Watchdog Report Vol.12 No.20 September 18, 2011 Est. 05.05.00 – The Fraud Issue – I go when you cannot!

CONTENTS

Argus Report: S. Fl. is #1 when it comes to fraud in all its forms, $60 billion in Medicare alone lost through scams around America

Florida: Cost of Medicaid fraud over $2 billion in state, special task force trying to root it out, but the volume of fraud cases big challenge

Miami-Dade County: A “line in the sand,” says Souto must be drawn when it comes to 442,000 homeowners with Homestead Property Exemptions, some of which are fraudulent but not prosecuted

Miami-Dade Public Schools: Board Member Regalado tells Miami commission 99 percent of MAST Academy students go on to College, why school is in such demand with parents

Public Health Trust: Closing $52 million PHT/ UM AOA funding reduction gap slowly moving forward, around $40 million likely achieved so far

City of Miami: Sarnoff finds having four challengers not a piece of cake, debate at Science Museum a political rumble, how low will they go?

City of Hialeah: Former Hialeah man arrested for assaulting federal marshal during escape attempt

City of Miami Beach: Mayoral candidates’ debate will be lively, with Mayor Bower having three challengers, how ugly will the race be?

City of Coral Gables: Local luncheon features Atkinson of Moss & Associates to discuss Marlins Stadium construction with April opening

>>> Other stories around Florida

Broward County: Long serving Commissioner Rodstrom in the spotlight, first elected to body in 1992, had $2.42 million through June

Palm Beach County: Fraud in county alive and well, veteran Sheriff Bradshaw on major fraud task force, has $1.77 million net worth through May 2011

Sarasota County: Gov. Scott taps Henry Rodriguez to the Board of Directors of Enterprise Florida Inc.

Community Events: Margulies Collection openings – County ethics commission new campaign law seminar — Society of Environmental Journalists Conference, Miami, Oct. 19-23 Shark tagging, coral reef and Everglades exploration, a deep-freeze collection…

Editorials: Election campaign civility in short supply, make it the strength of your argument, not the stridency of your voice — Miami Charter Review should be comprehensive, include qualified citizens to review the document

Letters: Physician on early development video by Harvard doctor — Reader wishes City of Miami Gardens founded in 2003 was mentioned more given its #3 status of largest cities

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.)

> If you wish to be deleted, just e-mail me with that message and you are free to e-mail this on to friends.

>>> The Watchdog Report publisher would like to thank the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation www.knightfoundation.org for funding by the Knight Foundation with technical support from the Knight Center for International Media http://knight.miami.edu within the University of Miami’s School of Communication www.miami.edu to 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 and I hope you or your organization will consider helping in a small or larger way and help keep another voice on line 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 has celebrated its 12th Anniversary May 5, 2011.

>>> CORRECTION: Last week in the PHT section there was an incorrect headline, the name should have been Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez not recalled Mayor Carlos Alvarez.

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street

>>> S. FL is #1 when it comes to fraud in all its forms, $60 billion in Medicare alone lost through scams around America

This week’s Watchdog Report will be dedicated to fraud, waste and abuse of public dollars in all forms and South Florida is ground zero for such wayward activity. Further, fraud of public programs is such a problem we are where fraudsters do their beta sites and once perfected, export these scams to other parts of the United States. Last week, a man found out the risk for such a crime when a federal judge sentenced him to 50-years in prison after stealing $205 million in Medicare dollars ( see story below). The federal Medicare and state Medicaid programs are “pay and chase” said the top FBI SAC John V. Gillies at a fraud forum last year at UM and until that changes. Scam artists will continue to try to bilk the programs vital to the health and welfare of Miami-Dade residents. However, South Florida got its first taste of widespread fraud after Hurricane Andrew (or St. Andrew as some people call it for all the money it brought to the southern part of the devastated county, but also had around 40 residents killed) back in Aug. 1992. And it is fair to say the bulk of Dade residents affected did very well with their insurance policies that had many of the companies being very cooperative since the disaster was so bad and could have been a public relations nightmare back then. However, the lack of aggressive prosecution of windstorm insurance fraud back then seems to have opened the floodgates and all types of scams from mortgages to Pill Mills have become rampant. From Palm Beach south and in Tampa where prosecutors are doing a high volume business busting these people.

Here in Miami around 2003, the local U.S. Attorney’s office created its first FBI Medicare fraud detail that has grown to now two details, and these prosecutors and investigators form the backbone in this war on bilking the system, and are said to be the most experienced in the nation, after all the cases they have prosecuted over the years. The cost of the fraudulent activity is well over $60 billion a year nationally and that is not chump change when it comes to scarce public dollars. Further, this amount of fraud is a nightmare for our elected leaders at the state and federal level and why to a certain extent the federal government has been so reluctant to properly fund the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). Since up to 20 percent or more of the around $10 billion needed was projected to go to administration and waste, fraud and corruption said experts, and with billions of dollars involved. It made it easy for federal lawmakers nationwide to shoot down this needed funding given the reputation the area has and why it is not just the money, but also the fiscal black eye it gives the region on a national scale.

>>> OWNER OF MIAMI-AREA MENTAL HEALTH COMPANY SENTENCED TO 50 YEARS IN PRISON FOR ORCHESTRATING $205 MILLION MEDICARE FRAUD SCHEME ~ Longest Prison Sentence Ever Imposed in a Medicare Fraud Strike Force Case

Miami resident Lawrence Duran, the owner of a mental health care company, American Therapeutic Corporation (ATC), was sentenced today to 50 years in prison for orchestrating a $205 million Medicare fraud scheme, announced the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the FBI. Duran, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James Lawrence King in the Southern District of Florida.  Judge King ordered Duran to pay more than $87 million in restitution, jointly and severally with his co-defendants.  Duran was also sentenced to three years of supervised release following his prison term.  The sentencing hearing for Marianella Valera, the other owner of ATC, is scheduled for Sept. 19, 2011.

Two of the corporations that Duran and Valera used to commit the fraud scheme, ATC and Medlink Professional Management Group Inc., were sentenced today to five years of probation per count and ordered to pay restitution of $87 million.  Both corporations have been defunct since their owners were arrested in October 2010.

On April 14, 2011, Duran and Valera pleaded guilty to all counts charged in a superseding indictment, which was unsealed on Feb. 15, 2011.  The superseding indictment charged Duran with 38 felony counts and Valera with 21 felony counts, including conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive illegal health care kickbacks, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering and structuring to avoid reporting requirements.  Duran and Valera were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after their arrest on Oct.  21, 2010, and have been detained since that time.  Their assets were frozen at the time of their arrests through civil forfeiture proceedings.  ATC and Medlink pleaded guilty in May 2011 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.  ATC also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive illegal health care kickbacks.

“For eight years, the defendant billed Medicare for hundreds of millions of dollars in mental health services that were not necessary or never provided,” said U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida.  “We will not allow our scarce Medicare dollars to be diverted from the sick and the elderly into the pockets of greedy fraudsters.” “For years, Mr. Duran stole millions of taxpayer dollars by defrauding Medicare and preying upon vulnerable citizens suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and substance abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division.  “Instead of providing patients with the treatment they needed, Mr. Duran and his co-conspirators used them as props to fill their fraudulent mental health centers.  As a further insult, Mr. Duran created an organization to lobby Congress for additional funds to support the mental health services his fraud scheme purported to provide.  Today’s sentence – the longest ever imposed in a Medicare Fraud Strike Force case – reflects the reprehensibility of the defendant’s conduct, and is a powerful warning sign to others inclined to cheat the Medicare program.”

“Today’s sentencing demonstrates to those who defraud taxpayers of millions of dollars through health care fraud schemes that the FBI and our partners remain committed to investigating and prosecuting such fraud to the fullest extent of the law,” said FBI Miami Division acting Special Agent in Charge Xanthie Mangum. “Today’s sentencing is therapeutic for Americans fed up with those whose business plan is to steal from taxpayers,” said Christopher Dennis, Special Agent in Charge of the HHS Office of Inspector General’s region that covers Florida.  “Mr. Duran thought he could enrich himself and beat the law.  He will now have years and years behind bars to reflect on that mistake.”

In pleading guilty, Duran and Valera admitted that they orchestrated and executed a scheme to defraud Medicare beginning in 2002 and continuing until they were arrested in October 2010.  Duran and Valera submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare through ATC, a Florida corporation headquartered in Miami that operated purported partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) in seven different locations throughout South Florida and Orlando.  A PHP is a form of intensive treatment for severe mental illness.  Duran and Valera also used a related company, American Sleep Institute (ASI), to submit fraudulent Medicare claims. According to court documents, Duran, Valera and others paid bribes and kickbacks to recruit Medicare beneficiaries to attend ATC and ASI and billed Medicare for treatments purportedly provided to these recruited patients.  According to court documents, the treatments were medically unnecessary or never provided at all.  Duran and Valera supported the kickbacks through an extensive money laundering scheme that aimed to conceal the illicit conversion of Medicare payments to cash.  The defendants and their co-conspirators used sophisticated measures to conceal their fraudulent activities from Medicare and from law enforcement.

As part of the fraud scheme, Duran, Valera and others paid kickbacks to owners and operators of assisted living facilities (ALFs) and halfway houses and to patient brokers in exchange for delivering ineligible patients to ATC and ASI.  In some cases, the patients received a portion of those kickbacks.  The defendants and their co-conspirators actively recruited ALF and halfway house owners and operators and patient brokers to participate in the scheme.  Throughout the course of the ATC and ASI conspiracy, millions of dollars in kickbacks were paid in exchange for Medicare beneficiaries, who did not qualify for PHP services, to attend treatment programs that were not legitimate PHP programs so that ATC and ASI could bill Medicare for more than $205 million in medically unnecessary services.

According to the superseding indictment to which they pleaded guilty, Duran, Valera and others caused the alteration of patient files and therapist notes for the purpose of making it falsely appear that patients being treated by ATC qualified for PHP treatments.  According to court documents, Duran and Valera also instructed employees and doctors to alter diagnoses and medication types and levels to make it falsely appear that ATC patients qualified for PHP services.  Duran, Valera and co-conspirators caused doctors to refer ATC patients to ASI even though the patients did not qualify for sleep studies.

According to the superseding indictment to which they pleaded guilty, the defendants also engaged in a money laundering conspiracy to enrich themselves and to provide cash for the millions of dollars in kickbacks paid to recruit Medicare beneficiaries.  According to court documents, they used another company they owned and operated, Medlink, to conceal the health care fraud and kickbacks from Medicare and law enforcement.  Once Medicare paid ATC and ASI for the fraudulently billed services, Duran, Valera and others transferred millions of dollars to Medlink.  They and others opened phony corporations to receive checks and wire transfers from both ATC and Medlink to convert that money into cash for their personal enrichment and for the payment of kickbacks.  According to court documents, Duran, Valera and others cashed checks at different bank branches and different locations to conceal the true purpose of their activities and to evade reporting requirements.

On Aug. 23, 2011, a jury found co-conspirator Judith Negron, the third owner and operator of ATC, guilty of all 24 felony counts charged in the February 2011 superseding indictment.  Co-conspirator Margarita Acevedo, also charged in the February 2011 superseding indictment, pleaded guilty on April 7, 2011, for her role in the fraud scheme. Today’s sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida; Assistant Attorney General Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent-in-Charge Gillies of the FBI’s Miami Field Office; and Special Agent-in-Charge Dennis of the HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations Miami office.

The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jennifer Saulino of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.   The case was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG, and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in nine locations have charged more than 1,140 defendants that collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $2.9 billion.  In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers. To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to www.stopmedicarefraud.gov. 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.

>>> Press release:  Vice President Biden Announces Over $2 Billion in Anti-Waste Measures at Cabinet Meeting ~ New Initiatives Led by Campaign to Cut Waste Will Save Medicaid Waste & Strengthen Partnership with States to Reduce Improper Unemployment Insurance Payments

At the White House today, Vice President Biden convened a Cabinet meeting to discuss waste reduction at federal agencies as part of the Administration’s Campaign to Cut Waste. The Vice President announced a new initiative to fight waste in Medicaid that is estimated to save taxpayers over $2 billion, unveiled new efforts to track state progress in reducing improper Unemployment Insurance payments, and directed each Cabinet secretary to undertake a waste and efficiency review that will target unnecessary, wasteful, and inefficient federal spending. “Today’s announcements on cutting waste in Medicare, Medicaid and Unemployment Insurance shows that we can make our government more efficient and responsible to the American people,” said Vice President Biden.  “If we’re going to spur jobs and economic growth and restore long-term fiscal solvency, we need to make sure hard-earned tax dollars don’t go to waste.”

Joined by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the Vice President discussed a new initiative to fight waste and fraud in Medicaid that will save taxpayers an estimated $2.1 billion.  HHS today released its final rule for the Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractor Program, a waste-cutting program created by the Affordable Care Act. HHS projects the program will save $2.1 billion over the next five years, of which $900 million will be returned to states.  The new program is based on the successful Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor program, which the Vice President announced has already recovered nearly $670 million to date in 2011 – increasing the taxpayer dollars recovered by nearly 800% compared to 2010. “Today we are building on an already successful program that targets improper payments in our health care programs and recovers those dollars, making Medicare and Medicaid more reliable and responsible,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “We simply can’t afford to see even one penny of our health care dollars wasted and expanding this program will help us reach that goal.” The Vice President also unveiled new Labor Department efforts to reduce improper Unemployment Insurance payments and hold states accountable for progress as part of the Administration’s comprehensive efforts to crack down on waste, fraud and abuse. Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis joined the Vice President to discuss the Department’s next steps in combating these improper payments:

>> A New Transparency Initiative to Make It Clear Where States Stand: The Department of Labor is launching a new effort to clearly show every state’s performance on improper payments.  The agency unveiled an online map that will show citizens their state’s payment errors, which types of problems are driving its error rate, and the steps it has taken to address its rate.

>> Comprehensive Turnaround Plans for High Priority States: DOL has identified six high priority states — Virginia, Indiana, Colorado, Washington, Louisiana, and Arizona — based on their high rate of improper payments. DOL is working with these states to ensure they develop a comprehensive turnaround plan to reduce their improper payments.. In addition, high-performing states will be paired with these states to offer guidance and aid as the plans are developed and implemented.  High Priority states will be subject to additional monitoring and technical assistance until they achieve an improper payment rate under 10 percent and sustain that performance for at least six months. New Awards to States to Automate and Improve Unemployment Insurance Data Collection:  The Department of Labor today awarded nearly $192 million to 42 states to implement waste-cutting initiatives and improve the Unemployment Insurance program, including upgrading technology systems to more accurately collect data and process claims.  These steps build on other efforts to address improper payments the Administration launched earlier this year.

“The Unemployment Insurance system is a unique partnership between the federal government and the states. States bear the responsibility of operating an efficient and effective benefits program, but as partners the federal government must be able to hold them accountable for doing so,” said Secretary Solis. “These new measures, demonstrate our commitment to working closely with states to ensure the integrity of the system, turnaround underperforming programs and save taxpayer dollars.”

Finally, as part of efforts to cut waste and inefficient spending, the Vice President asked the Cabinet to report back on wasteful and inefficient agency spending on travel, auto fleets, publications, and office equipment and supplies, from cell phones to software, or in any other areas identified by agencies. The Vice President highlighted the Department of Homeland Security’s Efficiency Review as a model effort. Since 2009, the agency has identified more than $1 billion in cost avoidances and implemented 30 efficiency initiatives across the agency – from buying software licenses in bulk to using government offices for meetings instead of renting private space.  As a result of these savings and other ongoing efficiency initiatives, the agency’s 2012 budget request included more than $800 million in reductions.  As he did with the Recovery Act, the Vice President called on Secretaries to be personally involved in these reviews, and will hold cabinet members personally responsible for the performance and results of the process.

“Over the last two years, we have made an unprecedented commitment to efficiency in order to support frontline operations by building a culture of fiscal discipline and accountability throughout the Department,” said Secretary Napolitano. “Through the Department of Homeland Security’s Efficiency Review, we’ve taken a hard look at how we do business, and identified ways to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of limited taxpayer dollars we receive.”As part of the launch of the Campaign to Cut Waste in June, the President asked the Vice President to take on a new role holding the Cabinet accountable for cutting waste in their agencies – part of the Administration’s ongoing effort to make government more efficient and responsive to the American people. The Vice President will hold regular Cabinet waste cutting meetings and is working closely with OMB Director Jack Lew and the Administration’s Chief Performance Officer Jeffrey Zients to root out waste across the agencies and make government work for America’s families. “We have made great strides in the last two years – shrinking contract spending for the first time in 13 years, identifying $3 billion in cost reductions from IT projects across government, and getting rid of property we no longer need,” said Director Lew. “Particularly now in these challenging fiscal times, it is critical that each and every Member of the Cabinet take personal ownership of aggressively rooting out waste and being vigilant stewards of taxpayer dollars.”

>>> Press release: U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement today on the President’s selection of U.S. Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY) as a Representative of the United States of America to the sixty-sixth Session of the United Nations General Assembly.  Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:  “I am very pleased that the President has chosen Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle as a Representative of the United States Congress to next week’s extremely important session of the UN General Assembly. “Congresswoman Buerkle is committed to advancing U.S. interests and priorities at the United Nations and has demonstrated her commitment to ensuring that U.S. taxpayer dollars will not go to waste on U.N. programs and agencies fraught with corruption or hijacked by rogue regimes.  She is a strong supporter of the U.S.-Israel alliance, and a strong voice on our Committee for real UN reform to make the UN work again.

“During next week’s session, Palestinian leaders will surely have the backing of a laundry list of rogue regimes who want to see their dangerous statehood scheme succeed.  Demonizing Israel will no doubt be a top priority.  It is important that the U.S. delegation lead responsible nations in a successful effort to oppose the Palestinians’ dangerous objectives.” NOTE: Congressman Russ Carnahan (D-MO) was chosen as the Democratic Congressional Representative to the session.

>>> Poll release: IBOPE Zogby Poll: Voters Split on Approaches Government
Should Take to Help Create Jobs – Not Much Willingness for Added Taxes to Pay for Projects

Voters are split on how government can best create jobs, including the ratio of tax cuts to new spending, the value of infrastructure projects versus reduced regulations and taxes, the benefit of public sector jobs to the economy and the importance of so-called “green” public investments. Democrats and Republicans hold sharply different views on all of these issues. However, there is not much willingness to pay more in taxes to fund regional infrastructure projects, as 42% don’t want to pay any more at all and 16% would pay less than $200. These results are from an IBOPE Zogby interactive poll conducted from Sept. 9-12. Please click the link below to view the full news release on our website:
http://www.ibopezogby.com/news/2011/09/14/ibope-zogby-poll-voters-split-approaches-government-should-take-help-create-jobs/

>>> Veteran scribe Haggman says sayonara to Miami Herald, lands at Knight Foundation, will be missed at county hall

Matt Haggman, another long time investigative reporter is leaving The Miami Herald www.miamiherald.com and he has been part of a team that covers Miami-Dade County and also did many investigative stories that actually fueled county voter outrage when county voters recalled Mayor Carlos Alvarez. What makes Haggman’s departure sad is that he has institutional memory and this knowledge is going with him and many of the young reporters are new and don’t know the behind the scenes action that a veteran reporter does, and how things and people are interrelated. Haggman and I have spent many hours over the years in the county’s press room and his co reporter Martha Brannigan is still on duty but if you are a long time journalist. You are starting to feel very lonely in the field as some of the best scribes walk off  and you are left alone for public institutions are still there, and the need to have reporters covering these taxpayer funded organizations that now has never been more crucial, since public tax dollars are scarce and hard to come by these days.

In an email Friday Haggman wrote; “I am joining the Knight Foundation as Miami Program Director. I gave notice on Monday and my last day at the Herald will be Sept 30. I have loved being a reporter in Miami for nearly ten years – covering the courts, real estate industry, co-authoring an investigative series on the mortgage industry in Florida, and, most recently, reporting on county hall. But this is a unique opportunity I couldn’t resist,” wrote the veteran married journalist. The Watchdog Report gives Haggman a Tip of the Hat for a job well done and you will be missed out in the field, a place he never stayed away from over the past decade he has been a reporter. Matt, I wish you and your wife well and good luck in this new endeavor at the Knight Foundation.

>>> Matt Haggman named Miami Program Director for Knight Foundation

>>> Press release: MIAMI (Sept. 15, 2011) —  Matt Haggman has joined the staff of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation as program director / Miami. He will work with Trabian Shorters, Vice President / Communities, in leading the foundation’s efforts to foster an informed and engaged South Florida community.

Haggman has worked as a journalist in Miami for nearly ten years. He covered legal affairs for the Daily Business Review. He joined the Miami Herald in 2004, initially reporting on the real estate industry. Since 2009 he has covered Miami-Dade County government.

In 2008, he co-authored an award-winning series, Borrowers Betrayed, which detailed lax state oversight of the home loan industry that contributed to Florida’s rise in mortgage fraud. The series won numerous awards, including the Gerald Loeb Award, the highest honor in business journalism. “His years as one of the top reporters at the Miami Herald have given Matt a deep understanding of the complexities of Miami and South Florida,” said Shorters. “His demonstrated vision, tenacity, courage, know-how and commitment to discovery make him a perfect fit for Knight’s mission of informed and engaged communities.” Haggman has a doctorate of law from Vermont Law School and a B.A. in history from Tulane University. He tweets at @matthaggman. For more, visit www.knightfoundation.org >>> Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. The foundation believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. >>> About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. We believe that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged.

>>> I reach landmark of 60-years old in coming days, life flies by when you are having fun, but almost was cut down in Feb. 2010

I turn 60-years old in the coming week and I would like to thank all of the people and organizations that believed in what I was trying to do back in May 2000 and have supported me financially the last 12-years that I have been publishing the Watchdog Report solo. Over that time many things, some 14,000 stories have occurred and been reported about and last February in 2010. I had the ultimate scare when I “was a flip of the coin” whether I would survive during an emergency surgery at 4:00 a.m., done at South Miami Hospital by Jorge Rabaza, M.D., a vascular surgeon and his partners back then. I obviously survived, but lost a lot of weight and have another medical issue but I have been grateful of that fact since then, and such an event gives one a certain clarity about life and what is important while one is alive. To all of you who have helped me over those years.  I give you a Tip of the Hat, hope I have earned your respect in this endeavor over those years, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the help in so many ways.

>>> To read a national story run in the Tribune papers on my life and how this all began done by Orlando Sentinel featured reporter Maya Bell go to: To read the section’s large front page story, but without the photos and smart box graphics, go to: `I Go When You Cannot’ – Sun Sentinel 20 Jan 2003 … Sometimes Dan Ricker lives in the dark so others may live in the light. … to his weekly Watchdog Report have finally mailed their checks. … http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190341_1_ricker-school-board-president-miami-s-first-cuban-american

>>> 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

>>> Cost of Medicaid fraud over $2 billion in state, special task force trying to root it out, but volume of fraud cases big challenge

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater (Net worth $1.6 million), state Attorney General Pam Bondi (Net worth $472,000), Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle (Net worth $1.75 million) and Palm Beach Sheriff Ric Bradshaw (Net worth $1.77 million) along with other state and federal prosecutors and investigators came together at the local state attorney’s office on Wednesday. The group reviewed the Medicaid and Public Assistance Fraud Strike Force results in South Florida from Palm Beach south and the magnitude of the issue is immense, with a minimum of about $2 billion in statewide money being scammed yearly in Medicaid alone. The task force is cracking down on all fraud of public dollars in all its forms from selling food stamps at 50 cents on the dollar too lying on a HUD Section 8 public housing application. Oversight agencies at all levels from federal, state, and counties have come together since last year and the number of cases, including pill mill physicians has made us the investigative epicenter and the nation’s public dollars fraud capital.

The Watchdog Report had lunch with Bondi Monday and she said her office has been beefed up to fight this abuse that is costing Floridians serious public money and if someone participates in one activity. They are likely scamming the public system in other ways as well, including finding sexual predators living in public housing. She said the issue of human trafficking is unacceptable and “Young girls are taken into prostitution at 13 or 14 years of age,” and why she spoke glowingly about Kristi House www.kristihouse.org and how it “does so much great work,” and a smaller version of that type of organization is being opened in Hillsborough County, she said. She noted at Kristi all the state attorneys are also “counselors specially trained in this area” that includes children being “raped and incest,” said the AG.

Atwater

Bondi

>>> Bondi press release: This week I spent time in South Florida meeting with employees and community members. I visited two senior centers in Sweetwater and two senior centers in West Miami to educate them on various types of fraud. I truly enjoy every opportunity I have to hear directly from the Floridians we serve and gain an understanding of their perspectives. I also visited Kristi House in Miami. Founded in 1996, Kristi House www.kristihouse.org assists children who are victims of sexual abuse and their families by providing a safe environment to heal and receive counseling. My experience at Kristi House was moving and inspiring. It is such a phenomenal organization that offers hope to innocent children coping with sexual abuse. >>> In closing, I note that tomorrow is Constitution Day. On September 17, 1787 our Founding Fathers signed the Constitution, not only mapping out the governmental structure of our nation, but securing our liberty and freedoms. When taking the oath of office, I made a promise to all Floridians to protect the Constitution and the rights of the citizens of Florida, and I remain committed to upholding that promise.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> A “line in the sand,” says Souto must be drawn when it comes to 442,000 homeowners with Homestead Property Exemptions, some of which are fraudulent but not prosecuted

“We must draw a line in the sand,” said Commissioner Javier Souto ($658,000) and “the law is the law” when it came to people that fraudulently claim a Florida Homestead Property Exemption at two locations impacting county revenues he said in the millions. The former state legislator said if this is not done “the mafia” will run us and residents might as well leave “Florida” or even the United States because “the rule of law no longer applies here,” he believed at a county commission committee meeting on Tuesday. The commissioners on the committee were grilling county Miami-Dade Property Appraiser Pedro Garcia, Jr., and his staff on the number of people getting fraudulent exemptions. Garcia and his staff said 442,000 homeowners had the exemptions and if the exemption was removed. The county would get back around $140 million. The office gets around “3,500 leads” about fraudulent homeowners and most are anonymous but many include couples that are getting divorced or a near by neighbor. The property appraiser said some of the recent media reports have outraged many people, but many of the homeowners don’t know the rules of the program and cited one owner who had his exemption on a home worth around $90,000 versus another he owns around $300,000 and the lack of education is part of the issue.

Further, a representative of the inspector general’s office said cases they have passed to the state attorney’s office are not being pursued since the office “declined to prosecute,” she said. Commissioner Sally Heyman (Net worth $425,000) said during the discussion after Souto went ballistic, that the matter was of concern and a “problem” but hoped it would “not become a witch-hunt,” she tempered. However, a knowledgeable person on the issue said one of the reasons the state attorney does not prosecute is it takes years for the case to be resolved and is costly, and any money recovered does not go to the county’s general fund but to the clerk’s office, and this is not some windfall to the county’s general fund.

Heyman

Souto

What do we know about Garcia’s financials?

Garcia elected in a special countywide election on Jan. 6, 2009 is the first elected property appraiser since Miami-Dade County’s Home Rule Charter was crafted in 1957 and he has been in real estate since 1974. Garcia faced off against Gwen Margolis, a former Miami-Dade Commissioner, past Florida Senate President and now back in the upper state house in a low turnout race back then. He has kept his head down since then saying the numbers are the numbers as the real estate market collapsed thoughout Miami-Dade and he has yet to generate much controversy in the community at large.

Garcia through Jun. 7, 2011 had a net worth of $1.1 million and he lists $85,000 in household goods. His home is worth $387,000, an investment property is valued at $223,000, and some of his other assets are $150,000 in CDs, a retirement plan has $55,000 in it, and he filed his 2010 IRS 1040 for the year, which is the disclosure Gold Standard. His liabilities are a mortgage owed $59,387, Mercedes Benz is owed $13,161, and his salary in his official capacity was $153,000 plus benefits. He also continues to list his past company, Exclusive Reality Corp. where he is listed as president and director but no income is referenced on the disclosure form.

http://www.miamidade.gov/biographies/PA.asp

>>> Commission committee shoots down local residency requirement, not the first time

The concept of having only county workers hired in the future that live in Miami-Dade once again failed at a county commission committee meeting last week. This issue has come-up a number of times over the years but the commission when the issue is considered has found to many problems with the concept, ranging if a employee has to take care of a sick family member in Broward for example, to not being able to sell a home to come here.

>>> PAST WDR: County public redistricting meetings range from over 60 attending to none, one suggestion by resident is for people to move into less populated districts

The county has been holding public County Commission Redistricting hearings for the 13 commission districts over the past weeks and public turnout has been atrocious, and the people that do attend many times don’t understand the process done every ten years after the nation’s Census. The top attendance was around 60 people, another around 19 residents participated and at one community meeting, no public attended with only county staff at the event. Some of the questions asked by the public shows the fundamental lack of knowledge about the process. For one person suggested only property owners should be factored into the new commission districts and another person suggested people move to the less populated commission districts and if that happened the 13 districts would not have to be changed at all. However, that is not the case and the districts will have to be redrawn to adjust for the population shift, which can be seen below.

>>> County’s webpage: County Commission Redistricting >Following the release of the 2010 Census data, Miami-Dade County is in the process of updating the Commission District boundaries to comply with Federal, State and local requirements. Re-apportionment >There was a double-digit population growth in eight commission districts with District 9 leading the list at 33.1 percent, District 11 following at 20.4 percent, and District 8 third at 18.0 percent. These changes in commission district population will have ramifications on the boundaries of future commission districts. In particular, Figure 3 shows that over half of the current districts, assuming near equal apportionment, will be significantly different from those based on the 2000 Census data.

>>> Upcoming county commission redistricting meetings

•  District 4 – September 19, 2011 6:30 PM, Commissioner Sally A. Heyman Gwen Margolis Community Center, 1590 NE 123rd St.

•  District 3 – September 21, 2011 6:30 PM, Vice Chairwoman Audrey Edmonson, City of Miami Legion Park Community Hall, 6447 NE 7th Ave

•  District 10 – September 28, 2011 7:00 PM, Commissioner Javier D. Souto, West Dade Regional Library, 9445 Coral Way

•  District 8 – September 29, 2011 6:00 PM, Commissioner Lynda Bell, South Dade Regional Library, 10750 SW 211th St, >>> For more information, please visit the County’s redistricting website at www.miamidade.gov/redistricting or call the County’s 3-1-1 information line.

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCOOLS

>>> Regalado tells Miami commission 99 percent of MAST Academy students go on to College, why school is in such demand with parents

School Board member Raquel Regalado (Net worth $108,450) gave Miami commissioners and the mayor an update Thursday morning of what is going on at the schools in the county’s largest municipality. She is going to all the cities to discuss schools activities and in the case of Miami. She noted one school, Mast Academy on Virginia Key has a 99 percent rate of students going on to College or Universities and is one of the reasons the school is so coveted by parents. She has been making the rounds since her election in Nov. 2010 and she was on News and Views  Saturday morning hosted by Eliott Rodriguez http://miami.cbslocal.com/show/news-views/ and she gave a similar response on the show that she gave the Miami commission. She is the daughter of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado (Net worth $7,500) and was his campaign treasurer, where one bundled campaign contribution from some people from the Dominican Republic has drawn scrutiny by elections officials, and the case is still pending. The patent attorney has been on a real public meeting and media tear around Miami-Dade and the Watchdog Report wonders if perhaps she is seeking another office in the future, perhaps as a county commissioner. For her high visibility is unusual in general for a public school board member.

>>> Supt. Carvalho goes to Washington, speaks to congressional committee on education

Superintendent Alberto Carvalho went to Washington this week and he continues to represent Miami-Dade public schools at the highest levels of government. Carvalho and his assistant Freddie Woodson have been called the “dynamic duo” but somehow given the bleak economic climate have kept the district on mission to educate the 347,000 students in the nation’s fourth largest public schools district. Though it should be noted, the teachers and unions have made significant concessions over the past years and helped make this possible, at their own salary cost.

>>> District press release: SUPERINTENDENT ALBERTO CARVALHO’S TESTIMONY BEFORE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE AVAILABLE ONLINE

Miami-Dade Superintendent of Schools Alberto M. Carvalho’s testimony before the United States House Education & Workforce Committee, which was presented on Wednesday, Sept. 14, is now available for viewing online at www.dadeschools.net. The hearing was titled “Examining the Federal Role in Public School Accountability.” The issues discussed at the hearing are of critical importance to the ongoing negotiations related to the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) – currently known as No Child Left Behind.

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> Closing $52 million PHT/ UM AOA funding reduction slowly moving forward, around $40 million likely achieved so far

The negotiations with the University of Miami Miller Medical School, currently getting around $125 million for providing medical services at Jackson Memorial Hospital is being asked to cut that by $52.6 million and $40 million is said to be pretty firm, but the university with a different budget year and currently in its new year, must be feeling the financial pain. The university has been affiliated with Jackson for well over 50-years and uses the hospital to train around 1,000 interns and residents and is one of the reasons the Public Health Trust gives the world class medical care that it gets honored for in major magazines. However, Jackson and the PHT Financial Recovery Board members say they “can only afford what they can” (see past WDRs).

What about the Miami-Dade Legislative Delegation Meeting Wednesday?

A legislative delegation meeting Wednesday morning with PHT senior staff and FRB trustees was 180 degrees different in tone from last year when some verbal fireworks were seen during the legislators’ discussions. New Jackson President Carlos Migoya detailed to the legislative participants where he is trying to take the award winning public hospital that has affiliations with UM and Florida International University. He is presenting a balanced budget for the coming year instead of losses but as has been reported before, major union concessions are being asked for to the tune of over $100 million and the reduction in payments to UM. Migoya insists these cuts are necessary and the health trust’s survival is at risk and the former banker’s idea was well received by participants. State Rep. Michael Bileca, (R-Miami) a member of the FRB said the “slimed down board [of seven]” has helped facilitate dealing with “the challenges ahead that are great.” He noted he was saying these things not because of “the reporters who are here” and believed if the management team Migoya has brought together “cannot execute, no one can,” and this execution of reforms is what has been Jackson’s past challenge. The legislator and a CPA with healthcare management experience said with this “team, [the goal] is to not too just fulfill the mission of Jackson, but to do it in an efficient way,” he told his legislative peers.

However, this budget is based on a wide array of assumptions and state legislators want to get an early warning if things financially go sour in the coming months and former Jackson employee state Rep. Jeanette Nunez (R-Miami) made the pitch that the issue of Jackson’s governance should continue to be debated. “I think that conversation should continue” and we “need a community conversation and I feel strongly that the governance question [should] stay on the table,” she said. >>> Readers should stay tuned as this budget situation evolves in the months ahead.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> Sarnoff finds having four challengers not a piece of cake, debate at Science Museum a political rumble, how low will they go?

“Disturbing,” is how one long time neutral observer of Miami City Hall described last week, that opened up with suspended Miami Police Chief Miguel Exposito being fired Monday by a 3-2 commission vote, a budget workshop on Wednesday that had a sharp exchange with a Police union leader over proposed cuts and Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff (Net worth $2.08 million), and a regular commission and first public budget meeting that included a sharp verbal exchange between Grace Solares to the five year commissioner representing District 2 and punctuated the week. Solares is important because she and Sarnoff have been friends and allies over the years and in July 2010. She contributed $500.00 to the commissioner reelection campaign for a second four-year term this year. Further, Sarnoff from the dais discussed a previous night’s candidates debate. He noted he “attended a debate last night” and was “severely criticized” for all the money that was going to refurbish city parks and it “was considered a waste of taxpayer money,” he said from the dais. The maritime lawyer later in the day tried to correct the record again regarding some of the candidates and residents comments from the previous debate saying people can have their “own conclusions but not your own facts,” a phrase he made famous he said.

In that case, people at the debate were claiming the Florida Marlins stadium only hired “one percent” of local labor when in fact the number of Miami residents working at the site was more like around 30 percent said Commissioner Frank Carollo to Sarnoff during the discussion where Sarnoff was trying to clear up the record. However, he may have crossed the campaign and ethics line because campaigning cannot be done from the commission dais, and other authorities will have to decide, but the meeting was taped and is on line at www.miamigov.com and one of his challengers, Kate Callahan Friday has filed a “complaint” with the Federal Elections Commission.

Sarnoff, who twice noted at the end of the first public budget hearing Thursday night at 9:15 p.m. that the city has saved $167,000 since fellow Commissioner Xavier Suarez (Net worth $81,131) was reelected unopposed after his only challenger withdrew from the District 4 commission race. The Miami Clerk said the races would cost $672,000 that included funding for one runoff and Sarnoff after five –years on the dais has a real race on his hands, and it is splitting his Coconut Grove voter base into different candidate camps. At the public debate at the Museum of Science, that Miami Commission Chair Wilfredo “Willy” Gort (Net worth $226,000) briefly attended but left after realizing the District 2 race candidates were what the audience wanted to hear from. The Watchdog Report asked people that attended the debate what they thought and was said, it was not pretty for Sarnoff as challengers Callahan, Michelle Niemeyer, Donna Milo, and Williams Armbrister hammered him.

Sarnoff is finding it is much easier to run against someone like then incumbent Commissioner Linda Haskins in 2006 where he beat her two-to-one even though his campaign war chest was dwarfed by the $750,000 Haskins had for her campaign supported by then Mayor Manny Diaz. In that race, he was the David versus Goliath but the tables are turned and when he won his first full term in 2007. The man changed and if you want to be appointed to some city board or organization you had to toe the line and if he told you to support something. You had better do it; if you don’t want some form of retaliation, people have told the Watchdog Report over the years. >>> District 2 voters should stay tuned and another debate is planned on this Wednesday at the Downtown Bay Forum luncheon www.downtownbayforum.org.

Sarnoff

Gort

Suarez

>>> PAST: M-DC Ethics commission study on Miami Official’s benefits & salaries done in 2008: In the City of Miami, Resolution R-05-0745 establishes the salary and compensation for the Mayor.  Specifically, Section 2 of this resolution states that “Mayor Manny Diaz shall be paid an annual salary of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000).”  Thus, for calendar year 2007, the Mayor was paid a taxable salary of $149,999.91, according to the W-2 information provided to the COE.  On November 4, 2003, Charter Amendment No. 2 was passed increasing the compensation of each City Commissioner from $5,000 to $58,200 annually, to be paid in monthly installments.  Resolution R-03-1133 officially accepted Charter Amendment No. 2, which was adopted by the City Commission on November 13, 2003.  Therefore, the W-2 information provided to the COE by the City’s Finance Director, Ms. Diana Gomez, showed that each City Commissioner received an annual salary of $58,200 for the year 2007. With regards to taxable annual expense allowances, the Mayor and City Commissioners each receive taxable annual expense allowances as follows: Separate vehicle allowance in the amount of $10,800; Cell phone allowance of $3,600; and, other expense allowance of $30,000.

Lastly, the Finance Director stated that the Mayor and City Commissioners are not issued government credit cards nor do elected officials receive a travel allowance.  Travel reimbursements are paid when the travel expenses are incurred and reimbursement is requested by the elected official.  Such expense reimbursements are non-taxable. Editor’s note: Mayor Tomas Regalado reduced his salary to around $95,000 after he was elected in Nov. 2009.

>>> Press release: JURY CONVICTS MIAMI MAN FOR STEALING IDENTITY INFORMATION FROM DCF COMPUTERS FOR USE IN MEDICARE FRAUD SCAM ~ Co-conspirator convicted and sentenced for buying and using stolen DCF patient information to commit Medicare fraud

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Henry Gutierrez, Postal Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division, Michael K. Fithen, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, Dawn E. Case, Inspector General, Florida Department of Children and Families, and James K. Loftus, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department, announced that a jury returned a verdict of guilty on September 12, 2011 against Yenky Sanchez, 25, of Miami.  Sanchez was found guilty on one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349; one count of conspiracy to commit authentication feature fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1028(a)(3) and (f); and ten counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A(a)(1).  The guilty verdict against Sanchez follows on the heels of the guilty plea by his co-conspirator, Raul Lazaro Diaz-Perera, 43, of Miami, for the same charges.

According to the evidence at trial against Sanchez, and in the factual proffer filed with the court during Diaz-Perera’s plea hearing, Diaz-Perera was a former supervisor at the Florida Department of Children and Families’ call center in downtown Miami.  On the day he was fired, October 28, 2010, Diaz-Perera negotiated with a cooperating subject to sell the Medicare numbers of elderly and disabled Floridians who had applied to DCF for food stamps, cash benefits, and Medicaid.  The intent was for those numbers to be used to fraudulently bill Medicare for services that were never provided to the DCF beneficiaries.  Diaz-Perera obtained the Medicare numbers from the DCF computer system through a contact he had at DCF. That contact was defendant Yenky Sanchez, who was then working as an employee at DCF’s call center in downtown Miami.  Sanchez used his access to the DCF internal computer system to obtain the names, addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and Medicare numbers of 148 elderly and disabled Floridians.  Sanchez then gave the personal identification information to Diaz-Perera, who sold it to the cooperating subject on December 15, 2010… >> 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 HIALEAH

>>> Former Hialeah man arrested for assaulting federal marshal during escape attempt

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Neil DeSousa, Acting U.S. Marshal, announced that defendant Samir D. Herrera,32, formerly of Hialeah, FL, was charged in a three count complaint with assaulting law enforcement officers.  Herrera made his initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linnea R. Johnson in West Palm Beach.  A pre-trial detention hearing is scheduled for September 21, 2011 at 10 am.  The arraignment is set for October 5, 2011 at 10:00 am.

More specifically, the complaint charges Herrera with the Aug. 24, 2011 assault on three Deputy U.S. Marshals.  According to the complaint, Herrera, who was a fugitive on a Miami-Dade County warrant, was spotted by the U.S. Marshals in Boynton Beach as he entered a car parked in an apartment complex.  After the U.S. Marshals identified themselves to Herrera, Herrera pulled out a hand gun and began to fire at the U.S. Marshals, who returned fire.  The defendant attempted to flee, driving his car out of the parking lot while exchanging gunfire with the U.S. Marshals.  Ultimately, the defendant crashed his car into a fence at a nearby school and was taken into custody. If convicted, Herrera faces a maximum of up to 20 years in prison on each of the three counts of assaulting a Deputy U.S. Marshal. Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Marshals Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Waters. A complaint 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.

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> Mayoral candidates’ debate will be lively, with Mayor Bower having three challengers, how ugly will the race be?

The Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club is having a mayoral candidate debate this week and the event is expected to have a high voter turnout. Politics is local and for Beach residents there is a real split between people who want to curb the clubs and big weekend events versus others who note it puts money in the coffers of hotels, restaurants and the city’s general fund, but some residents complain at what cost. Incumbent and two-term Mayor Mattie Herrera Bower is facing off against Steve Berke, David Crystal, and Laura Rivero Levey and the challengers are all vocal on their opinion of how the city is being governed, and the breakfast event is expected to be verbally explosive.

>>> Thank you Brazilian tourists for coming to the Beach and spending your cash dollars for it is sending tourist tax revenues through the ceiling and this surging funding is one of the only bright spots in the South Florida economy.

>>> PAST WDR: City Clerk’s office: NOVEMBER 1, 2011 GENERAL ELECTION

The following individual(s) have submitted Form DS-DE 9 (Appointment of Campaign Treasurer, Deputy Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository for Candidates) Mayor (Mayor Bower’s Seat) Matti Herrera Bower, Steve Berke, David Crystal, Laura Rivero Levey*:  Group IV (Commissioner Wolfson’s Seat) Jonah Wolfson; Group V (Commissioner Tobin’s Seat) Edward Tobin; Group VI (Commissioner Weithorn’s Seat) Deede Weithorn and Maria Carmen Meruelo
*denotes latest change

Bower

Tobin

Weithorn

Wolfson

>>> County Ethics Commission study in 2008 on elected leaders benefits & salary: In the City of Miami Beach, City Code Section 2.02, Term and Compensation, establishes the compensation for the Mayor and Commissioners. Specifically, the City Code states: “The annual compensation for the Office of Commissioner shall be six thousand dollars ($6,000.00) and the compensation

for the Office of Mayor shall be ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00); any increase in salary for Mayor and/or Commissioner shall require approval of a majority of the electorate voting at a City election.”

Based on COE inquiry of the City Clerk, the total taxable compensation for the Mayor was $10,000 and $6,000 each for the City Commissioners in the calendar 2007. With regards to taxable annual expense allowances, the Mayor and Commissioners each receive a $6,000 taxable vehicle allowance.  These funds are authorized annually via the City’s annual budget. Additionally, through its annual budget process, the City authorizes nontaxable expense allowances to its elected officials in the following amounts: Total nontaxable expense allowance for the Mayor in 2007 was $24,000. Total nontaxable expense allowance for each City Commissioner in 2007 was $18,000. Elected officials are also provided with a government-issued cell phone, which is paid for by the City on a monthly basis; therefore, there is no taxable cell phone allowance. Lastly, the City Clerk stated that neither the Mayor nor the Commissioners are provided with a government credit card or a public relations allowance.

>>> Mayoral debate information for TMBC: The Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club meets at 8:30 AM on Tuesday, September 20 at David’s Cafe located at 1654 Meridian Ave (right off of Lincoln  Rd.) Miami Beach, FL 33139. Admission is free and all are welcome.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES

>>>The City of Coral Gables second public budget hearing Sept. 27 is after 5:01 p.m. in the commission chambers at city hall. The public is invited to speak about how their tax dollars are being allocated and spent.

>>> Local luncheon features Atkinson of Moss & Associates to discuss Marlins Stadium construction and April opening

Press release: Please join us this Monday, September 19th to meet Mr. Brett Atkinson, Vice President of Moss & Associates. For this luncheon only we will meet at the Anacapri Restaurant – 2nd floor – located at 2530 Ponce de Leon Boulevard.  Parking is available at the City Garage on Andalusia Avenue and Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Moss & Associates is a privately held construction company headquartered in Florida.  Mr. Atkinson has developed numerous projects throughout the country and Florida.  His past projects include the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise (Home of the Florida Panthers) and Nova Southeastern University’s Arena and Athletic facility. Mr. Atkinson will be presenting an update on the new Marlin Baseball Stadium, which is scheduled to open in April 2012. Please RSVP for our luncheon at poncebusiness@gmail.com

>>> OTHER STORIES AROUND FLORIDA

BROWARD COUNTY

>>> Long serving Commissioner Rodstrom in the spotlight, first elected to body in 1992, had $2.42 million through June

John Rodstrom Jr., is in the spotlight this week and the long time investment banker has survived the downsizing of his industry and the global financial meltdown though he is no longer selling bonds in a big way like in the go-go days issued by organizations like Miami-Dade County and the Miami Expressway Authority. And I would spot him in these meetings audiences from time to time. He also generated some political heat for the expansion of the local county airport that had local homeowners up in arms concerning the noise mitigation issue. The District 7 commissioner has a political science degree from Columbia University and the Wall Street investment banker received his law degree from Nova Southeastern University. He has been a past municipal commissioner and mayor and was first elected to the nine member Broward Commission in 1992. The Democratic Party lawmaker has been the body’s chair in 1995/96 and again from 2000/01 and is currently the commission’s vice-mayor.

What do we know about his finances?

Rodstrom through Jun. 2011 had a net worth of $2.42 million and he lists $125,000 in household goods. His home is worth $1.2 million, a home in North Carolina is valued at $280,000, there is $32,100 in cash, and securities account for $276,000. His listed liabilities are $416,000 owed Bank of America and Citicorp wants $20,196, and his listed income was $220,000 from Stern Agee and Broward kicked in $92,097 in commissioner salary.

http://www.broward.org/Commission/District7/Pages/AboutJohn.aspx

>>> 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

>>> Fraud in PBC alive and well, Sheriff Bradshaw on fraud task force, has $1.77 million net worth through May 2011

Ric Bradshaw, the Sheriff of Palm Beach County took a road trip to the Miami-Dade state attorney’s office for the Medicaid and Public Assistance Fraud Strike Force meeting Wednesday and when it comes to scams. Palm Beach is a player along with Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. Prosecutors and agents detailed the cases to the panel that included Bradshaw the cases they worked. One investigation in Palm Beach included one housing fraud probe called “Operation Fools Gold” that had 21 people arrested with a “100 percent conviction rate.” The prosecutor heading up the operation said if a “person is defrauding housing” then they likely are doing the same thing with “Medicaid and food stamps.” These investigators found this probe “also led us into public corruption matters” and people filling out documents that are “false” or don’t list “undisclosed income” are making a great mistake and these lies on the forms allows them to be charged with the crime of “improper use of benefits,” he said. Another statistic noted was the task force found “sexual predators living in HUD Section 8 public housing” and when it came to criminals living in this kind of housing. They found 27 people out of a hundred residents were criminals living in such housing in Palm Beach,” that the task force had checked.

What do we know about Bradshaw’s finances?

Bradshaw through May 2011 had a net worth of $1.77 million and he lists $185,000 in household goods. He owns three homes worth $848,000; $249,000; $279,000 and two properties in North Carolina are worth $155,000 and $171,000. Some of his investments are $272,000 with Fidelity, police pension DROP has $574,000 in it and his total assets are $3.16 million. The sheriff lists liabilities on two mortgages owed $796,000 and $171,000 and two lines of equity credit are owed $26,800 and $19,100, and Chase mortgage wants $148,000 for $1.21 million in total liabilities for the year, state’s his financial disclosure form for the year.

>>> Web page Bio: Sheriff Ric L. Bradshaw

Sheriff Ric L. Bradshaw is a career law enforcement professional responsible for leading the largest law enforcement agency in Palm Beach County. Sheriff Bradshaw has a successful track record of forty (40) years in law enforcement. He rose through the ranks of the West Palm Beach Police Department and in 1996 was appointed Chief of Police. On January 4, 2005, Sheriff Bradshaw was sworn in as Sheriff of Palm Beach County. Sheriff Bradshaw is the thirteenth sheriff to serve as the county’s chief law enforcement officer since the agency’s origin in 1909. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office has six departments – Legal Affairs, Field Operations, Community Operations, Corrections, Support Services, and Administrative Services. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is comprised of 4,000 employees and approximately 5,500 Citizens on Patrol (COP). Sheriff Bradshaw has extensive knowledge and training in all aspects of law enforcement with special emphasis on Domestic Security, Field Operations and community based policing. His excellent inter-personal and communication skills demonstrate competence as a leader who “gets things done,” yet maintains a balance between assertiveness and diplomacy while always remembering that his first and foremost duty is to keep citizens safe… >>> For more information go to http://www.pbso.org/index.cfm?fa=Staff

SARASOTA COUNTY

>>> Press release: Gov. Scott announced taps Henry Rodriguez to the Board of Directors of Enterprise Florida Inc.

Rodriguez, 48, of Nokomis, is the owner of Rodriguez Investment Management.  He was previously appointed to the Enterprise Florida Board of Directors in 2007. Rodriguez was a board member of the United Way of Sarasota County from 2006 to 2009, the Community Housing Trust from 2006 to 2007, and the Sarasota Film Festival from 2005 to 2007.  He received his associate degree from Broward Community College. He succeeds John J. Falconetti and is appointed for a term beginning September 13, 2011, and ending September 30, 2014. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

>>> THE MARGULIES COLLECTION AT THE WAREHOUSE PRESENTS NEW EXHIBITIONS

Sculpture: Nancy Rubins, Bruce Nauman, Yuichi Higashionna, Kaz Oshiro, Izaak Zwartjes Photography: Mary Ellen Mark, John Baldessari, Jonathan Monk, Ed Ruscha, Isaac Julien Video: Hiraki Sawa, David Claerbout, Antonia Wright & Ruben Millares Painting: Gregor Hildebrandt, Lawrence Carroll, Lydia Gifford, Frank Stella, Justin Beal – Opens NOVEMBER 11, 2011 through APRIL 28, 2012- This November 11th, 2011 The Margulies Collection will open its 13th season of exhibitions. The exhibition will include new works of sculpture, photography, video and painting as well as the collection’s PERMANENT INSTALLATIONS of work by Ernesto Neto, Olafur Eliasson, Donald Judd, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Willem De Kooning, George Segal, Michael Heizer, Richard Serra, Sol LeWitt, Isamu Noguchi, Tony Smith, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Will Ryman, Joel Perlman, Franz West and John Chamberlain.

>>> Society of Environmental Journalists Conference, Miami, Oct. 19-23

Shark tagging, coral reef and Everglades exploration, a deep-freeze collection of biomedical samples from the ocean, rising sea levels, oil and water, an eco-fashion show… this is just a taste of topics and events waiting for you at SEJ’s 2011 Annual Conference hosted by the University of Miami. Register soon — SEJ’s ever-popular tours are filling fast! See the draft agenda, book your hotel, find a roommate or ride-share, advertise/host a reception and more.  http://www.sej.org/

EDITORIALS

>>> Election campaign civility in short supply, make it the strength of your argument, not the stridency of your voice

With elections coming up in Miami, Miami Beach and Homestead Nov. 1 for a variety of offices including for commission and mayoral candidates. The community activists and candidates need to crank down the virulent rhetoric, stick to the facts and let voters make their own judgments about who they want to rule them. For wild personal attacks and verbal statements, while these may play to the general public or one person’s supporters, it does nothing but corrode local civics and fans the belief that public officials are all the same and cannot be trusted once elected to public office. Voters in local municipalities are a mirror of county, state and national politics but when it is local.

It involves people you know, and they may have been friends with you at some time, but things have changed for whatever reason, but that does not justify insults and derogatory comments in the public during the vigorous discourse of a political campaign. And if that charged rhetoric is done, it is a politically double-edged sword that can be used either way, but can still politically kill a candidate. Voters are looking for solutions and a certain political humbleness in their elected leaders and now is not the time to act cavalier when it comes to the scarce public tax dollar and how you lead others in your community must be by example. If voters are to continue to support your candidacy by giving you a victory.

>>> Miami Charter Review should be comprehensive, include qualifies citizens to review the document

Talk of a Miami Charter Review Committee brings the community full circle back to 1998 when a similar body was convened and had Commissioners Willy Gort and Victor De Yurre driving the discussion, but had Coconut Grove attorney Tucker Gibbs fighting back because the whole mission was to force another vote for then Miami Mayor Joe Carollo. Gort, Gibbs and I all appeared on a WLRN television talk show hosted by Oscar Baisman to discuss the issue back then, the host slanted the questions to me and during breaks, he and I verbally crossed swords on this bias issue, after Gibbs had to leave half way through the show’s taping. Gort argued the proposed legislation “was not a coup” but it was designed to only affect Carollo and that is not what a normal charter review should be about; especially given the city’s checkered past since its conception in 1896.

Further, any review of the city’s charter should be a comprehensive look at the documents language and outside citizens should be appointed and while commissioners could sit on the body. Their influence in the discussions cannot be the dominant factor, for if there was ever a time to review Miami’s Charter after this past week. It is now. For Miami has once again validated when it comes to political drama, we rate prime time and the press and media around the nation had a field day at Miami’s expense. And while we as a community grave attention, this is not the kind we need if Miami is ever to become the Magic City it purports to be, but sadly falls short when it comes to its own governance time after time again.

LETTERS

>>> Physician and child advocate on important video on child development

A 4-minute video with a lot of information by Dr. Jack Shonkoff, internationally known expert in child development. InBrief: The Science of Early Childhood Development (Video) Source: developingchild.harvard.edu. This edition of the InBrief series addresses basic concepts of early childhood development, established over decades of neuroscience and behavioral research, which help illustrate why child development—particularly from birth to five years—is a foundation for a prosperous and sustainable society.

Wil Blechman M.D.

>>> Reader wishes City of Miami Gardens founded in 2003 was mentioned more given its #3 status of largest cities

Thank you for the mention of our DMV to Go Program, as you may know I am part of the Office of Community Advocacy, which staffs the Community Relations Board (CRB) as well as the Commission for Women (CFW), the Black Affairs Advisory Board (BAAB), the Asian American Affairs Advisory Board (AAAAB) and the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board (HAAB).

I really wanted to you to note that the City of Miami Gardens also received the KaBoom Honor as one of the country’s most playful cities. Far too often, my hometown of Miami Gardens is mentioned for the wrong things in the mainstream media. I honestly believe I have a great community that cares and has some of the most well informed citizens in our county i.e. at the recent county redistricting hearing the citizens of Miami Gardens (County Commission District 1) exceeded all attendance records combined for the series of hearings up to that point (Commission District 2 probably matched since then). The citizens demonstrated an outstanding awareness of the process and how they could be of influence the direction of their district. I know you are only one reporter, and I applaud the depth and insightfulness of your coverage. I just wish you would provide the third largest city the same space as the fourth largest (Miami Beach), the seventh largest (Coral Gables) and the eight largest (Doral). For your records per the 2010 census: Miami 399,457, Hialeah 224,669, Miami Gardens107,167, Miami Beach 87,779, Homestead 60,512, North Miami 58,786, Coral Gables 46,780, Doral 45,705. I sure would be interested in how each of these cities spend and expend per capita in their budgets.

Oscar J. Braynon

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