Watchdog Report Vol.24 No.65 July 28, 2024: EST:05.05.00 – A free community education resource for 24 years weekly
WATCHDOG REPORT
Miami-Dade, Fla.
Vol.24 No 65, July 28, 2024, Celebrating May 5th,2000: 24 -years of free weekly publishing! www.watchdogreport.net & Former Miami Herald news & editorial education resource & news service, without the attitude.
>>> Just because you do not take an interest in politics does not mean politics will not take an interest in you. –Pericles (430 B.C.)
>>> ARGUS REPORT: HEARD SEEN ON the STREETS
>>> Tough times if you can support: Further, if you would rather send a check send it made out to Daniel Ricker and mail it to 3109 Grand Ave., #125 Miami, Fla. 33133. Thank you, Dan.
BREAKING NEWS
The City of Miami commission Thursday spent hours and the public to expand the Omni Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) set to end in 2029.
However, it is not easy and some of the tax increment money is already being used for the Arsht Center to Marlin Stadium funding requirements. Further, commissioner Manolo Reyes is right that the “county wants the tax revenue.” (There are 11 county CRAs) The Omni CRA was part of a global agreement, hashed out by managers George Burgess and Joe Arriola with mayors Manny Diaz and Carlos Alvarez deal by the county and city, helping to fund Arsht and the Marlin’s debacle stadium deal costing $2.6 billion based on the financial documents and puts these entities in a weak position re the loans that can’t be paid off early and a parking garage costing millions later.
>>> Here’s AI’s take on me and the WDR: I assume you are asking about the Watchdog Report by Daniel A. Ricker. The Watchdog Report is a weekly e-mail newsletter that covers government news from the nation, Florida, Miami-Dade County, Miami-Dade Public Schools, the Public Health Trust, Miami and other municipalities in the county 1. Daniel A. Ricker is the publisher and editor of the Watchdog Report 1. The Watchdog Report is widely read by government insiders and a veritable who’s who of Miami 2. It is a compilation of the tidbits and observations he synthesizes from his tireless rounds 2. The Watchdog Report is estimated to bring in about $30,000 a year 2. I hope this information helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
>>>> Copied from July 31 agenda: PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ENDED MAY 31, 2024
Ms. Adriana Herrera, Vice President of Finance at Jackson Health System (JHS), presented an overview of the JHS consolidated financial statement for May 2024. The volume for inpatient admissions continued to be strong, as the Emergency Department visits and surgical cases volumes exceeded the budget. As a result of the increase volumes, the total net patient revenue exceeded the budget by 2.9%. However, there continues to be a shortfall in higher acuity volume, causing the net patient revenue per adjusted admission to be below the budget. Although the expenses were over budget by 4.1%, when normalized for volume, all categories are under budget. 1323 Page 2 of 3
FISCAL COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES – June 26, 2024 The average length of stay is down at 6.3 days, which is below the budget. The full time equivalents (FTEs) per adjusted occupied beds are at 7.5, also below the budget, and overtime as a percentage of productive hours ended at 4.2% for May, a slight improvement from April. The work to reduce premium pay continues. The month of May concluded with a slight positive margin and continue to see the impacts of the budget recovery, aiming to break even by year-end. Ms. Herrera continued reminding the members of the committee that there is a slowdown in volume, both elective and emergency department visits, particularly in community hospitals. This was expected as the summer months bring vacations for both our providers and our patients. The month ended with a strong cash collection, totaling $153 million. It is not expected to collect as much in June, the projection is $1.1 million. 4. PURCHASING AND FACILITIES SUBCOMMITTEE The Purchasing and Facilities Subcommittee met on June 26, 2024. The subcommittee revieweHere is full agenda: http://www.jhsmiami.org/WebApps/publicDocs/ipDIndex_PHT.cfm
>>> President Biden withdraws from race supports Vice President Kamala Harris, ends weeks of speculation for Democrats.
How will voters respond after assassination attempt on former President Trump, last week with conspiracy theories all over the internet secret service needs to come clean on events for public trust many think all a “scam,” say young voters.
>>> The Watchdog Report celebrated its 24th anniversary, May 5, 2024, and much has changed since then when I saw our public institutions employees treating residents like only a nuisance and “working there was a right, not a privilege,” and savings could be seen, but ignored especially at MIA where director Gary De Lappa, kept saying regarding overruns “it’s not county money,” only challenged by Raul Martinez, “ who said “its someone’s money,” and you better find out whose,” the Hialeah mayor suggested. And why no low-cost carriers are at MIA because landing fees are so high.
>>> Update: Investigators asking Ponzi questions (After Torres spoke going back to his seat sergeant-of arms Paul Hernandez gave Torre a hug and I asked you know him? Paul responded “it’s a Cuban thing” he “helped our family during the Marial boatlift the officer said back. The bankruptcy of Steward Health Care could have had a Miami connection: CEO Dr. Ralph de la Torre Tried to buy Jackson in 2011,
But the health system was reorganized by commissioners from 21 trustees, to seven, and brought community leader and banker Carlos Migoya in, to try to turn it around, which he did as well as getting a $800 million capital bond approved. For the public hospital that gives a single level of care to those who may not be able to pay for healthcare, especially primary care.
In 2011 CEO Ralph de la Torre spoke in front of the Miami-Dade County Commission after submitting an unsolicited proposal buying the Jackson Health System, after the public hospital was in financial distress and giving some $400 million in yearly charity care and the countywide half-cent sales tax revenue was not keeping up and the system was in dire shape with 9 days cash on hand and had lost the community’s confidence after scandals and at least $400 million in capital needs.
After the CEO spoke the commissioners debated the offer and Dennis Moss and Natacha Seijas, the board reorganized the public Health Trust board from 21 to 7 trustees, and a new board was created adding a local state legislator Rep. Michael Bileca, R-Miami back then.
>>> Inflation impact impacting healthcare not just JHS, & after Steward Medical declares bankruptcy with $9 billion debt and going higher, many owners’ equity firm over the years. Update: Company looking for buyers, for profit system.
Many local hospitals are now for the moment facing fiscal challenges, it is reminiscent of the 70s, inflation &15 percent interest rates at the time. Steward a Massachusetts based system and has changed owners over the years, once owned by a private equity firm is attempting to sell off hospitals. When I saw this, I wondered if there was any cascading impact here.
The community’s healthcare options have impacted another large healthcare system with Steward Healthcare System filing for bankruptcy. The physician owned system has numerous hospitals in South Florida including Palmetto General and Coral Gables hospital and patients with good insurance making up the difference, in cost is another example of low reimbursement rates coupled with out-of-control inflation touching a whole swath of goods and services, including medicines and staffing.
Since hospitals are like aircraft that need certain staffing regardless of volume and paying customers. Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates are not keeping up with the impact inflation is happening in healthcare, from Jackson Health System to others in the area, which has us becoming a medical tourist destination with all the facilities available to a growing elderly population. The labor shortage is not helping and governments underpaying, supposed to be helped under the Affordable Care Act, is being wiped out by inflation and prices show no sign of going lower in the future. Inflation is brutal today and I experience it every day.
>>> Heat wave pushing homeless numbers up brutal for people on street shelter and housing being strained too max.
The massive heat wave is causing a massive need for homeless people and shelters and housing are full, I texted the long-time chair Ron Book recently. I know personally what the heat does after two-years without air conditioning in my car back in 2008 and 2009. And I would be soaked and to be on the streets in this heat is tragic and the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust has its hands full dealing with this surge.
Lotus House Village is full of 240 families and children as Miami reels from economic homeless residents with rents through the roof as well as food etc. And the city of Miami approved some shelter funding for this important service not-for-profit founded by CEO Constance Collins and is a great community asset.
>>> The Miami-Dade County School Board Wednesday honored a WW II veteran James Lovis Weir. Who brought supplies in the navy to D Day troops on shore after landing and the veteran said, “I would do it again,” speaking softly and with a walker.
The board also honored Sigilendoe “Sigi” Miles as department head of the fingerprinting unit, of which I have been fingerprinted twice since I got a $500. Support check years ago and having lived overseas zi have been fingered printed and scanned many times over the years.
>>> Community periodicals running campaign stories on candidates receive roughly $1 million in county funding in periodical contributions found 18 periodicals got funding and six could not be found wrote the IG back in 2000 following a audit of the program that can be helpful to candidates in a host of languages.
>>> With major local elections, People can’t believe seeing lobbyists vacationing in Greece with senior county officers including Jimmy Morales, the county’s chief operational officer with over a $10 billion budget, and 28,000 employees what do they think?
The WDR has objected to this practice, and I see it locally. What are other employees going to think when they see these lobbyist contacts on Facebook? Morales is very well paid over $300,000, and it also applies to Mayor Daniella Levine Cava after a trip to Japan for the county meeting up with her campaign’s operative and fund raiser had her meeting up with her in the country, I lived in 1977 and worked there commuting every two weeks from Miami for 10years, because it was cheaper then living there at the time.
>>>I am having one more medical test on Aug.15 and hope it is the last one and negative and will be back next week hopefully. Also, WDR needs support during these challenging times, wish otherwise. Thank you.
>>> The Public Health Trust has a new Chair Amadeo Lopez Castro, III, whose father was a previous trust chair and pushed buying Jackson South hospital, and I knew the banker very well as I was trying to get the meetings televised, and the county’s IG having a office there back then in early 2000. He also was in front of commissioners asking for no shifting of county expenses onto the trust. And the WDR wishes him good luck in this new leadership capacity.
>>> The Miami-Dade County Biscayne Bay Watershed Management Advisory Board met and boating chaos and closing of spoil islands many controlled by cities was the discussion of the day. Interim chair Vince Lago, mayor of Coral Gables noted when he dives in the bay now, there are very few sponges that historically were plentiful in the past.
Further, Alex Fernandez a Miami Beach commissioner noted there was a need for “more county money for Florida Wildlife commission patrols, “and said the city has committed $1 million, for Monument Island, and it’s a free for all, he suggested.” The issue of trash and overall pollution of the bay caused Miami to close their spoiled islands over Memorial Day, a solemn day because of trash and rowdy impacts. Ironically, there is grant money but the “cities are not applying for the grants,” said Spencer Crawley of the Florida Inland Water District commission. The issue of fines and more enforcement and park rangers or service aides to patrol were necessary after recent tragic deaths on the water should be considered.
Community Event the Miami Warehouse has a new exhibit open to the public and for more go to: https://thewarehousemia.com/
This is why MIA has such a high landing fee and that attitude is surfacing at the Central Terminal RFP, where a member of the selection committee did not read the proposal because it was too long.
>>> With the upcoming election on everyone’s lips and many noting the recount of 2000 in Miami That I attended including the first recount in the glass room on the election department’s floor, along with Republican Sue Cobb and a Democrat Joe Geller, both glued to their phones.
The election night earlier I was on WLRN’s Topical Currents, with host Joe Cooper, Robert Steinbeck, Tony Doris, and independent candidate John Anderson. And at the time predictions where Gore had won Florida, but I disagreed saying it was too soon, and I was criticized because super computers were projecting Gore in the polls, and they teased me while getting phone calls from Palm Beach County asking about “butterfly ballots,” up there. They would later say “good call” and to many the candidates were two Ivy League white guys with a trust fund, and passion would only erupt later. Days later the election outcome really heated up and hanging chads left people wanting to know how this could happen.
At the county level elections were the stepchild of government (where reluctantly they had to hold them) but keep funding to a minimum i.e… would you maintain the machines or spend money on vaccinating the children of Miami.
I am getting more tests so will be back after a while and I will find out my health destiny in the future. Thank you all for all the support over the years and saving my life Baptist Health South Miami Hospital in 2009. I will find out Wednesday my fate some aspects ok.
>>> A new entity is being created from some community leaders called Partnership for Miami made up of a financial titans, and others to help stimulate different opportunities for Miamians, through investments, and they should check out the 1999 Empowerment Zone books for ideas of the challenges facing Miami holistically, and good luck has not been contacted yet and offer my services of key information over 24-years.
And they should read the 1999, two volume Miami-Dade County “Empowerment Zone books” to get a real sense of what the challenges to the community really are, including all the polluted super fund sites, yet to be addressed etc. It is a must read and I still have some since I was giving them out to leaders, including Katherine Harris, and later too Tom Fiedler in county commission chambers for the Miami circle debate that is still festering and not open to the public.
Financial support critical now if you can. Thank you, Dan., I want to thank the recent supporters for helping me keep at this after the cost to the community after Covid, and inflation decimated many of our healthcare systems and ER diversions were widespread with healthcare stretched to the max and have yet to recover, still facing “head winds,” like Jackson Health System, said CEO Migoya recently at a board meeting.
The United Way of Miami celebrated its one hundred anniversaries, and the organization is a frequent pass through for funding of CBOs by the county has evolved over the years and is where The Children’s Trust holds its board meetings. THE WDR gives it a Tip OF The Hat for all it does in our community.
>>> You need real proof to convict corruption, but fundraising while legal is part of it for politicians. A woman on Miami Beach once told me “I don’t mind we are corrupt, but what bothers me is we are so cheap,” the older women said (Further it was so blatant and obvious, that prompted the WDR.
Since I was single with “no children, or wife when someone asked if my wife had a scar on her face?” Or “did I know where my children we’re.” back in the early days. Good governance has been elusive but may come yet from a federal judge hearing the city’s redistricting case.
However new commission Damian Pardo is getting his first transparency test after Carollo did a record request from the dais for a folder Pardo held up showing how he loaned $105,000 to his campaign, which Pardo said he “would consider,” but is required to produce the document under Florida’s Sunshine Open records Law and will see if he complies and is a first easy test. But only if Carollo resigns the commission, but that doesn’t change since requested. He must comply under state records laws and not as some deal, re his resignation.
>>> Federal judge April 1 gives Biscayne Bay life preserver with demand for “Marine Reserve,” creation, after years of delays and political interference stymied efforts with Bay at a tipping point, major economic generator, and is great news for South Florida and the bay, an ecological treasure and economic driver.
A federal judge in Washington has ordered the National Park Service to create a Marine Reserve Zone in Biscayne National Park after years of delay and cites the harm that has been done with the delays that has the Bay at “a tipping point,” states a local grand jury report on the bays health but has been delayed by political pressure. To read more go to: https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2024/04/nps-ordered-create-marine-reserve-zone-biscayne-national-park
>>> NO progress on synchronizing traffic lights county wide 2027 deadline in question, sold to public back in 2002, vote.
In 2002 Miami-Dade County passed a one-half cent sales tax to upgrade the transportation system and one of the big hooks to its passage was synchronizing the traffic lights county-wide, that has yet to be achieved by the county and these monies have been siphoned off over the years for a variety of uses, and last Tuesday the county once again was still sending millions to a politically connected vender for the conversion and Commissioner Raquel Regalado when the issue of software problems that she has been working on this when a school board member and their performance gives her heart burn, she said.
>>> Florida Ethics Commission is trying to collect $851,994. In delinquent fines, the body shows little consequence to not paying penalties.
With ethics and conflicts of interest at the top of the public’s mind. The Florida Ethics Commission is a sad example “given it has $851,944 in “delinquent fines in state collection agencies,” state commission documents https://ethics.state.fl.us/
>>> Further the City of Miami Finance Committee has not met for months and should be investigated, public’s firewall of finances.
https:/www.paypal.com/paypalme/WatchdogReport
>>> Homeless deaths on Miami streets down for year, was 189, last year over 200, says Trust chair Book: >>>New version next week with my computer finally back thank you supporters.
The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust did its annual somber ceremony remembering the people passing on the streets. This past year. This year it was 189 and down from last year when over 200 passed last year. The trust a national model has helped transform the homeless issue facing so many American cities. The county decades ago had over 6,000 homeless with even a mayor, and through community efforts and tourist sales tax funding has created a continuum of care capability.
with a sergeant-of-arms standing by.
>>>All Miami employees go through county’s ethics training, never takes after in laws of manager get furniture contracts, says WLRN investigation of wife; why at county all employees went through training, under Stierheim administration in 2000,
Includes mayor Suarez under SEC & FBI investigation, with mayor representing middle East countries, from Qatar to others, Isreal Flag replaces Ukrainian Flag at city hall entrance, WDR first reported on mayor’s income rise 9 months ago from 2013 disclosures which he now has to explain the high new worth and outside income as calls for his resignation increase, Carollo is waiting to stick political knife in wounded mayor.
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EDITORIAL
>>> Anniversary of life saving procedure when I was septic at South Miami, Baptist Health, hospital in 2009, and I thank you Dr. Jorge Rabaza for saving my life, back then.
The next few days is the anniversary of my almost passing in 2009. I was septic and operated on at 2;00 p.m., “because I could not wait,” not something you don’t want to hear from a surgeon, said Jorge Rabaza, M.D. at South Miami Hospital back ’then and he said, “I was a flip of the coin,” that I survived, he said and since then every day is a free day.,
The Miami-Dade County Children’s Trust is celebrating its 20th anniversary and during its time. There have been no scandals except some trust tee shirts being sold in little Havana decades ago. They trust the brainchild of former Miami Herald publisher David Lawrence, Jr. and mayor Alex Penelas and Will Bleckman, M.D. For more on the trust go to: https://www.thechildrenstrust.org/
View a comprehensive list of all the previous project updates at https://miamidadearts.org/coconut-grove-playhouse-updates.
SPONSERS:
Published on September 9, 1999, Page 1EA, Miami Herald, the (FL)
CITIZEN ADVOCATE’ KEEPS TABS ON POLITICIANS
Published on January 3, 2000, Page 1B, Miami Herald, the (FL)
MIAMI-DADE WATCHDOG WILL BE MISSED
Published on January 20, 2003, Page 1E, Orlando Sentinel, PAPERWORK TIGER, Miami’s citizen watchdog piles up government files in his quest to keep the “little people” informed. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2003-01-20-0301190045-story.html
>>> 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/best-of/2003/people-and-places/best-citizen-6399517
>>> And to support the WDR go to my Pay Pal account that is easy to use and right now would be a great time: http://paypal.me/WatchdogReport
Further, if you would rather send a check send it made out to Daniel Ricker and mail it to 3109 Grand Ave., #125 Miami, Fla. 33133. Thank you, Dan.
>>> And having a member of the press at public meetings gives teeth to the Florida Sunshine Law (and why you get a Flu Shot) and open meetings tape recorded keeps good governance in place and reduces waste fraud and abuse, and public corruption, and is why you don’t speed in front of a state trooper for example. And hope you can support the WDR efforts to have informed residents of public institutions issues, in our community.
>>> Further the www.watchdogreport.net in South Florida is an established news service presence, because most people are too busy to go to these important meetings., and all the information comes through me as a central point allowing me to see things at a 100-mile altitude and being an early warning system when projects have overruns or other issues. But my job is to sound the alarm and I have done so many times over the past years in a host of ways.
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
Sponsors
***** LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & Initial sponsors since 2000
Mr. ANGEL ESPINOSA – (Deceased) owner COCONUT GROVE DRY CLEANER’S
HUGH CULVERHOUSE, Jr (The first contributor to the WDR)
FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT www.fpl.com .
THE MIAMI HERALD www.miamiherald.com (2000-2007)
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
>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $1,000 to $5,000 a year
BADIA SPICES www.badiaspices.com
BERKOWITZ POLLACK BRANT Advisors and Accountants www.bpbcpa.com
JEFFREY L. BERKOWITZ TRUST
BERCOW RADELL FERNANDEZ & LARKIN & Tapanes www.brzoninglaw.com
RON BOOK
BENEDICT P. KUEHNE http://www.kuehnelaw.com/
LINDA MURPHY: Gave a new laptop in Oct. 2001 to keep me going.
Rbb www.rbbcommmunications.com
SHUBIN & BASS www.shubinbass.com
WILLIAMSOM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP http://williamsonautomotivegroup.com/
>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less
CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.
CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH www.miamibeachfl.gov
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 ETHICS & PUBLIC TRUST COMMISSION
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMELESS TRUST: www.miamidade.gov/homeless/
MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE www.mdc.edu
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 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/
>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less
CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.
CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com
CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu
THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov
To contribute to the WDR send and make it payable to Daniel A. Ricker
Daniel A. Ricker
3109 Grand Ave.#125
Miami, Fla. 33133