiherald.com though they say they are innocent and did not break the Florida Sunshine Law as accused by the state attorney. The men meet with police union representatives for more than an hour and relations between the city police are not great after the elected body shot down a raise for the officers during the current budget year. The paper says if the two are convicted, they could face a $500.00 fine and up to 60-days in jail.
Broward has a long history of elected leaders meeting out of the public earshot and the most glaring example is the county commission. That body historically, after they elect their new mayor for the year, goes out to a tony restaurant for lunch and a few years back when Commissioner Lois Wexler was tapped to head the county as mayor. I followed them to the restaurant. And once there I was told it was a private affair, though they were all in a glass-enclosed room and I watched the whole gathering, which included about 35 county senior employees.
>>> Press release: Governor’s Executive Orders 10-74 and 10-75 >> Please find attached Executive Orders 10-74 and 10-75, regarding the suspensions of Coral Springs City Commissioners Vince Boccard and Thomas Powers.
>>> Four City of Sunrise Fire Rescue officers, including a captain on the force took a road trip Friday to Coconut Grove and ate lunch at Scotty’s Landing, a local establishment on the water next to city Hall. I first noticed their official vehicle in the parking lot for the commission and they happened to be sitting next to two county employees and a Miami assistant manager having lunch as well. Perhaps they were in the area for some meeting or event but it did seem unusual for them to be so far from their assigned municipal district.
>>> 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
>>> Feds arrest four and charge them with identity theft of cancer patients
Jeffrey H. Sloman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael Fithen, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, announced the unsealing of a nine count indictment charging defendants Sharita Hubbard, 31, Onakia Griffin, 31, Lakenya Knight, 33, all of Pompano Beach, Florida, and Cherralyn Milton-Browner, 37, for their alleged participation in a scheme to steal personal information of patients at medical clinics and to use the patients’ stolen information to obtain fraudulent credit accounts. According to the indictment, Sharita Hubbard was employed at various times by University MRI Diagnostic Center, Holy Cross Hospital, North Ridge Medical Center, and Oncology and Hematology Associates of West Broward in the medical records department. In the course of her duties at each medical records department, Hubbard was authorized to access patient files and copy patient face sheets.
The indictment alleges that from October 2008 through February 10, 2010, the defendants conspired to unjustly enrich themselves by having Hubbard steal personal information of patients of University MRI Diagnostic Center, Holy Cross Hospital, North Ridge Medical Center, and Oncology and Hematology Associates of West Broward, including, among other information, the patients’ names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, Medicare numbers, and addresses, and then use the patients’ stolen information to obtain Care Credit accounts and Chevron Visa credit cards. In this manner, the defendants applied for and obtained credit cards in the patients’ names, and defrauded the victims of approximately $162,000. The indictment charges the individual defendants with conspiracy to commit wire, identity theft, and credit card fraud, substantive wire fraud, credit card fraud, and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years on the conspiracy charge, 20 years on each charge of wire fraud, 10 years on the credit card fraud charge, and a mandatory consecutive 2 years on each charge of aggravated identity theft. >>> Mr. Sloman commended the investigative efforts of the agents of the United States Secret Service for their hard work in this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Keene. An Indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 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 orhttp://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
>>> Gov. Crist taps four for Florida Commission on Human Relations (Senate confirmation required)
Loyda “Lizzette” Gamero, 34, of West Palm Beach, community disaster coordinator, American Red Cross Greater Palm Beach Area Chapter, reappointed for a term beginning April 1, 2010, and ending September 30, 2013.
Joanna Cunningham, 38, of Palm Beach, town clerk of Palm Beach, succeeding Onelia Fajardo, appointed for a term beginning April 1, 2010, and ending September 30, 2013.
Michael Keller, 32, of Brandon, co-founder of International Direct Selling Technology Corporation, succeeding Anne Hopkins, appointed for a term beginning April 1, 2010, and ending September 30, 2010.
Darcell Streeter, 36, of Jacksonville, special events coordinator, succeeding Anice Prosser, appointed for a term beginning April 1, 2010, and ending September 30, 2013.
SOUTH LAKE COUNTY
>>> Gov. Crist made the following appointments: South Lake County Hospital District Board of Trustees (Senate Confirmation Required)
Curtis A. Binney, 48, of Clermont, certified public accountant with Sines, Girvin, Blakeslee & Campbell P.A., succeeding Tomas Ballesteros, appointed for a term beginning April 1, 2010, and ending July 5, 2013.
Mark J. Graff, 52, of Clermont, president of Graff Holding LLC, succeeding Debra Hunt, appointed for a term beginning April 1, 2010, and ending July 5, 2013.
Tony D. Hubbard, 53, of Clermont, owner of Coldwell Banker Tony Hubbard Realty Inc., succeeding Bing Hacker, appointed for a term beginning April 1, 2010, and ending July 5, 2013.
Paul B. Rountree, 36, of Clermont, president of First Green Bank, succeeding David Batman, appointed for a term beginning April 1, 2010, and ending July 5, 2013.
ST. JOHNS COUNTY
>>> Press release: Gov. Crist taps two for reappointment and appointment: Governing Board, St. Johns River Water Management District (Senate confirmation required)
W. Leonard Wood, 63, of Fernandina Beach, consulting forester and president of Jowett & Wood Inc., reappointed for a term beginning March 31, 2010, and ending March 1, 2014.
John A. Miklos, 39, of Orlando, environmental consultant and president of Bio-Tech Consulting, succeeding Susan Hughes, appointed for a term beginning March 31, 2010, and ending March 1, 2014.
MONROE COUNTY
>>> Gov. Crist taps Walters for SFRPC, three county regional planning council: Press release: Governor Charlie Crist today announced the following reappointments and appointment: South Florida Regional Planning Council, Region 11 (Senate confirmation required)
Paul Wallace, 66, of Miami, attorney with Hinshaw & Culbertson, reappointed for a term beginning March 29, 2010, and ending October 1, 2012.
Sandy Walters, 57, of Sugarloaf Key, principal, Sandra Walters Consulting Inc., reappointed for a term beginning March 29, 2010, and ending October 1, 2012.
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST
>>> Marathon PHT meetings, critical Ad Hoc Financial Sustainability Restructuring Committee should be able to handle larger public attendance
The marathon of meetings continue at the PHT as it tries to right size itself in the face of dwindling financial reserves while trying to continue to make its roughly $80 million monthly payroll. The trust board is meeting at a number of locations this week and all the meetings are important since a clock is ticking and elected leaders at the county are more than impatient about the $1.8 billion organization’s state of financial affairs and its forecast $229.4 million shortfall. That has the PHT administration scrambling to close the massive gap. However, politics are also being played out and scaled back medical services at Jackson North and South Hospitals are going to be resisted by the local commission champions. Commission Chair Dennis Moss (net worth $477,000) and Commissioner Katy Sorenson (Net worth $1.34 million) are expected to defend care being given at the southern hospital and Commissioners Dorrin Rolle, Barbara Jordan, Audrey Edmonson (net worth $286,000), and possible Natacha Seijas (Net worth $655,000) who gets her medical treatment at the northern location.
What about where these sunshine meetings are being held?
The Watchdog Report has covered the PHT since 1998 and during this time the organization has its up and downs when it comes to the press coverage it has gotten over the years. However, the health trust at this juncture should error on the side of more public access to meetings and using a small meeting room at the Ira C. Clark Diagnostic Treatment Center for a committee chaired by Vice Chair Angel Medina, Jr. this Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. is the wrong way to go. Further, efforts should be made to facilitate the press getting access into the medical complex at such an early hour if one of the media is not to make a Sunshine violation complaint that recently got a state attorney’s attention in Broward County and Gov. Charlie Crist suspended two municipal commissioners last week.
>>> April 5th (Due to a Jewish Holiday, the Jackson North Advisory Board will not meet.)
>>> April 5th > Special Executive Committee Meeting, 8 a.m., JMH, West Wing Board Room, 1611 N.W. 12 Avenue, Miami, FL A special meeting of the Executive Committee is scheduled for Monday, April 5, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. in the West Wing Board Room. The sole purpose of the special meeting is to approve the SEIU Attending Physicians Collective Bargaining Agreement and the amended Collective Bargaining Agreements for AFSCME, SEIU RN’s, and SEIU Professionals.
>>> Jackson South Financial Sustainability Advisory Board Meeting -3 to 4 p.m., Tour of the hospital (meet in main lobby entrance) 4 to 6 p.m., JSCH, Suite 100, 9275 S. W. 152 Street, Miami, FL
>>> April 7th, Ad Hoc Financial Sustainability Restructuring Committee, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., JMH, Clark DTC Room 252 1080 N.W. 19th Street, Miami, FL
>>> April 12th, Jackson North Financial Sustainability Advisory Board Meeting, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., JNMC, 2nd FL Auditorium, 160 N.W. 170th Street, North Miami Beach, FL
>>> County Commissioner Natacha Seijas appeared on Issues, hosted by Helen Ferre over the weekend and she verbally lambasted the health trust leadership and its use of consultants that has saved the institution $500 million over the years. The long serving county commissioner also carped about the Jackson Memorial Foundation and noted three ordinances essentially dissolving the PHT board is in front of the commission this week. She said she was the first to push legislation but noted Commissioners Barbara Jordan and Carlos Gimenez (Net worth $753,000) have introduced their own legislation. To see the show go to This Week on Issues – 04/02 & 04/04 >>> ISSUE ONE: Interview with Miami-Dade County Commissioner Natacha Seijas, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Natacha Seijas joins us on the program to discuss her thoughts on Jackson Health System’s financial crisis and whether or not she has confidence in Jackson CEO Eneida Roldan. Natacha Seijas, Miami-Dade County Commission District 13 >>> Second story: Florida’s Census Returns >>The U. S. Census takes places every ten years to measure the population of the country. Recent estimates show Florida’s returns at are 51 percent; how does this compare to the national average? Guest: Rafael de la Portilla, U.S. Census 2010.
>>> Press release: Commissioner Souto’s urges the Florida Legislature to provide oversight and advisory support to the Board of County Commissioners to assist the County in addressing the Public Health Trust’s current financial crisis including a letter to Secretary Arnold. Souto’s resolution urges the Florida Legislature to provide oversight and advisory support to the Board of County Commissioners, through the Agency for Health Care Administration, in order to assist the County in addressing the Public Health Trust’s current financial crisis. In addition, On March 26, 2010 Commissioner Souto wrote a letter to Secretary Thomas W. Arnold from the Agency for Health Care Administration asking for their assistance to resolve the Jackson Memorial Hospital crisis.
>>> Here is the letter to Secretary Arnold: As a former State Senator and Representative who served in several committees involving health, economic, and crime issues and someone who knows your integrity and commitment to the residents of our State, I would like to beg of you to assist us in the Miami Dade County Board of County Commissioners to resolve in the best way possible the severe crisis involving Jackson Memorial Hospital. Time is of the essence.
The Agency for Health Care Administration could provide an impartial and honest assessment and help us steer this vital institution to safe port. AHCA has the experience, know-how and capacity to take the lead role and help us implement institutional controls that will significantly reduce or eliminate unnecessary administrative costs, fraud and corruption and at the same time help augment revenues. This is a crisis of unprecedented magnitude involving a health system, which serves thousands of poor residents in our community daily. A financial collapse of Jackson Health System will have significant statewide repercussions. It is important to all Floridians to stabilize this institution that has provided top-notch charitable health care to millions of Floridians since its inception in the 1950s, wrote the commission District-10 commissioner.
>>> This is why I have been doing the Watchdog Report for almost 11-years
Since May of 2000, I have been covering the PHT in all its aspects over the years and its financial challenges since then have never been far below the surface of any story over this time. In 2004, I ran the headline about the $84 million charge the organization was having to take for the year and the numbers in many ways never got that much better, week after week, month after month, to where we are today. Some of the county commissioners are carping about all the sudden press and media attention the hospital system with 12,000 employees is getting but that is what happens in Florida where the state sunshine and open records laws makes all these activities public events. However, the commissioners should also be asking why they and the Fourth Estate did not kick in earlier to alert South Florida of the pending financial train wreck. The chronic problem was apparent to anyone that read the Watchdog Report over the decade, but in many ways, my role seems to be of Cassandra for we, as a community did not necessarily have to be where we are today, if corrective action had occurred years ago.
>>> Part IV: What about past Watchdog Report stories since 2000? >>> Another Past WDR: OCT 2004 >>> PHT closes books for last year with $64 million loss, includes extra $7 million for U.M. medical school
The Public Health Trust’s fiscal affairs committee met Tuesday at 8:00 a.m., the red ink at the institution continues, and the final year-end loss through September will be $64 million. This number includes an increased $7 million payment for medical services provided by the University of Miami’s Medical School and another $20 million write-off in fixed assets. This is the fourth year in a row that the public hospital system with a $1.4 billion budget next year posted a loss but cash reserves used in the past to cover this have been depleted to dangerous levels. Treasurer Andres Murai noted that the health trust continues to pick up the unfunded mandated costs shifted from the county, which is about $103 million next year, and he said it is “an impossible situation.” Further, the public health institution provided $462 million in charity care this past year and is budgeting $487 million of that type of service in the current year that started October 1.
PHT CEO & President Marvin O’Quinn later in the morning at a county commission meeting during a PHT update told county commissioners that while recreate Jackson, which is a restructuring of the health systems management and processes is expected to generate over $100 million in revenue in the future. He said there still could be “in a worse case scenerio125 people who could actually leave the organization” in the coming months. The number of employees that could have been affected at one time was possible 500 people but the plan now after the county pledged $76 million in assistance in a number of areas in the new budget year has reduced that number.
O’Quinn now believes that after an aggressive early retirement program, which is expected to accelerate employee attrition, coupled with a tightening of the management oversight in using outside agencies, staff overtime, temporary, and probationary personnel. They will have reduced that number, he said. The PHT has 10,500 employees and O’Quinn has been trying to downsize the institution’s management where “there are 900 people in different type of management positions,” he said. The goal is to reduce current organizational layers from 7-9 to 5 people, and expand the number of people managed from 1:10 to 1:17 people. PHT documents state the institution is hit with a “$1.2 million cost to the organization” every month the reforms are not implemented.
The county commissioners after the presentation stressed that O’Quinn should work closely with the different unions to find efficiencies, aggressively go after revenues due to the institution by patients, make sure surrounding counties patients sent there for treatment are paying and to minimize job loss through reassignments. County Commissioner Betty Ferguson said while she “understood the pressures commissioners are under” from constituents. She believed that keeping the PHT financially viable “should be at the top of the list,” its survival had to be the paramount consideration, and more money should be directed at the hospital for it would affect everyone living in the community. County Commission Chair Barbara Carey-Shuler closed saying to O’Quinn, “I am totally supportive of the plan that you brought us to bring that hospital in line.” She also believes that the county commission should let the president do the job he was paid to do and she remembered decades ago when “you would not send your dog there [Jackson Memorial Hospital] to be treated” versus “now when it is one of the finest in the country.”
CITY OF MIAMI
>>> Mayor Regalado says SEC has expanded scope of investigation of past bond sales and documents
Mayor Tomas Regalado (Net worth $5,000) told the Watchdog Report last week in an exclusive interview that the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) had requested even more information on city bond deals done from 2006 to 2009. The mayor inherited this ongoing probe with the federal government and was first reported months ago in www.miamiherald.com. Regalado, along with new Manager Carlos Migoya have also been dealing with a financial tsunami and the federal securities investigation has been an unneeded distraction.
>>> Will Mayor Diaz finally disclose a gift after being given a bike by his city staff? Zero filed gift disclosures for 8-years
A bike given to former Mayor Manuel Diaz (Net worth $1.8 million) has the Miami Police involved says www.miamiherald.com but since it was a gift organized by his chief of staff and paid for by staff donations. The investigation will likely go nowhere. However, since the bike is valued at over $300.00 the mayor who has never filed any gift disclosures while in office the county’s ethics commission found in a study. He will have to this time, along with one more financial disclosure for the past year while he was still in office and the Watchdog Report hopes he does the required paperwork.
>>> 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.>>> “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 financialdisclosure forms. To see what CBS 4 reporter David Sutta’s take on this issue and the other city leaders financial disclosures go to cbs4.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
>>> “Mr. Miami Beach” Aller makes major mistake potentially beneficial to Solomon’s winning $100,000 wedding
Michael Aller, known as “Mr. Miami Beach” is in the spotlight this week after he sent a pitch for publicity maven Tara Solomon winning a $100,000 wedding on a city e-mail list and the story made www.miamiherald.com last week. Using a city e-mail list to promote a private citizen is a no no and Aller, an experienced public servant should have known better. Solomon tries to justify it because it was ‘done innocently’ with Aller saying ‘this is an old friend that I did a favor for,’ he told the paper. However, this was not for a charity or city sponsored event but someone winning an over the top wedding in these tough economic times and it shows how out of touch the social diva is with the reality facing many Beach residents on a daily basis.
The city manager’s press office has apologized to recipients of the e-mail and ‘reminded staff of its e-mail policy,’ but this is the kind of thing that once out has a greater impact. For now, the couple has gotten a ton of free publicity including The Herald piece and with that story. Any ethics questions regarding the whole affair is to late when it comes to a private citizen accessing indirectly a public e-mail list for her own personal and fiancés gain. And while I am sure Aller is apologetic, the damage and enhancement of this couple’s chance of winning is increased.
CITY OF DORAL
>>> Press release: 16 people indicted in Black Market money laundering scheme
Jeffrey H. Sloman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Investigations, Miami Field Office, announced an indictment charging sixteen individuals with conspiracy to launder narcotics proceeds using the Venezuelan Black Market. Indicted were defendants Herman Rafael Solorzano Caguaripano, 58, and his son, Herman Alejandro Solorzano Rincon, 32, Georges Toutounji, 50, Fortunato Farache, 55, Douglas Enrique Sanchez Soto, 60, Edgar Hadad Azraca, 48, and Alba Villalobos Vergel, 61, all of Doral, FL, Alfredo Ramon Soto Diaz, 42, Miguel Jose Perez Rivero, 32, Luis Enrique Homez Garcia, 36, and Henry Eduardo Bilbao Movilla, 61, all of Miami, FL, Rafael Polanco, 38, of Hollywood, FL, Antoine Jean Melhem, 51, of Coral Gables, FL, Johan Alberto Rincon Medina, 58, of Pembroke Pines, FL, Nercido Sosa Medina, 58 of New York, and Luis Rafael Diaz Plaza, 41, of Puerto Rico. ICE special agents arrested most of the defendants earlier today and they are scheduled to appear in court on Friday, April 2, 2010, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrea Simonton.
In September 2008, ICE special agents assigned to the Miami Special Agent in Charge Financial Investigations Group initiated an investigation into financial transactions involving the proceeds of narcotics trafficking. According to the indictment and previously filed complaints, the defendants would receive contracts to pick-up narcotics proceeds in Puerto Rico and New York and then smuggle the money to South Florida. Once the currency was picked-up in Puerto Rico or New York, it was secured in hotel room safes and in locked bags kept in the hotel room. Members of the conspiracy would then secretly transport the currency, usually in $100,000 increments, via commercial air, to South Florida. The money would be divided into smaller amounts to avoid the possible seizure of all the currency if detected by law enforcement. Once in Miami, the money was either deposited in various bank accounts in the names of nominees or delivered to individuals in South Florida. U.S. Attorney Jeffrey H. Sloman stated, “Drug traffickers need to launder their money to continue and expand their drug operations. Recently, we saw how traffickers exploited weaknesses in our banking system to launder billions of potential drug proceeds. Today, we see another example of traffickers using South Florida to launder millions in drug proceeds. We will continue to use our expertise in financial cases to follow the money, with the goal of depriving drug traffickers of their illicit gains.”
ICE Special Agent in Charge Anthony V. Mangione said, “ICE has taken a leading role to focus our efforts on targeting the individuals and criminal organizations involved in the flow of large quantities of illicit money across the U.S. border. The black market bolivar exchange is an example of the sophisticated and complex systems used by drug trafficking organizations to launder narcotics proceeds. ICE’s financial investigations are designed to target, disrupt, and dismantle these payment systems which are a threat to the financial infrastructure of the United States.” The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of $7,000,000. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum of twenty years in prison. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Joan A. Lenard. >>> Mr. Sloman commended the investigative efforts of ICE’s Office of Investigations in Miami with the assistance of ICE’s Office of Investigations in San Juan and New York, Office of the ICE Attaché Caribbean, the Miami Dade Police Department, the Broward County Money Laundering Task Force, the Florida City Police Department, City of Indian Creek Police Department, the Doral Police Department, the Broward Sheriff’s Office, and the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department Forensic Imaging Bureau. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Gonzalez. An Indictment is only an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 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.
CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI
>>> Manager Carleton fires back after last week’s story, in his own words slightly edited
Your piece on March 28, 2010 relative to South Miami could not be further from the truth. On a personal note, my trip to Hawaii was planned before I became Acting City Manager in late October, 2009 and was noticed in hard copy and electronically the City Commission at least a month in advance. As relates to the phantom employee who made an off hand remarks about the trip, we cannot identify that person to validate your statement. Perhaps you can do that so we can clear up the matter. As relates to your generalization about City employees drawn from an off-hand remark made about a journey to Hawaii, even if it were true, the Mayor, Vice Mayor and City Commission and City Attorney are supporting me in cleaning out the Augean stable with which we were all presented. This process is well along and will continue for awhile since we do not have the luxury of changing the culture without intense scrutiny as does the private sector. Following are a few examples of our progress:
Recently an employee was approached to meet someone “after work hours” to discuss a situation. The employee had the wisdom to feel uncomfortable with the request and the confidence to inform their department director. The situation was resolved without fanfare or rancor and the public was well served. An employee who has been with the City for many years and who is one of the most solid, courteous and beloved folks we have in the South Miami family approached me saying “Mr. Carlton, you look very tired “I told him that he was correct and he said “the employees think you are doing the right thing” What could be better to renew your vigor and commitment. I recently observed a code violation in the Town Center area where a landlord was posting banners outside a recently vacated store trying to bring in tenants. Code Enforcement Director Carmen Quinn was notified at approximately 6:00 pm and she told me a few minutes later that a Notice of Violation had already been sent to the landlord. Good for Carmen and good for her employees.
Two very hardened and polarizing issues were discussed at the March 23, 2010 Committee Of The Whole meeting. The Murray Park Pool project and the Municipal Garage taxation issues have been a source of controversy and rancor for years. Under the leadership of Mayor Stoddard, the issues were discussed in a civil manner, the discussion was televised, citizens were given a chance to weigh in and after the two hours, direction was given to the City Attorney and City Manager that will be formalized in the April 6, 2010 Commission Meeting. Kudos to the Commission for this civilized behavior which was open to the public and televised.
We have completed two of the three union negotiations in the past two months and the City Commission has approved those agreements. This was done with mutual respect from both the union leadership and the administration. I want to thank the union leadership and the members who unanimously ratified the agreements.
We are also airing our difficulties and corrective actions as another example of transparency. A few days ago we received notice form the Children’s Trust that our Parks and Recreation Department After School Reading Program was put on a red light status to correct deficiencies. This program is critical to our residents and to the safety of our children. A commitment had been made by our previous Park and Recreation leadership to resolve the issues. This is one of the reasons I lost confidence in the former director. I will be meeting with Moe Abety, Director of the Children’s Trust, as soon as he returns to the office from an extended absence and will develop a corrective action program that will resolve the issues. Thanks to Carol Aubrun and Maria Stout-Tate who will be held responsible and accountable for the solutions.
Finally, we are becoming an employer where people want to come to work. Three months ago, we advertised for a Public Works Director. After the resumes were vetted by the Human Resources Department and a selection Committee, I was told that only two candidates were worthy of meeting with me. I spoke with one by phone (living out of town) and was impressed and met with the other and was not impressed. I then went through all the resumes and found nine candidates who inexplicably were not presented to me for review. This is one of the reasons we needed to change our HR leadership. While I want to give Acting Public Works Director Rudy de la Torre great praise for the job he is doing, we will be interviewing a number of candidates if they are still available and will be involving citizens in the process. More importantly, we opened the HR Director position recently and have 196 resumes. There are also a large number of Finance Director resumes. While some of this great response is economy driven, credit must be given to the cultural change and positive media coverage about how we dealing with our problems as a team including the administration and elected officials. Dan, as you know I have great respect for the job you do. In the case of South Miami, we are succeeding. I invite you to visit the City of Pleasant Living and learn more, wrote Carleton.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
>>> Friends of the Japanese Gardens and the City of Miami Department of Parks and Recreation Present — HARU MATSURI (Spring Festival)
Sunday, April 25th, 2010 from 10:00am – 5:00pm the public is invited to the Ichimura Miami-Japan Garden on Watson Island for their annual Spring Festival (HARU MATSURI). Event organizers Ms. Agnes Youngblood and Ms. Connie Stieger state, “This is a wonderful event that offers something for every member of the family. It is a nice way for a family to spend a Sunday afternoon together.” Musical entertainment will be provided by the exciting FUSHU DAIKO Drummers, Koto musician, Yoshiko Carlton and Japanese Flute musician, Marc Berner. Attendees may participate in classes featuring Japanese folk crafts, cooking, Japanese Calligraphy, Origami, Bonsai, Ikebana and the Martial Arts. All events are FREE! Lunch and drinks will be available for purchase. >>> Ichimura Miami-Japan Garden is located at 1101 MacArthur Causeway Adjacent to JUNGLE ISLAND. Parking: Public Parking Lot across from the entrance to the Garden or in the Jungle Island Parking Building. >>> For membership, please inquire at the reception table. This event is sponsored by the City of Miami Department of Parks and Recreation and the Friends of the Japanese Garden. For more information, please contact: Agnes Youngblood at 305-858-5016 or 786-457-6446
EDITORIAL
>>> As the months click by, will “New Normal” of national economy sink in with public institutions?
The “New Normal” is how Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff described the American economy and its public institutions at a meeting months ago and around the country; cities, counties and states are facing a new reality that has a number of them teetering into financial bankruptcy. Many of these government entities have already floated more financial paper than one can imagine and debt payments have skyrocketed with the nation’s deficit being the mother of all obligations. Further, states and local governments tapped into the federal stimulus program the last few years to keep the economy from “falling off a cliff,” said Gov. Charlie Crist recently but that money runs out in the future and what are these entities going to do in the future.
Then there is the issue of public employee pensions, that while earned perhaps initially have ballooned into the stratosphere for some of the recipients and compromise has got to be achieved. For every government is maxed out when it comes to its fiscal obligations, that run in the trillions of dollars and only the low interest rates on some of these public financial instruments has saved these institutions from the anticipated blood bath that will occur when rates start to rise, along with inflation. The Watchdog Report does not have the answer to this vexing problem but leaders at all levels must show leadership and commitment to address this financial iceberg for it cannot be avoided, and growing the national economy will help but will not resolve the hole on its on and the time of just political rhetoric is over. And let’s hope our leaders get this message for the current financial debt trajectory is unsustainable and taxpayers know it. Let’s see if elected leaders also get the memo.
LETTERS
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DW
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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. TheWatchdog 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 theWatchdog 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
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Watchdog Report
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>>> 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 paperMiami New Times for bestowing their 2003 Best of Miami, ‘Best Citizen’ award to me and I am honored. Thank you. To read the full story go tohttp://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 Heraldendorsing 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 Column www.sptimes.com/columns/bousquet.shtml -“First Friday” WPBT TV (Miami) TV Show www.channel2.org/firstfriday/issues.html –Lucy Morgan St. Petersburg Times Columnwww.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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