Watchdog Report Vol.14 No.4 June 2, 2013 Est.05.05.00 – I go when you cannot – Celebrating 14 years

>>> 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. How to support and contribute to the

>>> I was on WLRN/NPR 91.3 FM on Monday May 20, on Joseph Cooper’s show Topical Currents from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. and readers can listen to the show by clicking http://soundcloud.com/wlrn/south-florida-watchdog-report >>> Promo: Today’s Topical Currents is with contributor Dan Ricker, publisher of the weekly Watchdog Report. Ricker celebrates the 14th anniversary of his independent internet news publication. We’ll touch on many issues, including Miami-Dade’s dither over water and sewer infrastructure upgrades, as well as the Miami Dolphin’s loss of millions in the stadium upgrade debacle. And though proceeds would benefit charity, would you pay to see the middle-aged Mayors of Hialeah and Miami Lakes face-off in a boxing match?

>>> CORRECTION: Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado campaign report of money spent through March was wrong in the last issue of the WDR. In fact, through March, the mayor had only spent $54,964. of the $321,373. in his campaign account, and does not include other monies raised in a PAC for the campaign.

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street

>>> U.S. Rep. Wilson on congressional gridlock, sequester, catastrophic insurance, and immigration reform legislation

U.S. Rep. Fredericka Wilson, D-Miami when asked about what was going on in the U.S. Congress at the Greater Miami Chamber Goal’s conference Friday held at Jungle Island. She said, “It is a very difficult time in a Congress which is comprised of three parties, Republican, Democratic and Tea Party who can’t compromise.” She called for the federal sequester to be stopped since it will “destroy our economy,” as the $85 billion in cuts begins to dig into federal services and staff. She said, “Thousands of people will be losing jobs” and where are the across the board cuts hitting. “One hundred thousand Head Starts slots,” for kids she said.

She noted that while she voted for the legislation, “no one thought the sequester [cuts] would be implemented.”  However, its passage in 2011 did allow the nation to raise the debt ceiling at the time and that was pushing this legislation through Congress. The former school board member and state senator, wearing her trademark hat, before entering the Congress in 2010 also said it was also time for a national “catastrophic plan” for natural disasters. She said, “All across the United States there was some area that had a disaster,” though thankfully Florida has had no “Catastrophic events,” over the past eight years. And there needs to be a national fund for these catastrophic events that have been erupting around the nation and a national insurance fund would mitigate some of the high insurance costs many communities’ residents pay around the nation for a variety of reasons.

Wilson also brought up the controversial issue of immigration reform and said the bill the “Senate Gang of Eight” came up with is “OK.” However, she said the version in the House is much tougher, where two groups of eight representatives are working on one bill, but “another Gang of Eight is trying to destroy the bill.” She noted the lawmakers pushing this tougher immigration policy want the border secured before passing any new immigration laws, and these people are from the states “of Texas, Arizona and California,” she said. In addition, these state’s Congressional leaders are concerned about the flow of “Mexicans” and they are, “advocating a fence along the border and it would be electrified” and would also include “100,000 new border [patrol] agents.” And she suggested if people want to see immigration law reform in South Florida. People should contact these state’s House members and let them know “how important immigration reform is down here and we can’t wait for the fence to be done,” she said.

What about the Florida Congressional Delegation?

When it comes to the national Catastrophic Fund, the Florida Congressional Delegation in 2007 pushed a national catastrophic insurance bill when it came to natural disasters. And the legislation passed in the House before dying in the Senate where U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-FL had been a persistent advocate for the national disaster insurance program. >>> See www.miamiherald.com/editorial

Anything unusual happen at the conference?

Wilson twice in congressional campaigns has had to run against Rudy Moise, M.D., and the physician attended the governmental briefing and in both Congressional races in 2010 and 2012. The political gloves were off between the two candidates and while Wilson trounced Moise, getting 66 percent of the vote in Miami-Dade and Broward that covers U.S. House District 24. The primary race was a rough and tumble affair and it is unknown if Moise will try to unseat the incumbent again in 2014.

>>> White House press release: If Congress Doesn’t Act, Rates for New Federal Student Loans Will Double

This morning, when President Obama called on Congress to prevent federal student loan rates from doubling on July 1, he returned to a familiar theme.

A year ago, we were in the same place — just a few weeks out from seeing the average student with these loans racking up an additional $1,000 in debt.

So speaking from the Rose Garden, the President asked the students and young people in attendance to speak out in favor of action on college affordability, just as they did in 2012.

“Last year, you convinced 186 Republicans in the House and 24 Republicans in the Senate to work with Democrats to keep student loan rates low,” he said. “You made something bipartisan happen in this town that is — that’s a powerful thing. You guys were able to get Democrats and Republicans to vote for something that was important. So this year, if it looks like your representatives have changed their minds, you’re going to have to call them up again or email them again or Tweet them again and ask them what happened, what changed?” In his remarks, the President also made a broader argument: Increasing access to college isn’t just good for the future of young people — it’s an imperative for the nation at large. “Higher education cannot be a luxury for a privileged few.”

Find out more about President

>>> Taiwan and the Philippines Must Resolve Dispute Peacefully, Ros-Lehtinen Says

Press release: U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, made the following statement today regarding the recent tragic killing of 65-year-old Taiwanese fisherman Hong Shi-cheng and the resulting diplomatic dispute between Taiwan and the Philippines.

Statement by Ros-Lehtinen: “I encourage the Philippine and Taiwanese governments to resolve the matter of Mr. Hong Shi-cheng’s death as quickly as possible. While it is important that a speedy, impartial, and transparent investigation is allowed to run its course, it is also important that the two countries repair diplomatic relations swiftly using the facts at hand and in accordance with accepted international norms and traditions.

Both Taiwan and the Philippines are important allies of the United States and I am hopeful a fisheries agreement can be negotiated to help prevent similar disputes in the future. A defined arrangement would allow both nations to take advantage of their shared natural resources while ensuring the safety of their peoples. Taiwan is a free, independent, and sovereign nation and I urge the Philippine government to put aside its one-China policy in order to come to a fisheries agreement with Taiwan. My heart goes out to the family of Hong Shi-cheng and my thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones.”

>>> 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

>>> The Children’s Trust down to 14 applicants for CEO and first round of interviews will be in June, key position in scandal free trust with $123 million budget

The Children’s Trust of Miami-Dade County is getting closer to finding a permanent CEO to run the around $120 million organization dedicated to helping the children of the state’s largest county grow and prosper. The Trust was created by voters back in 2002 and Modesto Abety who retired in March had been the only person at the helm of the organization since then, and the board is looking for his successor. The Trust’s Executive Committee met last week and 78 people applied for the job, plus two others that later withdrew, and that field of applicants was short-listed to 14 applicants. These people will be brought in for half hour interviews on Jun. 10^th and 11^th and then the list of candidates will be short-listed for longer interviews that are more intensive and include a Class I background search. The candidates to be interviewed are Imran Ali, Charles Auslander, Frederic E. Conde, Donald Dixon, Elvin J. Dowling, Wanda W. Finnie, Judith Gatti, Peter Gorski, Nelson Hincapie, Gerardo Rodriguez-Menendez, Barbara Ronda, Jerry Santiero, Tralonda Triplett and Philip Vogelgesang.

The members of the committee discussed the diversity of the applicants that had applied and David Lawrence, Jr., The Founding Chair of the Trust, but not a voting member on the board anymore. Lawrence asked if the finalists were representative of the “fullness” of the community’s diversity and he believed having such diversity in the candidate pool was not an “ideological issue, but an American” ideal and it made sense to him to see “the full rainbow of this community reflected,” in this finalist selection, he thought. And is one of the reasons why along with trustee William Diggs. The committee members voted two to one to interview all 14 candidates, and then do more extensive interviews for those finalists, once a smaller group has been selected. The Trust with an around $123 million budget is a critical organization for the community’s children across all ethnic lines and incomes. For more on the Trust budget and programs go to http://www.thechildrenstrust.org/images/stories/inside_trust/about_us/financials/2012/2013_Budget_July_13_072712.pdf

>>> State Rep Diaz says Gov. Scott would call special session only if there was “common ground,” on Medicaid expansion in Senate & House

State Rep. Jose “Pepe” Diaz, R-Miami on a panel at the Greater Miami Chamber Goals conference Friday when asked about the chances of the state legislature taking up the issue of Florida participating in the federal Affordable Care Act and GOP Gov. Rick Scott calling a Special Session of the legislature. He said it would occur “only if there was some common ground,” between Scott, Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Destin and House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.  He noted that the governor would never call the session if he did not think it would get legislative approval that has the House balking at “the one million people expansion” into the state’s Medicaid program that already has some three to four million people in it, the state legislator said.

He noted, “Medicaid accounts for about one third of the state’s $74.1 billion budget and the biggest concern was how it could constrain the state budget,” after three years of federal funding ends and the state then picks up the tab. In addition, Diaz said one of the reasons it was not addressed this legislative session was because a “consensus [among the leadership] was not reached because the session was so short,” he thought.

>>> Press release Friday: Governor Rick Scott signed SB 1842, “An act relating to health insurance.” Below is Governor Scott’s signing message: May 31, 2013 to Secretary Kenneth W. Detzner, Secretary of State, Florida Department of State R. A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399

Dear Secretary Detzner: By the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Florida, under the provisions of Article III, Section 8, of the Constitution of Florida, I do hereby sign and transmit Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1842, enacted during the 115th Session of the Legislature of Florida, during the Regular Session of 2013 and entitled: An act relating to health insurance… This bill amends the Florida Insurance Code in response to the requirements of the federal health care law and addresses conflicts between state and federal law, providing greater clarity for employers, insurers, and consumers, as full implementation the law begins January 1, 2014. I support the legislature’s deference to the federal government, for the first two- year transition period, to conduct oversight and review of newly created health insurance products offered in compliance with the heavily-regulated health care law.

Rates for new plans will be reviewed by the same federal government that will be enforcing and updating the new rules and regulations throughout this very fluid and uncertain transition period. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) will continue to conduct rate reviews for “grandfathered” health plans not affected by the new federal health care law and conduct forms and contract reviews of all insurance products in the individual and small group markets. This legislation will keep in place many of Florida’s longstanding consumer protections, while also providing OIR the necessary time and flexibility to minimize confusion and maintain a stable and competitive marketplace for Florida consumers. For the reasons stated above, I hereby sign into law Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1842.

>>> Press release: Governor Scott Signs Legislation Protecting Victims of Human Trafficking; Highlights Public Safety Funding

Governor Rick Scott today signed legislation to protect Florida families at Drug Free America Foundation, Inc. He also highlighted funding for the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Governor Scott signed HB 1325 and HB 1327 to protect the privacy of victims of human trafficking. Governor Scott said, “As a father of two daughters and a grandfather, I take the health and safety of Florida’s families seriously. We’ve made great progress in making our communities safer and FDLE recently reported that Florida is at a 42-year crime low, DCF also currently licenses three safe houses for human trafficking victims, with plans to add four more in the coming months.

“While these figures demonstrate that we are improving efforts to protect Florida families, the reality is that even one violent crime is too many. By signing these bills into law, we are continuing our commitment of protecting victims of abuse and making our communities even safer.” The Florida Families First 2013-2014 budget included critical issues for the Department of Juvenile Justice’s Roadmap to System Excellence. The Florida Legislature approved all of the DJJ Roadmap budget priorities, including nearly $11 million for prevention and diversion services.

The Florida Department of Children and Families began implementing the Safe Harbor Act in January, allowing the state to treat victims of human trafficking as victims instead of criminals and will be announcing a set of priority initiatives related to Human Trafficking by the end of the year. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Uniform Crime Report reported decrease of violent and non violent crime. The Florida Families First 2013-2014 budget includes $850,541 dollars for 12 additional crime laboratory analyst positions to keep pace with increasing requests for DNA evidence analysis, and $1.2 million to replace Genetic Analyzers to process DNA evidence.

Senator Jack Latvala said, “The cooperation of the Legislature and the Governor in passing these bills illustrates our obligation and commitment to protect those who have been victims of human trafficking. It is through this collaboration that Florida leads the nation in anti-human trafficking efforts.” Senator Anitere Flores said, “The victims of human trafficking deserve the opportunity to heal from the trauma they have experienced without being subjected to public record requirements. Due to the collaboration of the Governor and the Legislature, victims will now be able to begin their journey of recovery in peace.” Representative Ross Spano said, “The passage of this bill reflects a commitment by the Governor and legislature to protect those who are victimized by such heartless crimes. By offering victims of human trafficking the opportunity to expunge their criminal records, they will be afforded the opportunity to recover and succeed.”

Representative Darryl Rouson said, “Protecting the victims of this heinous crime is an initiative supported by all members of the Legislature and the Governor. The attention that is being given to this issue will not only help current victims, but also protect future victims by preventing this crime from growing.”  Department for Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins said, “This past January, the Safe Harbor Act took effect, allowing children who are rescued from prostitution to get help from DCF’s child welfare professionals instead of being placed in juvenile delinquency. But this is just the beginning, and there is still much work to be done. I want to thank Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature for their continued support in our fight against human trafficking with the passage of these two bills, giving victims a better chance at a brighter future.”

Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Wansley Walters said, “The Florida Families First Budget funds DJJ’s priorities, placing a particular emphasis on front end services that help youth avoid involvement in the juvenile justice system. These investments will enable DJJ to help more of our state’s at risk and troubled youth succeed, ultimately contributing to the safety of communities across the state.” Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey said, “Governor Scott is working to provide law enforcement the resources necessary to protect Florida families, visitors and businesses. The Florida Families First budget will expand FDLE’s DNA capacity improving our turn-around time and allowing us to keep pace with increasing demand.”

>>> Gov. Scott press release: FL commits funds for R&D w/ Israel Florida commits $1.1 million in recurring funds to the economic partnership with Israel

Today, the annual budget legislation of the State of Florida was signed by the Governor into law.

This year’s budget includes authorization for Space Florida to enter into a Florida-Israel Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Agreement with the State of Israel to support collaborative research, development and commercialization of projects related to aerospace and other technology and life sciences. The budget will provide $1 million of recurring funds, which will be matched, dollar for dollar by Israel, to support innovative technologies for the economic benefit of both sides. Both the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate included funding for this agreement in their budgets and Governor Rick Scott approved the funding for the MOU Agreement this past weekend.

The Government of the State of Israel will now finalize details for the MOU Agreement with the State of Florida, and the operating modalities with Space Florida and Israel’s Ministry of Industry and trade. It is expected that the first “Request for Proposals” will be issued in a matter of months, and will focus on the realm of small satellite development. Israeli and Floridian companies will be asked to present cooperative proposals, which will then be vetted jointly for feasibility, and research funding will be awarded to the most promising partnerships. Commercialization of the project will then provide for the repayment of the research award to the government funding bodies.

This initiative has been several years in the making, and many leaders were crucial in spearheading this agreement in this year’s Florida Legislative session. Senator Gwen Margolis took leadership in the Senate (D-Miami), while Representative Ed Hooper (R-Clearwater) channeled the efforts in the House of Representatives. Moreover, it was just over a year ago when Governor Rick Scott led an economic delegation to Israel to explore trade cooperation and expanding economic ties between the two States, which lent crucial impetus to the MOU effort.  The State of Israel thanks all those who took part in this effort, for bringing it to fruition.

In addition to the MOU and complementing it, the budget also allocated $100,000 dollars annually to the establishment of an Enterprise Florida office in Tel Aviv, that will provide Florida companies interested in Israel with a vehicle to introduce contacts, coordinate delegations, and facilitate trade between both states. Israeli companies interested in doing business in Florida will also be assisted by this Tel Aviv office. Upon the signing of the budget, Consul General of Israel, Chaim Shacham, stated, “The MOU Agreement highlights once again, how the strong ties between the people of Florida and Israel have to power to create vital economic benefits for both states – especially economic growth for Israel, and jobs for Florida. There are enormous untapped opportunities between Florida and Israel. The new MOU and Enterprise Florida office in Tel Aviv will most certainly create a ‘win-win’ situation for both sides.”

>>> 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.

>>> The wisest words I saw this week…They came in an important, thought-provoking piece by a Stanford University professor named Sean Reardon, and ran in The New York Times: “There is a lot of discussion these days about investing in teachers and ‘improving’ teacher quality,’ but improving the quality of our parenting and of our children’s earliest environments may be even more important. Let’s invest in parents,” he says, “so they can better invest in their children. This means finding ways of helping parents become better teachers themselves…. It might also mean greater business and government support for maternity and paternity leave and (child) care so that the middle class and the poor can get some of the educational benefits that the early academic intervention of the rich provides their children.

Fundamentally, it means rethinking our still-persistent notion that educational problems should be solved by schools alone. The more we do to ensure that children have similar cognitively early childhood experiences, the less we will have to worry about failing schools. This in turn will enable us to let our schools focus on teaching the skills – how to solve complex problems, how to think critically, and how to collaborate – essential to a growing economy and a lively democracy.” When, oh when, are we going to act as though we really know that? Dave Lawrence, Chair – The Children’s Movement of Florida P.S.: To read the full article, just click here.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> Mayor Gimenez wades into Miami mayoral race, hosts fundraiser for mayoral candidate Suarez challenging Mayor Regalado

Mayor Carlos Gimenez has waded into the fundraising world when it comes to raising money for Miami Commissioner Francis Suarez’s bid to replace incumbent Mayor Tomas Regalado in November and he is the Event Chair of a group of supporters holding a fundraiser for Suarez. At Rafael and Vicky Garcia-Toledo’s home. Rafael during the past two Gimenez election runs was his SUV driver to election events and is a construction project manager and his wife Vicky is a prominent zoning attorney and lobbyist with about five clients listed with the county, and another almost 30 clients with the City of Miami.

Gimenez beat the younger Suarez’s father Xavier back in 2004 to win the Miami-Dade County Commission District 7 seat now being held by the elder Suarez. However, Rafael’s role and closeness with Gimenez is raising eyebrows since he is not a registered lobbyist with the county, even though he was with Mike Dee of the Miami Dolphins, when the team’s front man was making the push for a around $350 million public private partnership, that eventually went down in flames when the Florida House Speaker would not let the requested tax exemption legislation be heard in the chambers in the waning hours of the session on May 3. And other insiders are concerned that Gimenez’s open embrace of the power couple gives them an inside track at county hall, and at the City of Miami where Vicky, a zoning attorney works and is friendly with city staff. And she was recently spotted at a Miami commission meeting a couple of weeks ago having a long discussion with assistant city Manager Alice Bravo inside the area reserved for the manager’s staff, and normally not an area where residents and non staff are allowed to go.

Gimenez in the past has said he talks with everyone he meets, and that includes lobbyists, but this commingling with the Miami municipal mayor election has people wondering if he is getting to close with some of them. Many of who also played a key role in raising money for his own campaign in August when he bested County Commission Chair Joe Martinez for a full four year term in the office. Further, he supported a similar fundraiser for former Coral Gables Commissioner Ralph Cabrera, Jr., who lost his bid for mayor against Gables Mayor Jim Cason and Gimenez is making a political gamble that Regalado will not win since Miami is the largest city in Miami-Dade. http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/28/3421454/3-colleagues-back-miami-commissioner.html

Gimenez

>>> The new $140 million Children’s Courthouse going up on a four acre site of a past county parking lot north of the Stephen P. Clark Government Center to replace the old early 1970s facility near Jackson Memorial Hospital is “on time, on schedule and on budget,” said Lester Solis, the county chief in charge of overseeing the facility’s construction for Miami-Dade. Solis made the remarks at a county commission committee meeting on the project with 18 courtrooms and next to Metro Rail and is being built by Suffolk Construction.

>>> Homeless Trust expecting $1.5 million less in federal funding because of sequester

The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust is going to feel the effects of the federal sequester to the tune of $1.5 million in “across the board cuts,” Trust Executive Director Hilda Fernandez says in the minutes of a March board meeting. Federal funding for the trust is a key component of the organization’s roughly $49 million budget, and federal HUD funding in the past have been as high as $30 million per yearly cycle.

The Homeless Trust created in 1993 is charged with ending homeless in Miami-Dade County, but is putting an emphasis on the population in downtown Miami where hundreds of chronic homeless people live on the street. And these people do not want the support services that are provided by a variety of community partners funded by the Trust, including the Chapman Partnership and Camillus House.

>>> MIA asking the county commission to refinance $900 million in airport bonds at Tuesday’s BCC meeting

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $900,000,000.00 OF AVIATION REVENUE AND REVENUE REFUNDING BONDS, IN ONE OR MORE SERIES, PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 210 AND 211 OF AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT AND APPLICABLE ORDINANCES FOR SPECIFIED PURPOSES, INCLUDING THE CURRENT REFUNDING OR REDEEMING OF CERTAIN OUTSTANDING AVIATION REVENUE BONDS WITH ESTIMATED NET PRESENT VALUE SAVINGS OF 7.15%, ESTIMATED COSTS OF ISSUANCE OF $3,178,000.00 AND ESTIMATED FINAL MATURITY OF OCTOBER 1, 2036, FINANCING CERTAIN PROJECTS, FUNDING RESERVE ACCOUNT, IF NECESSARY; APPROVING ISSUANCE OF BONDS AFTER PUBLIC HEARING AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 147(F) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED; PROVIDING FOR CERTAIN DETAILS OF BONDS AND THEIR SALE BY NEGOTIATION; AUTHORIZING COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR’S DESIGNEE, WITHIN CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS, TO FINALIZE DETAILS, TERMS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF BONDS; PROVIDING CERTAIN COVENANTS; APPROVING FORMS OF AND AUTHORIZING EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS; AUTHORIZING COUNTY OFFICIALS TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY ACTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH ISSUANCE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF BONDS; AND PROVIDING SEVERABILITY(Finance Department) 130839   PDF

>>> GMCVB press release: RECORD TOTAL ARRIVALS AT MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MIA) FOR FOUR MONTHS OF 2013

Total passenger arrivals at Miami International Airport (MIA) increased in the first four months of 2013 by 0.9%.

TOTAL MIA Passenger Arrivals
January – April 2013	January – April 2012	% Change
6,853,611	6,794,424	+0.9%

>>> Two Miami-Dade Residents Charged in Tax Preparation Fraud Scheme

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael J. DePalma, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), announced the filing of a 30-count indictment charging defendants Rigoberto Cabrera, 37, and Carlos Perez, 34, both of Miami-Dade County, in a tax preparation fraud scheme.  Defendant Perez had his initial appearance on May 16, 2013 in Ft. Lauderdale before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrea M. Simonton.  Defendant Cabrera is expected to make his initial appearance tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. in Ft. Lauderdale before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry S. Seltzer.

Specifically, each defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 286; and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1349. Defendant Cabrera is also charged with 18 counts of making false claims to the IRS, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 287; four counts of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1343; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1956(h); and four counts of money laundering, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1956(a)(1)(B)(i).  Defendant Perez is charged with 11 counts of making false claims to the IRS, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 287; and two counts of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1343.

According to the indictment, defendants Cabrera and Perez recruited individuals and offered to prepare their individual income tax returns with the promise that the defendants could obtain substantial tax refunds for the taxpayers.  The recruited taxpayers agreed to pay Cabrera and Perez a percentage of the refunds they received.  The defendants then prepared fraudulent 2008 and 2009 federal income tax returns on behalf of the recruited taxpayers, claiming tax credits or deductions to which the taxpayers were not entitled.  After the taxpayers received the fraudulent refunds from the IRS, Cabrera and Perez collected a percentage of the funds from the taxpayers through checks payable to companies that the defendants controlled and shell companies. Through this scheme, the defendants claimed approximately $1,458,905 in tax refunds from the IRS.

If convicted, the defendants face up to ten years in prison for each count of conspiracy to defraud the government, making false claims, and conspiracy to commit money laundering; and up to twenty years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. >>> Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Bernstein and Alejandro O. Soto.

An indictment is only an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

>>> Lessons on 1988 bond and “political perversion” by board back then, will not pervade the new $1.2 billion in projects in the coming years

Alberto Carvalho, the superintendent of Miami-Dade Public Schools told community leaders on Thursday at the Greater Miami Chamber Goals conference that school renovations and technological upgrades at all of the district’s almost 400 schools could be happening sooner than was first expected. He said the district will have a combined $580 million in capital for projects this year, which is earlier than expected and it should shave at least a year off the old six to seven year time line. For the completion of all the hundreds of projects funded by the $1.2 billion GOB approved overwhelmingly by voters last November.

He said a “complete replacement of Norland High School” would be one of the first announced projects that the board will vote on Jun. 19.  And he said plans to make all the district students connected to the internet in totality, should be achieved “by September this year,” he told the attendees. And will include the “lease or purchase of 150,000 devices” and would involve a survey to determine which children “need them and this will achieve one to one” access for the students which will “unleash the power of digital” technology to all of them and will truly bring the world to the District’s 350,000 students where around “70,000 students are English language learners.”

Carvalho noted the 1988 past school bond that was mired in controversy was reviewed by his office, and that it was “political perversion,” and the influence of lobbyist on those board members that created the problems. And had the school board members at the time during elections being helped by these same lobbyists when it came to campaign fundraising. With this new GOB funding Carvalho has “advised the board” he will do all he can “to restrict lobbyist access,” the bids “that are competitive and sealed.” And he said includes a “strong local vender policy” to ensure local firms get some of the massive work in the years ahead.

Carvalho

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> FRB after two years dissolves, PHT board coming back with seven members, not 17 like in the past

Darryl K. Sharpton, the Vice Chair of the Financial Recovery Board that dissolved Jun. 1 and will now become known again as the Public Health Trust (PHT) summed up the past two-year’s accomplishment since being created by the Miami-Dade County Commission and the FRB was the brainchild of then Commission Chair Joe Martinez. The old PHT board had 17 members including two voting commissioners, but it was seen as too cumbersome and a more nimble board was needed as the Trust hemorrhaged hundreds of millions of dollars in losses over the past preceding years. In addition, Jackson Health System (JHS) was plagued by high overhead costs, overtime for employees and it was necessary to shed jobs in a series of staffing cuts that went from an all time high of 12,500 employees to around 9,600 full time employees now. And also required major union concessions, and efficiency initiatives, which has resulted in huge savings over the past two years.

Sharpton at the last FRB Meeting Friday afternoon said the “Board of County Commissioners took bold action at Jackson,” and with the huge losses the health system was in “danger of a catastrophic collapse.”  The CPA noted the “finances have improved,” and this is the “first time since 2008 Jackson is solvent,” and while challenges remain. The community is responding to the new JHS. He noted they had only two years “to undo the problems that have stagnated for decades,” and it took an “exceptional transformation and the [management] team [under CEO Carlos Migoya] refused to be daunted by this task.” He also was “most proud of the Jackson staff,” hailed the hospitals physicians, nurses and other healthcare staff when it came to medical care that has “proven itself time, after time.” And while JHS is in the black there are “still boulders” along the way and “mountains to climb,” he closed.

The new seven-member PHT board will be configured this month and the leadership elected, and will be made up of the remaining six FRB members since Stephen Nuell resigned Jun. 1. After a controversy and he was hit with an ethics commission complaint, where he paid a $1,500 fine and agreed to resign from the Jackson oversight board. >>> See below.

>>> COE press release: JMH board member settles ethics complaint

The Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust today agreed to a settlement with a member of the Public Health Trust Financial Recovery Board (FRB) who was accused of violating the Ethics Code.  Two administrators for Jackson Health Systems had accused Stephen Nuell, a personal injury attorney, of regularly contacting them and pressuring them to negotiate with his clients, even after being asked not to.

The Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance specifically prohibits advisory board members from doing business or representing third parties before the entities their board oversees or participating in settlement negotiations in claims or lawsuits involving those entities.  Nuell agreed not to contest the allegations in two of the three counts in the complaint (C 12-40), and the Ethics Commission will dismiss the third.   The agreement requires Nuell to pay a $1,500 fine and either seek a formal opinion from the Ethics Commission regarding his continued service on the FRB or resign his position.  His attorney announced today that Nuell sent his resignation to the County Commission this morning, effective June 1, 2013.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> With both Miami mayoral candidates raising enough money to win, Candidate Suarez elicits help from peers, Regalado motors on, how low will the campaigns go?

Miami Commissioner Francis Suarez is getting a boost from his colleagues on the commission dais and a campaign fundraiser that features the county mayor as the headline host is bringing together Commissioners Wilfredo Gort, Michelle Spence-Jones and Marc Sarnoff into the fundraising business along with a host of other prominent people from the community. Suarez and Regalado are both raising considerable money for their respective campaigns and running up to the November General Election. The mayoral race is expected to get nasty. Regalado has a block of voters still supporting the man, who when he was first elected in 2009. The long serving commissioner and contrarian received around 70 percent of the citywide vote when he thumped Commission Chair Joe Sanchez as the anti Mayor Manuel Diaz candidate and Regalado was also against the new Miami Marlins baseball stadium.

However, Suarez is assembling a local cast of high profile supporters and it will remain to be seen if these endorsements will translate into a victory for the son of former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez, now a county commissioner. And while the younger Suarez is telegenick and a new political face on the scene with a “vision.” His critics question what he has accomplished since first being elected in 2009. Since his initial push for a strong mayor form of government was met on the commission dais with a thud, and Sarnoff led the charge at the time against giving one person so much power in the city of Miami. Moreover, Suarez, the son has friends on the dais of Coral Gables including Commissioners Frank Quesada and Vince Lago. And the mayoral candidate and father both attended the Gables swearing in of Lago, whose brother Carlos was a senior aide to Suarez.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/28/3421454/3-colleagues-back-miami-commissioner.html

Spence-Jones

Gort

Sarnoff

Regalado

Suarez

Elder Suarez

        

>>> Commission Chair Sarnoff hit with two Letters of Instruction from county ethics commission for overseas trip

The Miami-Dade Ethics and Public Trust Commission (COE) recently hit Miami commission Chair Marc Sarnoff with two Letters of Instruction after he failed to disclose a gift of an overseas trip for himself and his wife. Further, the ethics commission wrote a Letter of Instruction to the Miami City Attorney Julie O’ Bru stating the gift should have been reported, and contradicted the attorney’s office ruling that it did not have to be.

>>> Press release: The COE issued two Letters of Instruction related to a complaint (C 12-41) against Miami City Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, in which Probable Cause was found at a hearing in November that he failed to properly disclose a gift when he and his wife traveled to Brazil for activities associated with the Volvo Ocean Race last spring.  Sarnoff also traveled to two cities on behalf of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), which reimbursed him for a portion of the expenses.   The Miami City Attorney had opined to the commissioner that, because he was partaking in an official activity, he did not need to report the trip as a gift.

One Letter of Instruction to be issued to the City Attorney notes that the GMCVB is a private, not-for-profit organization which provided reimbursement directly to the commissioner and not through the city and should have been reported.  Noting that Ethics Commission guidelines issued last year were intended for the use of tickets to local events, not for trips to exotic locales, the Letter states, “gifts of that sort deserve different consideration.”  A second Letter advises Commissioner Sarnoff that the reimbursement of his wife’s airfare by the Volvo Ocean Race organization should be reported as a gift. It also encourages the Commissioner and other elected and appointed officials to seek opinions from the Ethics Commission when there is any question on the applicability of the ethics code.

Sarnoff

Atty. O. Bru

 

>>> The Watchdog Report is being told the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission is wrapping up its investigation of past Miami bond sales and the city is bracing for the worst and may implicate past administrative employees involved in the bonds paperwork and submission of the city’s financials a reliable source told me recently.

>>> Health Care Clinic Director Sentenced in Miami to 111 Months for His Role in $63 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme ~ A former health care clinic director and licensed therapist was sentenced in Miami to 111 months in prison today in connection with a health care fraud scheme involving defunct health provider Health Care Solutions Network Inc. (HCSN).

Press release: U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida; Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher B. Dennis of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations Miami office, made the announcement.

Paul Thomas Layman, 66, of Miami, pleaded guilty on March 7, 2013, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. During the course of the conspiracy, Layman was employed as a substance abuse counselor, therapist and clinical director of HCSN’s Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP).  A PHP is a form of intensive treatment for severe mental illness.

HCSN of Florida (HCSN-FL) operated community mental health centers at three locations. During his employment, Layman worked full time at all HCSN-FL locations in various capacities.  According to court documents, Layman was aware that HCSN-FL paid illegal kickbacks to owners and operators of Miami-Dade County Assisted Living Facilities (ALF) in exchange for patient referral information to be used to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid.  Layman also knew that many of the ALF referral patients were ineligible for PHP services because many patients suffered from mental retardation, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Court documents reveal that Layman was aware that HCSN-FL personnel were fabricating patient medical records. Many of these medical records were created weeks or months after the patients were admitted to HCSN-FL for purported PHP treatment and were utilized to support false and fraudulent billing to government sponsored health care benefit programs, including Medicare and Florida Medicaid.  During his employment at HCSN-FL, Layman signed fabricated PHP therapy notes and other medical records used to support false claims to government sponsored health care programs.

HCSN of North Carolina (HCSN-NC) operated one location in Hendersonville, N.C.  At HCSN-NC, Layman served as the clinical director and assisted HCSN owner Armando Gonzalez in obtaining necessary licensing, credentials and Medicare authorizations for HCSN-NC.  According to court documents, from 2008 through 2009, Layman purportedly supervised the therapists within the HCSN-NC PHP, including Alexandra Haynes, who was an unlicensed therapist purportedly performing PHP therapy to HCSN-NC patients.  Gonzalez and Haynes were sentenced to 168 months and 70 months, respectively, in prison.

According to court documents, from 2004 through 2011, HCSN billed Medicare and the Florida Medicaid program approximately $63 million for purported mental health services. This case is being 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. The cases are being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Allan J. Medina and Special Trial Attorney William J. Parente of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged more than 1,500 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $5 billion.  In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, is 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.

>>> Wanted: Top legal mind needed for City of Miami Attorney post, critical soon to be open position

The Miami Commission is looking for a new commission attorney and it is a critical job for the municipality with a around $1 billion budget when everything is factored in. The current Miami Attorney Julie O Bru is retiring in September and the commission has extended the candidate application deadline and below are the high profile job’s description. The recruitment period ends Jun. 21 and the commission on Sept 26 should ratify the chosen candidate.

>>> Press release: Miami announcement:  CITY ATTORNEY -Job Announcement: The City Attorney is a charter officer of the City, responsible for all legal matters related to the City’s municipal government and corporate affairs. The City Attorney leads the in-house legal department of the City of Miami and supervises the services of all attorneys employed by the City and its agencies. Additionally, the City Attorney shall be a full-time government employee and shall not engage in the private practice of law. The following references provide more information regarding the official duties of the City Attorney: 1. City of Miami Code of Ordinances; Part I – Charter and Related Laws; Subpart A – The Charter Sec. 21. – Department of law: http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=10933

2. City of Miami’s Code of Ordinances; Part II – The Code; Chapter 2 – Administration, Article III – Officers, Division 3 – City Attorney: http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=10933 3. Office of the City Attorney, Executive Summary (annual report): http://www.miamigov.com/cityattorney/executiveSummary.html MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  Graduation from an accredited college of law.· Must be an attorney-at-law admitted to the practice in· the State of Florida. Have a minimum of· ten (10) years progressively responsible legal experience.

ADDITIONAL FACTORS THAT ARE DESIRABLE BUT ARE NOT PREREQUISITES – Significant expertise and experience of applicant· representing state and local public sector entities in Florida.  City, County· & Local Government Law Certification issued by the Florida Bar. -COMPENSATION – The salary range is open and will be established by the City Commission. The City Attorney position is open due to the retirement of the City Attorney after many years of service to the City. Resumes will be screened according to the qualifications outlined above. Screening interviews with the most qualified applicants will be conducted by the Selection Committee; finalists will advance to interviews with the City Commission. PURSUANT TO THE FLORIDA PUBLIC RECORDS LAW, APPLICATIONS AND RESUMES ARE SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE THE CITY OF MIAMI IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

COCONUT GROVE

>>> Kids still breaking into the shuttered Grove Playhouse owned by the state

The Coconut Grove Playhouse seems like a security sieve after the Watchdog Report spotted about five teenagers with skate boards leaving the facility through a door on the front of the building facing Main Highway. The facility, now owned by the state of Florida has been riff with break-ins, but in this case, it seemed so brazen, as the kids left the building and took to the sidewalk at about 3:30 p.m. on Thursday.

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> Mgr. Morales is finding out Beach is no cakewalk, ethics boot camp going on for 200 employees in regulatory agencies or positions

The word is new Miami Beach Manager Jimmy Morales has his hands full, and he did not realize the extent of the challenge of trying to shake up the city employees and departments. A number of which have been hit with scandals over the past few years with a flurry of arrests in the spring of last year of city employees. Morales in his first management role of a municipality was hailed as the fresh air that was needed at city hall and the attorney and former county commissioner has been charged with trying to right the culture that generally suggests what happens on the Beach, stays on the Beach, regardless of any wayward ways. He is also about to get some reinforcements in the way of key employees getting extensive training on ethics and good public policy since the Miami-Dade County Ethics and Public Trust Commission staff has been conducting a ethics boot camp but many people are entrenched in their jobs and are slow to change their ways insiders say.

>>> Here is the ethics commission press release on the matter: In other action today, Executive Director Joseph Centorino reported that he and his staff have begun presenting a “boot camp” of ethics training to more than 200 Miami Beach employees who work in regulatory agencies or positions.  The first-of-its-kind program is the result of an interlocal agreement initiated by the City of Miami Beach following a series of criminal cases involving city employees.  The employees will take part in more than twelve hours of intensive instruction, presentations, scenarios and interviews throughout the summer.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES

>>> Mayor Cason pleased resolution for new UM pedestrian bridge found with land transfer to county

A new planned pedestrian bridge across U.S. 1 for University of Miami students has been agreed upon and this has been a red hot issue after a number of students have been killed trying to cross the congested highway to a strip mall across the street from the sprawling UM campus in Coral Gables. http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/28/3421297/um-a-step-closer-to-pedestrian.html The Watchdog Report contacted Mayor Jim Cason about the matter last week and by email, he responded. “The Commission unanimously decided to cede to the County a part of Mariposa Court so that this pedestrian bridge could be built over Dixie Highway and help keep UM students and our residents safer.  We have been working with UM for several years to find a solution and are very pleased that our action this week accomplishes that goal with no cost or liability to the city,” wrote the reelected mayor in his second term.

>>> Commission on Ethics press release: The Ethics Commission agreed to settle a complaint (C 13-05) against a member of the Coral Gables Advisory Board on Disability Affairs who failed to file the required source of income statement.  After Probable Cause was found last month, Linda Scarcell filed the form with the Coral Gables City Clerk and paid investigative costs of $50 to the Ethics Commission.

CITY OF DORAL

>>> Mayor Boria and Mgr. Carollo chart new destiny for city, want to trim budget by $16 million as a starter

With the announcement by Mayor Luiga Boria and Manager Joe Carollo that they are suggesting a mid year adjustment to the city’s $58 million budget of $16 million in cuts, a 28 percent reduction.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/30/3425030/doral-mayor-city-manager-propose.html This action along with others over the months shows that the new philosophy of the new leadership team since Boria was first elected mayor last year is to strike out on his own.  In addition, this new independence is also being seen in annexation discussions, that have been going on for the past 12 years between officials at Doral, Medley, Hialeah Gardens and Miami Springs. However, Doral now wants Sections 15 and 16 of the proposed maps being discussed, and this new land grab would make Doral the physically largest city in Miami-Dade but fly’s in the face of past-negotiated concessions and this change in attitude is seen as a major monkey wrench in the ongoing annexation process discussions.

CITY OF OPA-LOCKA

>>> Ethics commission press release: An Opa-Locka code enforcement officer who agreed to settle ethics charges that he violated the Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance for failing to file required “outside source of income” forms for more than three years will soon have his wages garnished.  Randolph Aikens, who had been working nights at his private security company without seeking permission from his city supervisor or reporting his outside wages, accepted a settlement to the complaint (C 12-28) that required him to pay a $500 fine within 30 days of the September 25, 2012, agreement.  Since he is delinquent by $250, the Ethics Commission today ordered the City of Opa-Locka to deduct $50 per pay period from his salary until the balance is paid.

>>> OTHER STORIES AROUND FLORIDA

BROWARD COUNTY

>>> Ft. Lauderdale Man Charged with Obstruction of Proceedings and Providing

False Testimony Before the U.S. Securities And Exchange Commission

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announced that Robert J. Vitale, 42, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, was charged by Information with obstruction of proceedings and providing false testimony before the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).  Specifically, the Information charges one count of obstruction of proceedings before an agency of the United States, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1505, and one count of perjury, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1621.  Vitale faces a potential sentence of up to five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine as to each count. According to the Information, in or around May 2012, the SEC was conducting an official investigation into allegations that Vitale engaged in violation of the securities laws.  As part of the investigation, the SEC attempted to identify assets and bank accounts attributable to Vitale.  On or about June 4, 2012, Vitale completed and provided to the SEC, a “Background Questionnaire” form purporting to list bank accounts and other assets attributable to him.  Shortly before completing the questionnaire, Vitale transferred $100,000 from an account that was disclosed on the form, to a separate account that he controlled.

As alleged in the Information, Vitale willfully failed to disclose the existence of the funds or the bank account holding the funds, to the SEC.  Thereafter, on June 5, 2012, Vitale provided sworn testimony to the SEC at the SEC’s Southeast Regional Offices, in Miami, Florida.  During this sworn testimony, the Information alleges, Vitale provided false testimony about his assets and accounts, as well as the accuracy of the Information provided on the form he had submitted to the SEC.  Previously, in an unrelated matter, on or about August 15, 2006, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a Final Judgment in SEC v. Robert Vitale, et al., No. 04-60493 (the “2004 Case”), in which Vitale was, among other things, ordered to pay disgorgement and civil penalties of $100,025 for alleged violations of the federal securities laws.  As of June 5, 2012, the Information alleges, Vitale had failed to satisfy his obligations from the 2004 Case.

United States Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer stated, “The SEC plays a vital role in policing our nation’s securities markets and protecting investors from misconduct. We will not allow defendants to obstruct the SEC or provide false testimony to thwart the due administration of justice.” “The FBI will vigorously investigate and seek prosecution of individuals who allegedly attempt to obstruct an agency of the United States from carrying out its mission, such as the SEC’s efforts to protect investors.  When an individual provides false testimony or conspires to obstruct justice, our system of justice is undermined,” said Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami Division.  We will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s office, the SEC and our other partners to safeguard the integrity of the legal system.” Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and the SEC.  The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerrob Duffy. An information is only an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

>>> 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

>>> Palm Beach Gardens Man Sentenced for Committing Five Bank Robberies During 2012 Holiday Season

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announced today’s sentencing of Crispian Carl Sprague, 38, formerly of Palm Beach Gardens.  U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra sentenced Sprague to 66 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for five bank robberies he committed between November 21, 2012 and January 3, 2013.  Judge Marra also ordered Sprague to pay $11,620 in restitution.

As Sprague admitted in his guilty plea, on the day before Thanksgiving, November 21, 2012, Sprague robbed the BB&T Bank in Palm Beach Gardens.  Sprague approached a teller and handed her a note that demanded money and implied that he had a weapon.  The teller handed Sprague the money.  A few days later, on December 4, 2012, Sprague robbed the JP Morgan Chase Bank in Palm Beach Gardens.  During this robbery, Sprague approached a teller and handed her a note that read: “This is a Robbery open your Drawer[.]  Give me all your 100’s and 50’s[.]  Nobody will be hurt[.]  I am armed[.]”  The teller handed Sprague the money.

On December 20, 2012, Sprague robbed the JP Morgan Chase Bank in Jupiter, Florida.  Sprague handed the teller a note that demanded money and stated that he was armed.  Again, the teller complied and handed Sprague some money.  On Christmas Eve, Sprague robbed the JP Morgan Chase Bank in Lake Worth, Florida.  Sprague handed the teller a note demanding money and stating that he was armed.  The teller complied and gave Sprague the money.  On January 3, 2013, Sprague entered the TD Bank in Juno Beach, Florida.  Sprague entered the bank, approached the teller, and handed the teller a note that stated: “This is a Robbery[.]  No Dye Packs No Alarms[.]  100’s, 50’s, 20’s ONLY[.]  I AM ARMED[.]”  The teller gave Sprague bank-owned funds.

On January 8, 2013, the note used by Sprague during the January 3, 2013 TD Bank robbery was processed by a CSI/Certified Latent Fingerprint Examiner and a partial print was located on the top area of the note.  The fingerprint was subsequently positively identified as that of Crispian Carl Sprague.  On January 10, 2013, Sprague was arrested at his residence. Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI.  Mr. Ferrer also thanked the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, West Palm Beach Police Department, Juno Beach Police Department, and Palm Beach Gardens Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Marie Villafaña. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

ORANGE COUNTY

>>> Press release: Gov. Scott taps Judge Frederic Rand Wallis to the Fifth District Court of Appeal.

Wallis, 45 years old, of Orlando, has served as a circuit judge on the Ninth Judicial Circuit since 2008. From 2001-2008, he was a partner with Cabaniss, Smith, Toole, and Wiggins. From 1995-2008, he was in private practice as an associate attorney in Orlando and several other firms.  He specialized in representing clients in complex products liability cases.  From 1993-1995, he served as an Assistant State Attorney in the State Attorney’s Office, Eighteenth Judicial Circuit. Wallis earned his bachelor’s degree from Furman University and his law degree from Stetson University. Governor Rick Scott said, “Judge Wallis has proven to be a fair and capable judge on the Ninth Judicial Circuit. I am confident that he will bring the same sense of fairness and respect for the law with him to the Fifth District Court of Appeal.”

COMMUNITY EVENTS

>>> The Amaru Foundation’s First Breakfast Fundraiser dedicated to Fighting and Reducing Poverty & Literacy is being held Jun. 1 at Casa Larios Restaurant from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m., located at 7705 West Flagler, Miami 33126 and costs $15.00.

EDITORIAL

>>> BCC spins wheel of fortune with $2 million in funds from cancelled Dolphins election, should go to upgrade voting capabilities for 1.27 million county voters

The money Miami-Dade County received from the Miami Dolphins to hold the election possible approving some public money going to the renovation of Sun Life stadium, around some $1.7 to $2 million that is left over should be used as Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez has suggested to get new voting gear that would speed up people voting in elections after the long lines running up to the presidential election last November. Moreover, while some county commissioners might want to split this money into perhaps 13 shares, some for each district. This is not “surplus money” and should be carefully utilized, and improving the ability to more efficiently vote has a number of advantages for all of the county’s well over 1.27 million voters in the years ahead.

Further, if commissioners do decide to dole out this found money since the election was called off. There should be some guidelines of how this money should be spent and accounted for, and while not tax dollars per say. It is still money that unexpectedly fell into the government’s hands and the money should have that same status of oversight as any other public money. Moreover, any belief by commissioners this is “surplus money” should be expunged from their vocabulary. For County Commissioner Sally Heyman once used that term in 2006 when describing some money left over from the public finance campaign fund, and we now know when it comes to public tax dollars. These monies are scarce and must be treated with responsibility and accountability if the county’s taxpayers are to be protected. http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/30/3424753/what-should-miami-dade-county.html

LETTERS

>>> Great piece on Maxim hitting our firewall!

Supt. Alberto Carvalho

Miami-Dade County Public Schools

>>> Attached a link http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/17/3402455/slow-hiring-in-miami-dade-keeps.html to an article titled ” Rare drop in healthcare hiring brings Miami-Dade its slowest job growth in three years” which highlights the dependence of the healthcare industry on (ir)rational political decisions made in Tallahassee and Washington. Small business owners like me and hospital executives have to pay attention to the grinding stalemate resulting from the ideological rigidity of our Florida legislature. The refusal to reach ANY decision regarding the Medicaid expansion and acceptance of federal money borders not only on legislative malpractice but essentially forces healthcare business leaders to put hiring decisions on hold.

Hospitals, which are the largest employers in South Florida, expected that with the Medicaid expansion the numbers of uninsured would drop, thereby decreasing the costly treatment of uninsured in emergency room. But by providing health insurance for more people through Medicaid and other programs, including the requirement that everyone obtain health insurance, there should be less need for federal government payments under the “Disproportionate Share Hospital” (DSH) program. DSH payments are made to hospitals that serve a high number of patients without health insurance as well as a high number of Medicaid patients. Starting in 2014, the government will reduce total DSH allotments by $0.5 billion, and that reduction will increase to $4 billion per year by 2020.

But without Medicaid expansion and facing diminishing DHS payments hospitals have no other choice but to defer scheduled workforce expansion. Small business owners like me also expected to see increased Medicaid payments for primary care physicians and an expansion of their insured patient base. Now, I will wait and see and I definitely won’t hire new staff. Meanwhile, in Tallahassee, our legislators appear to live in splendid isolation from the real world. They seem to be more concerned about ideological correctness than solving problems that affect all of us.

Bernd Wollschlaeger, MD,FAAFP,FASAM

>>> LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & INITIAL SPONSORS IN 2000

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

HUGH CULVERHOUSE, Jr

FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT www.fpl.com .

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

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

WILLIAMSOM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP http://williamsonautomotivegroup.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

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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 GOOD GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE http://goodgov.net/

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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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