Watchdog Report Vol.16 No.11 Aug. 9, 2015 EST.05.05.00 – I go when you cannot – Celebrating 16 Years of weekly publishing

>>> 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 www.knightfoundation.org to maintain my webpage. The Watchdog Report webpage is free, has no pops-up and is just the news in a mainstream reporting manner.

>>>> The Watchdog Report publisher needs fiscal help and new Supporters and I have for 16 years now, reported back weekly how your billions of public dollars in government are being spent. And how to do that is at the end of the WDR. Thank You.

>>> Clarification; A headline last week was misleading regarding the Homeless Trust story and the agreement reached for Miami shelter beds and Camillus House and further Trust chair Ron Book “apologized,” to Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff for calling him ‘despicable,’ during a public meeting that included County Mayor Carlos Gimenez to discuss the homeless population on Miami streets and more shelter beds are being made available. I apologize for the error.

>> And to my Supporters and Sponsors I thank you for your confidence over the past 16 Years.

ARGUS REPORT: Heard and Seen on the streets

>>>> Bush, Trump held their own at GOP debate, Fiorina gets a boost along with Rubio, trump gets testy and later salacious with Fox moderator Kelly

Well it’s over, the Republican debate on Fox Thursday was a ratings bonanza with some 24 million viewers http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/08/business/media/republican-debate-draws-24-million-viewers.html?_r=0 and millions more on Facebook and watching the verbal slug fest was must see television and Carly Fiorina was a winner during the Happy Hour debate earlier along with John Kasik, the governor of Ohio and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio connected with the Generation X voters, and Rand Paul had a flurry of exchanges with Chris Christie the Gov. of New Jersey, that emphasized he was a past federal prosecutor before his elected office and former Gov. Jeb Bush (And I have covered Bush since 1998, when he was elected governor and I have seen him in action in a variety of settings, since he had an office at the Historic Biltmore Hotel), but Thursday. He was solid yet flat, and his performance was not enough to break out of the pack that has Donald Trump at the peak. But new polls after the debate could change that front runner ranking after he took some punches and reciprocated on the stage, and his speak it like it is, without political correctness, is appealing to many alienated voters in the GOP when it comes to the political process and his contention he likes everyone because he is a “businessman.” And is why he has supported a host of candidates from an array of political persuasions, highlighted the current pay to play system that goes on the political stage and of course Hillary Clinton came to his wedding. Since he had contributed to her campaign, plain and simple. He matter of factly said on the stage. Trump is also causing continued controversy by some disparaging comments about women and the developer and showman went after Megyn Kelly, one of  Fox’s moderator’s saying  by tweeter that Kelly ‘bombed,’ and retweeted a ‘supporter’ who called her a ‘bimbo’ and he also is complaining his questions were more difficult, but he has a self-inflicted wound now when it comes to wooing women voters who are expected to take exception to some of his past comments on women, http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/08/politics/donald-trump-cnn-megyn-kelly-comment/ some that are salacious in nature. And how long his endless loop reality show dialogue appeals to the voters is unknown and time will soon tell if the crest of voter discontent with Washington politics is strong enough time to carry him through the GOP primaries in March or will the Trump show be over by then.

And Rubio picked up some support but Trump still makes people uneasy and while his presence generated anticipated tension with the event, the question is how will he fare in the months ahead to the primary and the party’s convention being held in Cleveland that is undergoing a resurgence from a rust belt city to prospering and now includes NBA basketball Super Star Le Braun James in the equation.

Miami gets a new scam

The arrest of some local police officers for filing false papers claiming people’s credit ratings were terrible because of identity theft has people shaking their heads as South Florida creates another scam. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article21123588.html and police sign off on false identity theft reports clearing a person’s bad credit history and it won’t be long until residents start exporting this new way of skirting the system around the nation if Medicare scams are any indication and had U.S. Atty. Wilfredo Ferrer  saying once,  yes we do “export fraud,” at a big Medicare bust press conference a few years ago and this new identity theft scam is the latest permutation of a way to work the system and with identity theft rampant, this could be a new up and coming industry whether people had their bad credit repaired and a natural side industry would to use this enhanced credit rating to mortgage homes and with flipping homes coming back this could be a vehicle for the scammers to take advantage of this like was done years ago when it came to mortgage fraud and people were  qualifying for loans based on income but were not legitimate.

What about the GOP field of candidates?

All week insurgent candidate Donald Trump was on the airwaves and the blunt talking developer worth around some $5 billion is drawing a bigger entourage than Mitt Romney did running up to the election in 2012 and he has taped into a vein of discontent with the political status quo that does not seem to ebb with voters and a recent ABC poll has Trump leading in the run up to the Aug.6 FOX run Republican debate. And there could be blowback from voters to the man’s comments that Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona was not “a war hero,” and the Donald is saying the quote was out of context and he is going after the media for only taking snippets of what he is saying and the Republican establishment is waiting for the Trump personality to flame out. And pundits are all complaining about how they are having to give the man all this media time given his brash style and stream of conscious way of speaking calling one candidate a ”loser.”

And the developer called  former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush “terrible,” in a variety of policies including “immigration,” where the governor actually wrote a book, called Immigration Wars, on the subject and the Watchdog Report once joked with Bush, after  a funeral service for a passing dear friend. I said to the governor that he had “more guts than I did,” and he replied “looking puzzled, what do you mean?” and I said over the last 16 years I had only written one story concerning immigration, because of the intensity of the emails I received at the time, and “he had written a whole book on the subject.” And he admitted some of the correspondence he got was also very intense on the subject. And the issue for many Republicans is a third rail subject that Trump has brought to the forefront of the GOP pack of candidates and how the upcoming candidate debate Thursday,  goes is the 24 million dollar question at the moment.

>>> 19.8 million Tourists fill “23 percent of state’s sales tax coffers, vital industry to the state in a host of ways

Florida’s 19.8 million tourists was the topic of the day at Wednesday’s Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon at Jungle Island and J. William Seccombe, the President and CEO of Visit FLORIDA was the featured speaker. The tourist maven noted “23 percent of all the state’s sales taxes,” come from tourists. He said Florida was the “number one travel destination in the world and we are “winning the competition,” with the nation’s other 50 states, he said. Seccombe says the state is on a roll with “four consecutive years,” of visitor growth and “the numbers are powerful.” He gave a shout out to his boss Gov. Rick Scott who he said is very supportive of “growth and economic development,” that tourism brings people from “187 countries,” yearly to visit the Sunshine State and under Scott tourism promotion is well funded and the goal is to make Florida the tourists “destination to travel to in the 21^st century,” said Seccombe to the luncheon crowd.

And when it comes to luring baby boomers to the state he said we have to be at “the top of our game,” to attract this large emerging demographic he considered and the Watchdog Report after Sept. 11 only became aware of what an important role tourism played in funding government and at Miami-Dade County.  I have internal memos from back then saying dollars were at “capacity,” and wad essentially a red alert when it came to this funding and keeping past tourist tax revenue “commitments,” in a host of areas and municipalities. And is why then Gov. Jeb Bush authorized a massive global Florida promotion campaign since business leaders told Bush “the state had the infrastructure,”  necessary to kick start the tourism industry, with a massive global promotion, and it worked well and the state bounced back faster than many other states around the nation when it came to tourism and it has been only up since then and places like Miami Beach benefits by this tourism surge and high booking rates, and the tourist honchos remarks were well received by the business leader crowd.

GMCVB: Press release During the month of June 2015, Miami-Dade County’s reported collections for the 2% Hotel Food and Beverage Tax collections from hotels in Miami-Dade (excluding Miami Beach, Bal Harbour and Surfside) showed an increase of 16.5% compared to the same time in 2014, while the 3% Convention Development Tax (CDT) collections for Greater Miami (excluding Bal Harbour and Surfside) showed an increase of 8.4% compared to the same time last year. The 2% Tourist Development Tax (TDT) for Greater Miami (excluding Miami Beach, Bal Harbour and Surfside) showed an increase of 5.6% compared to the same time in 2014.

Record June Miami-Dade County Tax Collections
2% Hotel Food & Beverage Tax
June 2015	June 2014	% Change vs. 2014
$554,176	$475,742	+16.5%
3% Convention Development Tax
June 2015	June 2014	% Change vs. 2014
$4,780,255	$4,409,782	+8.4%
2% Tourist Development Tax
June 2015	June 2014	% Change vs. 2014
$1,526,543	$1,498,013	+5.6%

>>> Press release: Possible Upgrade of Cuba in State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report is Indefensible Concession to Castro Regime, Says Ros-Lehtinen

“If true, this upgrade in Cuba’s status in the annual report is nothing short of appeasement and it is a disgrace unbecoming of an administration that claims to hold human rights as one of its top priorities.”

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, made the following statement after reports stated that the State Department is considering upgrading Cuba to the Tier 2 Watch List from Tier 3 of the annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen: “In 2014, the same TIP report cited that child prostitution and child sex tourism runs rampant in Cuba, with children as young as 13 being the most vulnerable to human trafficking. Yet, the Obama administration has chosen to once again discard the hard facts to continue the President’s legacy shopping. Furthermore, the Castro regime not only fails to prevent sex trafficking of adults and children, but it actively supports and sponsors the sex tourism industry on the island in order to reap the financial benefits. If true, this upgrade in Cuba’s status in the annual TIP report is nothing short of appeasement and it is a disgrace unbecoming of an administration that claims to hold human rights as one of its top priorities.”

>>> Zogby Press release: John Kasich Is the Real Deal: Pay Attention to Him By: John Zogby Forbes.com Contributor

Seemingly lost in the all the “Donaldfoolery” of late is that a real candidate announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for President: Governor John Kasich of Ohio. Mr. Kasich brings a singular level of experience to this race as both a legislator and executive, significant business success, four decades of winning elections, and impressive (even historic) accomplishments in public policy. He is what Governors Scott Walker and Chris Christie can, at this point in their tenures, only aspire to be. He has more experience than both former Governor Jeb Bush and Senator Marco Rubio combined. And he has won the kind of blue collar support needed in a GOP must-win state. Please click on the link below to view the full release:

Zogby Press release:  watched the early debate among the seven who did not make the polling cut. In my view, the clear winner was Carly Fiorina.

While the other six were defensive trying hard to justify why they were in the race in the first place, Mrs. Fiorina was calm, self-assured, and abundantly knowledgeable. She addressed her position in the polls as coolly as possible: Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama were in the same position at this point in their election cycles, too. Next question? Without sounding like she had to overdo it, she simply reminded the moderators and audience that she ran a large, global company, was a world leader and singularly knows technology, made many (including unpopular) tough decisions, and can unlock American potential because she knows the sector that will grow it. Because she knows technology and businesses likes Google, she knows an aspect of national security that the others simply did not. No in your face bravado, she would simply ask Donald Trump why he has changed his mind on amnesty and other issues. There is real principle and resolve here and she is a credible speaker and debater.

>>> Zogby press release: Trump Gets Attention, But Bush Toughest Opponent for Democrats: Bliss Institute/Zogby Analytics Poll By: John Zogby Forbes.com Contributor

A new poll out today by the University of Akron’s Bliss Institute and Zogby Analytics reveals that former Florida Governor Jeb runs the closest race against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, nearly ties when pitted against Vice President Joe Biden, and actually beats handsomely Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

The nationwide online poll of 1,526 likely voters was conducted August 3 and 4 and carries a margin of sampling error or +/-2.6 percentage points.

Please click on the link below to view the full release:
http://zogbyanalytics.com/news/625-trump-gets-attention-but-bush-toughest-opponent-for-democrats-bliss-institute-zogby-analytics-poll

OBITUARY

>>> Judge Tam Wilson passes at 71, jurist threw out 1997 Miami mayoral election because of “tainted absentee ballots,” investigation uncovered dead voter Yip

Retired Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Thomas “Tam” Wilson, Jr., passed at 71 and he was the judge that ruled a Miami Mayoral election in 1997 involved “tainted absentee ballots,” that gave the election to past Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez, and was nullified and brought in challenger Mayor Joe Carollo to the office and former U.S. Attorney Kendall Coffey who represented Carollo in front of Wilson told the media Wilson followed the law and none of the appeals were sustained and the man who lived in Coconut Grove will be missed by his many friends. And one of the famous absentee ballots was cast by Manuel Yip, who had voted for many of the past years despite the man having died years earlier at age 75, and the investigation showed the shady world of absentee ballot brokers and the cottage industry within political circles it had become over the decades in Miami. http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1998-02-11/news/9802100323_1_manuel-yip-mayor-suarez-street-xavier-suarez

The Watchdog Report used to talk to Wilson often about that voter fraud case but he stopped that years ago after he retired. After I ran his financial disclosure forms that were benign in nature, but I did not appreciate what a private man he was and the conversations ended, and the jurist a Navy veteran was well respected by his peers on the bench for his fair application of the laws of Florida and he was a University of Miami Law school graduate and for more go to http://www.dailybusinessreview.com/id=1202733775385/Retired-MiamiDade-Judge-Tam-Wilson-Dies-at-71?slreturn=20150708112633 And while I apologized, saying it was my job to check on this when people leave office. He never accepted my apology and for that I am sorry though it was my job and Tam may you rest in peace. For you left the world a better place during your time here, and my condolences to your family.

STATE OF FLORIDA

>>> Scott and Cabinet approve a $700,000 Sunshine law violation settlement, local elected leaders should get the message when trying to stonewall the press or public records requests

Gov. Rick Scott agreeing to a $700,000 settlement to resolve a Sunshine violation complaint http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article30417807.html filed in the courts by multiple media groups just continues the governor’s pattern of Scott not being able to accept in Florida. The people have the Sunshine Law and public records are open to the public and Floridians should not have to go to court to get emails or documents for the law is very clear and errs on the side of the public and the thought that public money is being used to pay for the settlement is outrageous and local County and municipal leaders should take note for in many places like Miami or other municipalities, getting public records can become a chore and all should take notice of this deal for only by the Grace of God, do many leaders avoid such a fiscal fate and Scott has to get with the program. For since he took office there have been a number of public records retention gaffs and that should end, but likely will not. Since he is term limited in office and may not care about these infractions of the Sunshine Law any more. >>> And the first redistricting maps are being shown to the public and lawmakers and for more go to http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article28647970.html

>>> Rep. Diaz says “it is mayhem in Tallahassee, now,” with redistricting back in spotlight, special session set, after court’s throw out districts, because “tainted,”

With Florida Legislators having to call a second special session to redraw the Congressional redistricting maps, “it is mayhem in Tallahassee, now” said state Rep. Jose Diaz at a Miami Commission meeting Thursday, where he gave an update on local state funding that got vetoed by Gov. Rick Scott, and “gave him heartburn.” He responded to a question about Scott’s vetoes “The governor’s office is interesting,” and “I wish there was a rational explanation.” for the items that got “vetoed,” he said. The legislator said why the governor vetoed some items is a mystery and the budget was hoped to include $1 million for the Miami Museum

Senate Districts will get redrawn as well

The Florida Legislature has a twofer to deal with now with the state Senate District’s drawn by the body’s leadership being thrown out in a court and lawmakers believed it was bad enough. When they just had to draw the new House Districts but this new wrinkle that some suggest should probable be done by the Courts but have other  Republicans fuming and the legislators will be trying again working under the guidelines of that Fair District Amendment that was overwhelmingly passed by state voters in 2010 but the Florida Courts ruled the new districts were “tainted,” politically, and the public hearings  had one senate member at Miami-Dade College Downtown and one prominent member said he was just a “proud redneck,” from the Panhandle and I had a feeling after hours of testimony by the public that not much would probable change in the end and now lawmakers have to deal with this issue with elections looming.

What about Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah?

State Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah (Net worth $85,000) has taken a licking he said for his aggressive campaign to expand Medicaid during the past Legislative session where that failed but he was swimming against the political tide and worked the media locally on the issue and he joked you can see “the scars on my  back,” given the blowback but he stuck to his guns and is expected to try again and the healthcare executive notes he is a fiscal conservative but the money saved would not go to paying down the $18.3 trillion national debt but would just go to another state, he has said in the past. And to read Garcia’s financial disclosure form for the year go to http://public.ethics.state.fl.us/Forms/2014/43980-Form6.pdf and to read any of your state or county’s elected leaders disclosures go to http://tbo.com on July 1 to the Florida Ethics Commission go to and type in the name, it’s that simple: 24%2016:50:15%27} CFID=1258734&CFTOKEN=cb30f60057724e8a-920B6A15-AB65-CB1F-8B3A3006F08D1C0D

>>> And state lawmakers have figured out ways to avoid term limits that have fattened up their pensions significantly and includes lawmakers in Miami-Dade, and Broward Counties. For more go http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article28644853.html .

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, Jr., Chair the Children’s Movement. >>> Update: Two encouraging meetings… The first, a visit from the Governor to the Rainbow Intergenerational Child Care center in Little Havana where he discussed his early learning priorities. That includes his support for “Help Me Grow,” a statewide parent resource system where parents would be able — via phone and online — to get and she thought answers to questions about their child’s development and connected with the proper resources. The second, a meeting with future House Speaker, Rep. Jose Oliva from Hialeah. He’s a father of three, a real reader of history and student of policy, and committed to better understanding early learning. Dave Lawrence, Chair The Children’s Movement. The shortest message you might see this week:

Click here to read a meaningful piece that ran in The Miami Herald this morning. It’s by Vance Aloupis, The Movement’s splendid state director. Have a nice weekend…
Dave Lawrence
Chair

Miami-Dade County

A Future report should help residents understand Commissioner’s Denver transportation fly in, last week and Miami City Center to make $1 million in payments and will pay for “maintenance,” at Brickell Metro Rail station for “inpertuity,” transit staff tells MPO members.

Miami-Dade County Commissioners took a road trip to Denver Colorado to see how officials there created the areas mass transportation system to see if any of their solutions could apply to South Florida and Members of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce attended the fact finding mission and the get together was publically noticed since multiple commissioners will be attending and the Watchdog Report knows that County Commissioner Dennis Moss and Estephan Bovo, Jr., will be there for Moss has been a longtime transportation advocate.  Since he was first elected in 2003. And Moss up for reelection in 2016 has yet to have a challenger and for all his years on the dais the man has never had a hint of scandal over the years and the group is meetings with transportation officials from Denver and the assumed report of what happened will be a good read since Commissioner Rebeca Sosa recommended a report be done on what is accomplished at these meetings and was prompted by misperceptions of international trade trips that are not “junkets,” said Moss noting we work “like heck,” on these trips and the Watchdog Report back in 2006 flew ahead of Commissioners back then when they took their D.C. fly in and I found they did a lot of work on the trip and had just a few social events as they met with members of Congress and Bush Administration officials covering issues from healthcare to transportation back then.

What about Miami City Center on Brickell?

County transportation staff recently told Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) members recently that the mega development Miami City Center, will make $1 million in payments to the County and the development will envelope the current Brickell Metrorail station and the developer Swire will perform “all the maintenance,” of the escalators for “inpertuity,” and development of this type is one of the ways transit is trying to supplement mass transit funding and reduce costs and why there is a focus on developments around shopping destinations such as Dadeland Station and one of the problems the MPO has had is getting a “favorable,” route rating from state and federal transportation officials and without that status any new routes are a nonstarter said transit staff to MPO members that included Commissioner Barbara Jordan leading the discussion for the  unfunded North Line, once promised back in 2002 when voters approved a half cent sales tax for expanded transportation options, but was merged with current County funding in 2006 by the County Commission because the sales tax revenue (some $220 million a year) was not keeping up with maintenance costs of the current heavy rail and bus system and excluding the Orange Line to MIA, there has been no other planned transit expansion. Jordan admitted “heavy rail was unrealistic,” and staff agreed the money was not there and “it was the financial package,” that killed the North route because “there was not enough [money] to sustain,” the operation and maintenance in the “pro Forma,” said transit staff. And to get into the que for federal funding. A project has to have a “favorable,” rating because without that rating there is “no [federal] funding,” and with the nation’s $18.3 trillion debt, getting local federal dollars for large transit projects funded by Congress is no easy task and is one of the significant barriers facing local politicians regarding mass public transit funding coming from Washington.

What is the cost of studies at the MPO?

Former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre at the MPO meeting after a discussion on the need for a study of a route to South Dade. He said that the cost of these studies is around “$1,000,000 to $200,0000 a study” and “$1 million,” a year is budgeted by the MPO for such reports and over the years it adds up to real money, he said especially if all the members of the large over 20 member board each asked for studies And past studies have been one of the criticisms of the slow pace and that things at the County get “studied,” to death but the public sees no end results as far as reduced congestion in the County, and has leaders sensitive to the issue that they tried to defuse through a Transportation Summit where the public essentially vented their anger about the lack of progress, and insufficient funding when it comes to new public transportation options.

Bovo

Suarez

Moss

Jordan

What about affordable housing in Miami-Dade?

County Commissioner Xavier Suarez (Net worth $303,000 in 2014) who owns multiple rental condominiums on Brickell says, when it comes to windstorm property insurance on the units, “It is a crime against humanity,” he says since “1992,” after Hurricane Andrew and he suggested that the County offer a form of catastrophic insurance.  Since all condominiums “have shutters,” and it would not put the county at risk he suggested on the average $200,0000 valued condominium, he considered and the attorney noted Andrew was “the last catastrophic storm,” to hit Miami and with the current 20 percent deductible for property insurance, “We have never got a single penny, back” and if the “County would subsidize this,” program it could open up more affordable housing in the condominiums dotting the landscape, but are out of reach  for most renters looking to live downtown he thought. And to read Suarez’s June 2014 financial disclosure form go to http://public.ethics.state.fl.us/Forms/2014/241635-Form6.pdf

>>> And to see which elected county state and federal offices candidates are running for office in 2016 go to http://www.miamidade.gov/elections/library/reports/elected-officials.pdf

What about outside employment?

>>> PAST WDR: Commissioner Juan Zapata at a committee meeting asked what the County policy was for “outside employment” and how many county employees had outside employment. Zapata asked. Staff said some 1,000 employees file the required outside income forms to the Miami-Dade Elections Department. However, Zapata said he was concerned about the “distraction” of an outside job and if you own a business there are “emergencies,” he considered. Zapata noted the commissioner’s job was part time and they needed outside income and his concern was tax payers are not getting their money worth since the County pays “fair wages and salaries,’ he considered and working for the county “ was a privilege,” he said. However, Joe Centorino the Executive Director of the Miami-Dade County Ethics and Public Trust Commission noted the commission does review some conflict of interest cases, but only after first the employee gets approval from his department director but the former state prosecutor said “there is a disconnect,” and it is “unknown” how many employees might have outside employment but just don’t notify the administration.

Centorino said there is “no countywide standard,” for how outside employment is treated and he believes there should be a “uniform standard. “Zapata gave one example saying he had a “meeting with a Chinese Delegation,” and he was “given two cards.” One was for a local real estate company and the other was the “card of a county employee,” and the lawmaker did not know what the man’s relationship was with the delegation.

Centorino

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS:

>>> School student advisors, sometimes the only voice of reason on board dais gets a shout out from Supt. Carvalho, and foster care student Valentino in Posse program going to Syracuse University, previous advisor goes to Duke

District superintendent Alberto Carvalho told school board members Wednesday that there “are 6,000 kids” that are homeless in the nation’s fourth largest public schools District in the nation and his administration works closely with the Chapman Partnership for Homeless and Lotus House to give these kids a chance at an education and the two not for profit organizations are a beacon of hope for these students. Further he mentioned a couple of students that defied the odds and one senior who was in foster care Valentino King was a member of the Posse program and he is going to Syracuse University.

And Carvalho praised the job the student advisor Logan Schroeder Stephens has been doing on the school board dais and how these representatives have done a great job over the years and a previous student advisor ended up going to Duke University and these student representatives have been a breath of fresh air over the decades and some of their cogent comments about proposed board items many times make a lot of sense and can cause the board to tweak legislation sometimes, prior to it becoming a board rule. The school board created the post back in 1985 and the advisor is always a senior who goes through a leadership class and to see the official board rule creating the post go to http://www.dadeschools.net/schoolboard/rules/Chapt8/8c-1.22.pdf

>>> Press release: M-DCPS’ 2015-2016 ‘BACK-TO-SCHOOL TOOL KIT’ NOW ONLINE

Miami-Dade County Public Schools will open its doors on Monday, August 24, 2015, to approximately 355,900 students to begin the 2015-2016 school year.

In order to help parents and students have a smooth transition back to school, a tool kit has been created with information regarding registration, vaccination requirements, school hours, important dates, and school safety. The kit is available online at www.dadeschools.net in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole. Students can benefit from the tool kit’s information about various Choice schools and diploma options, and parents may use it to find out about important dates; the school district’s free app for phone or mobile device; free lunch service; and policies regarding their child’s education.

>>> Aug. 24 kicks off 355,900 students going to public schools, causes traffic congestion to double — The nation’s fourth largest public schools System is opening Aug.24^th and 355,900 students will be going to one of the almost 400 public schools around Dade County and the opening of schools impacts traffic by almost double when it comes to getting around the County. And while the District has a $2.9 billion budget, the District’s debt load is not for the “Faint of heart,” said Dr. Richard Hines the now retired District CFO and has done an amazing job saving the district money by refinancing and his replacement will be filling some large shoes and to read the schools budget go to http://financialaffairs.dadeschools.net/ES15-16/ES15_16.pdf

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> Jackson administration proposes new hospital in the Doral area, believes there is “sufficient need for an inpatient hospital of up to 100 beds on Jackson West site,” writes CEO Migoya

In an Aug.3, 2015 memo released to the media last week Jackson management is announcing they believe there is sufficient need to not only have an Urgent Care Center in the Doral area but also a new hospital, “because there is sufficient need for an inpatient hospital of up to 100 beds on the Jackson West site,” wrote, Jackson’s President and CEO Carlos Migoya who copied Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Commission Chair Jean Monestime and a host of state and federal leaders. The former banker writes, our conclusion is that “there is indeed sufficient need,” and that the Jackson Health System has “sufficient demand to meet both the regulatory and financial requirements for a new hospital,” they have concluded. Migoya also notes that during conversations with “many leaders,” he was asked if an “acute care hospital,” was anticipated for this “fast growing area,” he wrote.

He notes the licensing process is a “lengthy and complex process,” and “500,000 people live within five miles of Jackson West,” But the area has little or no access to “Jackson’s advanced class of healthcare facilities.” Migoya in the months ahead “will share our analysis,” as part of the full application, due in October. The main campus in the Miami Medical District years ago had 1,558 licensed beds and there are 1,757 in total beds licensed at all the system’s hospitals state County bond documents from around 2005. Further the Florida legislature in a House committee is debating legislation eliminating the Certificate of Need (CON) certification currently required by the state to open s new hospital. But such a law is not in effect in Texas and Gov. Rick Scott, a former healthcare executive, believes eliminating this CON requirement would spur competition and for more on that legislation in Tallahassee go to http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article23633182.html and to read the County’s bond document go to http://www.miamidade.gov/finance/library/pubfac04.pdf http

What do critics say?

But critics note outpatient services is the way healthcare is going and in Miami there is no shortage of hospital beds. And the concern is if there is insufficient patient demand and that the public taxpayer could have to foot the bill years from now. If the projections fall short, though population continues to grow, and while the county’s voters approved a $830 million bond for upgrades to the 28 acre main Jackson Campus where elevators were in disrepair, and IT needed a shot in the arm along with other across the board upgrades and more local Urgent Care facilities for Miami residents was promised but there was no talk during the bond campaign for a new free standing hospital that the state will have to approve. And the Migoya administration has applied for the facility and would bring to four the number of inpatient facilities in the public health system that also includes hospitals in North and South Dade under the health trust’s healthcare umbrella. And to read the bond document go to:  http://www.miamidade.gov/finance/library/pubfac04.pdf And Migoya has told the public in the past that the public health system’s performance has changed ‘skeptics’ into believers of the Jackson Health System and its commitment to quality of care for all patients regardless of their ability to pay.

>>> PAST WDR: Jackson South to get 25 new rooms in new buildout, building will have Everglades theme, hospital having “double digit growth,” says CEO Migoya to PHT board

The PHT is expanding Jackson South Community hospital and the PHT is adding a  fourth floor and some “25 private rooms since growth is “in the double digits” at the hospital and has become the health Systems “anchor in South Dade,” said CEO Carlos Migoya at the board’s monthly televised board meeting and the renovation and “build out,” that will have a Everglades theme and the art at Jackson South will become part  of the County’s Art in Public Places collection said the healthcare executive’s staff who has successfully turned around the beleaguered healthcare system After years of hemorrhaging red ink with major concessions from the organizations unions and the health trust has “39 days of cash on hand,” said CFO Mark Knight and Jackson is closing the year $18 million in revenue “ahead of the prior year said the CFO to the trustees. And receivables accounts are at 42 days and the health trust has $109 million in accounts payable and “while the length of patients stay is flat,” it is higher “than projected volumes,” Knight said. And the Trust is seeing “year over year growth.”

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> Grassroots candidate Solaris gets 1,000 petition signatures to qualify as candidate for Miami Dist. 2 seat held by incumbent Sarnoff pushing his wife to follow him in office

Miami District 2 candidate Grace Solaris is campaigning the old fashion grass roots way and she submitted 1,0000 signatures, last week to the Miami Clerk’s office of which some 400 signatures are needed to qualify her run for the office that snakes along the coast of Miami and includes Coconut Grove and Brickell and she is running against nine other candidates and the qualifying period ends in September and she is facing the wife of incumbent Commissioner Marc Sarnoff Teresa Sarnoff, who while raising some $460,000 for her campaign is not getting the buzz some of the other candidates are getting and it appears she plans a television airwaves war running up to the Nov. 3 election a visual war that has already started with candidate Ken Russell running another spot during the GOP debate on Thursday and all the candidates are fundraising trying to raise their name reconition but it is tough for some of the neophyte candidates  and with a low voter turnout expected it is going to be a tough slough for the eventual winner and the wife’s husband is probable her only deficit with getting voter support but with months to go the media is drilling down on Teresa Sarnoff’s earlier life before marrying her husband in 2001 when she lived in the Grove with her first husband who is now retired. And to read the campaign reports for all the candidates go to http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/City_Clerk/Pages/Elections/CampaignReports15.asp

>>> PAST WDR: Commissioner Sarnoff is dropping off books detailing his nine years in office, will it impact on his wife’s Teresa’s race to follow him in office?

Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff is Santa Clause and the commissioner is going to people’s homes to give them a bag that includes a book detailing his nine years in office and all his achievements because he wants an accurate history of all that he has accomplished in his years in office. And some say it is better than an obelisk on the Coconut Grove Convention site or one across the street from the man’s compound home on Blanche Park that has undergone a number of improvements over his years in office that included having to move his maritime law practice from the home to a shared office downtown with Jay Solowsky. And for more on the book go to http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2015/07/miami-commissioner-hand-delivers-publicly-funded-accomplishment-books.html

And his wife Teresa who is running to succeed her termed out husband in the office has sent a campaign flyer a couple of pages long on her life and the piece is called the “Teresa’s Story, “Where Family is everything,” and features photos of herself as a child growing up and when she got married to the commissioner but her life seems to have started in 2001 when she got married and there is no mention of her first husband and what she did before she married the commissioner and that blank space in her life has people asking what has she done. Since then because the wife excluding her husband’s races has not been visible at community events and she is seen as a  perpetuation of her husband’s controversial tenure in office where the man has offered to fight a critic from the dais along with harsh criticism of others and the commissioner who says you can have your own opinion but that does not apply to the “facts,” and his wife is being viewed as being  a manufactured candidate with $460,000 in her campaign war chest thanks to her husband’s fundraising skill but for some of the electorate the large sum is becoming a negative factor but there is no inclination that number will not grow further and will give her an edge with Brickell condominium voters who will have to be wooed by the television airwaves Since candidates have difficulty  campaigning in the buildings that represent a large voting block and has diminished the role of Coconut Grove in the Miami District 2 elections in November.

Further the brochure says President Barack Obama awarded her the “President’s Volunteer Service Award for the Protection of Animals,” and both of them are dog and animal lovers but animals can’t vote and Teresa is not a comfortable candidate and her facial expressions are almost frozen when she attends events like recently at  a women’s club meeting at a Grove restaurant And when she and her team are campaigning they walk right by Grove residents walking their dogs rather than striking up a conversation and she seems to some people like a “snob,”  . And this attitude could come back to haunt her in the race.

What about the other candidates?

Longtime community activist Grace Solaris (who has $139,000 in her campaign war chest) held a fund raiser at Berries in the Grove and some political leaders came to the event that included a meeting with the candidate in the loft area of the restaurant and County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava attended the event along with Paul Schwiep, Esq., the chair of the CITT board that looks after the countywide half cent sales tax funds for transportation passed by county voters in 2002. And people are looking at Solaris as someone that has at least put in the time to seek public office in a pack that has neophyte candidates who have raised very little money but one Ken Russell ( who has $83,614 in his campaign war chest) who has gotten some media attention with his first campaign ad and all the challengers have been given a bonus after Marc had a book done on his years in office, something the Watchdog Report has never ever seen done before, and for more go to : http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2015/07/miami-commissioner-hand-delivers-publicly-funded-accomplishment-books.html and Russell is outraged by the book that coincidently coincides with an election. That he says it is just a puff piece partially paid with public money. But Sarnoff argues he just wants History to know what he has done in his nine years in office, and it could be he needs a connection to his alleged grandfather Gen. David Sarnoff who founded NBC and has a library in Princeton New Jersey. Where a granddaughter told the media when asked about the long lost relative, the family did not have a clue who he was and the commissioner after the story broke had scrubbed any mention in his bio and has totally ignored explaining what that discrepancy was about.

And when I was a speaker once at the University of Miami Oshman Lifelong learning Center and the retirees were a perfect focus group and I mentioned the issue of Sarnoff’s grandfather, that is “part of his lineage,” he said before a show on www.WLRN.org when asked about the connection. So he is still believing it to be true I guess and one of the retirees said after I told them the story. One women a retired attorney 92, said “That is such a fundamental defect in someone’s soul,” she believed and I thought yes, why would someone do that especially if he was a Great One, but Sarnoff is cut from a different cloth having gone to  University of Tampa on a swimming scholarship before law school.

And his wife has to deal with the fact there is a trust defect with her husband and she should be prepared to answer if she buys into this fantasy, and people also fear her husband, who started his political career as a Grove activist, but later changed, and retribution seems to be a frequent observation, which is odd given how much he sermonizes on the dais where he has the habit of making fun of people at their expense.

What about any gifts received last year?

Below is the financial disclosure amounts on Commissioners’ Mark Sarnoff, Francis Suarez and Mayor Tomas Regalado. And this week the Watchdog Report reviewed the gift disclosure forms for the leaders. However, Sarnoff’s form for the year was not with the Miami Clerk’s office but could be on file with the County, but Suarez and Regalado’s was available to review. Suarez listed gifts over $100.00 a $695.00 pass to the eMerge Americas and Regalado lists a $438.20 airline ticket to Washington D.C. and the ticket came from the National Marine Manufacturers Association, and included a $300.00 hotel and he was given two tickets for the Arsht Center Gala and the Clerk’s office only had the 2014 gift disclosure form on file for Sarnoff whose term ends in November.

Sarnoff net worth rises to $2.9 million, up from $2.28 million in 2008, real estate rich, but cash poor. Every year the Watchdog Report runs the financial disclosure forms for Miami Commissioners and this year Commissioner Marc Sarnoff is the big winner and his net worth jumped from 2.28 million in 2008 to $2.9 million in 2014 and the bulk of Commissioner Sarnoff’s increase is from his compound in Central Grove and the man is real estate rich but cash poor given his debt. The admiralty attorney termed out after eight years in office owes Bank of America $458,373, Citibank wants $155,000 and American Express is owed $54,318 state his disclosure form on file with the Miami Clerk’s office. And his wife Teresa, who he married in 2001, is running to take his place on the dais and she has raised $465,561 for her Miami District 2 candidate and another challenger Ken Russell has $83,614 in his campaign coffers through the end of June’s reporting period. And the escalating war chest for Sarnoff’s wife is getting so large she is being seen as being bought with the tony voters of the Grove which was a base for her husband’s past elections but the locals have a different opinion of the man something that the wife and candidate will have to deal with since voters should be glad Teresa is running in her husband’s mind.

>>> And Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado lists his net worth for 2014 at $93,125 and that is up from 2008, when he listed his net worth at $5,000 and his total assets are $5,125 for the year and the mayor is termed out.

And Commissioner Francis Suarez up for reelection this November has a net worth of $115,539 which is up from a negative $81,100 back in 2008 because his real estate investments were under water in value back then. The married attorney with a young son has a mortgage of $360,000 at Chase Bank, N.A., and his investment property is valued at $144,860 and there is $207,516 in a savings account and $7,523.00 in a checking account and he has $25,000 in listed assets. And the man is facing one challenger in the November commission race, and a few years ago he tried to unsuccessfully run for mayor but withdrew after some controversy that included a staffer and he is now the vice chair of the MPO at Miami-Dade County and was on the Miami Charter Review board recently and he is the son of County Commissioner Xavier Suarez.

Regalado

Sarnoff

Suarez

PAST WDR: What is Teresa like as a candidate?

You either have it or you don’t, I tell people when it comes to political charisma and Teresa Sarnoff does not have it and she is a very similar candidate, to Linda Haskins who her husband first beat back in 2006 by two to one votes despite her raising almost $700,000 with the help of then Mayor Manny Diaz’s campaign fundraising machine. But Haskin’s was portrayed as being under the thumb of the mayor who was losing popularity, by Sarnoff and Haskins was appointed to the body after Commissioner Johnny Winton was suspended from office after a scuffle at a bar at MIA and that opened up the seat and Haskins was picked by the commission to fill the vacant seat that disappointed many voters.

Further, the wife gets to carry all the political baggage her husband has generated during his eight years in office, where his first year in office was significantly different then when he won a full four year term and he first showed his new political personality that was remarkable different (And he seems to believe voters should be thankful he is in office)  from the past and she has to deal with these drawbacks with the public while she campaigns and Teresa in a big ad in Neighbors is saying she has gotten support from the Fraternal Order of Police and that type of endorsement is similar to what Haskins got back at the time. And Teresa has yet to define herself with voters. (And she does not seem to appreciate how odd it is for her to try to follow her husband in office, given city voters overwhelmingly approved term limits of eight years, years ago, and he has yet to explain why he embellished his family “lineage,” that turned out to be untrue but gave him early status. When he first ran for office, and he extensively referred to his supposed grandfather Gen David Sarnoff who founded NBC at his first inauguration, which was not true) and Former Mayor Matti Bower on Miami Beach tried such a political maneuver when she ran for a commission seat, and lost and she had been termed out, but voters thought enough is enough on the Beach.

Teresa is also finding there is voter fatigue of her husband in office and his imperious attitude.  She responded when asked about the fundraising money by saying “she was sued by developers,” regarding the Mercy Tower condominiums pushed by the Related Group and mega developer Jorge Perez and she believes that shows her independent chops when it comes to these people. (Though she got a job with a prominent condominium real estate brokerage firm).

Russell said in this regard that under Commissioner Sarnoff, the Grove has changed and there is a “changing façade of the Grove,” he believed though many people believe. It is too late and the face of the Grove has forever been changed under Sarnoff’s watch.  She also noted she and her husband fought the Home Depot project that ultimately was built but others are asking where she has been since then. And Commissioner Sarnoff might consider putting his assets into a blind trust. If his wife wins the election since controversy seems to follow the man in or out of office. And Russel was grilled about his lack of voting in municipal elections and only presidential races. He said he was busy raising a family and starting a business like many other people and only recently began to engage but that could apply to many of the candidates regarding their past spotty civic engagement history. And to read the campaign disclosure forms for all the candidates go to

http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/City_Clerk/Pages/Elections/CampaignReports15.asp

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> Mayor Levine fires back on political PAC with $1 million in it, says process should be tweaked for all

What about the PCAC Relentless for Progress controversy?

Mayor Philp Levine is fighting back when it comes to a PAC associated with termed out Commissioner Jonah Wolfson and has $1 million in contributions that is being criticized because some of the money came from vendors to the city and Levine says it is legal and suggests PAC’S in general should be modified and cited money County Mayor Carlos Gimenez has amassed for his own PAC and to see an interview Levine gave to Michael Putney and Levine a media mogul notes. He self-finances his campaign and this is not a conflict of interest for him when these companies make contributions and to see the program go to

Press release: This Sunday I had a great interview on This Week in South Florida with Michael Putney discussing political action committees (PAC’s) and all the progress being made in Miami Beach. Michael Putney and I are united for fair and unbiased PAC reforms countywide. Please click link to view interview on This Week in South Florida.

>>> A French company  is suggesting creating a rail system  the company might operate but the City is saying no to the unsolicited submission says http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article30484653.html And the idea of a Baylink rail connection has been kicked around for years but at one point faced major opposition but that has faded with new politicians and now the idea is back on the front burner but money is short to create the infrastructure needed for any mass transit from the mainland to the Beach an island.

>> Voters need to engage and see what crop of new commission candidates are like, civic forums are one great way to see neophyte candidates in action with policy bark on and here is the list of people running for the commission. Here is the list of candidates running in November for the commission

Group 4:

Kristen Rosen Gonzalez

Isaiah Mosley

Elizabeth “Betsy” Perez

G. Scott Diffenderfer

Michael DiFilippi

Group 5:

Mark Weithorn (Whose wife is on the commission)

Jose Rickey Arriola ( Who chaired the Arsht Center board and his father José is vice Chair of the Public Health Trust that oversees Jackson Hospital)

Josef Jorzak

Group 6:

Jeff Cynamon

Mark Samuelian

John Elizabeth Aleman

COMMUNITY EVENTS

LADIES LEADING FILM SERIES Fridays, August 7 – 28 at 7 p.m. Social Miami press release: Ladies take the lead in The Wolfsonian’s Ladies Leading Film Series, four summer film screenings inspired by the hard working, trailblazing women featured in the current exhibition, “Women, Art and Social Change: The Newcomb Pottery Enterprise.” Each Friday relax and enjoy the distaff side of life. August 7, “His Girl Friday” (1940) with Rosalind Russell, an ace reporter, and Cary Grant, her dashing ex-husband/editor, kick off the series. August 14, “Adam’s Rib” (1949) – the he-said, she-said classic starring Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. August 21, “Norma Rae” (1979) – A young Sally Field, a funny, smart and inspiring modern-day heroine, stars in this powerful story about workers’ rights. And August 28, “Nine to Five” (1980) – the hilarious finale of the Ladies Leading Film Series featuring three incredible females – Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton. Catch them all – admission is free! The Wolfsonian-FIU 1001 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach 305-531-1001 www.Wolfsonian.org

BLAME IT ON RIO Thursday, August 20 at 8 p.m. Join Coral Springs Museum of Art as it welcomes special guest Romero Britto at Blame It on Rio, a tribute to the famed artist, his art on display at the museum and his treasured homeland. This lively fundraising event will have you thinking you’re in Brazil enjoying the spirit, flavor and flair of Rio’s carnival festivities. A VIP cocktail reception begins at 7 p.m., followed by general admission to the event at 8. Tickets are $75 p/p and $150 for VIP guests. Coral Springs Museum of Art 2855 Coral Springs Drive, Coral Springs 954-340-5000 www.CoralSpringsMuseum.org

Editorials

>>> Drones and lasers not benign when it comes to impacting the flying public, lawmakers must beef up laws, to end this scourge before a tragic crash

The American flying public should not have to worry about a plane in flight hitting a drone or the pilot being blinded with a laser while flying the plane but incidents of this nature are happening and are on the increase and drones have even caused feuds, with neighbors and there needs to be more stringent guidelines on how these devices are used for it would be a tragedy if a plane had to crash before lawmakers took action for these new devices are not benign and can cause great harm and while people note it is people using them wrong and should not be regulated, but the pervasiveness of the reports is of concern and could cause a lack of confidence to the flying public that deserve better when it comes to their safety while flying in the nation’s crowded skies.

>>> Elected leaders do the public a favor and get to the point at public budget hearings rather than drone on, for audience as much fun as a root canal

With public budget meetings being held will these be a vocal marathons where elected leaders just drone on and repeat themselves and for the public listening to this dialogue, it is quite painful and voters would really appreciate if they got to the point for repetition by the public or the leaders gets old fast and lawmakers should spare the public some of their monologue that is as popular as a root canal.

LETTERS

>>> After decades of political activity and public service, I disconnected from politics after my run for statehouse in 2012. The system is totally broken. The lunatics are running the asylum. Corruption is the norm. I’m disgusted. Focusing on business only now.

Paul Crespo

Past state Rep. Candidate

>>> Even though I am quite happy living in Atlanta area for the past 3 years,

Too bad people like Dr.Jude did not occupy some of the Miami Dade government seats. His wife Sallye is a dynamo also. Did you know that she has been very active in Scenic Florida, the group that fights billboards?

Steve Hagen

Atlanta GA.

>>> Press release: Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava and Mayor Carlos Gimenez Hold Homes For All Pets Summit, Identify Solutions to Animal Well-Being Challenges Miami, FL- Today, Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava and Mayor Carlos Gimenez hosted the Homes for All Pets Summit at PortMiami to discuss challenges and find creative ways to continue working towards the County’s no-kill goal and to find homes for all our pets. 200 participants, including animal rescue and protection groups, community leaders, concerned citizens and elected officials, discussed the following topics: the progress we have made on animal welfare, the health and safety of animals in Miami-Dade and strategies to increase public awareness on this issue. Dr. Julie Levy, Director of Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida was the keynote speaker…

“500 animals are abandoned at the Animal Services Department every week. Much progress has been made; we have a terrific plan and we have made additional investments in programs and partnerships. But we cannot fully implement our plan without more volunteers, more partners, more funds for our programming We are here today to work together to find solutions,” Commissioner Levine Cava said during her opening remarks…. Mayor Gimenez spoke about the many inroads made at the Animal Services Department and thanked the Department for their help in organizing the summit: “I thank Commissioner Levine Cava and Animal Services Director Alex Muñoz for their hard work in putting this important event for Miami-Dade together.”

The ideas discussed at the summit will be consolidated and sent to the event attendees. Commissioner Levine Cava spoke of the many ways that residents could get involved and stay engaged in constructive solutions. “It gives me much hope that so many concerned residents are interested and engaged in finding solutions. I urge all community members to contact their Commissioner and find ways that they can get involved through volunteering. The Animal Services Department offers several volunteering programs at www.miamidade.gov/animals<http://www.miamidade.gov/animals>. I also encourage all residents to attend the County budget hearings on September 3rd and 17th at 5:01 p.m. at the Stephen P. Clark Center so that they can express their budgetary priorities to the Commission and the Administration,” explained the Commissioner. Broadcasts from the summit are available on Periscope through @dlcava and highlights can be seen on Twitter (@dlcava), Facebook (/CommissionerCava) and Instagram (@dlcava).Sponsors: PortMiami, City of Miami Beach, Village of Pinecrest, City of Coral Gables, City of Doral, City of South Miami, City of Sunny Isles Beach, City of Hialeah, North Bay Village, City of Homestead, City of Miami Springs, Village of Virginia Gardens, City of Miami, City of North Miami, Town of Cutler Bay, Town of Bay Harbor Islands, City of Opa-Locka, Village of Palmetto Bay and Village of El Portal. Special thanks to Fare to Remember Creative Catering for providing an animal friendly, no meat meal.[cid:image003.jpg@01D0C790.02E51510] Commissioner Levine Cava greets attendees at the Homes for All Pets Summit [cid:image005.jpg@01D0C790.02E51510]Mayor Gimenez spoke of the advances in the Animal Service Department and his rescue dog, Beemer  cid:image007.jpg@01D0C790.02E51510]

Dr. Julie Levy of the University of Florida presented on best practices and possible solutions [cid:image009.jpg@01D0C790.02E51510]

Participants discussed two major topics: animal safety and increasing public awareness [cid:image016.jpg@01D0C790.02E51510] an idea bank gave attendees the opportunity to brainstorm and make last minute recommendations.

>>> The Watchdog Report is going to hit 16 years of weekly publishing and while I have taken a licking over the years including some medical issues I have kept at thanks to my supporters who I thank so very much over the many years.

The Watchdog Report is Celebrating 16 years of weekly publishing since May 5^th 2000 and when I started back then I never thought I would be doing this so

either gotten better or worse and here is a national story done on why I started to watch government back in 2000  http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog and to all the people along the way that have helped me I thank you from the bottom of  my heart.

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

***** LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & Initial sponsors since 2000

>>> 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)

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ALFRED NOVAK

LINDA E. RICKER (Deceased)

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

THE HONORABLE STANLEY G. TATE

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

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THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.org

THE GOOD GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE http://goodgov.net/

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

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BADIA SPICES www.badiaspices.com

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

BERKOWITZ POLLACK BRANT Advisors and Accountants www.bpbcpa.com

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WILLIAM PALMER www.shutts.com

Rbb PUBLIC RELATIONS www.rbbpr.com

ROYAL MEDIA PARTNERS www.royalmp.com

SHUBIN & BASS www.shubinbass.com

WILLIAMSOM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP http://williamsonautomotivegroup.com/

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CAMILLUS HOUSE, INC. www.camillushouse.org

CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com

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CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu

THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov

GREATER 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 HOMELESS TRUST: www.miamidade.gov/homeless/

MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE www.mdc.edu

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION ON ETHICS and PUBLIC TRUST www.ethics.miamidade.gov

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

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPT. http://superintendent.dadeschools.net/

MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY www.miamidda.com

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

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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)

Large Business Supporters $500

Small Business Supporters $250

Individual Supporter $150

Student Supporter $ 75

Any amount $

Name & Address

Please make checks payable to: Daniel A. Ricker

Send to

Daniel A. Ricker

3109 Grand Ave., #125 Miami, Fl 33133