Watchdog Report Vol.16 No.3 June 7, 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 help and I hope you will consider supporting me allowing me to stay out in the field another 16 years, so that I can keep at this, for another 16 years, and report back on how your billions of public dollars in government are being spent on a weekly basis. And how to do that is at the end of the WDR. Thank You.

>>>> With the passing of June 5^th, the 71^st Anniversary of D-Day let us all reflect on the sacrifices. ‘The Greatest Generation’ made as soldiers including my father, Arthur J. Ricker, M.D., who was a physician and Capt., serving in the U.S. Army Medical Corp in Europe, For more go to: http://www.ibtimes.com/d-day-anniversary-2015-facts-quotes-about-normandy-invasion-omaha-beach-1953422

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street

Free national park entrance for all fourth graders next year in commemoration of 100th Anniversary of National Park system created by Theodore Roosevelt.

With the 100^th Anniversary of America’s National Parks next year all of them will be free for all fourth grades nationwide, said Miami Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava at a commission meeting. And Florida is unique with two such Parks, including the Everglades and Biscayne National Park and the Everglade’s is vital to South Florida’s water supply as Miami-Dade and the state continues to grow. And for more on the Florida national parks go to http://www.nps.gov/state/fl/index.htm

Will Florida be the battle ground for the 2016 GOP primary with Gov. Bush and Sen. Rubio facing off in key battle ground state, results could set the tone and ground work for General Election some pundits say

The GOP presidential line up is getting bigger with Texas Gov. Rick Perry, R throwing his hat in the ring after his “ooops,” moment the last go around and his speech was full of having a strong military, and he is a veteran, and that he would restore the “nation to almost new,” after the two terms of office of President Barack Obama he intoned at a sweltering event on a Texas summer day where his announcement was eclipsed by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush announcing that something “big” was coming Jun.15 at Miami-Dade College where the younger Bush is expected to declare and kick off his candidacy for president given his push for education and immigration reform over the past few years, that will hardly endear himself with the ultra-conservative Republicans. Further Bush has to deal with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. Who has also announced his own bid for the White House in 2016 and with the pack of candidates is  growing almost daily and the electorate has to wait and see who the GOP taps to be their champion in the next election cycle where they will likely face unannounced candidate Senator Hillary Clinton.

Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce picks mega developer Related Group as local “Good to Great awardee,” but what of the Miami traffic congestion downtown?

The Greater Miami Goals Conference concluded Friday and The Related Group and Jorge Perez companies where he is the driving political force were honored. The company Related Group was awarded a “Good too Great Award,” for how the company is run and the transformation of Miami’s skyline with his condominium projects that dot the city but has also led to major traffic congestion downtown.

And I was told multiple times the two hot topics at the conference were Traffic and the recent opening of Cuba and what that will mean for Miami? Where the City is competing with Tampa as the logical gateway to Cuba in the future when it comes to doing business with the Communist nation.

And The Chamber’s leadership torch was passed, to Public Relations maven Christine Barney, the CEO of rbb public relations in Coral Gables as well, and she follows “Tony”  Argiz at the top leadership of the Chamber and during the two day event held at the Hilton downtown. The conference was well attended this year with about  1,0000 people attending and there was almost a palpable energy in the room given the surging local County tax base that grew at an estimated 8.6 percent in 2015 from 2014 and will bring in some $228.6 billion in assessed property values that are on line at www.miamidade.gov/pa for 2015. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article23232579.html Further, when it came to traffic. Leaders are demanding action.

Press release: Senator Rubio Joins the Fray, By: John Zogby Forbes.com Contributor

I have to admit that when Senator Marco Rubio’s name was first mentioned as a possible candidate for President or Vice President I didn’t think much of it. The feeling was predictable: too young, too young looking, not enough experience, not so bright, and not very capable of attracting Hispanic voters anyway because the GOP has done a remarkable job of chasing them away. Besides, he had gotten himself into trouble with both sides of the immigration debate by first being inclusive, then changing his mind. There would not be a chapter in John F. Kennedy’s Profiles in Courage about Rubio and immigration reform. In addition, in an interview in 2013 his math was a little fuzzy on the history of the Earth (7,000 years, he said) and about what year his family actually came to the United States from Cuba. Please click on the link below to view the full release:
http://zogbyanalytics.com/news/574-senator-rubio-joins-the-fray

Press release: Democratic Primary Voters Ready to Nominate Hillary Today

By: John Zogby Forbes.com Contributor

A brand new Zogby Analytics Poll released as a special to Forbes.com readers shows that a solid majority of likely Democratic primary voters are ready to hand their 2016 presidential nomination to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In the poll of 494 likely Democratic primary/caucus voters nationwide, conducted online by Zogby on May 30-31, 63% said that Mrs. Clinton “deserves the Democratic nomination”, while only 26% said they would “prefer someone else”. Another 11% said they were not sure.

In the horse race question, Mrs. Clinton holds a commanding lead over Vice President Joe Biden 54% to 14%, with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders collecting 9%, newly announced former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley 4%, former Virginia Senator Jim Webb 2%, and former Rhode Island Governor and Senator Lincoln Chafee 1%. (The entire sample was completed after Mr. O’Malley’s announcement Saturday).

Please click on the link below to view the full release:
http://zogbyanalytics.com/news/587-democratic-primary-voters-ready-to-nominate-hillary-today

Press release: Zogby Presidential Report Card: Jobs report helps Obama out of jam

John Zogby’s Obama Weekly Report Card is Featured in Paul Bedard’s “Washington Secrets” Published weekly in The Washington Examiner

Pollster John Zogby reports in our weekly White House report card that President Obama’s administration failure to protect 4 million current and former federal workers from an overseas hacker attack hurt, but the positive jobs report kept him from an even worse week. Please click on the link below to view the full release:
http://zogbyanalytics.com/news/590-zogby-presidential-report-card-jobs-report-helps-obama-out-of-jam Zogby Presidential Report Card: Jobs report helps Obama out of jam

John Zogby’s Obama Weekly Report Card is Featured in Paul Bedard’s “Washington Secrets” Published weekly in The Washington Examiner

Pollster John Zogby reports in our weekly White House report card that President Obama’s administration failure to protect 4 million current and former federal workers from an overseas hacker attack hurt, but the positive jobs report kept him from an even worse week.

Please click on the link below to view the full release:
http://zogbyanalytics.com/news/590-zogby-presidential-report-card-jobs-report-helps-obama-out-of-jam

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.

Three of the basics of building a real movement for all children:

• Nothing is more important than a caring and knowledgeable parent. (Know that 71 percent of American mothers with children between birth and age 5 work outside the home, meaning high-quality, brain-stimulating child care is a major necessity.)
• 85 percent of brain growth occurs by age 3.
• Early learning is a continuum between before birth and age 8. (“Families are the ultimate pre-pre-school,” wrote Clare Huntington in The New York Times last September, adding, “I don’t want to rain on the pre-K parade, but we can’t pretend that school preparation begins at age 4. Four is better than 5, but zero is better than 4.”)

All that brings to me to a Miami-Dade Public Schools initiative focused on the transition from child care to kindergarten. This week I spent time at the superb YMCA in Allapattah, a bit north of downtown Miami. I spoke with Drs. Maggie Abrahante and Marisel Elias-Miranda, two key people responsible for early childhood programs that the superintendent has made a priority in this nationally honored school system. They’ve put together an excellent handbook for parents of children headed for kindergarten, and also:

• Five retired school administrators with a special interest in early childhood already have met with 400 child care center directors to give them a sense of what school is all about and the expectations for children.
• Principals are meeting with center directors.
• Parents are offered superb neighborhood workshops, one of which I attended.

Wouldn’t that be smart to do in every school system?

Dave Lawrence
Chair
The Children’s Movement of Florida

The Children’s Trust of Miami-Dade County has released its 2014 Annual Report and the Trust continues its mission of preparing all children to be ready to perform in school and live in a safe 34 percent goes to developmental programs that “Children are successful in school and society,” And 9 percent is spent on Administration and another 3 percent goes to “non- healthy environment and funds $90.240 million in budgeted programs and services countywide and 18 percent of this money is used to ensure “children are healthy physically and emotionally,’ state’s the report. Further 19 percent of the budget goes to programs directed towards making sure “Children are ready to succeed when entering school, and another operating expenses,” state’s the Annual report for that year https://www.thechildrenstrust.org/

State of Florida:

The Florida House has yet to pass any legislation expanding the Florida Medicaid system and it has become a political stalemate in the state legislature with the clock ticking to the end of the special session that had to be called to create a state budget by Jun 1, when state funding runs out. And has been vexing problem for the lawmakers.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2015/06/house-members-reject-entitlements-for-others-but-enjoy-taxpayer-paid-health-plan-themselves.html

Gov. Scott statement on federal Low Income Pool (LIP) funding

Press release: Please see the below statement today from Jackie Schutz, Communications Director in response to media inquiries today on LIP.  If you have any further questions, please contact the Governor’s Press Office at 850-717-9282.

“AHCA has spent days with HHS officials trying to be responsive to the parameters they sent us last week and they have worked through a formula that would keep record hospital profits almost entirely whole.  In fact, only a handful of hospitals would lose money as a result of reducing the funding that their record profit margins show they could not afford.  This group totals only around $60 million in losses. Without HHS finalizing an agreement in principal on this federal healthcare funding for the poor, we will fail to have a budget that keeps Florida’s economy growing.” – JACKIE SCHUTZ

Jackie Schutz, Communications Director, Governor Rick Scott

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

A urging Resolution sponsored by Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava passed last week at a Miami-Dade County Commission meeting which was asking the Florida legislature to fund $500 million to buy key land South of Lake Okeechobee for “filtering the Florida Everglades water flow so critical to South Florida and the SFWMD gave the land acquisition a miss recently, ( but the SFWMD chair wrote an editorial in www.niamiherald.com saying there were ‘strings’ attached to the deal and Levine- Cava said the land is seen as a critical component of the overall Comprehensive Everglades Restoration(CERP) started back in 2,0000. The matter after commission discussion turned into an “urging,” and the land buy is something Sen. Joe Negron, R- expected to be a future Florida Senate President is supporting. Since the late 1980s and early 2000’s the state was ahead of the federal funding coming down for the restoration of this critical ecological jewel of South Florida, despite the support of then Se. Bab Graham, D-Florida who was born in “the Everglades he has said. And the Park is a major tourist attraction. However, over the years Washington lawmakers have been frustrated many times because of the reputation that the Miami area being such a fraud capital with high administrative costs and convincing other lawmakers around the nation has been a tough sale and environmentalists have continued to push for the completion of the proposed CERP crafted by the U.S. Corps of Engineers years ago and modified since then.

And Florida, in 2001 was also behind Iowa when it came to federal drawdown funding and only $13 billion in federal drawn down money for a variety of programs  which was eclipsed by Iowa and I wrote at the time the “state loves Citrus,” because federal fund applications for social services was a drip in comparison to the agricultural sector so important to Florida, but it was a contrast and Everglades supporters say “the world is watching,” what we do with the treasure and “if we cannot save the Everglades what can we save?”  And Miami-Dade Commissioner Sally Heyman, reiterated that the “discussion is about [clean water] in an area that has 8 million people,” and all their demands for water, she believed.

The longtime Chair of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust Ron Book in a telephone interview over the weekend regarding the controversial Miami Herald story done by David Smiley and that includes a poop map (created by the Miami DDA) where homeless were seen defecating on city streets and to  read story go to: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article21040056.html Book said H.U.D. has hundreds of homeless programs around the nation and does not fund people on matts in the outdoors such as a new Camillus House program, pushed by Miami Commissioner Sarnoff.

Book said a Continuum of Care program was important to keep people off the streets, and studies have shown, “providing [a place] to sleep for homeless makes it easier to stay on the street,” said Book  and he believes the criticism of the Miami Downtown Development Authority(DDA)  chaired by Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff is wrong and. And this is a sensitive subject since the Trust gets a significant amount of federal HUD funding but has follow certain guidelines and this feud.Errupted when Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff chair of the Miami Downtown Development authority, and termed out of office with his wife Teresa running to follow him in the commission District 2 seat which includes downtown Miami and he has really started to push the issue. First by modifying the Miami  Pottinger Federal decree in the Court’s Which was Limiting what the City of Miami could do with their homeless population after years of abuse of the population and the federal courts set the decree and under those guidelines Miami has been putting their homeless into the Chapman Partnership, Inc facilities, or Camillus House and over the years the population living on the streets has dropped from around 9,0000 people in 1994 to around 750 now at the last census in January and part of this population is made up of snowbirds who come down when winter hits. Book a major Tallahassee lobbyists noted the Trust has a strategic plan that’s final goal is to end homelessness altogether in America and was pushed by former Florida Sen. Mel Martinez when he was Secretary of HUD in the Bush administration. Book closed saying the trust’s mission was to “find a way to eradicate and eliminate bodies downtown,” snd hr understands it is a “chronic” problem but notes being “homeless is not a crime,” and his job is to “defend the homeless,” and we “can amend the long-term plan,” but Miami cannot be like San Francisco or New Orleans of they have a different funding mechanism, he said. He believes the Trust which is an independent body should not “spend one penny for mats and temporary shelters,” he insisted and doing so “would be a waste of taxpayer money,” he closed regarding the controversial topic.

>>> Mayor Gimenez taps Kim for new directorship, sharp effective county staffer

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez has appointed Inson Kim as his director of “policy and legislative affairs. Kim a Georgetown University Graduate has been with the mayor since 20004 when he won a Commission District 7 seat on the dais and would run for mayor later. She is known for her access ability and low key but informed manner and The Watchdog Repot wants to tell her Good Luck and a Tip of The Hat for a job well done.  Here is more on the appointment.
Miami-Dade mayor loses policy director | Naked Politics

miamiherald.typepad.com/…/miami-dade-mayor-loses-policy-director.ht…Oct 21, 2014 – Carlos Gimenez’s policy and legislative affairs director is leaving the Miami-Dade mayor’s office to take another job at County Hall. Inson Kim …

Alice Bravo an assistant Miami manager and former Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation is being wooed to be the new director of the transportation department of Miami-Dade County. If she accepts she would replace Ysela Llort who has resigned and will stay on the job until July 31 state’s the Miami Herald and was first reported by http://miami.cbslocal.com/ . There has been criticism by the public how long it has taken to reduce County traffic and it is unknown if Miami will make a counter employment offer given her key role in many projects and the public will have to wait and see how his pans out.

>>> Mayoral candidates jump into Vizcaya Controversy, proposed by Mayor Gimenez

Xavier Suarez, a potential County Mayor candidate in 2016, was on Helen Ferre’s show Issues talking about the proposed Vizcaya Mansion and Gardens plan of Miami-Dade County Mayor’s Carlos Gimenez’s. The mayor is proposing having a new governance structure like the Adrian Arsht Performing Art Center that also might raise funds for the Historic Structure since the County funds it some $5 million and more is needed in up keep. But the issue is still being debated and the Vizcaya executive Committee met Friday and I was unable to attend but I am sure the mayor’s proposed plan was a hot button item given the passion people have for this County Crown jewel and the Watchdog Report predicts this issue will have news legs in the community. And to see the show go to: http://wpbt2.typepad.com/issues/ And another issue is what to develop on the old Miami Science Museum property across the street and that is another contentious debate the community will have in the future.

>>> County’s health self-insurance program making the targeted savings anticipated says, budget guru Moon to BCC committee

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez during last year’s budget hearings proposed making the County’s health insurance program self-insured believing that some $40 million could be saved in the rising healthcare costs at the county. And County budget guru Jennifer Moon said the plan was on track and I contacted her after she made a presentation at a county commission committee meeting and she wrote back by email, “We are on target to achieve the savings we anticipated.  I tripped because the lady next to me put her foot out in front of me.  She didn’t know I was getting up.

Commissioner Bovo on transportation issues

What did Transportation Chair Estephan Bovo say to the members of the Citizens Independent Transit Trust recently? Bovo told the citizen Based board that he is working a number of ways the County might be able to have a connection going South and West but might also have a link to the MIC which is a major transit hub and people should not expect much in the way of federal funding for Washington doesn’t have money for this and expects communities, he says and could include a community to have fiscal skin in the game that might include a tourist tax or making a transit area a CRA to  having two key lawmakers on the U.S. House Transportation Committee, U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz Balart, R-Miami and U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbello, R-Miami said Bovo but he soberly noted the fiscal limitations the nation faces.

>>>> State Law allowing more public comments is working to make government more transparent and easier for public input

A law passed by  the Florida Legislature to allow the public to speak more often on a host of issues allowing more public input into municipal, counties and  the school board discussions is working very well and public comments are bringing  many issues to light that normally would never be heard of without this ability for the public to speak and at Miami-Dade County there was an insider’s joke that there “was a trap door,” at the podium and it used to intimidate the public comments since anyone’s comments could be cut off and while elected leaders hate the new state law. It is having a positive affect when it comes to public discourse. And has made for a more open discussion with residents who are asking for their time and no longer have to wait for hours until their item is called sometimes almost all day and while local lawmaker’s are not wild about this, it is working nicely and the public thanks the Florida Legislature for this new law.

>>> Commissioners Moss Levine Cava hold South Dade Summit

A South Dade Solutions Summit was held Saturday and was hosted by County Commissioners Daniella Levine Cava and Dennis Moss booth who represent the area on the 12 member Miami-Dade County Commission and it was said to be very productive and covered a host of topics and was attended by a number of politicians elected to communities in the area said one attendee.

What about any other challengers?

Further, So far no one has officially announced they will be challenging Gimenez for the office of mayor but former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez is eyeing the post as well along with School Board Member Raquel Regalado and the mayor’s dynamics with voters has changed since he first ran for the office back in 2011. And Gimenez is seen as being overly sensitive if anyone criticizes him, and there is some media footage that does make him seem angry. When he is criticized and he often does not come off as not a warm and cuddly mayor and that imperious attitude is getting old for some voters. And the discontent is likely to surface again during the upcoming budget hearings at the County.

Commissioner Diaz calls for more police

>>> Press release: Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz is calling on the County to hire more officers at the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) to bring the size of the police force up to the national average.

Commissioner Diaz is sponsoring a resolution at the Tuesday, June 2 Board of County Commissioners meeting directing the mayor’s administration to prepare a report recommending ways to increase police staffing levels and examining the impacts the police force’s shrinking size has had on its ability to adequately carry out its responsibilities. The resolution also calls for diverse hiring.

MDPD – which has experienced a 10 percent decline in the number of officer positions since 2000 – has approximately 2.4 officers per 1,000 residents in the unincorporated areas it serves. According to the FBI’s 2013 report, that’s below the national average of 2.7 officers per 1,000; it’s also less than the 3.1 per 1,000 reported for the South Atlantic region.

“MDPD doesn’t just serve the unincorporated areas but also provides a host of specialized investigative and support services countywide, and I believe it’s incumbent on us to find ways to hire more officers to at least catch up to the national average,” Commissioner Diaz said.

And PBA Union head John Rivera on http://www.local10.com/news/TWISF/18416996 said while Mayor Gimenez is hiring more officers’. They already are “6,800 officiers,”short And the Mayor’s staff Russell Beneford, a vice mayor noted there will be “500 new patrol cars in the proposed budget and the budget also includes ‘Four classes of officers’,” graduating he noted and Rivera shot back that will not be enough since the County Department is “already 6,800 officers short,” he insisted, in a discussion  on the Police wearing body cameras which has become a contentious item with law enforcement.

GMCVB press release: RECORD DEMAND FOR TRAVEL TO GREATER MIAMI & THE BEACHES DURING JANUARY – APRIL 2015 WITH #1 RANKING IN REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM (REVPAR), #1 IN AVERAGE DAILY ROOM RATE (ADR) AND #1 IN HOTEL ROOM OCCUPANCY AMONG THE TOP 25 U.S. MARKETS AS DEFINED BY SMITH TRAVEL RESEARCH.

Record January – April 2015 – Miami #1
#1 – Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)
January – April 2015	January – April 2014	% Change vs. 2014
$203.49	$186.81	+8.9%
# 1 – Average Daily Room Rate (ADR)
January – April 2015	January – April 2014	% Change vs. 2014
$241.70	$222.77	+8.5%
#1 – Average Daily Occupancy
January – April 2015	January – April 2014	% Change vs. 2014
84.2%	83.9%	+0.4%

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

Will continued opening of Class II trauma Centers at area hospitals fiscally hurt medical jewel Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson’ main campus downtown?

With the state denial of Jackson South Community hospital opening a new Trauma Center and the proliferation of ER’s in other private hospitals such as Kendall Regional Hospital, Mercy Hospital and now Aventura The County’s crown jewel of Trauma Centers will continue to be under fiscal pressure that last year saw a some $26 million loss for the Class I Trauma facility that has physicians on staff all the time versus a Level II where doctors are on call and have an hour or so to get there to treat trauma patients and Ryder was created in response to all the local South Florida hospitals closing there ERs back in the 1980s and this action led to the creation of one magnificent facility for all the residents in the County, and the surgeons train all the military physicians before they rotate to the field since around 2000 and the Center is internationally respected around the globe and a majority of Israeli trauma surgeons have trained at the facility staffed by University of Miami Miller Medical school surgeons and this fiscal hemorrhaging was first reported in the Watchdog Report last year because it was becoming a hot topic at PHT board meetings, and the new trauma centers is siphoning off paying patients, many in car crashes where drivers are required to have $10,000 in health insurance coverage for the car, but Jackson is getting the gunshot wounds and other injuries where there is no mechanism like outside insurance to cover these medical costs and local politicians should keep an eye on Ryder since skilled trauma surgeons are not that  easy to find and the community cannot lose its luster that draws these skilled doctors for 21 years of saving lives since being founded in 1992 from elsewhere, and makes it such a world class facility (that I have toured many times over the years with past governor’s but Gov. Rick Scott has yet to inspect its marvels since his election. And for more on the Trauma issue locally go to: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami- de/article20387874.html

And for more on Ryder go to http://www.jacksonhealth.org/home.asp
Level 1 Verified Trauma Center

>>> The best of the best wanted as PHT Trustee, deadline to apply is June 12^th at 4:00 p.m.

The public Health Trust is looking for candidates to be on its oversight board where there will be one vacancy and the board is the most important citizen based board a county resident can serve on and is a high profile position where people need to have no conflicts of interest if they are to be productive. The board a few years back was reduced to seven members to make its decision making process more nimble after years of hemorrhaging red ink and the new smaller board has done a remarkable job bringing Jackson Health System back into the black under the leadership of former banker Carlos Migoya who has also gained the support of the Miami-Dade County Commission and with this support was able to get significant concessions from his labor unions and specifically the nurses who made major concessions over the past few years allowing the $1 billion health system to get back on its fiscal feet over the past few years. Which is a remarkable achievement for the health trust that gives some $500 million in charity and uncompensated medical care to the County’s 2.5 million residents and only receives some $350 million in public funding of which about $220 million is from a half cent sales tax  levied on residents since the early 1990s and has not been able to keep up with the almost infinite demand of medically uninsured residents health needs that also has other hospital systems in South Florida giving millions in their own charity care.

>>> Public notice: Public Health Trust Board of Trustees Application, Applications are now being accepted for the Board of Trustees of the Public Health Trust of Miami-Dade County, the governing authority for Jackson Health System. There is one vacancy for the 2015 appointment process. The Trustee will serve without compensation for one year. The PHT Nominating Council will contact selected applicants for interviews and a background check. The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, upon recommendation of the Nominating Council, will make the appointment to the Board of Trustees. Download the application by clicking here, or pick up an application at the:

County Executive Office, 111 NW 1st Street, Suite 2910, Miami, FL 33128

Completed applications and resumes can be mailed or hand delivered to the address below no later than June 12, 2015 by 4 p.m., and must be received by:

Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners, 111 NW 1st Street, Suite 17-202
Miami, Florida 33128. Emails or facsimiles of the application and resume will be accepted and can be sent to clerkbcc@miamidade.govor faxed to 305-375-2484. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure electronic receipt of the application and resume by calling the Clerk of the Board at 305-375-1652.

Who is on the PHT board now?

Joe Arriola Vice Chairman, Mojdeh Khaghan, Mojdeh Khaghan Treasurer, Irene Lipof Secretary, Marcos José Lapciuc Member,  Ralph G. Patino Member and  Carlos Trujillo Florida Representative and Daryl Sharpton CPA, is the PHT Chairman.

>>> The Miami-Dade BCC approves $26 million in new revenue bonds and this is part of financing $630 million in improvements for the public hospital system that has an ageing infrastructure campus

The Miami-Dade County Commission last week approved $26 million in revenue bonds for the massive upgrades to Jackson Health System that county voters approved overwhelmingly in 2012 and approved issuing $830  million in new funding for infrastructure and was badly needed and currently is moving ahead.

CITY OF MIAMI

Ken Russell one of the eight challengers for the Miami Commission District 2 race held a well-attended fundraiser last week and his campaign is picking up steam along

>>> Commission Dist. 2 race fundraising is going through roof, and Candidate Teresa Sarnoff raised $389,964 for her campaign, to follow her husband in the seat and she, “loves to drive,” when it comes to her use of Serpent-of-Arms to drive her around, she tells the Watchdog Report. And when I asked if she knew who her grandfather was? Since her husband still says NBC founder Gen. David Sarnoff “is part of my lineage” he told Richard Ives a producer at www.wlrn.org Topical Currents before a show where Sarnoff was on with me to discuss public and private partnerships P3s that Sarnoff is a big supporter of for infrastructure projects that government does not have the money to do.  http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2015/05/teresa-sarnoff-opens-up-on-friendly-am-radio-show.html And his wife confirmed they knew who her grandfather was to me and has been a strange saga for Sarnoffttp://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/marc-sarnoff-lies-about-his-lineage-6551033

What about the Miami District 2 elections?

When coconut grove residents were given an opportunity to hear the Miami-Dade County’s explanation to the now delayed massive water and sewer improvements program along Main Highway. Their Commissioner Marc Sarnoff and his wife Teresa were holding a fundraiser for her campaign with over$300,000 in it now in a variety of PACS and other campaign accounts. Further while Sarnoff’s wife is one of 8 candidates and her biggest challenger is Grace Solaris an she recently picked up the support Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado where he appeared at a fundraiser at Berries Restaurant off 27^th Avenue and she also has support from state Rep. Javier Rodriguez’, D- Coconut Grove and she periodically gets vilified by Sarnoff from the dais.

“I love to drive,” said Teresa Sarnoff when I asked her if she was going to use the sergeant-of-arms like her husband does to take her around Miami very often and is a perk some commissioners over use since they do get a $11,00 car allowance in that position and it involves a sworn Miami police officer providing them protection. And first started back in the early 2000s when now deceased Miami Commissioner Arthur Teele, Jr. pushed the commission having these type of officials. After then Mayor Joe Carollo hired an Israeli security guard for himself, and Teele thought commissioner’s deserved the same protection staff.

Can you give an example of this?

Years ago when the trees were all cut down at the Coconut Grove Post Office Sarnoff (net worth around $2.28 million a few years ago) and an outraged community protested and the commissioner had a meeting with Congresswoman U.S Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami and she drove to the meeting in her Ford Taurus at the time and put money in the parking meter but Sarnoff arrived later in a SUV driven by his sergeant-of Arms to the event but had a third car with his staffer Ron Nelson in a  second car and another car was driven by the commissioner’s media person and the entourage was in stark contrast to the long serving GOP congresswoman, then Chair of the Congress’ Foreign Relations Committee at the time given her seniority in the Republican controlled  House. http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/race-to-replace-sarnoff-heats-up-as-park-activist-ken-russell-joins-the-fray-7549387

What about Miami commissioners elected leader’s pensions?

The Miami commission back in 1994 created a pension plan for elected leaders when they were paid $5,000 for their public service but that number escalated when a salary increase was improved to not accept a pension elected a commissioner), 103, 0000 in total compensation and has Sarnoff getting $62,000 in pension for the rest of his life (and has Russell saying he would not take the pension money.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article19584162.html

Joint Public Meeting Between the City of Miami and the Village of Key Biscayne Pursuant to Section 164.1055, Florida Statutes (Governmental Disputes), a joint public meeting between the City of Miami and the Village of Key Biscayne will be held on June 16, 2015, at 10:00 am, at the Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus, Chapman Conference Center (MDC Bldg. 3, Second Floor), 245 NE 4th Street, Miami, Florida.  The purpose of the meeting is to seek resolution of a conflict between these governmental entities arising out of a lawsuit filed by the Village of Key Biscayne against the City of Miami involving improvements to the Marine Stadium property. The meeting is open to the public and all interested persons are invited to attend.  Should any person desire to appeal any decision of the Miami City Commission or Key Biscayne Village Council with respect to any matter to be considered at this meeting, that person shall ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made including all testimony and evidence upon which any appeal may be based (F.S. 286.0105). In accordance with the American with Disabilities Act of 1990, persons needing special accommodations to participate in this proceeding may contact the Office of the City Clerk at (305) 250-5361 (Voice) no later than two (2) business days prior to the proceeding or at (305) 250-5472 (TTY) no later than three (3) business days prior to the proceeding. WHO: City of Miami and the Village of Key Biscayne WHAT: Joint Public Meeting Regarding Improvements to the Miami Marine Stadium WHEN:  June 16, 2015, 10:00 am WHERE: Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus Chapman Conference Center (MDC Bldg. 3, Second Floor) 245 NE 4th Street Miami, Florida

Miami Commissioners and Chair Willy Gort needs to ask more often if there is anyone from the public that would like to speak to the commission because at Miami-Dade Public Schools Board Chair Perla Tabares Hantman asks all through their meetings if there is anyone from the public that wants to speak on any topic since the new state law requires more public input at from the “public that wants to speak? She asks and she is in stark contrast to the Miami commission meetings and Chair Gort should get some guidance on this matter. Since there is such a contrast versus the county where elected leaders ask often if any public wants to speak. And Gort also urges public speaking after they  run over two minutes, “and in conclusion” he reminds speakers which many times disrupt’ s the person’s train of thought  at the podium. http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2015/03/miami-commissioner-willy-gort-draws-a-challenger-in-reelection-campaign.html

With a pack of candidates running to replace Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff and his wife Teresa trying to replace him on the Miami Commission. Since he is termed out. Some people suggest the commissioner was born in the wrong Century given his appetite for elected office that may include him running for Miami-Dade County Commission District 7 in 2016 and Sarnoff an attorney has fundraising capabilities that dwarf other candidates and he politically cut his teeth in a 2006 race after his predecessor was removed from office and in a brutal campaign he beat incumbent Linda Haskins and both candidates at the time raised huge sums of money for the race and Sarnoff won the race by a two to one vote over Haskins and he and his supporters all celebrated the victory at Greenstreet’s restaurant in Coconut Grove and he was humble after the victory but he would later change in 2007 when he won a full four year term on the dais and it is his way or the highway if you disagree with the  lawmaker. His wife says she is “her own woman,” but people are wondering what that means since she has gotten limited press on what her views are versus her husband’s and her own campaign which  has been fueled by developers contributors and given there are only 41,000 registered voters in the last election where 5,450 residents cast their vote she is expected to have the advantage when it comes to buying television ads since most of the downtown condominiums won’t allow candidates into their buildings as U.S. Rep Ileana Ros- Lehtinen, R Fla found out the last time she ran for Congress and it came as a surprise to the long serving GOP Congresswoman.. ihttp://www.biscaynetimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2067:how-did-commissioner-marc-sarnoff-go-wrong&catid=48:miami-king and for a complete list of the candidates and how much they have raised go to http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/City_Clerk/Pages/Elections/CampaignReports15.asp.

What about the District 2 elections?

>>> PAST WDR: Merrie Christmas Park in South Coconut Grove (http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/commissioner-sarnoff-toxic-soil-at-merrie-christmas-park-will-be-removed-soon-6546637)  has reopened and a couple of weeks ago a few hundred parents with their children attended a Neighborhood pot luck event organized by Commission District 2 candidate Grace Solaris ( with $118,820 in her war chest) and candidate Ken Russell and the park was packed with children after intensive remediation was done by the City of Miami. Commissioner Marc Sarnoff and his candidate wife Teresa also went to the event that had a number of candidates attending including Seth Skarley but there are a host of candidates in the field trying to take on the termed out Sarnoff who is helping his wife follow him on the dais and his wife Teresa was with him and she is just getting her political footing and is not a natural campaigner on her own but will have to be more so in the future, especially  when she faces the press that is getting antsy with her lack of communication of what her platform will be or just more of the same as her husband who went from being a Grove activist to almost creating a cult of followers and gives the impression it’s his way or the highway which is getting old with many Coconut Grove voters but the attorney has the ability to raise serious campaign cash from developers, but his political persuasion seems to change with the times. Since he was a big Barack Obama supporter in 2006 but did not do much campaigning for Obama in 2012 and this past year. He supported GOP Gov. Rick Scott so people have no idea what the admiralty attorney politically believes in. And here is a campaign webpage that came up in a search and click here to see all the candidates running for the District 2 seat and how much money they have raised.

http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/City_Clerk/Pages/Elections/candidates.asp and later in the day. Sarnoff seems to consider himself a comedian and always has a little quip that sometimes falls flat. Since it is usually directed at someone and at Thursday’s Commission meeting during a discussion of some litigation and the slowness of the judge doing it, Circuit Court Judge Bronwyn C. Miller, and after making reference if he was a judge. The kind of jurist he would be met out would be, “First we try you then we hang you,”” would be how he ran his courtroom and it was an odd and insensitive comment for a local municipal leader especially since he is referring to the judiciary.

And it remains to be seen if his wife Teresa has that same attitude about the justice system

What about Miami’s bond holdings?

The City of Miami has some $200 million in bond holdings and the Signa Cyber Security guidelines after a breach a while ago was discussed by one of the board members and Cyber Security in a host of ways is becoming a major worry for municipalities.

What about the Miami Audit Committee?

Because of the lack of appointments by the Miami commission the critical Audit Committee has not met in the “past year,” and commissioners need to make appointments to this critical oversight board for it also plays an important role in keeping the city on an even fiscal keel.

What about the other candidates for the Dist.2 seat becoming open?

Teresa Sarnoff has decided to knock on doors with her husband Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff who she wants to follow in his seat since he is termed out after eight years in the office and there is clearly voter fatigue for the man. Who comes off as irritating and has trouble connecting with people and could be the wife’s downfall in the crowded Dist.2 Miami Commission race with a host of challengers who just need to get 50.1 percent to prevail in the primary and the expected general election in late November and having a strong organization getting voters to the polls will be key to any victor.

And When it comes to the Miami Commission District 2 race things are very quiet and the Watchdog Report has yet to see many of the candidates in my neighborhood or down at Miami Commission meetings, (That is changing and a couple of candidates were seen at Thursday’s Commission meeting.) but campaign reports show candidate Grace Solaris has raised some $118,820 (up from 57,680) to her likely challenger’s Teresa Sarnoff who has increased her war chest to $389,964., through April 2015. And she was seen knocking on doors in the South Grove last week where she was walking with some women volunteers wearing tee shirts so she is now doing traditional campaigning. And in the District 4 race incumbent Miami Commissioner Francis Suarez is reporting $23,125 for his campaign and the younger Suarez is facing long time perennial candidate Manolo Reyes who has raised $70,710 and another challenger Antonio J. Diaz has $23,125 for his own campaign but Reyes has been trying to get elected for years. And there are gaps on who contributed this money and the only listed expense was $3,360and to read all the latest campaign reports go to http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/City_Clerk/Pages/Elections/CampaignReports15.asp

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> Mayors ban together to fight gambling in Florida

Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine are linking up with other Florida mayors to fight the expansion of gambling in Florida and the state legislature is currently trying got come up with some deal but that seems unlikely

>> Mayor Levine press release: Dear Fellow Floridians and Friends,

Please click here to view the ad below, that I was honored to participate in with my fellow Mayors from Bradenton, Orlando, and Miami.

We must fiercely fight efforts in Tallahassee to STOP the expansion of gaming in Florida, especially in my home county of Miami-Dade. Gaming expansion will negatively affect our state’s good brand and quality of life. Don’t be fooled. Stand with us! Sincerely,
Philip Levine

Mayor of Miami Beach

What about the Watson Island project the City of Miami wants to allow?

Beach residents are gearing up to fight the large project proposed by a local developer for Watson Island and has been delayed since voters approved it back in 1999 and was selected because they agreed to pay the highest fees back to the city back then but since then traffic on the MacArthur Causeway has ben horrendous and is becoming a nightmare that this new development would only make worse and the lawsuits are flying.

City of Coral Gables

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Social Miami press release:MIAMI CELEBRITY DOMINO NIGHT Saturday, June 20 at 8 p.m. Miami Celebrity Domino Night, one of Miami’s most popular and unique fundraisers, returns to Jungle Island by popular demand. The evening features live music, open bar courtesy of Bacardi USA, Food Pavilion showcasing culinary delights from South Florida’s best restaurants and caterers, dancing, a stellar silent auction and, of course, dominoes! Tropical Chic attire, please. Tickets are $150 p/p in advance and $175 at the door. $1,000 buys a reserved domino table for four. Proceeds benefit Amigos for Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect by valuing children, strengthening families and educating communities. Call for more information or sponsorship opportunities. Jungle Island 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Watson Island, Miami 305-279-1155 www.AmigosForKids.org

23RD ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL MANGO FESTIVAL Saturday & Sunday, July 11 & 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The lauded ‘king of fruits’ will return to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden for the 23rd Annual International Mango Festival. There are hundreds of mango cultivars grown throughout the world with different tastes, textures and fragrances. This year the festival will feature mouthwatering mangos from the Caribbean island of Jamaica. The two-day festival features the world’s only mango auction, a mango brunch, sampling mango varieties in the Mango Tasting Room (and voting for your favorite), cooking and gardening demonstrations and mango tree sales. Following in the footsteps of Dr. David Fairchild, Curators of Tropical Fruit for the Garden, Dr. Richard Campbell and Dr. Noris Ledesma, have traveled all over the world collecting mango species to grow at the Fairchild Farm. These rare mango collections will be sold to the highest bidder at the exciting Mango Auction on Sunday at 2 p.m. For a gourmet dining experience, don’t miss the Mango Brunch, a fundraiser for the Tropical Fruit Program and Fairchild Farm, that features mango dishes created by South Florida top chefs. It will be held on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets are sold separately, and reservations are a must. Admission to the Garden is $25 for adults, $18 for seniors 65 and up, $12 for children 6-17, and free for Fairchild members and children 5 and under. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables 305-667-1651 www.FairchildGarden.org/Mango

EDITORIAL

>>>> The City of Miami has to become more transparent, people and governments’ have to sue to get public records and gives Miami commissioners transparency black eye

The Watchdog Report back in 1997 first started watching the City of Miami and since then a number of changes have occurred many not that good, but a former Florida Speaker of the House  Richard Pettigrew, in an editorial column in The Miami Herald Friday, hit the nail on the head when he writes how the municipality deals with the almost 50 year old Florida Sunshine Law regarding open records and forces residents and other municipalities to file lawsuits to get access to some public records and it is right on target. The piece was titled “City keeps development deals secret.” http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article22556706.html

The former legislator who represented Miami-Dade County years ago,  at one point notes of the efforts, to keep the public in the dark on many city deals the commissioners have approved, and notes the local municipal attorney is hired by the commission and as one the past attorneys said when I asked if “he worked for the citizens?” He said “he worked “for three votes on the Miami commission,” and that pretty much set the bar of what to expect from the attorney’s legal advice and that has been seen on numerous occasions.

Another odd occurrence is when senior Miami assistant managers meet with lobbyists’ socially and over the years I have seen it occur so many times most recently a couple of weeks ago,  and the average citizen does not get these opportunities to smoooze with senior city staff. And what is funny is how oblivious they are of how bad it looks to the public but they arrogantly don’t seem to care and that is a persistent problem and is reflected when one Miami employee told me what “people do in their free time,” is “their business,” and when I pointed out these people are public figures and have to act in a different manor, the person disagreed.

>>> 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 long and in some ways some of the community’s bigger public institutions have 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.

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