In
what the Miami Herald is billing as "the largest recall of
a local politician in U.S. history," Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos
Alvarez was
sent packing yesterday "by a stunning margin":
The spectacular fall from power comes after two years of missteps, ranging from granting top staffers big pay hikes to construction of a publicly funded stadium for the Florida Marlins to implementation of a property-tax rate increase that outraged an electorate struggling through an ugly recession.
Alvarez tried to fend off ouster by twice filing suit to block a recall vote. After the lawsuits went nowhere, he defended his record in speeches, radio and television appearances and paid advertisements, arguing that he made the tough calls to preserve vital services for residents.
But voters responded by handing the mayor a humiliating defeat: Nearly nine of every 10 voted to remove Alvarez from office.
More on the bill of particulars:
In March 2009 Alvarez successfully pushed through a controversial deal to use hundreds of millions of dollars in public money to build a new ballpark for the Florida Marlins. Then in August 2009 The Miami Herald disclosed that as Alvarez was calling for shared sacrifice amid the searing economic downturn he handed large raises to close aides, including Chief of Staff Dennis Morales, whose 11 percent pay hike put his yearly salary at $206,783.
In December the newspaper reported that Morales was working in Panama as a private consultant on taxpayer time. Alvarez, demoted his longtime confidant but troubles continued. By spring 2010 Alvarez was tagged in a controversy involving longtime ally Frank Vecin, a county police division chief who used a $5 million fund meant to crack down on polluters to buy flat-screen TVs, SUVs and assault rifles. Vecin stepped down last year amid allegations of mixing private consulting with his government work.
In May, Alvarez came under fire for shopping for a new BMW 550i Grand Turismo sedan subsidized by an $800-a-month car allowance. He got the new car even as he already had two Chevy Suburbans to ferry him around on official business. Alvarez — earning a $233,123 salary and $92,187 in benefits — refused to get rid of the car allowance, saying he wasn't "going to do something that is symbolic." [...]
Meanwhile, as election day approached, Alvarez's troubles deepened when it was discovered he had granted paid leave to 12 transit workers — whose union wrote a $25,000 check backing Alvarez's recall defense — and one of the workers was found campaigning on his behalf.
Much more like this, please. Reason has been all over Miami's stadium welfare for the past decade.
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|3.16.11 @ 10:09AM|#
Good riddance. Norman Braman spearheaded the recall, which makes him a slightly less vile human being than he was beforehand.
Unfortunately I hold no illusions that the next mayor will be any better.
Colin|3.16.11 @ 10:53AM|#
Herein lies the problem with recalls. Some other boob has to take the first boob's place.
Here in Cali we gave up Davis for Schwarzenegger, and it was, at best, a push.
alan|3.16.11 @ 2:37PM|#
True enough, but at least you have publicaly humiliated the current boob in what is the modern equivalent of tarring and feathering his lame ass before running him on the rail out of town.
|3.16.11 @ 11:09AM|#
I fucking HATE being on the same side as Bramen. He's nothing but a glorified used car salesman. Liberals loosley through around the words greed and profit, but Bramen is a fucking greedy, no good son of a bitch, who did make his living on the backs of his workers. To this day, he can't show his face in Philadelphia. You don't know how happy I was to find out he lost a shitload of money to Madoff.
|3.16.11 @ 1:38PM|#
Braman's run as owner of the Philadelphia Eagles is why I can't stand him to this day, even though the team has long since recovered from his period of ownership.
|3.16.11 @ 10:12AM|#
I love my people! Pull!
Tim|3.16.11 @ 10:30AM|#
+ 1
Fist of Etiquette|3.16.11 @ 10:26AM|#
Goddamned petulant teabaggers. Never satisfied.
|3.16.11 @ 10:28AM|#
A powerful and long-time county commissioner got dumped by a similar margin, too. Before the election she was pretty arrogant:
"For Seijas, it was familiar turf: She had handily defeated an earlier recall campaign in 2006 — then was subsequently reelected in 2008 by a wide margin.
As the threat of another recall surfaced last fall, the long-entrenched powerbroker shrugged: “Been there, done that,” she said, adding: “Bring it on.’’
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/201.....z1GlxcF28y
And this morning we learned the County Manager (also a pretty powerful position in Miami-Dade's form of government) is now resigning.
Viva la revolucion!
|3.16.11 @ 10:40AM|#
Florida's still hosed.
|3.16.11 @ 10:53AM|#
I dunno. Some hopeful signs from around the state and from Tallahassee. Could be a lot worse.
Colin|3.16.11 @ 10:54AM|#
Like every other state.
And, come to think of it, just like the United States.
Kristen|3.16.11 @ 10:41AM|#
A corrupt politician?!?!? In Miami?!?!
The only surprise is that the populace actually did something about it.
Meanwhile in DC, the city council chair had a similar festoosh with his transportation. Nobody gave a shit and the story died.
|3.16.11 @ 10:52AM|#
""A corrupt politician?!?!? In Miami?!?!""
Before Mayor, he was director of the Miami-Dade police department. Corrupt cop too?
|3.16.11 @ 10:55AM|#
This sort of voter action should be the norm, not just something that happens during economic or political downtimes. We'd be a lot better off if we got pissed off more often.
Colin|3.16.11 @ 10:56AM|#
I wonder, though, if he ran again in 2012 whether he'd win.
|3.16.11 @ 10:59AM|#
Bitch set him up!
Tolly|3.16.11 @ 11:11AM|#
Good riddance. And yeah, Florida seems to be on a bit of an upswing - the Gov is rejecting tainted Fed funds for a choo-choo fiasco, and making overtures to lowering business taxes.
People still whine and moan all day long though - apparently some of them don't know we're out of money and overextended. Both mayoral candidates in Tampa came out in favor of hading a new stadium to the arrogant pricks formerly known as the Tampa Bay Rays. Maybe they can let em play in the NFL stadium there, while those billionaire owners shut things down for more money.
|3.16.11 @ 1:09PM|#
It is embarrassing for a major league team to have a worse stadium in a worse location that that team's rival's AAA affiliate. Doesn't warrant any tax breaks or public financing, but I can't blame them for trying.
Tolly|3.16.11 @ 11:13AM|#
Best part of the article (in light of all the hand-wringing in WI) comes at the very end:
'whose union wrote a $25,000 check backing Alvarez's recall defense'
Wait, unions are only there to protect the common, downtrodden man from fat cat industrialists! They dont ever influence elections or act corrupt. That must be a typo.
|3.16.11 @ 1:10PM|#
Where's MNG?
|3.16.11 @ 11:16AM|#
Last night, 4 pdc, a short short police (looks gay too, as N E O I suspect 1 of the policegays mayoral varez&$y$tem have over me), as with my sister and rest of my family, I had to SUBWORK for free to wash police's plates...
Great, more agravants for the castrogov anamontes copy system, from tedpalpatinekennedy Moregov...
|3.16.11 @ 11:19AM|#
Tony, I think you need your mom to adjust your meds, dude.
Kristen|3.16.11 @ 11:37AM|#
I think it's Hercule come back to life!! Except without the brackets...[I miss the] brackets
Kristen|3.16.11 @ 11:37AM|#
I think it's Hercule come back to life!! Except without the brackets...[I miss the] brackets
Kristen|3.16.11 @ 11:37AM|#
I think it's Hercule come back to life!! Except without the brackets...[I miss the] brackets
Kristen|3.16.11 @ 11:37AM|#
Whoopise
|3.16.11 @ 11:42AM|#
Who you callin' 'Whoop eyes'??
|3.16.11 @ 11:32AM|#
More agravants, bho: "my" miamidade "by law" castrocoyote lourdesmartinez (singlename), judge pedrasa, cptn noel, officer dominic, ETC medicaly-policing tortured my sister, but still have a castrocoyote as "chief" of my MAILING ADDRESS, ANY HOUSE MY REAL BLOODLINE FAMILY, NOT DADE PARAPOLITICAL (ACORN, CASTRO-MA NORIEGA RELATED AS CASTRO LEGAL ATTNYES ETC LEVEL) PARAFAMILY BY MIAMIDADE "LAW", E T C...
ANY POLICE WHO CAME TO LEARN ANYTHING, ANY THING ON ME CHECKING ID (INS, POLICE, ETC), I'm EVEN A 2004 TEA FOUNDANTIONS OF THE STONE... WHY NOT ON ARIZONA? anywhere? like any country does, just see Mejico castrocoyoteinsurgency treatment of illegals: hammas-hezbolla BEHEADINGS ALREADY!!!...
GO ahead! run, Senator D'arpio (or whatever freedomfighter BattleStar possition you'd choose to serve from, any like you...)
This freelancing adhonorem pursued by castrogov system, Moregov's Na$(i)gul$ but whom also literaly THROWS RINOLIPHANTS WORKING RITHMICALY WITH US tEALEAVES FIGHTING MORE THAN ORK$, OOPS, ORG$&neolibtiCAL; a$$ ymetry...
No word on WHEN AYATOLAND IS LEAVING "POWER" OF THAT MOREGOV, BHO?
NO word on ayatola silencing of the opposition? is Ayers still alloed on the wh without any checkings?...
nanana?...
|3.16.11 @ 11:41AM|#
aaahhh!!!: on Monday my (cool) comment was blocked "by a 3rd party and all"... from hitandrun...
many of the illegal gov silencing (means JAIL TIME FOR ANY AUTHORITY WHO STILL OBEYING MAYORALvarez,castro,panamanian prd, cd etc terror logistic authorities I'm BEING CONCENTRATED WORKING ON EXPOSE...
TO MAKE'M NO LONGER INVISIBLE...
TO "DESABLE THEIR JUMPERS"...
TO LEAVE'M AT THE "MERCY" OF THE "50CAL TEALEAVES", TO THE TEALEAVES RIDDING TO BATTLE, TO THE VOTERS, TO THE MIAMIDADE RECALL SIGNED VOTERS... WHOM i, i SEE AS compatible and A KINDA SIGNED APPLICATION TEALEAVES...
lONG LIVES THE KING... NORMANBRAHMAN
$AURGOV WILL BE TERRIBLE HIS RETRIBUTION SWIFT...
|3.16.11 @ 11:46AM|#
AREN'T YOU JUST BY A CHANCE... one of those "police observing me if I make a "mistake"?), a sodomik female miamidade police anamontes copy creepy crappy spooky crazy castro fiu gov police psycos?
I'm glad to know your name, to make you globaly "known", you can without "touch" me... "by" "normal" police "things" you learned and enjoy...
|3.16.11 @ 11:48AM|#
mongo COPo... how's I$engov's "wheather"?, any "prosperity" tree ... whilling to manage anybody here, locked in their tower$?
T|3.16.11 @ 11:54AM|#
Can I interest you in a Time Cube? I think you and he have many points in common y'all should discuss.
|3.16.11 @ 12:01PM|#
Ha! Nice link.
T|3.16.11 @ 12:50PM|#
Time Cube is a classic. He's been around since the old Usenet days, and just as bugfuck crazy the entire time.
Spartacus|3.16.11 @ 12:57PM|#
This is what happens when you provide free internet access in public libraries.
|3.16.11 @ 1:21PM|#
WINNING.
|3.16.11 @ 11:59AM|#
But, where does he stand on Castro? That's the most important issue facing Miami.
|3.16.11 @ 12:04PM|#
A favorite now.
*,*|3.16.11 @ 12:05PM|#
So when is the trial? Ah fuck it, lock 'n stock isn't allowed anymore.
|3.16.11 @ 12:06PM|#
as mayoral gov$ylon$ you should know the time I have some quick acces to a pc (I know you "pray" for intranet to replace internet) and it is now.
Stand on cuba? hey dude, do you read?
stand on cuba (communication failing) do you read...?
stand on cuba... do you read?
I'm sorry Kara...
|3.16.11 @ 12:10PM|#
ahh!, deadhboring blog$tockelr$ bailedout from Moregov...:
Your (3Moregov tower$ "power$")
staff...
((((((((IS BROKEN!!!))))))
|3.16.11 @ 12:19PM|#
Miami lastnight: "the bad Tea" ("just me"), the ugly mayoral varez riNOliphant (trillions to bho, the uggliest)...
The good ones: Recall signers and active (who care on this country future) voter firepower...
lastnight, vote after vote... as on a few trillion$ more(gov):... cling cling cling... "hispanic things", celestial chorusess... vote after vote, cling after cling...
now... I just wish to "just" enjoy some WELL EARNED COMFORTS.. LIKE MY LIFE BACK, not an injuried back...
|3.16.11 @ 12:33PM|#
trials? with all these castropsyco trainned/recluited police left?
Why are you worried on trails?, cmmon, bho tryed to trail Bush instead of fidel, ayatolas, acorn, ma noriega ETC
cynical|3.16.11 @ 1:47PM|#
You should look into taking some anti-psychotic medication. No sarcasm intended.
|3.22.11 @ 12:43PM|#
Hey Cynical,
which MOREGOVmedication! ?
Well, now that all this $yberK$ar neolibtiCAL-riNOliphant army insists on "We just, just taking their "medicine" and... as miamidade castrotrainned(ALVAREZ FUI COMBO "RECOMMENDED MAYORALvarez!!, AHH!!: geovany, another policegay team IS AN ACTUAL POLICE I'm almost sure or can be used to find the IDENTICAL policegay of MANY WHO EVEN GUNPOINTED ME KNOWING I'm unnarmed while being paralegaly tryed to get into a paralegalstreetfight or "public problem" with "gays" (miamidade city preds, accept UNTANGIBLE "FREE" SEX as payment too) from calle8 119 gayvideo,and it seems that by geovany working there next to his video (he talks sodomic to me as "part of the police mandatory day treatments, also, roxy, "my" she thinks another "new boss problem" laughs as a police on me on "THOSE THINGS ONLY A CASTROGOV AGENT IN WAR ACTS WOULD DO AND CARE TO "FOLLOW UP" of course, bho (more agravants to your account$) knowing I'm seriously injuried...
But, UNFOURTUNATELY for miamidade neolibtikal rinoliphant castrogov copy $y$tem (while bubble-crisis bombing America and allies, in front of the kids) I don't tink I'm following this same system I fought against ma noriega, it's the same "story", Venezuelans sid "impossible comunism on Venezuela, as Germans did on nazis...
The secret magic: don't follow them...
and join of course the Tea tree and any other 9-12 mentality movement, have a different view...
comming up: ok battlestars Rush Sean Gleen and the whole wiOdin fleet, would you covert MAYORALvarez MANAGER&$y$tem"$ MEGA$ALARY INSULT?
thank you... "see" you "in the middle" my bravehearts, God save the Norman
Brah(ve)man King...
|3.22.11 @ 12:59PM|#
My Tea friends and allied Republicans, the Right Libs like my girl Joycecalflan and other "cylons in my head" like Lauraingraham, Ingle,Monica,LourdezD'Kendall, bellas "ETCs"...
carlosalvarez system not only stil torturing me by forced $1.7/hr (and the police come "to give me "job partners, managers, costummers..." to have meals (extra job and any "bussines owner sees me as "an oficial sublabor inmate", if I work on restaurants, cars if I work seriously backinjuried, on garages, wherever, the castrocoyote "AUUUUUUUUUUUUthority" has me lourdezmartinez (single name)an ACORN castrocoyote (by dadecounty, panama prd-cd, etc) even thow her pastors are arested by FBIs, now CIAs had many arrested and... "releassed", comming back to me "more mad"... they even had some posts blocked from hitandrun, geovany is enjoying 'so much to have me at his hand', police, black, gay, and from sofla castrocoyote gov $y$tem, surely acorn or bho voter...
but... We just don't follow them on their "visions" of justice, power, enemy, foe, good, evil...
psst, Freedomedia, please battlestar-shark-hail of info over neolibland cover the self declarations from a "big" media assymetrikal "famous" name on... satan was "the 1st to have a different opinion God even "had" to accept a "big taken territory" comments, would be practical, intellectual, magical, logical, cynical
|3.22.11 @ 1:14PM|#
I just won't allow sofla auuuuthorities like geovany to "just" come close "to touch or talk Tealeaves" "invisible and full impunity (by law) as dade police still does to me, and for years have permited (even with big authorities arrested scandals "normaly weekly") helping a castrocoyote "stepmother jefa" and going after my sister (my mom, whomever of my real bloodline family helps) by "law" to have her "legally kidnapped" rescued by the same police every time the castrocoyote was mad with me or her, police protected gangero-boyfriends IMPOSED BY POLICE OR THE HIGHWAY... etc), castrogovs trying to kill my sister on a hospital, (I have blogged this for years) mental and physsicaltortureto my well beloved Tealeaves... the "bad" teas, against the ugly neolibticals&rinoliphants; "few trillion$ More(gov bubble bombing$" final duel) ...
The young tealeaves ridding to battle... powered by The Good American Dream...
|3.22.11 @ 1:26PM|#
I'm injuried, bho, you know it by "my" miamidade acorn castrocoyote parapolitical parafamily (20 Ayers of this, so for you, YOU HAVE SOMEHOW, SOMEWAY GITMO JAIL BHO!!, I'm ANTI-terrorist, you, terror preffered instead of Bush, D'arpio, Michelleti, WE TEALEAVES, etc... I've being concentrating all my capabilities on how to punish this 20 Ayers of acorn minded "authorities", anamontes copies, the castrocoyote illegal civilian pre invasion army almost having a "zone" on the so. border, they behead BY HAMMAS, HEZBOLLA OPERATING ALREADY!!!, castrocoyote insurgency "priced" an American Sherif a $mill reward (who rewards and unishes?) joined by bho the same WEEK's!! "legal" "I use my "big" possition attacks...
And, everithing you believe is "power" bho, just off the mind of the people by ... just... don't following your teleprompter writters!!!, which can only make you bho, and acuaman WITHOUT ANY "MENTAL POWERS" TELEPAT(OLOG)IK APOkALIPTIk DEMagog out of the water (water... interrogation, YOU WERE DEEP IN THE ENEMY'S PLAN... TALK...)