Watchdog Report Vol. 13 No. 38 February 10, 2013 Est.05.05.00 – I go when you cannot

>>> 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. The Watchdog Report webpage is free, has no ads, pops-up and is just the news in a mainstream reporting manner.

>>> Red Alert: If you think it is important to have an alternative mainstream news service, I hope you will consider becoming a financial supporter for I do have to live and pay my rent. I also want to thank again all those people and organizations that have supported me and I have been honored by that trust and support of my efforts over the past almost 14 years trying to keep the community, state, nation and world informed of the political and governmental happenings in South Florida.

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street

>>> U.S. economic foreign policy with Latin America is “harnessing the power of the Diaspora,” said Asst. Sec. of State Fernandez

Jose Fernandez, the Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs at the U.S. Department of State fired up the audience at the Outlook on the Americas 2013 Conference held Thursday at the Biltmore Hotel. Fernandez is an Ivy League educated attorney who graduated from Dartmouth, received his law degree from Columbia University, and assumed the office in December 2009. He told the luncheon crowd hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America, and the University of Miami’s Center for Hemispheric Policy that while there has been much discussion about the nation’s foreign policy “pivot” to Asia, that does not mean South and Central American nations are going to be ignored when it came to foreign policy and international trade.  He said there is a “lot of misinformation,” “Latin America has never been more important and accounts for 40 percent of America’s exports”, and the dollar trade number when Canada is included jumps to “$1.25 trillion” and is six times the amount of business we do with China, he said. The attorney said the past political stability has helped many of the countries develop and we “don’t have the civil wars and coups in South America” like so often decades ago and the United States is trying to “promote partnerships,” and that relationship is a natural when “it comes to economic statecraft,” since “History ties us to Latin America.”

Fernandez said that while “Asia Pacific is central to [the nation’s] foreign policy with “half the world’s population that does not mean we ignore our friends in the Caribbean and Latin America.” The Secretary noted that the hemisphere’s demographics are changing and much of the effort is “focusing on the emerging middle class which is improving government finances in South America.” He said this economic rise has led to “increased engagements in Columbia, Brazil, Chile and Peru” and these are “success stories.” Moreover, Mexico validates some of this strategy since the U.S. does “$500 billion in trade with Mexico” a year and $1.25 billion a day in commerce crosses the border of the two countries. And with this economic prosperity comes a rising middle class and over 50 percent of the population is considered middle class, though “one third of the population is still below.” He noted this demographic change which when it comes to the majority middle class, it “is the first time in history.”

And this new middle class the Secretary said demands “more transparency , less corruption” because these up and coming people want more accountability for where their tax dollars are going and support tamping down corruption and stolen public money going into Swiss bank accounts. “This middle class is our best ally,” he said because as this “demographic changes” they will want political stability and as “this demographic changes, so does policy.” And America foreign policy when it comes to economic development and trade is trying to “harnessing the power of the Diaspora,” of people coming from Latin American and living and becoming citizens here in the United States. For it is a natural fit on the global trade scene he closed.

What about people getting Visas to the U.S. in San Paulo Brazil?

One reliable source said “the state department really went to bat,” when it came to an accelerated visa process for business people from San Paulo Brazil and while historically people might have to wait around six months for the required passport document. The visa wait for many people now is only two days after considerable resources by the State Department were focused on the issue and there is now a major improvement.

>>> Miami Herald saying sayonara to old site at end of May, Doral facility will be state of the art newsroom

The Miami Herald will be completely out of its old building on Biscayne Bay in downtown Miami May 31 and the transformation of the old SOUTHCOM building in Doral into a state of the art 21^st Century newsroom is moving forward at a fast pace. The general circulation paper sold the building to Genting a few years ago and the old military headquarters can withstand a Category 5 hurricane and was deemed a perfect structure for the well over 100 year old paper with almost two dozen Pulitzer Prizes. One insider said the facility had an incredible shredding room and when it came to the commanding general’s bathroom, beautiful green marble was the choice for the room. The Herald in the future will feature tours and stories on the extremely high tech new newsroom, its bright colors and other employee’s facilities that will be in sharp contrast to the leaky old building built in the early 1960s and its drab interior and was nicknamed the “Beast by the Bay.”

What about WLRN and The Herald news partnership?

In addition, The Herald will have a smaller satellite newsroom in the WLRN building next to the public schools administrative building to use as well. And the construction of that facility is on going, included a number of the station’s staff having to move their offices to make room for the new broadcast and newsroom, and the newsroom/studio is expected to be done in the coming months.

>>> What a year makes, Belen & Columbus second Legacy Cup baseball game cancelled because Marlins wanted $60,000

The Miami Marlins are becoming known as a Grinch after the professional baseball team this year asked for around $60,000 from Belen Jesuit and Miami Columbus to hold their Legacy Cup II baseball game on Feb. 2, but was cancelled. Last year when the enclosed ballpark was first opened, the two rival high school teams with much fanfare played the first game in the controversial stadium that finances out costing $2.5 billion over the life of the bonds. However, this year the Marlins were looking for cash said a knowledgeable source and since the two schools are not flush with cash. School officials had to give the event a miss this year.

>>> Press release: House Passes Commonsense Legislation That Provides For Greater Accountability And Transparency In The Federal Budget, Ros-Lehtinen Pleased With The Positive Step Taken For Our Families & Economy

Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) was pleased to join with her colleagues in the House of Representatives in passing H.R. 444, the Require a PLAN Act, which would compel the White House to document when its budget balances.

This commonsense legislation provides for greater accountability and transparency in the federal budget. The best work Washington can achieve for our families and communities is getting the economy back on track and producing badly needed jobs. Getting there requires a serious budget plan that will eliminate the deficit and restore confidence in America. “The Senate has failed to pass a budget in four years. The White House missed its deadline for submitting a budget four times in the last five years. This is unacceptable. All that this bill does is direct the White House to be honest and transparent with the American people and balance the budget as all families do. No games, no gimmicks, just give us a date when the budget balances. It’s our money Washington is using – so they better have a viable plan for ensuring American economic growth with our hard earned taxpayer dollars,” Said Ros-Lehtinen.

>>> Press release: The Time is Now By U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Since 1968, more than 400,000 Americans have been killed with guns. Each day, an average of 34 Americans will die as a result of gun violence. This is totally unacceptable and it is time for a national conversation about the astronomical gun violence in the U.S. and how we can curb this terrible problem. The devastating events last month in Newtown, Connecticut have spurred a national debate about our existing gun laws and mental health care system. First as a state legislator and now as a Congresswoman — and as a parent – I’ve been an advocate for sensible gun safety measures throughout my entire career.

That’s why I’ve started a series of roundtable discussions with local officials, law enforcement agencies, gun owners, hunters, advocacy organizations, and victims of gun violence, so that I can hear directly from South Floridians about what’s happening right here in our community. In the coming months I plan to host more such discussions to hear ideas for moving forward toward real progress on this issue.

In Washington, I’ve been part of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, and over the last couple of months we have met with people on both sides of the aisle and all sides of the issue to develop a comprehensive set of policy principles that respect the Constitution’s second amendment and will make our schools, neighborhoods, and communities safer. We will continue to meet with our constituents across the country to help ensure all voices are heard in this important national discussion. As my dear friend Gabby Giffords said at a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, “Violence is a big problem. Too many children are dying. We must do something. It will be hard, but the time is now.” We must heed Gabby’s words and rise to the occasion to find common-sense solutions for curbing gun violence in our country. While there is no one action we can take that will ever prevent all gun violence, I think that we simply must find some common ground in order to move forward on sensible measures that can help prevent future tragedies. We owe it to the victims of gun violence to make it possible for all of us to be safe in our communities.  http://wassermanschultz.house.gov

>>> Fourteen Defendants Charged in Separate Stolen Identity Refund Schemes

Identity Theft Tax Fraud Strike Force Continues to Charge More Cases

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Richard Weber, Chief, IRS-Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), and Jose A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Office, Paula Reid, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, Michael B. Steinbach, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, Antonio J. Gomez, Acting Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division, Guy Fallen, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI, St. Paul Field Office, Steven Steinberg, Chief, Aventura Police Department, Larry Gomer, Chief, North Miami Beach Police Department, and J.D. Patterson, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department, announced the filing of federal charges against 14 defendants in six separate cases, in which thousands of stolen identities were used to submit millions of dollars in fraudulent tax refund claims.  The cases announced today reaffirm the joint federal and local commitment, first announced in October 2012, to crack down on stolen identity refund fraud (SIRF) and its perpetrators.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, Florida had the highest rate of identity theft in the United States in 2011.  Florida’s rate of 178 complaints per 100,000 residents – the highest in the United States – is dwarfed by the Miami rate of 324.1 complaints per 100,000 residents.  Moreover, a September 2012 report by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) determined that Florida has the highest rate of stolen identity refund fraud in the United States.  The City of Miami’s per capita number of false returns based on identity theft was 46 times the national average, and its per capita SIRF fraud dollar value was more than 70 times the national average. On October 10, 2012, to combat the rising tide of SIRF scams, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with its federal and local law enforcement partners, established the South Florida Identity Theft Tax Fraud Strike Force (Strike Force).  The members of the Strike Force include IRS-CI, U.S. Secret Service, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, City of Aventura Police Department, Miami-Dade Police Department, North Miami Beach Police Department, and the SSA-OIG.

U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer stated, “Identity theft tax refund fraud has spread through South Florida like a virus.  Since the creation of the Strike Force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged 113 defendants responsible for approximately $92 million in stolen identity refund fraud.  We will continue to crack down on identity thieves who are lining their pockets with our tax dollars by stealing the personal identification information of others.” “Identity theft is a serious crime that victimizes honest taxpayers and causes immense hardship,” said Richard Weber, Chief, IRS Criminal Investigation.  “Today’s actions should serve as a warning that we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s office to hold accountable those individuals who undermine our income tax system by filing false claims for refunds.”

Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Paula Reid stated, “The U.S. Secret Service will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Internal Revenue Service, and our law enforcement partners in the south Florida region to combat this crime that is impacting the lives of so many innocent people.  Together, we will strive to identify offenders; but, most importantly, safeguard our communities against this harsh violation that is compromising the financial status of so many hardworking, honest efforts.” “Using stolen identities to fraudulently claim income tax refunds is a growing epidemic in Florida.  In the City of Miami alone, the per capita number of false returns from identity theft was 46 times the national average,” said Michael B. Steinbach, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Miami.  “The FBI is actively targeting these fraudsters who seek illicit gains by victimizing hard-working taxpayers.” Antonio J. Gomez, Acting Inspector in Charge for U.S. Postal Inspection Service stated, “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is going to continue to collaborate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners at every level to protect the American taxpayer from this type of predatory crime and to ensure that the U.S. Postal Service is not used as a conduit for this type of criminal activity.”  Director J.D. Patterson from the Miami-Dade Police Department stated, “The continued partnership between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies proves to be an effective measure against wide-spread crime epidemics such as; Identity theft tax refund fraud.”… An indictment is only 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.

>>> Two Patient Recruiters of Miami Home Health Company Plead Guilty in $20 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

Press release: Two patient recruiters for a Miami home health care company have pleaded guilty for their participation in a $20 million home health Medicare fraud scheme.  The guilty pleas were announced today by U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida; Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Michael B. Steinbach, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Miami Field Office; and Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher Dennis of the HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations Miami Office. Manuel Lozano, 65, and Vladimir Jimenez, 43, pleaded guilty today and Jan. 22, 2013, respectively, to one count each of conspiracy to receive health care kickbacks.  They entered their guilty pleas before U.S. District Judge Joan A. Lenard in Miami federal court.

According to the court documents, both Lozano and Jimenez were patient recruiters who worked for Serendipity Home Health, a Miami home health care agency that claimed to provide home health and therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries. The pair admitted that from approximately April 2007 through March 2009, Lozano and Jimenez would recruit patients, for which Serendipity could bill Medicare, in exchange for kickbacks and bribes they would solicit from Serendipity’s owners and operators.  Medicare was billed for home health care and therapy services on behalf of these beneficiaries that were medically unnecessary and/or not provided. Lozano and Jimenez each face a maximum potential penalty on the conspiracy charge of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense.  Sentencing is scheduled for April 15 and April 1, 2013, for the respective defendants. In a related case, on June 21, 2012, Serendipity owners and operators Ariel Rodriguez and Reynaldo Navarro were sentenced to 73 and 74 months in prison, respectively, following guilty pleas in March 2012 to one count each of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.  According to court documents, from approximately January 2006 through March 2009, Serendipity submitted approximately $20 million in claims for home health services that were not medically necessary and/or not provided.  Medicare actually paid approximately $14 million for these fraudulent claims. >>> This case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Joseph S. Beemsterboer 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 their inception in March 2007, strike force operations in nine locations have charged more than 1,480 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for more than $4.8 billion.  In addition, the HHS 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. 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.

>>> 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 and was Best Citizen in the 2003 Best of Miami of The Miami New Times, profiled twice in The Miami Herald, and the Orlando Sentinel ran a nationwide story on me in the Tribune papers on Jan. 2003, and UNC Chapel Hill named 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 91.3 FM since 2000, including yearly election coverage since then, and also numerous times over the past decade. Further, I am a frequent guest on WWW.WPBT2.ORG on Helen Ferre’s show Issues, and have also appeared on  Eliott Rodriguez’s show News & Views on www.CBS4.com and The Florida Roundup on www.wlrn.org

FLORIDA

>>> State Rep. Moraitis pushes for under enrolled public schools space to be given to charter schools for free, attorney and submariner had $445,800 net worth through May 2012

State Rep. George Moraitis, R- Ft. Lauderdale has introduced legislation in the Florida House that would allow charter schools to get free rent in public schools throughout the state, but education and school board officials are crying foul. http://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/2013/02/07/house-bill-would-help-charter-schools-expand-but-also-adds-more-regulation/ He wants to open it up to public schools with enrollment less than 50 percent and he believes these under used public facilities would be prime locations for outside charter schools to use that are privately run, but funded with public tax dollars. And the number of charter schools around the state has grown in number over the last decade but critics fear there is a dark side to these organizations, that many times use public tax dollars to cover private assets such as the buildings the charter schools many times lease. Moraitis first elected to the Florida House District 91 in 2010, is a real estate attorney and a graduate of the U.S. Navel Academy and was a line submarine officer during his time in the Navy.

What do we know about his finances?

Moraitis through May 29, 2012 had a net worth of $445,850 and he lists $15,000 in household goods. His home is valued at $375,000, there is $10,000 in a checking account, and two IRAs have $31,000 and $224,000 in them. He owes a Navy Credit Union $134,000, $45,000, and $30,650, and he, and his wife filed a joint IRS 1040 tax return for 2011. And there joint income for the year was $271,922, and they paid roughly $58,400 in federal taxes for the year.

Moraitis

>>> Press release: Governor Rick Scott made the following statement on Secretary of State Ken Detzner’s report with recommendations to improve the state’s election system, following the 2012 election. Sec. Detzner’s final report on recommended election improvements is available here. Governor Scott said, “This report details three key reforms our state needs to improve our election system and restore voter confidence. It recommends changing current law to shorten the length of the ballot, add more days for early voting – from eight to 14 days, including the option for supervisors of elections to open polls on the Sunday before Election Day, and increase the size of voting locations to better accommodate voters. “When I first asked Sec. Detzner to begin interviews with elections officials and local leaders following the 2012 election, we knew that improvements needed to be made. Following the November election, many Floridians were frustrated with the inefficiencies, confusion, and delays they found at some voting locations. Most counties did not experience any significant difficulties or delays.

These recommendations by the Secretary of State are important reforms that can be done at the statewide level. I have also asked Sec. Detzner to continue to work with those counties who need additional assistance or support to improve their systems, outside of statewide election law changes. “Our goal is to ensure our election system is fair and accessible so every Floridian has the confidence that their vote counts. I am grateful for the detailed work of Sec. Detzner in forming these recommendations over the last few months, the supervisors of elections who gave him input, and all those who participated from every level of government. I look forward to working with the Legislature as we turn these three key recommendations into law over the weeks and months ahead.”

>>> Press release: In response to the state’s ongoing conversation regarding election reform, the League of Women Voters of Florida has sent the following letter to Senator Jack Latvala, chairman of the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee. An identical letter has been sent to Rep. Jim Boyd, chairman of the House Ethics and Elections Subcommittee.

The report issued by Secretary of State Ken Detzner earlier this week, “Recommendations for Increasing Accessibility and Efficiency in Florida Elections,” provides a good starting point for the crucial conversation needed to improve Florida’s election system. However, the League of Women Voters of Florida does not believe that the Secretary’s recommendations alone are sufficient to enable Florida to move past the problems that have plagued our democratic process and which were clearly apparent in the most recent General Election. To add to Secretary Detzner’s recommendations, LWVF would like to offer several specific ideas:  In terms of extending the early voting schedule, the League recommends a minimum of nine days, with an option to extend to 14 days. The early voting period should include at least two full weekends and at least two weekdays with extended access of 12 hours or more. Although flexibility for local Supervisors is important, early voting hours outside of the normal business day are essential for working people whose schedules do not allow them to vote during a 6- or 8-hour window.

Regarding locations of early voting sites, the League recommends that Supervisors of Elections should have the ability to select early voting sites in each county consistent with the procedure they use to select Election Day polling sites. This will enable Supervisors to select the sites most conducive to early voting and facilitate a more efficient process, reducing frustration and wait time for voters. While the discussions that have taken place thus far within the Ethics and Elections Committee, along with Secretary Detzner’s recommendations, are encouraging, there are some additional issues that we believe are critically important and should be included in this year’s election reform package. These include: Restoring the prior protocol that allowed voters to update their address at the polls on Election Day and still cast a regular ballot. This will reduce the number of provisional ballots cast, alleviating the problems of checking and counting such ballots, and protecting the rights of voters.

Developing an online voter registration system to supplement the current, paper-based system. Online voter registration can significantly reduce costs for already strapped state and local governments, and can reduce the errors that occur from misinterpreting handwritten forms. Fifteen states have already upgraded their systems, and they have found that online registration saves a significant amount of taxpayer money. Creating a uniform and timely process for notifying voters if their absentee ballot has been accepted or rejected, and providing a window of opportunity to allow voters whose absentee ballots have been rejected a remedy for ensuring they are not unduly disenfranchised. Simple mistakes and issues with absentee ballots should not prevent any Floridian from having his or her vote count. Addressing mobility and safety concerns for voters who are disabled or elderly and providing an expedited process to allow them to vote.

The exceedingly long lines in the 2012 General Election disenfranchised an untold number of senior citizens and disabled voters, rendering them unable to cast a ballot. Such disenfranchisement must be prevented in future elections. The League of Women Voters of Florida is pleased that work is under way to reform Florida’s election laws and practices. We encourage the committee to take Secretary Detzner’s report as a starting point–the beginning, rather than the end, of the conversation–and hope you will consider the League’s recommendations in your deliberations, wrote Deirdre Macnab, president, The League of Women Voters of Florida, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, please visit the League’s website at: www.TheFloridaVoter.org.

>>> Scandal free Children’s Trust of Miami-Dade looking for new CEO to replace Abety after 11-years in top child advocate administrative slot

The Children’s Trust of Miami-Dade County created by county voters in 2002 and reaffirmed overwhelmingly by a 79 percent majority of  county voters in 2008 is looking for a new president to run the around $100 million Trust. Modesto Abety, the only top administrator of the organization since its creation is prohibited from taking the job during a six-month period he has to leave. Since he is in the Florida Retirement System, but a new CEO is expected to be found in the meantime before he could reapply for the job. In addition, long serving senior administrator Charles Auslander will be the interim CEO when Abety formally leaves at the end of March.

>>> The Children’s Trust Conducts Search for a New President and CEO

Press release: The Children’s Trust Board of Directors has begun an executive search for a new President and Chief Executive Officer. Qualified candidates are preferred to have no less than 15 years of experience, including at least five leading a team of professional staff, as a senior administrator with preference for a human service agency administrator or as public administrator working with a board, council or other policy body. Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of: Governance structures in Miami-Dade and the State of Florida, the demographics of the Miami-Dade population, major policy issues involving children and families, and the dynamics of large urban communities with high levels of immigration. The Children’s Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County by making strategic investments in their future. >>> To view the entire job description, visit www.thechildrenstrust.org Interested and qualified candidates shall send, in one continuous Word or PDF document, a cover letter of interest, resume, at least three professional references, and salary requirements to: CEOsearch@thechildrenstrust.org >>> All information submitted to The Children’s Trust is subject to Public Records Requests and all interviews will be publicly noticed and take place in a public setting as proscribed by law.  In addition, a background check will be conducted as part of the pre-employment process.  Candidates who are not a current resident of Miami-Dade County, if hired, must relocate to Miami-Dade County within 30 days of employment. The Children’s Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County.

>>> Children’s Movement of Florida  Voices of Florida – We all have a story, a story that defines us. It is our collective story, our challenges and our triumphs that inspire a movement. Floridians from all walks of life have joined together with an understanding that the future of our state rests on the well-being of our children. Visit The Children’s Movement website to read their stories and share your own. >>> I find it unacceptable, as all of us should, that at least a half-million children in Florida – all citizens — have no health insurance. How could this be in our beloved country that seeks to be a beacon to the world? Health insurance for all children is one of the five major planks of The Children’s Movement. With the support of Florida Covering Kids and Families, The Children’s Movement is working with dozens of local partners to help build a meaningful signing-up initiative in more than a dozen Florida communities. Already we have: Completed 18 KidCare trainings around the state. Signed up, trained and deployed more than a hundred volunteers. Begun to build a growing collaboration between local school districts and KidCare outreach coalitions. It’s a good start, but only the start. If you’d like to become a volunteer, just click here. Another way to help is to make a contribution – of any size – to help support this work. It is easy. Just click here. A real movement isn’t possible without your helping in some meaningful way. Dave Lawrence, Chair The Children’s Movement.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> Commissioner Zapata questions integrity of Bear Cut Bridge foundation, which has $31 million in repairs coming up

County Commissioner Juan C. Zapata is looking for more answers when it comes to the over $31 million Bear Cut Bridge project on the Rickenbacker Causeway that connects Key Biscayne with the mainland. Zapata in a Feb. 7 memo to County Mayor Carlos Gimenez last week writes after being critical of FDOT at a commission meeting for suddenly flagging weight limitations on the structure after being Okayed a year earlier, and the red flag had no warning by state transportation officials. Zapata, a former state representative elected this past November to the 13-member body expresses a concern that the foundation that will be supporting the new bridgework may itself be questionable in the future. Here is the Zapata memo unedited: “I would like to thank Deputy Mayor Alina Hudak for arranging the Sunshine meeting on Tuesday to allow me to share my concerns with the proposed plan to build a new bridge superstructure on a 69 year-old foundation that most likely does not meet today’s engineering standards.

Despite the meeting, I am still concerned about spending in excess of 30 million dollars, on an emergency basis; to build a new bridge superstructure on a foundation that is at its lifespan and may not satisfy today’s standards for foundations in a tidal area.  Miami-Dade County experiences hurricanes with significant storm surges that could place additional challenges on this aged foundation.  I would like the licensed Florida professional engineer that the county used to evaluate the bridge to certify (sign and seal) in writing the life expectancy of the existing foundation, the condition of the foundation, and whether it can withstand a significant storm surge. I believe we should evaluate the feasibility of repairing the bridges to allow them to function for the time needed to study (limited to 1 year) and implement the best solution within a 2 year or less period.

It is important to all of us, that we receive a report within the next ten days signed and sealed by a licensed Florida professional engineer with bridge engineering experience that addresses: (1) the feasibility and  cost of temporarily repairing the bridges along with the resulting life expectancy of the bridge; (2) any caveats with respect to temporarily repairing the bridges; (3) the anticipated cost difference of performing the work under emergency conditions with the severe time constraints versus under non-emergency conditions; (4) the cost to repair the existing bridge foundations and the resulting life expectancy;  (5) the cost of building new bridges with new foundations and the expected construction duration; (6) the advantages of building a new bridge in accordance with today’s standards; (7) the environmental permitting impacts and mitigation requirements of the different actions; and (8) a life cycle cost analysis, over a 50 year period, comparing temporary bridge repairs with complete bridge replacement within 5 years; to superstructure replacement and  foundation repairs now with complete replacement when the expected remaining life of the existing foundation is reached. I thank you in advance for your kind assistance with this pressing matter,” wrote the newly minted county commissioner.

Gimenez

Zapata

>>> PAST WDR: Contractors get initial briefing on $31 million Bear Cut bridge repair project

The Pre- Submittal Project and Briefing Meeting for the design and build of the Bear Cut Bridge on the Rickenbacker Causeway was held Monday at county hall and about 40 engineers and contractors listened to the criteria county officials were looking for to do the $31 million repair of a side of the causeway deemed unsafe for trucks and only allowing cars and bicycles, but is causing a major headache for local residents. The issue of the bridge closing came in December after state FDOT officials intervened and the county has been working feverishly to get the work started and there is still the Sony Open in less than 60 days coming to the Crandon Park Tennis Center and event officials and county officials are working to come up with a way to mitigate the traffic, that during the event traditionally has been a nightmare for local Key Biscayne residents.

>>> School Board Member Curbelo tapped to be on Miami-Dade VAB

Miami-Dade County School Board Member Carlos Curbelo has been tapped to be the school district’s appointment on the Miami-Dade County Value Adjustment Board that reviews and approves people that are contesting their yearly property taxes. Board Chair Perla Tabares Hantman named Curbelo and it was approved at a school board committee meeting Wednesday and the appointment will be codified at this Wednesday’s school board meeting.

>>> Countywide homeless count yields roughly 3,648 people living in shelters of which 839 of this number are living on the street

The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust did their yearly homeless census Jan. 24 and countywide in shelters or on the streets there were roughly 3,648 people counted. This includes 2,809 in shelter beds around Dade and 839 living on the county streets state Homeless Trust documents. The people living on the street were 511 people in the City of Miami, Miami Beach had 138 people counted, there were 66 people found in South Dade and North Miami-Dade accounted for 124 homeless found on the streets.

>>> Any county or OIG critical audits of the 11 CRAs in M-DC will become available to local CRA board members

The County’s 11 Community Redevelopment Authorities (CRA) will now get any audits done by either the county’s audit department or the Office of the Inspector General after Commission Vice Chair Lynda Bell carped that a critical county audit done on the Homestead CRA a few years ago, and validated some of her concerns of the organization were not made available to the CRA board members. In the future, these reports will be made available and Bell commended both the county audit department and the OIG on the quality of their audits of government entities getting public funding and using property tax dollars.

>>> NEW OIG report:
Final Report Re: Misrepresentation by A Plus Computer Services, Inc., IG12-38, January 16, 2013.

>>> Press release: THE HONORABLE BERTILA SOTO ELECTED CHIEF JUDGE

The Eleventh Judicial Circuit is pleased to announce that the Honorable Bertila Soto, currently the Administrative Judge of the Circuit Court Criminal Division, has been elected without opposition as Chief Judge of the Miami-Dade Courts. Chief Judge-Elect Soto succeeds the Honorable Joel H. Brown, who has served for two consecutive terms and chose not to seek reelection this year. His current term will expire on June 30, 2013. Chief Judge-Elect Soto’s term will begin on July 1, 2013. “I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead, and I’m happy to be serving with the best Bench and Bar, and best court administration in the State of Florida,” Chief Judge-Elect Soto said. “We are a great court family.”

“Judge Soto is an excellent judge with an outstanding record on the Bench, and I have full confidence that she will continue to guide this Circuit toward excellence in service to our community,” Chief Judge Brown said. Chief Judge-Elect Soto was first elected to the County Court in late 1996 and began her career on the Bench in January, 1997, where she served in the Domestic Violence and Jail Divisions. In April, 2002, then-Governor Jeb Bush elevated her to the Circuit Court, where she served in the Criminal Division, subsequently becoming Associate Administrative Judge of that division in 2006, and Administrative Judge in 2010. Prior to her election to the Bench, Chief Judge-Elect Soto practiced law as a trial attorney and a prosecutor with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.

During her time in the Domestic Violence Division, Chief Judge-Elect Soto led efforts to create “Court Care,” a much-valued service, now provided by the court in conjunction with the YMCA at three courthouses to offer free childcare services to those who have to attend court proceedings, but do not have childcare available during that time. In addition, she teaches as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law. Chief Judge-Elect Soto holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida International University and a law degree from the University of Miami School of Law, with honors. The Chief Judge has administrative authority over the entire Circuit and is elected to this post every two years by fellow judges.

>>> WDR: What do we know about her finances?

Soto through Dec. 2011 had a net worth of $156,134 and she lists $25,000 in household goods.  The judge’s home is worth $425,000 and in back accounts there is around $14,000 and a Chase mortgage is owed $255,515. She filed her joint IRS 1040 form for the year, the joint returns total income was $238,058 for 2011, and they paid around $45,000 in taxes. She lists the only gifts she has gotten for the year as two tickets to a HPOA event for a total value of $200. Moreover, her gift and financial disclosure form was benign.

Soto

>>> GMCVB press release: Tax Collections – RECORD DEMAND FOR TRAVEL TO GREATER MIAMI AND THE BEACHES REMAINS STRONG IN JANUARY – DECEMBER 2012 RESULTING IN INCREASES IN GREATER MIAMI’S TOURIST-RELATED TAX COLLECTIONS
Through twelve months of 2012, the 2% Tourist Development tax collections (excluding Miami Beach, Bal Harbour and Surfside) totaled $20,327,005 compared to $18,706,856 in 2011 for an increase of +8.7%. The 3% Convention Development tax (CDT) collections for Greater Miami and the Beaches totaled $60,423,718 compared to $55,681,199 for the same period last year representing a +8.5 increase in 2012. The 2% Hotel Food and Beverage tax collections from hotels in Miami-Dade (excluding Miami Beach, Bal Harbour and Surfside) generated $6,504,648 compared to $6,161,139 in 2011, for an increase of +5.6%.
City of Miami Beach 3% Resort Tax Collections totaled $30,485,871 compared to $27,840,625 for an increase of +9.5%. The 2% Food and Beverage tax collections in Miami Beach generated $24,815,625 compared to $23,448,332 in 2011, for an increase of +5.8%.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
2% TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX COLLECTIONS
January-December 2012	January-December 2011	% Change
$20,327,005	$18,706,586	+8.7%
3% CONVENTION DEVELOPMENT TAX COLLECTIONS
January-December 2012	January-December 2011	% Change
$60,423,718	$55,681,199	+8.5%
2% HOTEL FOOD AND BEVERAGE TAX COLLECTIONS
January-December 2012	January-December 2011	% Change
$6,504,648	$6,161,139	+5.6%

MIAMI BEACH
3% RESORT TAX COLLECTIONS
January-December 2012	January-December 2011	% Change
$30,485,871	$27,840,691	+9.5%
2% FOOD & BEVERAGE TAX COLLECTIONS

January-December 2012	January-December 2011	% Change
$24,815,625	$23,448,332	+5.8%

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOL

>>> Doral Academy Charter High School should hold “workshop on how to amass wealth,” says audit committee member Salver

The school board’s Audit and Budget Advisory Committee in January and the district’s auditor flagged the Doral Academy Charter High School recently, for having an unusual amount of cash on hand. District documents dated Jan. 22, 2013 also note that the privately run school that gets public funds from the school district made an unusual “advance [of]  $400,000 to Doral College Inc.” and used other school funds to refurbish the leased school’s building for a “cafeteria and other improvements.”  Further, Jose Montes de Oca, CPA, the district’s chief auditor wrote, “We have serious concerns about the propriety and transparency of substantial expenditures of the Schools public funds.” The school, while a high performing state graded A school for the past six years. The Doral school has also amassed a fair amount of assets and cash and closed the year ending Jun. 30 2012 with $4.83 million in net assets and there was $1.65 million in the total fund balance for the school.

Isaac Salver, CPA, and a municipal mayor seriously joked at the audit committee meeting the school should “do workshops on how to amass wealth.” And he suggested the charter school was essentially “converting cash to fixed assets.” And the district auditor is intending to review some of these transactions given the school board has a ‘right to audit’ clause in the charter school contract and readers should stay tuned and see how this cash rich charter school, one of 107 charter schools in Miami-Dade, fairs in the subsequent review by public school district auditors.

Salver

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> Ryder Trauma in early years got five-years of funding from cities based on population; municipal leaders understood importance of world-class trauma center

The Watchdog Report is learning more about the history of the University of Miami Miller Medical School’s and Jackson Health System’s Ryder Trauma Center and how it was funded in the early years that created and made the world class Level I Trauma Center what it is today. A reliable source involved in finding funding back then said that Miami-Dade County cities also did there part and for five years contributed funding based on each city’s population because these municipal leaders understood how important such a medical facility was and shows there was widespread community buy in for Ryder at the time. And these elected and community leaders understood the pressing need for a Level I Center in South Florida capable of handling the kinds of medical cases. That only South Florida in many ways sees clinically, from gun shot wounds, stabbings, burns and car accidents and is why U.S.  Army surgeons have rotated through the facility since 2000 before being deployed overseas.

Before Ryder’s inception, there was no such facility in Miami-Dade after trauma centers at other hospitals in the late 1980s had closed their facilities for financial reasons and was why the burden fell to the University of Miami and Jackson Health System to fill the breach. And many of the top hospital executives in the county have backed making Ryder into its present status because these other not-for-profit  institution’s also saw the need for one dedicated full service, fully staffed 24 hour Trauma Center that would later become one of the top Trauma Centers in the world. However, Ryder and JHS has been in the news recently given a legal skirmish with Kendall Regional Medical Center that the public hospital says is not trying to shut the hospital down, but just is protecting its legal rights and defending itself with state regulators.

What about the Miami-Dade League of Cities?

The M-DC League of Cities recently honored JHS for all its work in the community and the 34 municipalities that make up Miami-Dade. The president of the league Luis Gonzalez, a Hialeah Councilman talked about the importance of JHS for the organization’s cities. He also cited the good job the oversight board was doing and had the “board stepping up”, and dealing with the vexing fiscal issues, the health trust has faced over the years while giving around $1 billion in charity care. Marcos Lapciuc, the Financial Recovery Board Chair noted that the incoming president of the League, Miami Beach Commissioner Deede Weithorn, CPA understands how important JHS is (and she was installed Feb. 9 at a League ceremony at Jungle Island). And this past connection with the League founded in 1953 could be important in the battle with the possible opening of new trauma centers at other private hospitals. Such as at Mercy Hospital or in Aventura, given these municipalities past historical participation in the funding initially of Ryder Trauma Center back in 1992.

Gonzalez

Weithorn

>>> New FRB Nominating Council must meet by Feb. 28

The new nine member FRB Nominating Council that has to be in place by Feb. 28 will include the seven existing FRB members and the body is waiting for two more appointments by outside entities to round out the Council board. The Council in the future will nominate future trustees to sit on the oversight board that is the community’s firewall in the governance of JHS. FRB Chair Marcos Lapciuc told trustees that they had all been retained for the next year to maintain continuity since the health trust is still financially struggling with only 13 days of cash on hand in January and the Council will get to start replacing members next year.

>>> Press release: RYDER TRAUMA CENTER AND TRAUMA SERVICES IN

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

Preserving the care that Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital has provided the citizens of Miami-Dade County for more than 20 years is paramount.

Carlos A. Migoya, president and CEO of Jackson Health System and Martha Baker, R.N., president of SEIU Local 1991, which represents the registered nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals at Jackson Health System, issued the following statement: “This community hasn’t forgotten that when all the private trauma centers in Miami-Dade County walked away from the business, we all stepped up to build the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson. In the 20 years that followed, the taxpayers have invested in making Ryder a national model and a local treasure. Ryder has grown with our community by serving our community and should not be handcuffed when the future of South Florida’s trauma service is at stake. Protecting the public’s investment by preserving our legal rights to expand Ryder’s trauma system in an era of competition is the right thing to do.”

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> Homeless census count in Jan. finds 511 people living on streets, down by thousands in early 1990s

The preliminary count of the homeless people living on the streets for the City of Miami are out and there are 511 people living on the Magic City’s streets at the end of January. The city working with county funded providers has reduced the numbers of homeless from over 8,000 in the early 1990s to this new number. And Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff has been pushing to get the number of homeless people on the downtown streets even lower, but some of the people are persistent and do not want to be assisted by the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust that did this recent Jan 24 census count required by U.S. HUD every year.

>>> New commission districts being shown to the public, Districts 2 & 5 most affected by 2010 Census

The Miami Commission redistricting process and some of the initial maps will be presented to the public this Thursday at the Miami Commission meeting and Commission Districts 2 and 5 are the most impacted by the 2010 Census and the new resident populations in downtown Miami.  District 2, that snakes down the coast of Miami and includes downtown Miami will be the most affected with the past decade of high-rise condominiums going up. The Watchdog Report back in October 2011 suggested voters in the two commission districts during the election ask what the commissioner had in mind in this round of redistricting. And on Thursday at the commission chambers, residents from The Upper East Side, Morningside, Shorecrest and the Palm Grove communities are expected to speak their mind. Since this area of District 2, now represented by Commissioner Marc Sarnoff will likely be changed and be represented by District 5 Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones in the next election cycle.

>>> Commissioner Carollo gets county help in getting city’s CAFR done on time

Miami Commissioner Frank Carollo, a CPA, took a road trip to Miami-Dade County Tuesday and met with vice Mayor Ed Marquez during a county commission meeting, and the county is loaning a couple of top notch financial people to help Miami complete its CAFR audit due Mar. 31. Carollo told the Watchdog Report that Marquez was giving the city some of its top people in this area for two weeks and it is refreshing to see the local governments working together. Miami has a host of openings in its financial departments, including a vacancy for treasurer and finance director and around 14 positions need to be filled. Carollo mentioned this hole in the department at past commission meetings but he also reached out to the county given the critical nature of the issue that had the city late on its required CAFR last year when the deadline was passed.

There are at least 13 openings in the Finance department states a Jan. 9 handout list of the openings, including the treasurer and controller positions (Where 48 people applied for the controller job, but only three were eligible and one person was interviewed) and the supervisor of payroll opening had 144 applicants that nine were eligible candidates, but it shows how hard it is to draw top talent to the City of Miami, that is also under a SEC investigation for past bond sales and where everything is politics on the dais.

>>> City of Miami Parks re-opens Curtis Park Boat Ramp

Press release: As of Saturday, February 9, 2013, the City of Miami Parks department will be opening the Curtis Park Boat Ramp, at 2396 NW North River Drive after repairs were recently completed. Commissioner Wifredo (Willy) Gort stated ”Curtis Park Boat Ramp will once again be open to the public and provide convenient access to the Miami River and Biscayne Bay for our residents. I am committed to bringing back not only basic services for our residents but recreational opportunities that make Miami the place to live.”

The boat ramp will be open 7 days a week from 8:00am – 6:00pm. Residents should be advised that the ramp is located in a gated facility. The gate will be locked at 6:00pm, vehicles and trailers must be removed prior to closing. There is a fee of $8 to launch boats at this ramp. City of Miami has a major capital project, which will re-design and expand the current boat ramp and provide trailer parking. This project is scheduled for completion in 2014.For more information about the ramp, please call the City of Miami Parks Department, (305) 416-1300.

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> Former Commissioner Diaz becomes pitchman for development project, raises eyebrows with people that see him as White Knight

Victor Diaz, a former Miami Beach Commissioner for a year, chaired a Miami-Dade County Charter Review Committee in 2007- 2008 and has been an outspoken advocate of Historic Preservation has a new gig, being part of a development team for a project on the Beach. Diaz, an attorney and erudite speaker, and an ally and friend of Mayor Mattie Herrera Bower has been considered a community White Knight legally for a variety of issues for over a decade, and when it comes to the city’s building and zoning code and the preservation of historic buildings. He knows these laws like the back of his hand. However, Diaz was at the commission podium Wednesday presenting a project called 120 Ocean Drive LLC on the beach and he brought along with him some of the top land use and zoning attorneys in the county. Showing their support of the proposed project were premier land use attorneys Jeff Bercow, John Shubin and Kent Robbins sitting in front row seats in the commission chambers along with Pedro and David Martin, the primary developers of the project.

Diaz known to be outspoken with sometimes an abrasive manner is either loved or hated by people that know him but he now has some people shaking their heads that he is pursuing this line of work. And the man is not a cheap date when it comes to his representation and he is charging $750.00 an hour state Beach lobbyist documents. And the Duke University undergraduate and Yale Law School alumni has a host of civic and community awards and he has been named in publications as one of South Florida’s Legal Elite and a Florida Super Lawyer from 2007 to 2010 and he started his own firm a few years ago on the beach after practicing in Aaron Podhurst’s law firm in downtown Miami. The Watchdog Report contacted Diaz about this new line of work and asking for a comment but by my deadline, he had not responded to the email.

>>> Homeless count finds roughly 138 people living on the streets of the Beach

The Homeless census count on Miami Beach was done Jan. 24 and the Homeless Trust teams doing the count found preliminarily that there were 138 people living on the municipal streets on that day and U.S. HUD requires the census every year.

>>> Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Gongora will be the Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club speaker 8:30 – 10:00AM Tuesday, Feb. 12, at the Shelborne Hotel, 1801 Collins Ave., Miami Beach.  Complimentary Danish and coffee.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES

>>> Mayor Cason, Commissioners Quesada and Anderson on the issue of squatters in tony Gables homes

The issue of squatters living in abandoned houses in the tony Gables was the talk of the Coral Gables Commission Tuesday and one home on Sunset Drive in particular was the target of discussion. The Watchdog Report contacted Mayor Jim Cason and commissioners on the matter this past week and the mayor responded. “To our knowledge, we have had only two confirmed incidents of squatters in our 19,000 households.  At yesterday’s commission meeting, we heard a brief from our attorney on what other locales do to solve this problem.  The commission passed a resolution to take all lawful and necessary action to see that the problem is solved,” wrote Cason up for mayor in April and facing Commissioner Ralph Cabrera Jr.

And Commissioner Frank Quesada wrote back, “In the past Coral Gables has had a limited number of squatters. It’s inevitable that in any municipality there may be squatters living in a foreclosed and/or abandoned home. We are fortunate that we have not had too many instances of squatters. However, we are always working to ensure that our neighborhoods are safe. So if we can strengthen our laws to better protect our neighborhoods from squatters we will absolutely do it,” wrote the commissioner first elected in 2011. In addition, Commissioner Maria Anderson wrote, “What we’re trying to do is have stronger enforcement of existing code provisions and also try to draft stronger language that might address the squatter’s issue that is the “new normal” across the country.  We will see a draft on Feb. 19.,” wrote the veteran commissioner first elected in 2001.

>>> The Ponce Business Association will hold a mayoral debate Mar. 21 between Mayor Jim Cason and Commissioner Ralph Cabrera, Jr., and two other debates later will be with the candidates for the two other commission seats being vacated by Cabrera and Commissioner Maria Anderson who is termed out since she was first elected in 2001. The election is in April and the filing candidate deadline for mayoral or commission candidates is Feb. 22.

>>> New Coral Gables Trolley Depot facility construction gets demonstrators on Saturday

Demonstrators were out in force Saturday afternoon protesting a private developer putting a trolley maintenance depot for Coral Gables in their residential community on Douglas Road in the Grove Village West. The controversy has been reported in last week’s Watchdog Report and in other press, but about a dozen people with hand held signs protested the project and that it should be located elsewhere.

>>> Press release: Gov. Scott taps Dr. Ada G. Armas to the State Board of Education, replaces Roberto Martinez

Armas, 53, of Coral Gables, is a physician with MCCI Medical Group. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami and her medical degree from Cetec University.  Armas succeeds Roberto Martinez and is appointed for a term beginning February 7, 2013, and ending December 31, 2016. Senate confirmation is required.

CITY OF DORAL

>>> Three Miami-Dade Residents Sentenced for Tax Refund Fraud Scheme Using Stolen Identities of Foreign Nationals

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, José A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Alysa D. Erichs, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), and Antonio J. Gomez, Acting Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division, announced that defendants Christian Andres Perin, 40, of Miami, Venancio Oscar Pio, 52, of Doral, and Olga Rosana Garcia, 46, of Miami, were sentenced yesterday for their participation in a tax refund scheme using stolen identities of foreign nationals. Defendant Perin was sentenced to 87 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.  Defendants Pio and Garcia were each sentenced to 70 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. The defendants were also ordered to pay restitution of $1,146,745.24.

Each of the defendants previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to submit false claims to the IRS, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 286.  Defendant Perin also pled guilty to two counts of stealing tax refund checks, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641. According to court documents, Perin obtained identity documents of foreign nationals from individuals living outside of the United States. Pio, in exchange for payment, would then send the identity documents to another individual outside the United States who would manufacture false tax claim Forms W-2, W-7, and 1040 Individual Income Tax Returns with fictitious employer information, income, and withholding amounts. Garcia and other co-conspirators mailed the fraudulent Forms W-2, W-7, and 1040 Individual Income Tax Returns to the IRS to obtain tax refunds. The tax refunds were directed into bank accounts or mailboxes controlled by Perin and Garcia.  Perin and Garcia then collected the checks, deposited the checks in bank accounts, and later withdrew the money. >>> Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI, ICE-HSI, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt K. Lunkenheimer. 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: Richard M. Blom has been appointed as new Chief of the Doral Police Department.  The announcement was made today by Mayor of Doral Luigi Boria, along with Vice-Mayor Sandra Ruiz, Councilwoman Ana María Rodríguez, Councilwoman Bettina Rodríguez Aguilera and City Manager Joe Carollo. Immediately after the announcement, new Chief Richard Blom was sworn into his new position by Judge Jorge Cueto accompanied by the Chief’s wife Maryann Blom and his mother America.

Chief Richard Blom is a veteran of over 35 years and started his career as a patrol officer in the City of Miami.  He moved up the ranks until finally becoming Assistant Chief of Police under the Investigations Division at the City of Miami. He has a Master’s Degree in Public Management from St. Thomas University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Professional Studies from Barry University.  Chief Blom is also a graduate of the FBI Academy and of the Leadership Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government in Harvard. In his new position, the Chief will oversee close to 100 sworn officers and 40 civilians.  The Doral Police Department has an annual budget of over $13 million dollars.

CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI

>>> Gov. Scott renames Cesar Alvarez to the Florida International University Board of Trustees.

Alvarez, 65, of South Miami, is the chief executive officer of Greenberg Traurig, LLP. He is reappointed for a term beginning February 8, 2013, and ending January 6, 2018. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

>>> OTHER STORIES AROUND FLORIDA

BROWARD COUNTY

>>> 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.

CITY OF BOCA RATON

>>> South Florida Brothers Sentenced For Tax Evasion

Press release: Michael Farnell and James Farnell, residents of Boca Raton, Fla., were sentenced to prison terms today for income tax evasion, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today.  Michael Farnell and James Farnell were previously indicted on April 19, 2012.  Judge William P. Dimitrouleas sentenced Michael Farnell to a term of 18 months and his brother, James Farnell, was sentenced to a term of 42 months. Michael Farnell was remanded into custody.  James Farnell was already in custody. According to statements made in court and publicly filed documents, Michael Farnell and James Farnell sold stock in a privately held Florida-based technology company between 2004 and 2006 and failed to report the capital gains or pay taxes on the capital gains from those stock sales.  In 2004, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed suit against the Farnell brothers for securities violations at another company that they operated the year 2000.  A majority of the stock sales at issue in this case violated the injunction from the SEC’s lawsuit.

According to public documents and statements made in court, Michael Farnell and James Farnell held their stock in this Florida-based technology company in the name of nominee trusts.  The proceeds of the stock sales were deposited into bank accounts titled in the name of these nominee trusts.  Neither brother filed tax returns in 2004 and 2005.  James Farnell also failed to file a 2006 tax return. As part of the sentencing, Michael Farnell and James Farnell both agreed that they failed to report additional income paid to them by this Florida-based technology in 2001 through 2003.

Michael Farnell was ordered to pay restitution of $448,128 and James Farnell was ordered to pay restitution of $434,115, both to the IRS. >>> Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and Kathryn Keneally, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Tax Division, thanked IRS – Criminal Investigation for investigating the case, and also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the United States Attorney’s Office for their assistance with the investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Tax Division Trial Attorney Jed Silversmith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertha Mitrani. 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.

MONROE COUNTY

>>> Gov. Scott taps John Padget to the State Board of Education

Padget, 75, of Key West, is a private investor. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cornell University, and a master’s of business degree from Harvard University. He is reappointed for a term beginning February 7, 2013, and ending December 31, 2016. The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

EDITORIALS

>>> Do you know who I am? Said by public officials in a private matter should be abolished from their vocabulary

There was another “Do you know who I am?” incident recently and while the person uttering these words recently is an extremely high profile person, naming them is unimportant. However, this arrogant act and the verbal comments only validates the skepticism voters around the nation have about their elected officials at all levels. Over the years the officials, their children or relative may have uttered these forbidden words but the fact remains. They embarrass themselves with these self-absorbed words when perhaps parking illegal for a personal issue and to pick something up.

How elected and high profile public servants are in public is a peek into the kind of person they actually are once they are off the political stump and the bulk of these people get that they are public figures and there every action in public is of interest. However, you have these fringe people that many times are not only pompous, in your face because they are always right, and essentially obnoxious in their behavior but that behavior will ultimately catch up with them. Because one of these times, these public outbursts will be caught on video and uploaded and will result in the obligatory public roasting in the media, and for a political career, that is not a good thing.

>>> DUI arrest of Tracey Mourning highlights risk of naming schools after living people

With the DUI arrest of Tracey Mourning recently, the worst fears of the Watchdog Report have come true when it came to the naming a Miami-Dade Public Schools after her and her superstar husband retired Miami Heat player Alonso Mourning. When the naming of the school was working its way through the nation’s fourth largest public schools district. I was worried something like this might happen or what if the philanthropic couple got divorced in the years ahead and it shows how careful public institutions must be when it comes to these high profile educational facilities that become a community anchor for local residents. And of course how does one explain to the young students this wayward behavior and it is not just about her. It is all the public institutions carrying someone’s names where the people are still alive, and while in the case of Mourning. She may or may not be guilty. However, this arrest of a high profile celebrity reminds us that when it comes to naming rights for public institutions, naming them after a living person is a double-edged sword and should be done prudently.

LETTERS

>>> Hello Mr. Ricker: We met, as I was among “the intrepid parents” that filed the formal complaint of Arts & Minds Charter School in Coconut Grove. My daughter no longer attends the school but I am grateful that you still keep concerned parties informed.

M. P. R.

>>> What role does the ability to read or not be able to read have in the proper development of a child’s social and emotional domains? Interesting article from Australia. What they don’t get into, and I wish they would have, is the importance of the preschool years (yes, beginning at birth) in having literate children and adults and reducing mental health issues. http://www.adihome.org/research/ed-research-blog/entry/literacy-and-mental-health

Wil Blechman, M.D.

>>> LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & INITIAL SPONSORS IN 2000

ANGEL ESPINOSA – (Deceased) owner COCONUT GROVE DRY CLEANER’S

HUGH CULVERHOUSE, Jr.

THE MIAMI HERALD     www.miamiherald.com (2000-2008)

ARTHUR HERTZ

WILLIAM HUGGETT, Seamen Attorney (Deceased)

ALFRED NOVAK

LINDA E. RICKER (Deceased)

JOHN S. and JAMES L. KNIGHT FOUNDATION  www.knightfoundation.org

THE HONORABLE STANLEY G. TATE

>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $2,000 a year

BADIA SPICES    www.badiaspices.com

FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT www.fpl.com

RONALD HALL

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.miamidade.gov

UNITED WAY OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.unitedwaymiamidade.org

>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $1,000 a year

AKERMAN SENTERFITT   www.akerman.com

BERKOWITZ POLLACK BRANT Advisors and Accountants www.bpbcpa.com

RON BOOK

LINDA MURPHY: Gave a new laptop in Oct. 2001 to keep me going.

WILLIAM PALMER www.shutts.com

SHUBIN & BASS     www.shubinbass.com

>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less

CAMILLUS HOUSE, INC.   www.camillushouse.org

CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH www.miamibeachfl.gov

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.cph.org

THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov

GREATOR MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.miamichamber.com

GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU www.miamiandbeaches.com

HEALTH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA  www.hfsf.org

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION   www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COMMISSION OFFICE OF THE CHAIR www.miamidade.gov

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ETHICS & PUBLIC TRUST COMMISSION www.miamidade.gov/ethics

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INSPECTOR GENERAL www.miamidade.gov/ig

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS www.dadeschools.net

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST & JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM www.jhsmiami.org

THE BEACON COUNCIL   www.beaconcouncil.com

THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.org

THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES www.mdclc.org

THE MIAMI FOUNDATION  www.miamifoundation.org

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA    http://www.firstgov.gov/

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI             www.miami.edu

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 13^th 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 600 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 www.watchdogreport.net

Est. 05.05.00

Copyright © of original material, 2013, Daniel A. Ricker

>>> 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 >>> >>> To read the full section large two page 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 >>>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 >>> 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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Watchdog Report Supporters Invoice-Form

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

Supporting Sponsors $5,000

Sustaining Sponsors $2,000

Corporate Sponsors $1,000 (All levels above will be listed in the report with web-site link if desired)

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Name & Address

Please make checks payable to: Daniel A. Ricker

Send to: 3109 Grand Avenue, #125

Miami, FL 33133 To contact the Publisher please e-mail watchdogreport1@earthlink.net