Watchdog Report Vol.11 No.47 April 17, 2011 Est. 05.05.00 – Celebrating 12 years May 5th

>> 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 Communication www.miami.edu to financially support and maintain my webpage.

>>> 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. I almost did not write this week because of my financial condition. And while I as so many others are facing tough times. I hope you or your organization will consider helping in a small or larger way and help keep another voice on line and in the media. 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 will start its 12th Anniversary on May 5.

>>> CLARIFICATION: Brian E. Keeley, the CEO of Baptist Health South Florida in last week’s story in his opening remarks, but not mentioned in the story. He did say when it came to Jackson Memorial Health System that Baptist and “we as a community need to embrace Jackson and not let it go down,” and Baptist Health “supports it not going down,” he said at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon and covered last week in the WDR.

>>> No Watchdog Report next week since I am going to be moving, no easy task since I have rented my cottage since 1997 and it is a treasure trove of public documents, audio and video tapes of what our public officials have said and done since that time.

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street

>>> U.S. House Republicans pass partisan bill saving $6.2 trillion, President Obama fires back with $4 trillion in cuts over 12-years

U.S. House Republican lawmakers voted along partisan lines in a non-binding vote to save $6.2 trillion over the next decade that includes deep cuts in social programs like food stamps, Medicaid and an overhaul of Medicare for the elderly. The vote had 235 Republicans voting in favor with all 193 Democrats voting no, but the real battle is expected during the summer and a prelude to that battle will be if the debt limit should be raised again, now that it is around $14.3 trillion. Obama fired back Wednesday saying these cuts to the elderly, disadvantaged or the sick went too far and were mean spirited. His new plan, about three times more in savings than he suggested a few months ago would save $3 trillion over ten years and would jump to $4 trillion in a dozen years.

However, Republicans in the House are holding firm and with the upcoming 2012 presidential election in the wings, both parties face the dilemma of the fiscal crisis, debt ceiling size, and struggling national and global economies that has unemployment, while slowly declining, still has a staggering number of people out of work throughout America.

What about Donald Trump?

Donald Trump spoke at a rally in South Florida Saturday held by tea party supporters and the billionaire businessman was with his populace base. Trump has called Obama the worst president in America’s history and while a confident and flamboyant speaker. He has not gone around the political track, which involves having your personal life under a microscope and includes two highly public divorces, that he attributes to being a hard worker. The mega developer also has a way with putting his foot in his mouth, with the press discussing some of these gaffes, and he is finding out running for president is not a television show. And it remains to be seen if he catches the nation’s voters eyes if he decides to throw his hat in the 2012 Republican presidential primary, or possible as an independent candidate.

>>> White House press release: Today I have signed into law H.R. 1473, the “Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011”.

Section 1112 of the Act bars the use of funds for the remainder of fiscal year 2011 to transfer Guantanamo detainees into the United States, and section 1113 bars the use of funds for the remainder of fiscal year 2011 to transfer detainees to the custody or effective control of foreign countries unless specified conditions are met.  Section 1112 represents the continuation of a dangerous and unprecedented challenge to critical executive branch authority to determine when and where to prosecute Guantanamo detainees, based on the facts and the circumstances of each case and our national security interests.  The prosecution of terrorists in Federal court is a powerful tool in our efforts to protect the Nation and must be among the options available to us.  Any attempt to deprive the executive branch of that tool undermines our Nation’s counterterrorism efforts and has the potential to harm our national security.

With respect to section 1113 of the Act, the restrictions on the transfer of detainees to the custody or effective control of foreign countries interfere with the authority of the executive branch to make important and consequential foreign policy and national security determinations regarding whether and under what circumstances such transfers should occur in the context of an ongoing armed conflict.  We must have the ability to act swiftly and to have broad flexibility in conducting our negotiations with foreign countries.  The executive branch has sought and obtained from countries that are prospective recipients of Guantanamo detainees assurances that they will take or have taken measures reasonably designed to be effective in preventing, or ensuring against, returned detainees taking action to threaten the United States or engage in terrorist activities.  Consistent with existing statutes, the executive branch has kept the Congress informed about these assurances and notified the Congress prior to transfers.  Requiring the executive branch to certify to additional conditions would hinder the conduct of delicate negotiations with foreign countries and therefore the effort to conclude detainee transfers in accord with our national security.

Despite my continued strong objection to these provisions, I have signed this Act because of the importance of avoiding a lapse in appropriations for the Federal Government, including our military activities, for the remainder of fiscal year 2011. Nevertheless, my Administration will work with the Congress to seek repeal of these restrictions, will seek to mitigate their effects, and will oppose any attempt to extend or expand them in the future. Section 2262 of the Act would prohibit the use of funds for several positions that involve providing advice directly to the President.  The President has well-established authority to supervise and oversee the executive branch, and to obtain advice in furtherance of this supervisory authority.  The President also has the prerogative to obtain advice that will assist him in carrying out his constitutional responsibilities, and do so not only from executive branch officials and employees outside the White House, but also from advisers within it.

Legislative efforts that significantly impede the President’s ability to exercise his supervisory and coordinating authorities or to obtain the views of the appropriate senior advisers violate the separation of powers by undermining the President’s ability to exercise his constitutional responsibilities and take care that the laws be faithfully executed.  Therefore, the executive branch will construe section 2262 not to abrogate these Presidential prerogatives.

>>> Press release: South Florida Members of Congress: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mario Diaz-Balart, David Rivera & Frederica Wilson Will Visit Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant To Receive Briefing On Plant Operations & Safety Mechanisms

Washington, D.C. – On Monday, April 18th South Florida Members of Congress Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and David Rivera (R-FL) will visit the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant to receive a briefing on plant operations and safety mechanisms.  Ros-Lehtinen is pleased to announce that her colleague and friend, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (D-FL), will also be joining them on this important visit. WHO: South Florida Members of Congress Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mario Diaz-Balart, David Rivera and Frederica Wilson WHAT: Tour and briefing of the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant, as well as disaster preparations in the wake of the situation in Japan. WHERE: Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant, located at 9760 SW 344 Street, Homestead.

>>> Watchdog Report this week is shorter than normal for a number of reasons, health, wealth and future moving after over a decade in same rental cottage

This week’s Watchdog Report is shorter and not as thorough because I continue to face some personal issues, including my health, money and having to move after 14 years with a benevolent landlord. Who has now lost his job and is causing the change of my residency, including all my legal boxes of documents, with what people said at meetings all the way back to 1997, and is quite a treasure trove of information.

>>> All photos in the Watchdog Report are taken from public government sites, and the Report goes on line at www.watchdogreport.net on Monday sometime during the day usually. >>> If you believe it is important to have someone watching your public institutions consider supporting the Watchdog Report for I am a low cost news service yet I do have to live, thank you! 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 numerous times over the past decade.

FLORIDA

>>> Gov. Scott says OK to Jackson Hospital $35 million appropriated cash lifeline, but not again in the future

Gov. Rick Scott has given the go ahead for the release of $35 million for Jackson Memorial Hospital after meeting Friday with incoming President and CEO Carlos Migoya and county lobbyist Ron Book. www.miamiherald.com Scott and Migoya had never met before and since both are past businessmen; the conversation was probable frank and pragmatic. Scott had also been getting bipartisan pressure from Miami-Dade County state legislators to release the funding allocated in last years legislature but conditions to the money held up the release to the beleaguered health system. However, Scott also said that might be it for that kind of appropriation and the former healthcare executive, with Columbia/HCA, also just recently divested his interest in a healthcare organization he started years ago.

Scott, as Migoya will be, is still learning on the job and is too many Floridians an enigma with some of his decisions, but he should also know if Jackson Hospital goes down suddenly, rather than a controlled contraction, while also trying to expand its profitable medical lines. It will have a massive ripple effect throughout South Florida and its healthcare delivery system.

What about the illegal immigration bill?

Scott who campaigned having a stronger state illegal immigration law and legislators around the state are pushing a modified Arizona illegal immigration bill in Tallahassee, that here in South Florida is raising real concerns among advocates, given the demographics since Miami-Dade and Broward are minority/majority counties. And the specter of having local law enforcement check people’s immigration status is considered the local community’s worse nightmare, and there will unintended financial impacts on these two counties as well.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> Chair Martinez calls for Financial Recovery Board for Jackson; add that to the PHT discussion, with cash deadline looming over the summer

Commission Chair Joe Martinez is asking commissioners to consider a new governing model for Jackson Memorial Hospital now that the hospital has asked the county to infuse $32 million, an advance of half-cent sales tax funding, in the almost $1.9 billion medical enterprise www.miamiherald.com . The county commission passed legislation last year in case the health trust floundered and this request for funding fulfilled one of the triggers that got the commission involved. He is also factoring in the $200 million in Medicaid cuts expected from the state on Jackson in the new state budget year starting July 1. Martinez wants to replace the 17-member PHT board with a Financial Recovery Board, with four appointed by the commission, one by the mayor, another member is chosen by the head of the Miami-Dade legislative delegation, currently state Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, R-Miami, and the seventh is the president of the South Florida AFL-CIO, Fred Frost. The commission chair has also said he would support legislation making it a super majority or two-thirds vote to override a PHT board decision and is something that could be done fairly quickly if the other commissioners go along with the idea. To read the commissioner’s document go to http://media.miamiherald.com/smedia/2011/04/15/18/JHS_Financial_Recovery_Board_Memorandum_and_Attachment.source.prod_affiliate

Martinez

Lopez-Cantera

What else is going on?

However, the commission is without two county commissioners in District 7 and District 13, there is a mayoral race with 13 candidates, a Hospital Governance Taskforce meeting (also created by the county commission – To review minutes of the taskforce go to http://www.miamidade.gov/auditor/hospital_goverance.asp ) is trying to submit recommendations by May 12, said its chairman former state Rep. Juan C. Zapata, R-Miami on Thursday and the Jackson Health System has a new incoming CEO in Carlos Migoya. Further, the county is running ads for six trustee slots and for people to apply to be on the 17- member PHT board, though incumbents are currently in these spots. Martinez is on the PHT board and is also chair of the PHT Nominating Council that has been meeting and will be reviewing these applicants if it is still necessary and covered by the Watchdog Report in past issues over the last12-years, blow by blow.

Zapata

>>> Further, at a county commission committee meeting last week after hearing the grim financial news regarding the health trust had Commissioner Javier Souto saying, “We need a miracle” and Commissioner Barbara Jordan groused that the health system was in a “crisis” for more than four years she lamented, but the red ink has been flowing since 2000.  And in 2004, there was an $84 million negative adjustment by the PHT administration that took into accounts debts owed since the late 1980s, including an over $40 million payment owed to the federal government, and frankly the PHT could have gone down back then, without some extraordinary luck at the time and a booming national and local economy, that has since headed south.

Jordan

Souto

How could it get more politically complicated?

All this activity is happening under the umbrella of Norman Braman’s efforts since last October to first recall county Mayor Carlos Alvarez, which happened, and now he is pushing charter changes be put to voters including a two term or eight year limit, versus what the commission is putting on the ballot where sitting commissioners terms would end in 2024. Critics are scoffing this is not term limits and not what the voters wanted when they dramatically showed Alvarez the door by 88 percent by 18 percent of the county’s 1.3 million voters. Given this charged political atmosphere that has the billionaire auto magnate also seeking the recall of other commissioners.

The remaining actual sitting commissioners are getting a little jumpy. Commissioner Sally Heyman, a now voting member of the PHT board, who through her efforts is getting the health trust a two percent contribution because of state laws on PHT contracts starting to account for hundreds of thousands of dollars of new money. Yet at a recent PHT all day committee meeting Thursday, she thought it was necessary to cover her mouth with her hand while speaking with two assistant county attorneys and later moved behind a pillar when speaking with a ranking financial administrator so that she was concealed from my view and it was odd behavior, given her constant call for transparency in public policy dialogue, and was visible noticeable to others in the room.

Heyman

>>> Marlins Stadium $2.3 million public art will celebrate a win or homerun in a south Florida dramatic fashion

The Art in Public Places Trust saw an animated presentation Monday of what will happen at the new Marlins Baseball stadium going up in Little Havana when the team wins a game or a homerun is hit. A over sixty foot piece of art, that has marlins diving into water and one of the mammals at the top does a back flip, with lighting and other accessories going through about a 20 second cycle. The stadium mostly funded with public money will have four pieces of public art and this one is located just off the line of sight of center field and is expected to cost around $2.3 million and the funding is part of the overall contract, that when the stadium is totally financed in the decades ahead comes in over $2.5 billion.

>>> Press release: Chairman Joe A. Martinez to celebrate opening of new West Kendall Baptist Center

West Kendall residents will soon have quality health care closer to them with the grand opening of the West Kendall Baptist Center at 9555 SW 162 Avenue. Chairman Joe A. Martinez will be celebrating the opening in his district with hospital personnel on Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 4:30 p.m. West Kendall Baptist Hospital will be a teaching hospital with surgical, emergency, maternity and diagnostic units. The hospital represents the first completely new, non-replacement hospital built in Miami in more than 35 years. The hospital was designed to be able to grow with the needs of the community. Located on a 30-acre property in the Kendall Town Center, the four-story, 282,000 square-foot facility accommodates 133 licensed acute care inpatient beds and private patient rooms, and is expected to receive 40,000 emergency room visits annually.

“Residents of West Kendall will now be able to seek emergency treatment closer to home instead of traveling further to Baptist Hospital on North Kendall Drive,” said Chairman Martinez. “Baptist Health has calculated that 21,000 West Kendall residents travel for emergency care in their facilities, 7,000 sought inpatient care, and 16,500 traveled to one of several urgent care sites for treatment. It’s clear that this hospital will alleviate some of the intake at these various Baptist sites, and give residents peace of mind should they ever require emergency assistance.” For more information, please visit http://westkendallbaptisthospital.com online. WHO: Miami-Dade County Chairman Joe A. Martinez WHAT: Grand opening of West Kendall Baptist Center

WHEN: Sunday, April 17, 2011 – 4:30 p.m. WHERE: West Kendall Baptist Center,

9555 SW 162 Avenue, Miami, FL 33196

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

>>> Board Chair Tabares Hantman says thanks, but no thanks, when it comes to running in BCC Dist. 13 race

The Watchdog Report caught up with School Board Chair Perla Tabares Hantman on Monday and she had been mulling the idea if she wanted to run for Miami-Dade County Commission District 13 since a May 24 election has been called after past Commissioner Natacha Seijas was recalled by voters on Mar. 15. The commission district is similar to her own school board district, though smaller. However, Tabares Hantman has decided otherwise and it keeps her leadership position on the nine-member school board. Here is what she wrote me last Monday on the subject. “I want you to know officially of my decision regarding the upcoming County Commission Election. After much consideration and soul searching, I have decided not to run for the County Commission Seat recently vacated in District 13.

While I certainly appreciate the many supporters who have encouraged me to seek election and I am honored by the faith they have in my leadership, I truly believe that at this time I must remain on the School Board.  The children of our community are our future and ensuring that their education is of the highest quality is a responsibility that I consider paramount, particularly at a time when funding for schools seems to be perpetually in jeopardy.  When I ran for re-election to the Board less than a year ago, I pledged to my constituents that I would be their voice for education and I cannot set aside that promise.  I look forward to working closely with whoever is elected to the Commission to improve the quality of life in Miami-Dade for the families of our entire community and especially for the residents of Hialeah, Miami Lakes and all of District 13,” wrote the veteran school board member first elected in 1996.

Tabares Hantman

>>> Press release: As the deadline of April 20, 2011 approaches, the School Board of Miami-Dade County voted 6 to 3 to join limitation proceedings in the case of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig and the subsequent oil spill.  The initial request to join the proceedings was filed by Member Raquel Regalado during the April 5th, 2011 Innovation, Efficiency and Governmental Relations Committee of which Ms. Regalado is the Chair. M-DCPS is one of several Florida school districts and other local governments already joining the lawsuit. School districts receive part of their funding from state sales tax revenue. Given the loss of tax revenue as a result of the oil spill, the school district is seeking compensation for those losses.  “The findings in this case will likely impact all other litigations and/or settlements arising from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill,” said member Regalado. “No matter what happens, we have a right to the funds based on our calculations. Especially in a county where you had to take out commercials and tell tourists to come. We are more in line with the plaintiffs in Louisiana,” she added. “This is a great idea for us.”

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans has set a trial date for February 2012 involving the oil spill incident and its subsequent effects.  Among the defendants: BP, Transocean, Halliburton and other companies involved in the drilling of the Macondo Well, the operation of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, or the oil spill response. The defendants are seeking a limitation of liability pursuant to Maritime law. Since legal representation is on a contingency basis, participation will be at no cost to the District.  The firm of Morgan & Morgan will join the Board’s Attorney in representing the Miami-Dade County School Board.

Regalado

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> Will Migoya be South Florida’s healthcare Cincinnatus for Jackson, or is it a roll of the dice?

Like the Roman General Cincinnatus leaving his farmer’s plow and once again commanding Rome’s legions in 458 B.C., long time banker and financier Carlos Migoya takes up the job trying to turn Jackson Memorial Hospital around in an incredible tight fiscal environment that has the public institution facing an impending cash crisis in the summer. Migoya in Jan. left being the pro bono city of Miami Manager’s job after 10 months paying him $1.00 as required by state law, after crafting a new city budget facing a around $100 million budget shortfall in the current year that began Oct. 1. He plugged that hole by claiming the city was in “financial urgency” and got major union pension concessions around $80 million, but these cuts are being challenged in the courts by the unions affected, and a ruling in favor of the city is not a slam-dunk say some labor attorneys.

Migoya beat out veteran hospital administrator Ram Raju M.D. who gave an impressive case why he should be hired since the health system he was number two at, had a $6.7 billion budget, and 42,000 employees, he said. Raju, a former surgeon and hospital executive from Mew York City was energized and got many positive email comments after a meet and greet with employees, PHT trustees and the public on Tuesday and the comments were given to the PHT board members.

However, the PHT board decided to go with the unconventional and dark horse in the national search selection process and voted 9-5 to select the 60-year-old banker. Migoya, divorced, will now lead an organization with over 11,100 employees including physicians, nurses, maintenance and a host of other clinical staff since Jackson is affiliated with two academic medical schools. He has been checking around the nation with people involved in health care finances and he believes he can do the job since ‘95 percent’ www.miamiherald.com involves finances and that is his strong suit. However, he also emphasized it was imperative for him to hire an outstanding chief operating officer to help him running the system with over 30 clinical locations. He is replacing Eneida Roldan, M.D., MBA after she was on the job for two years, but she did not seek to renew her contract ending at the end of May after being questioned on her integrity and forth rightness to former County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez. >>> Editor’s note: Roldan during her tenure has saved some $180 million in costs through a variety of reforms throughout the system.

Migoya is planning to talk with Gov. Rick Scott in the near future about the release of the $35 million (Scott after meeting Migoya Friday has released the hold and after one more legislative approval will be available at the end of April) appropriated to Jackson in the last budget year but has yet to be released and has many local state lawmakers pressing Scott that the health trust has complied with the release requirements and the money was dearly needed. Migoya also said he believes he knows how to raise some $300 million in desperately needed capital, believes mass layoffs can be avoided, but he is also a pragmatist and knows the coming months will be a challenge. On Monday at a meet and greet with employees that the Watchdog Report attended, along with PHT trustees Gladys Ayala, Joe Arriola and Stephen Nuell. He told the crowd watching from a number of satellite locations including Jackson North and South hospitals that he was a hometown boy, came to Miami when he was 11 from Cuba, and got two degrees from Florida International University including a MBA. He is an avid bicyclist, had a bike accident involving his hand and went to Jackson for treatment years ago. He also noted his son, a premature baby in 1978 was saved by Jackson doctors as well and he is aware of the public significance of the health facility. He also enjoys traveling to North Carolina during the summer and was in Czechoslovakia in November.

However, critics question if his local contacts with Miami-Dade County Commissioners and other officials is enough to run such a sprawling health enterprise, with over 11,100 employees even with his financial credentials and that is the million-dollar question and while the advertised salary range went as high as $975,000 for the position. He is expected to accept much less, perhaps even less than the $665,000 that Roldan is paid, trying to set an example of austerity given the institution’s situation. He is also an avid car enthusiast and owns a number of high-end cars including a top of the line Mercedes Benz and a new Ferrari with a University of Miami license plate on it. When he was manager of Miami, he would socialize with his staff after long commission meetings at a local watering hole, something that former PHT President Marvin O’Quinn also did during his time here from the summer of 2003 through the end of 2008. However, Migoya’s appointment has split the PHT board and County Commission Chair Joe Martinez who sits on the board has sent a memo out to commissioners that has put the whole PHT governance issue in play.

Did anything unusual happen?

Joe Arriola, the recent University of Miami appointment to the 17-member PHT board that includes two voting county commissioners, Commission Chair Joe Martinez and Sally Heyman. During the discussion before the final vote, Arriola said he had discussed who should be selected with UM President Donna Shalala and Miller Medical School Dean Pascal Goldschmidt, M.D., and they thought Migoya would be a game changer www.miamiherald.com when it came to running the hospital. However, Goldschmidt is an ex-officio officer, and was on the PHT search committee and given that status. The conversation between the dean and Arriola would have constituted a Sunshine Law violation and is one of the challenges that this form of governance faces, but until the law is changed. That is the way it is and PHT trustee Robin Reiter-Faragalli called out Arriola on the subject at the meeting after he made the comments.

Anything else happen?

The Watchdog Report on Monday at around 2:00 p.m. saw Migoya at the Stephen P. Clark Government Center lobby, went to the 29^th floor, and he was on his way to meet with county Manager Alina Hudak she wrote in a email Friday when I asked if they had met. However, neither of the other two candidates had such a face to face with the new county manager.

>>> Press release: A Compensation and Evaluation Committee meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, April 21, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon in the West Wing Board Room.  The purpose of the meeting is to set the salary and benefits for the incoming President and Chief Executive Officer, Jackson Health System.

>>> See what incoming PHT Chair Marcos Lapciuc had to say on http://channel2.typepad.com/issues/ hosted by Helen Ferre over the weekend on the choice of Migoya and the health trust’s relationship with the University of Miami’s Miller Medical School.

>>> Candidates to be on the 17-member PHT board are wanted and the application deadline is Apr. 18. For more information or an application go to

Apply to be a member of the Public Health Trust — Applications are being accepted for the Board of Trustees of the Public Health Trust of Miami-Dade County, the governing authority for Jackson Health System. Apply today by filling out the online form. The deadline for applications is April 18 at 4 p.m.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> U.S. Sens. Nelson & Rubio say no to CDBG waiver for Miami, says Mayor Regalado

Frank Carollo, the Commission vice chair invoked the body’s five-day rule when it came to legislation concerning billboards and murals being discussed this past Thursday at a regular commission meeting, and commissioners will meet again on Apr. 21 to discuss the ordinance. Carollo noted he had just received the legislation and did not have time to review what was being proposed and is similar to what county commissioners can do when it comes to the body’s four-day rule, that if done blocks any legislation being discussed and considered. Commissioner Marc Sarnoff objected to the parliamentary move, and noted he did not support the initial legislation when it passed, because it gave one member on the five-member commission too much power.

What is going on with a CDBG use waiver?

Mayor Tomas Regalado last week said efforts to get legislation in Congress to change the distribution percentage of GDBG funding changed was not successful and Sens. Bill Nelson, D-FL and Marco Rubio, R-FL could not go along with it he said. Regalado said he would email me the response but as of my deadline, I still have not gotten it. Regalado said the essence of the communication was they could not support such a funding waiver from 15 to 25 percent for things like meals on wheels, because it involved essentially one ethnic group, he told me last week. The mayor and commission Vice Chair Frank Carollo went to D.C. and met with House representatives and the two Senators. Miami had gotten such a waiver back in the 1990s, and hoped that could be done again, but given the fiscal mood of Congress dealing with a record $14.3 trillion federal deficit, engaged in two long ongoing wars, and a sputtering economy. Such a legislative request given the political environment was a long shot say political insiders.

Regalado

Carollo

Sarnoff

>>> Press release: City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz will join local family members of gun violence victims at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, April 18th to support a national campaign urging Congress to fix our nation’s broken gun background check system. Six of the country’s twenty two recent fatal law enforcement shootings have occurred in Florida, all committed by individuals who should have been legally prohibited from purchasing guns. Weeks after President Obama signaled his support for commonsense reforms to the background check system; the event is part of the Fix Gun Check Truck’s eight-day tour through Florida. The truck team will meet with families across the state whose lives have been touched by gun violence.

Nearly 13,000 Floridians and 250,000 Americans have already signed a petition supporting the Fix Gun Checks plan to keep firearms from falling into the hands of dangerous individuals. The Fix Gun Checks Truck was launched after the Tucson shootings by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a bi-partisan coalition of more than 550 mayors that advocates common-sense reforms to keep guns out of dangerous hands and includes 33 Florida mayors . Every day 34 Americans are murdered by guns; the Fix Gun Checks truck displays this number and has a running LCD tally of victims since the Tucson tragedy.  Omar Samaha, whose sister Reema was killed at Virginia Tech, has been traveling with the truck coast-to-coast. Omar Samaha will be available for interviews. WHAT: Press Event with Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and families of local gun violence victims WHEN: 10:00 a.m., April 18, 2011, WHERE: Miami City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, FL 33133 Contact:  Fix the Gun Checks Campaign, Alex Howe (212) 260-8813 ahowe@globalstrategygroup.com Pat Santangelo (305) 250-2504 psantangelo@miamigov.com

>>> 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, PAB,CIP, Code, etc. hearings)    http://videos.miamigov.com/

CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS

>>> Mayor Gibson taps Williams for unexpired term of Pritchett on Council

>>> Press release: The City of Miami Gardens has a new Council member representing At-Large Seat 5. The Honorable David Williams Jr., was nominated by Mayor Shirley Gibson to fill the unexpired term of former Council member Sharon Pritchett. This nomination was approved and voted on by the City Council at the March 9, 2011 City Council Meeting.

“As a resident of the Miami Gardens area, for the past 25 years, I have seen our community transform in many positive ways,” states Councilman David Williams Jr., “but none more significant and greater than becoming an incorporated municipality eight years ago. As a leader in the City, I plan to work closely with my colleagues on the Council to make Miami Gardens a world class City by making it an ideal place for families to live; bringing more resources to help minimize the tax burden; and reduce the educational gaps and achievements amongst youth and young adults in our community.

Pritchett resigned from the Miami Gardens City Council effective March, 1, 2011. As per the City’s Charter, if more than six months is left on a seat when a vacancy occurs, the Mayor can nominate an individual to serve, with the Council’s approval and ratification, until the next Miami-Dade regularly scheduled Countywide Election. That Election is scheduled for Tuesday, January 31, 2012. Councilman David Williams Jr., will serve on the City Council until, Tuesday, January 31, 2012, at which time the City of Miami Gardens will hold a Special City City-Wide election for the voters to elect someone to finish out this term, which will expire August 28, 2012.

David, a scientist by profession, currently serves as the Director of Community Relations for Informed Families, National Family Partnership, a non-profit prevention organization focusing on educating families and helping kids grow up safe, healthy and drug-free. As a community activist, David, who took an early retirement from the pharmaceutical industry, is committed to improving the lives of children and families by working with various community stakeholders and organization to provide better educational programs, along with social, health and economic resources that will enrich the lives of the people who are most in need. His current activities with the school system include Miami-Dade County Public School Superintendent Family and Community Involvement Advisory Committee and Miami-Dade County Public Schools Wellness Advisory Committee.

In 2008, he became the Gubernatorial Appointee for The Children’s Trust Governing Board of Directors. He serves as the Vice Chairman of the Finance Committee for the Trust, and a member of the Executive Committee. Mr. Williams is a board member with The Early Learning Coalition for Dade/Monroe Counties. David serves as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for the North Dade Community Development Federal Credit Union and the Chairman for the Jessie Trice Community Health Center Foundation Board and a member of the Jessie Trice Community Health Center Board. Anyone interested in contacting Councilman David Williams Jr., can do so by calling his Council Assistant Ms. Hilary Marshall at 305-622-8000 ext. 2793.

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> Fifteen indicted on fraud and bribery charges in South Beach Private Clubs Scheme me

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, Carlos Noriega, Chief, Miami Beach Police Department, and Michael Shea, Deputy Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, announced the indictment of 15 individuals, charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349; thirty-nine substantive wire fraud counts, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343; one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371; eighteen counts of fraud regarding immigration documents, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1546; and one count of bribery of a government official, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 201.  These individuals were previously charged by complaint for their involvement in a scheme to defraud unwitting out-of-state businessmen and tourists out of thousands of dollars through exorbitant alcohol charges incurred at private South Beach clubs owned and operated by the defendants.

Charged in the indictment were Alec Simchuk, 44, of Hallandale; Albert Takhalov, 29, of Aventura; Svetlana Coghlan, 41, of Hollywood; Isaac Feldman, 50, of Sunny Isles Beach; Fady Kaldas, 35, of Palm Beach Gardens; Siavash Zargari, 46, of Miami Beach; Marina Turcina, 24, of Latvia; Julija Vinogradova, 22, of Latvia; Anna Kilimatova, 25, of Latvia; Valeria Matsova, 22, of Estonia; Anastassia Usakova, 25, of Estonia; Kristina Takhalov, 29, of Miami Beach; Irina Domkova, 22, of Estonia; Anastassia Mikrukova, 32, of Estonia; and Agnese Rudaka, 22, of Latvia.  Fifteen of the sixteen defendants were arrested on April 5, 2011 at various locations in Miami Beach.  Alec Simchuk remains at large and is believed to be located out of the United States.

Defendants Simchuk, Takhalov, Coghlan, Kaldas, Feldman, and Zargari were the organizers and investors in the criminal organization, which owned and operated numerous private clubs in South Beach.  The organization allegedly brought Eastern European women into the United States to work as “Bar Girls” or “B-Girls,” to lure out-of town businessmen and tourists (the victims) from legitimate South Beach clubs to the defendants’ private clubs. The defendants targeted tourists and out-of-town businessmen by their expensive watches or shoes.  Defendants Turcina, Vinogradova, Kilimatova, Matsova, Usakova, K. Takhalov, Domkova, Mikrurova, and Rudaka worked as B-Girls or managers at the clubs. >>> According to the charging documents, the B-Girls arrived in the United States under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Visa Waiver Program (VWP).  They falsely stated in their VWP applications that they were not seeking entry into the U.S. to work or commit a crime.

At the private clubs, the defendants would charge the victims exorbitant prices for bottles of alcohol.  The B-Girls would order bottles of wine or champagne and charge them to the victims’ credit card, sometimes without the victims’ knowledge.  The charges were often unsigned, unauthorized, or the victims’ signatures would be  forged.  When the victims disputed the charges, the defendants either threatened to have the victims arrested at the scene or presented the credit card companies with photographs of the defendants and the B-Girls at the private club as proof of the charge.  Typically, B-Girls would keep 20% of what they brought in; private club managers would keep 10%.

The indictment lists six private clubs allegedly owned and operated by the defendants in South Beach: (1) Caviar Bar, 643 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach (operating from  February to May 2010); (2) Stars Lounge, 643 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach (operating from August to October 2010); (3) a room at Club Moreno, at 1341 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach (operating from October to December 2010); (4) a room at Nowhere Bar, 653 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach (operating from late December, 2010 to mid-January 2011); (5) Steel Toast, 758 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach (operating from early January 2011 to the present); and (6) the Tangia Club, 841 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach (operating from late January, 2011 to the present). >> If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud related count; 10 years in prison for each count of fraud in connection with immigration documents; 5 years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States in connection with immigration documents; and 15 years in prison for the bribery count. Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Miami Beach Police Department, and ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Huynh and Richard D. Gregorie. An indictment is only an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES

>>> Hail Mayor Cason, Commissioners Kerdyk and Quesada, as Slesnick and Withers say sayonara to body

Mayor James “Jim” Cason and Commissioners Frank C. Quesada and William “Bill” Kerdyk Jr., were sworn in Friday around noon in the packed commission chambers and it was a bitter sweet affair for some of the losing candidates, especially in the tough mayoral race where Cason defeated Mayor Don Slesnick, II and Tom Korge in a three way winner take all race. Slesnick’s last duties in office was signing the election documents certifying Cason was the winner at the dais, and once this occurred a city worker removed Slesnick’s name off the mayor’s office door and replaced it with Cason. I had seen this done when Slesnick was first elected back in 2001, and at the time I marveled at the precision of the change, since government is rarely nimble.

Kerdyk told Slesnick he was surprised “how visible you were” on the state and national stage over the past decade, yet always there “for employee functions,” he said. He also noted that while the city’s finances and pension were big election issues that there was $6.5 million in city reserves. Slesnick’s retirement by the voters was coupled with two decade long Commissioner Wayne “Chip” Withers stepping down after being termed out and his comments brought tears to many in the audience. He was first elected in 1991 and has been through Hurrican Andrew and many other major storms later, were just a few of the challenges he dealt with in his long career in public office. He said thinking about all the people and events was like “flipping through a rolodex,” joking younger people would not know what that was. He also praised Slesnick’s knowledge about people he met joking he “knows everything about an individual,” he suggested. Withers said the most memorable incident in his career was when the city’s fire rescue unit saved a child drowned in a pool and that is what made him proud about the tony municipality and the life saving services it provides to residents.

What about the mayor’s race?

Cason, who is fluent in Spanish, garnered 3,060 votes, to Slesnick’s 2,888 and Korge’s 2,721 votes and while he was behind when it came to fundraising. He worked the Spanish media outlets effectively and his time in the Foreign Service, including being stationed in Havana heading the U.S. Interests Section, with strong anti Castro credentials allowed the former Ambassador to win the race in the end. And when it came to the commission races, Kerdyk received 5,763 votes and Quesada running against a pack of challengers garnered 3,783 of the City Beautiful votes. Also at the swearing-in ceremonies were past Gables mayors as well as Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, Commissioner Francis Suarez, and county mayoral candidate former county Commissioner Carlos Gimenez, along with a host of families and friends.

>>> PONCE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION -Coral Gables > www.poncebusiness.com  We meet the first and third Mondays of the month at JohnMartins restaurant (253 Miracle Mile – 2nd floor) at noon.  Lunch is $20 for members and $22 for guests – April 25th – Carlos A. Gimenez – Candidate for Miami-Dade County Mayor

Please join us for lunch at JohnMartin’s on April 25th.. Our guest speaker will be Miami-Dade County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez, Candidate for County Mayor. Carlos was first elected to the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners in 2004.  As Commissioner for District 7 he represents numerous municipalities including the City of Coral Gables.  Commissioner Gimenez currently serves as the chair of the Government Operations Committee, which oversees delivery of basic services to County residents.  He is also vice-chair of the Transit Committee and sits on the Airport and Seaport, and Budget, Planning and Sustainability Committees. Prior to his election to the Board of County Commissioners, he was the manager for the City of Miami from 2000 to 2003.  During his tenure as City Manager, the tax rate dropped to its lowest in 50 years and Miami was able to establish more than $140 million in reserves.  Commissioner Gimenez also spent 25 years with Miami’s Fire-Rescue Department, the last nine as the Fire Chief. Commissioner Gimenez is a graduate of Barry University and completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Commissioner Gimenez will be discussing his candidacy for County Mayor of Miami-Dade.  The election will be on May 25, 2011Please reply to this message with your RSVP to poncebusiness@gmail.com — www.poncebusiness.com

CITY OF DORAL

>>> Press release: Doral begins 90-day warning period for red light camera safety program

In an effort to prevent dangerous accidents resulting from drivers running red-lights, the City of Doral announced that its intersection safety cameras will begin taking photos of red-light runners at designated intersections beginning on Friday April 1, 2011 and issuing warning notices during a 90-day period. These cameras will capture still images and video of red-light running violations. During a 90-day warning period, a warning notice will be issued to the vehicle’s registered owner. There will be no fine for this warning notice during this time. However, at the completion of the warning period, citations will be issued. Red-light running is the leading cause of urban crashes according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Deaths caused by red-light running are increasing at more than three times the rate of increase for all other fatal crashes, and more people are injured in crashes involving red-light running than in any other crash type.

The first safety camera will be located at the following intersection: Southbound on 79 Avenue and NW 36 Street. Throughout the following weeks, 10 additional safety cameras will be installed in the following intersections: Northbound NW 87TH AVE @ NW 36TH ST / DORAL BLVD; Eastbound NW 36TH ST / DORAL BLVD @ NW 87TH AVE; Westbound NW 36TH ST / DORAL BLVD @ NW 87TH AVE; Eastbound NW 36TH ST / DORAL BLVD @ NW 79TH AVE; Westbound NW 36TH ST / DORAL BLVD @ NW 79TH AVE; Northbound NW 97TH AVE @ NW 41ST Street/ DORAL BLVD; Southbound NW 97TH AVE @ NW 41ST Street/ DORAL BLVD; Westbound NW 41ST Street / DORAL BLVD @ NW 97TH AVE; Eastbound NW 41ST Street / DORAL BLVD @ NW 107TH AVE; Westbound NW 41ST Street/ DORAL BLVD @ NW 107TH AVE: Additional cameras could be added in the future. >>> The warning period will give the Doral community an opportunity to become familiar with the system. Drivers in Doral are encouraged to slow down and definitely stop on red before the actual citations begin. This is a public safety program, and the City of Doral’s goal is to deter red-light runners and prevent collisions and deaths resulting from these violations. Cameras will operate 24-hours a day and capture images of every vehicle running a red-light at the intersection. Warning signs alerting drivers to the intersection safety cameras have been installed prior to the warning period. The program is administered by American Traffic Solutions, Inc. (ATS) with each violation reviewed and approved by the Doral Police Department prior to being issued. Red-light running is the leading cause of urban crashes according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Deaths caused by red-light running are increasing at more than three times the rate of increase for all other fatal crashes, and more people are injured in crashes involving red-light running than in any other crash type. Intersection safety technology is just one way the City of Doral will make local streets safer for everyone. For more information on the City of Doral’s Road Safety Program, visit www.CityofDoral.com.

>>> OTHER STORIES AROUND FLORIDA

BROWARD COUNTY

>>> Gov. Scott gets third notch in suspension belt taking out Poiter on Deerfield Beach commission

There he goes again, Gov. Rick Scott suspends his third elected official since taking office in Jan. 2011 and it is Sylvia Poitier from the Deerfield Beach City Commission. She is being charged with falsifying information and is being charged with a misdemeanor, but there are five counts. To read more about the political bloodshed in Broward and to read more on this check out Bob Norman’s work at http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/

>>> Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Kimberly A. Lappin , Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CID), and John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce the filing of a criminal information charging defendant Richard Rubin, 65, of Southwest Ranches with tax evasion, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7201.  Rubin  is scheduled to make his initial appearance in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Robin S. Rosenbaum today  at 2:00 p.m.

According to the criminal information filed with the court, Rubin willfully filed a joint federal income tax return with his spouse that failed to report real estate commissions that he had received during 2005.  More specifically, the defendant allegedly failed to report real estate commissions from the sale of a Sunny Lakes property and the sale of a condominium in Hollywood, Florida.

With reference to the Sunny Lakes property, the information alleges that sometime around  2004, Rubin was hired by the City of Davie as a grant writer to help obtain county and state funding for the purchase of the Sunny Lakes property.  On or about December 15, 2004, the City of Davie closed on the purchase of the Sunny Lakes property.  In addition to receiving a fee from the City of Davie for helping to obtain the grant money for the purchase of the property, defendant Rubin received a commission of $102,000 from the seller.

estate agent for the sale of a condominium in Hollywood, Florida (Hollywood condominium).  Defendant Rubin allegedly received $6,297 from the sale of the Hollywood condominium. If convicted, Rubin faces a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. >> An information is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the IRS’s Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey N. Kaplan. 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. >>> To read more on this check out Bob Norman’s work at http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/

>>> 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.

ST. LUCIE COUNTY

>>> Press release: Fort Pierce couple and local man indicted for tax fraud

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Kimberly A. Lappin, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CID), announce the April 14, 2011 indictment of defendants Inuka Rhaheed and Jacqueline Rhaheed, of Fort Pierce, and Wilens Bertrand, of Port St. Lucie, on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and aiding and assisting in the preparation of false documents in relation to federal income taxes, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(2).  The Rhaheeds, husband and wife, made their initial appearance in court earlier this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frank J. Lynch, Jr.  Defendant Bertrand is expected to appear on Monday. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory term of imprisonment of five years on the of the conspiracy count, and three years on each false document count.

According to the indictment, Inuka and Jacqueline Rhaheed owned and operated First Premium Financial Services, a tax preparation business with offices in Fort Pierce and Vero Beach.  Wilens Bertrand worked at the Ft. Pierce office of First Premium Financial Services as a tax preparer.  Both Rhaheeds prepared tax returns and supervised other tax preparers. The indictment alleges that the defendants represented to clients that they and First Premium Financial Services could obtain maximum refunds for them on their income tax returns.  The defendants recruited clients and advertised by word, specifically targeting public servants, including police officers and firefighters, claiming to have special expertise in handling tax returns for persons in those professions. The indictment further alleges that the defendants prepared income tax returns for clients, using false or inflated expense deductions.  Inuka Rhaheed and Jacqueline Rhaheed would also review the returns prepared by other tax preparers at First Premium Financial Services, and directed preparers to add false expense deductions to claim inflated and unmerited tax refund payments for those clients.  The defendants and First Premium Financial Services allegedly charged clients extra fees for additional schedules prepared as part of client tax returns.  In this way, the defendants defrauded the United States of tax revenue.  The total tax loss to the United States from the defendants’ scheme was more than $700,000 for the tax years 2006, 2007 and 2008. >>> U.S. Attorney Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the IRS – Criminal Investigation Division for their work investigating this case.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Cooperstein. An indictment is merely an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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.

ORANGE COUNTY

>>> Press release: Governor Rick Scott makes the reappointment of Olga M. Calvet and the appointments of Richard T. Crotty, Alan S. Florez and John R. Sprouls to the Board of Trustees, University of Central Florida.

Calvet, 61, of Orlando, is the chief financial officer for Palmas Services LLC.  She is reappointed for a term beginning April 13, 2011, and ending January 6, 2016.

Crotty, 62, of Orlando, is the executive vice president for Crossman and Company.  He succeeds Joseph Mantilla and is appointed for a term beginning April 13, 2011, and ending January 6, 2015.

Florez, 34, of Flagler Beach, is the executive vice president of Brown and Brown Insurance.  He succeeds Phyllis Klock and is appointed for a term beginning April 13, 2011, and ending January 6, 2016.

Sprouls, 52, of Windermere, is the executive vice president and chief executive officer of Universal Parks and Resorts.  He succeeds Judy Albertson and is appointed for a term beginning April 13, 2011, and ending January 6, 2016. >> The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

GULF COAST COUNTY

>>> Press release: Governor Rick Scott today announced the appointments of James P. Norton and Joe K. Tannehill Jr. to the District Board of Trustees, Gulf Coast Community College.

Norton, 44, of Port St. Joe, is the senior vice president and senior trust officer for Vision Bank.  He succeeds William Sumner and is appointed for a term beginning April 12, 2011, and ending May 31, 2014.

Tannehill, 43, of Panama City, is the president and chief executive officer of Merrick Industries Inc.  He succeeds Stephen Myers and is appointed for a term beginning April 12, 2011, and ending May 31, 2014. >>> The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

>>> The Elephant Forum luncheon is Apr. 18 at noon at The Rusty Pelican and the featured speaker is Norman Braman. He will discuss the successful recall of county Mayor Carlos Alvarez, and his call for county commissioners to put a number of reform charter questions to county voters to consider, including only two terms in office, a real salary around $92,000 and allowing a Charter Review Task Force to put questions on the county ballot if enough of the task force members support the idea. For more information and to make reservations call Mary Ellen Miller 305.377.9187.

>>> The Downtown Bay Forum luncheon is featuring a debate between Miami-Dade mayoral candidates and Helen Ferre hosts the event. To make reservations for the May 4 event go to www.downtownbayforum.com

EDITORIALS

>>> Watchdog Report celebrating 12 years of weekly news coverage May 5, over the years have been or on in numerous news outlets, I thank my financial supporters that made that happen

The Watchdog Report is celebrating its 12^th Anniversary publishing weekly on May 5, 2011, I would like to thank all the individuals, and organizations over this time that helped financially keep this experiment in high definition government coverage going since that time. I would not be here today without that financial help, as well as the advice, guidance and mentoring so many people have given me over the years, and I have used many people as teachers. South Florida is a colorful but strange community that honors people that may have been stealing for over a decade in Medicare fraud for example, had Miami-Dade County give around $20,000 to six periodical newspapers in 2003 that could not be found in existence (state’s a county audit report done during the time), but I continue to struggle, though from the get go I was adamant the Watchdog Report would be free and available to all.

Since I am moving after 15 years, I have looked at old columns from back then from the spring of 2000 on, and my stories or editorials have been in The Miami Herald, Libre, The Community Newspapers, as well as being extensively on www.wlrn.org on Topical Currents hosted by Joseph Cooper and www.wpbt.org Issues hosted by Helen Ferre. When I began this journey right after the federal extraction of the young Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez. I only thought I had to demonstrate the idea of having a public news nervous system of what was going on with our almost $15 billion in public institutions at meetings and how they could save precious taxpayer dollars, now in short supply using the internet, but here we are today.

Miami and South Florida is an amazing place but we are young, teaching in 19 languages in our public school district, and we have stumbled through some tough financial times but the reason I have persevered is. I have been able to kill well over a couple of hundred million in public dollar spending over the years, that just did not make sense or for example got a discount on a contract, like at the PHT in the late 1990s saving around $10 million and documented in a Jan. 2003 major national profile of me in the Orlando-Sentinel, done by Miami Bureau Chief veteran reporter Maya Bell who spent about six weeks off and on with me back then, and rode with me in my old BMW, that was essentially a death trap with no air-conditioning and the roof leaked back then.

Today, after the financial meltdown on September 2008 we are where we are today, and while I have tens of thousands of readers  from all over the world and University of North Carolina named me in 2004 one of the most “influential columnists” in the state with 100,000 supporters (it was actually readers versus subscribers). I still struggle, but am almost 15 years older since I began going to meetings full time at the end of 1997, and had two significant medical events in 2010 that still impacts me to this day, but I will keep at this. For with the receding of the mainstream media reporting coverage, I am going to many more meetings where there is no other reporter, yet significant decisions are either made or being discussed and these proceedings cannot be ignored, and I continue to pledge, “I will go when you cannot.”

>>> New Jackson Health System CEO Migoya will learn “No margin, no mission” but he must succeed, county residents in this together

The issue of Jackson Memorial System is in major play as it gives premier medical healthcare but is pounded sometimes in the press. Incoming CEO Carlos Migoya has stated people and the media seem to kick Jackson with a certain vengeance, and if the blows were lighter it would be helpful. He is taking the helm of a complex medical enterprise with affiliations with UM and FIU medical schools, but as a banker, this is a new gig for him, and while critics cry, he is unqualified. He now must be supported for the goal is keeping Jackson the community medical jewel that it is, and continues to be, even while dealing with the daunting financial challenges in the months ahead.

Migoya is expected to be very visible in the community, something he talked about during his interview Wednesday and he believes donations should be stepped up, along with trying to balance what is the right strategy to maximize the health benefits of primary care medicine. However, he will also find out that there is a maxim decades ago made by a prominent Nun who ran a public hospital. She said “No margin, no mission,” and that is the challenge he now faces. The Watchdog Report wishes him success for the alternative is unacceptable and if there ever was a time this community was in this together, it is now when it comes to Jackson Memorial Hospital and its future survival.

>>>The Publisher’s Statement on the mission of the Watchdog Report and the special people and organizations that make it possible:  Government Subscribers/Corporate Subscribers/Sustaining Sponsors/Supporting Sponsors

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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

Est. 05.05.00

Copyright © of original material, 2011, 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 2003 Best 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 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 Column 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.

General subscriber’s names will not be published in the Report. To subscribe to the Watchdog Report please use the form below as a subscription invoice.

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NOTE: Invoice is for Yearly supporter/sponsorship Rates: Thank you.

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