Watchdog Report Vol.11 No.41 March 6, 2011 Est.05.05.00 – I go when you cannot

CONTENTS

Argus Report: Port of Miami scores $77 million in FDOT funding after Gov. Scott rebounds from refusing $2.4 billion in fed funds for rail line

Florida: Miami-Dade Legislative delegation has Jackson Hospital on its mind; as session opens Tuesday, challenges are immense

Miami-Dade County: Voters are turning out for Mayor Alvarez recall, mixed sentiment in the air, but many want to send a dramatic message to county government

Miami-Dade Public Schools: Obama & Gov. Bush drop in at Central High, local diversity rules supreme; And president raises some cash for 2012

Public Health Trust: BCC gets to meet Dr. Torre trying to acquire Jackson Health for $1.1 billion; last big deal done had to be signed off by Pope

City of Miami: Mgr. Crapp says “$8.5 million” adjustment for current budget year, but what of any reconciliation from past year?

City of Miami Beach: Commissioner Wolfson on Convention Center debate in his own words

City of Miami Gardens: Two men plead guilty to stolen mail identity theft and bank fraud schemes

City of North Miami: There he goes again, Mayor Pierre bounces check paying for controversial civilian badges, voters will get to decide on his performance

City of Coral Gables: Downtown to get ambassadors to help people find what they are looking for

City of Doral: Mayor Bermudez is tapped as President of M-DC League of Cities

>>> Other stories around Florida

Broward County: Commission taps Atty. Armstrong-Coffey as new county attorney, experienced with good legal temperament after 28-years with M-DC

Palm Beach County: Three men charged in Versailles mortgage fraud scheme

Martin County: Commissioner Smith takes road trip to Miami, says 74 new county commissioners around the state after 2010 election, has net worth of $1.42 million

Monroe County: Miami-Dade funds bus route to Keys to tune of $1.9 million last week

Community Events: A Special Tribute Celebrating the Legendary Cole Porter – March 19 – Tribute to women awards at Biltmore Hotel – How to run a clean political campaign forum held by county ethics commission

Editorials: Will ailing Jackson Hospital system heal itself? Only with a lot of help from many sources, cool minds must prevail to save medical jewel of the community

Letter: Reader on Mayor Martinez quote about MIA $1.2 billion overrun cost

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ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street

>>> Port of Miami scores $77 million in FDOT funding after Gov. Scott rebounds from refusing $2.4 billion in fed funds for rail line

The Port of Miami got some good news with Gov. Rick Scott (Net worth $218 million) directing his administration Friday to modify its transportation plans and to direct $77 million for the deep 50 ft. dredge at the port needed when the Panama Canel expansion in 2014 will allow for super cargo ships to pass through and is considered necessary if the port is to be competitive in the future. Scott caught flack for passing on $2.4 billion of federal funding for an 84-mile rail route from Orlando to Tampa during the past two weeks and he feels the cost even with the federal funding help will be a loss for the taxpayers of Florida. In the case of the port, Miami-Dade has funding dedicated for the activity that will involve the Army Corps of Engineers but failed to get $75 million in President Barack Obama’s recent budget. Port Director Bill Johnson when the federal money was denied worked the phone the same day and told the Watchdog Report that he “Would take money wherever he could get it,” at the time. The port is the second largest job generator in Miami-Dade and only beat by MIA and Johnson has been an advocate for the need of the dredge for years.

However, environmentalists are concerned about the impact of the big ships and possible damage to Biscayne Bay occurring in the process and oversight by a number of government and environmental groups is expected, because the dredge sounds easier than it is given the sensitivity of the ecological environment surrounding the port of Miami. Scott, a former healthcare executive has stuck to his guns that he would support certain projects around the state but his philosophy is there is no blank check like with the high-speed rail funding that he passed on. He is expected to square off with the legislature on Tuesday when the session begins, lawmakers have to grapple with a $4 billion shortfall in the state’s budget, and it remains unknown how they will all play with each other as next year’s budget is crafted.

Johnson

>>> Press release: Today Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) comments on Governor Rick Scott’s decision to fully fund the Port of Miami Deep Dredge project without financial assistance from the federal government and promoting the free trade agreement with Colombia. “I commend Governor Scott for vowing to fully fund the deep dredge project without federal assistance and promoting the Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The contrast in leadership between President Obama and Governor Scott couldn’t be more dramatic, today, we clearly see true commitment to job creation,” said Diaz-Balart.

“Today’s announcement is a significant first step toward economic gain for South Florida that will spread across the state for years to come. While the Administration passes the buck on job creation, Governor Scott steps up with a bold commitment that will initiate economic growth in Florida and across the country,” added Diaz-Balart. “Florida’s investment in deep dredging in the Port of Miami will increase cargo, create tens of thousands of jobs right away, and increase international trade that is critical to the nation’s economic recovery,” concluded Diaz-Balart.

>>> What did Florida TaxWatch President Calabro say about Florida’s budget?

Dominic M. Calabro, the President and CEO of Florida TaxWatch told the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce luncheon Wednesday that “we can no longer live under the past rules” of “people will come to Florida no matter what we charge them” like has occurred over the past 60 years. He said the past state’s population growth and large number of seniors “can’t be relied upon as much,” and “kids” and education are critical if the state is to have an “educated workforce,” he said. The president noted North Carolina, Texas and other states were pouching some of the people that in the old days would come to Florida and in 2008-09; we lost some 59,000 residents. He noted when it came to state regulations that Scott has taken aim at changing. “We need regulations,” but these should be [refined] so the laws are “intelligent and result in good stewardship” by government to protect and provide for the state’s residents in a safe manner, he thought.

He also slammed the state’s prison system that the governor is studying reforming given the cost of these facilities. Calabro said there are 103,000 prisoners in the state penal system and these costs, around $2.4 billion, are a detriment to funding Pre K and public education in general. These prisons cost $100 million to build and cost about $40 million to operate and there was a plan once to build 22 new facilities around the state. The state currently has 63 dormitory-type of facilities and the prison population is the third largest in the nation, with one of every 10 incarcerated being there or drug charges at a cost of $20,000 a year. (Some of these numbers are cited in a story done by Steve Bousquet at the www.sptimes.com on Sunday and run in the www.miamiherald.com .) Calabro noted “Prisons have become Crime Colleges” where many younger felons master their craft at crime and practice later when they have finished their respective sentences and while the imprisonment argument is “playing to the crowd to lock [these criminals] up, this is not working,” and why Scott is looking at reforming the penal system, that is considered a job creator for many elected leaders in some of Florida’s smaller counties.

The TaxWatch president also took a shot at wasteful state spending saying there were 22 platforms used for payments of state checks, $13 million was reported wasted on “office supplies,” and at the state capital, “two different types of toilet paper” are being used depending on “the legislative branch.” He closed saying state and local government must be “more responsive” to its citizens by giving “good stewardship” in their governance and in the words of Winston Churchill. “Let us go forward together,” he closed.

>>> U.S. District Judge Lenard has 15 years on the federal bench, has had some high profile cases over the years

Federal Judge Joan A. Lenard Friday night had an event celebrating her 15-years on the U.S. Southern District of Florida federal bench with her clerks and staff said her husband and attorney Howard Lenard. The federal judge, 58, was appointed to the bench by President Bill Clinton in Sept. 1995 and has heard a wide variety of cases in her chambers over the years, including the Liberty City Seven. She attended Antioch Law School and she was an assistant state attorney in Miami-Dade from 19976 to 1982.

>>> Veteran award winning reporter Williams saying sayonara to CBS, goes to anchor NBC affiliate in Palm Beach

Michael Williams, the veteran reporter for WCBS 4 locally is saying sayonara to his station to become an anchor with NBC affiliate WPTV Channel 5 www.wptv.com in Palm Beach County. He said he had been thinking about the areas demographics as a news region and will be an anchor at the station. He said he plans to still cover some big stories going on here in Miami-Dade like Mayor Carlos Alvarez’s recall that occurs the same day he starts at the new station, March 15. Williams an ardent Gator fan has covered politics and a host of other subjects and for about a year worked for FP&L as a spokesman but went back to television about four years ago after the private sector gig. The Watchdog Report gives Williams a Tip of the Hat for a job well done, and your historical perspective and reporting depth will be missed as another long time experienced reporter leaves the local media battlefield we call South Florida.

>>> WPBT 2 Issues does PHT & WPLG Channel 10 on Michael Putney’s show does Mayor Alvarez recall and discussion with Norman Braman

Helen Ferre on her weekly show Issues over the weekend discusses the PHT and Jackson Memorial Hospital with board Chair John Copeland III and in another segment discusses Jackson with state Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, R-Miami, Martha Baker, R.N. representing the nurse’s SEIU union and a professor from FIU. To see the show go to: This Week on Issues – 3/04 & 3/06

Veteran reporter Michael Putney on his show This Week In South Florida Sunday had Norman Braman on to discuss why he initiated the recall of county Mayor Carlos Alvarez effort that voters are now weighing in on since Feb. 28. To see Braman’s comments go to Michael Putney – Station News Story – WPLG Miami Michael Putney came to Local 10 in 1989 to become senior political reporter and host of “This Week In South Florida with Michael Putney. …
http://www.justnews.com/station/269244/detail.html or http://www.justnews.com/news/index.html

>>> Press release: Zogby Interactive: 45% of Voters Say States Doing Poor Job Balancing Budgets Negative Job Performance Marks for State Legislatures & Governors

Nearly half of likely voters say their state government has done a poor job balancing their budgets, a new Zogby Interactive Survey finds. Democrats give more negative grades than either Republicans or independents. The survey, conducted from Feb. 22-24, also finds voters are more likely to agree that state employees need to sacrifice than are to agree that they were being used to balance budgets at the same time that businesses are getting tax breaks.

How would you rate the job performance of your state government when it comes to balancing your state’s budget?

Rating	All voters	Democrats	Republicans	Independents
Positive (Excellent + Good)	22%	17%	31%	18%
Negative (Fair + Poor)	70%	75%	64%	72%
Not sure/State budget in balance	8%	9%	6%	10%

Totals may not equal 100% due to rounding. Please click the link below to view the full news release on our website:
http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.cfm?ID=1954

>>> All photos in the Watchdog Report are taken from public government sites, and the Report goes on line at www.watchdogreport.net on Monday sometime during the day usually. >>> If you believe it is important to have someone watching your public institutions consider supporting the Watchdog Report for I am a low cost news service yet I do have to live, thank you! Further, I have been honored over the years by being named a WFOR-4 Hometown Hero in 2000, being profiled in a major way by The Miami New Times, The Miami Herald, and the Orlando Sentinel which ran as a nationwide story on me in the Tribune papers on Jan. 2003 and UNC Chapel Hill naming me one of the top columnists in Florida in a  multi-state study of the media back in 2004. I also thank Joseph Cooper for the opportunity to be on the WLRN/NPR showTopical Currents on www.wlrn.org since 2000, including yearly election coverage since then, and also numerous times over the past decade.

FLORIDA

>>> Miami-Dade Legislative delegation has Jackson Hospital on its mind; as legislative session begins Tuesday, challenges are immense

A Miami-Dade Delegation Meeting Wednesday to discuss the Public Health Trust had state Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Miami (Net worth $130,000) and state Rep. Eric Fresen, R-Miami (Net worth $330,000) saying after 40–years of the same governance model, maybe it should be reviewed. In an unprecedented tri-meeting that brought together the leadership of the PHT board, the county Commission and the local state legislators.  The meeting was chaired by its delegation head state Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, R-Miami (net worth $1.75 million) and a animated discussion on the health trust, showed the split in some of the participants thinking about how to proceed, but all agreed any solution would cover a wide range of issues including dealing with the issue of two teaching hospitals using Jackson Memorial Health System. Jackson on financial life support and projected to run out of cash in July continues to get financial hits including reduced state funding. The local delegation of state lawmakers is a blend of new and old legislators, some having come from the House to now the Senate, and many are freshmen in the Florida House that has a super majority of Republican lawmakers in both state’s legislative body’s.

But a new wrinkle was discussed with the group, and that was the announcement recently that Steward Health Care System LLC wanted to take Jackson over and was willing to invest $1.1 million in debt reduction and capital infrastructure sorely needed by the health system www.miamiherald.com . State Rep. Luis Garcia, D-Miami Beach said, “This whole thing really scares me” about the deal and believed at least a RFP or other method be used to get the best price for the sprawling facilities because we are “not doing the best for taxpayers money.” Miami-Dade Commission Chair Joe Martinez (Net worth $245,000) who has become the point man on the offer now said since the announcement about the possible deal. His “office has received six unsolicited proposals” across a range of possibilities from acquiring debt or to run the hospital, he said. He told state legislators that while this has generated a lot of buzz in the community, it is a “policy issue for the Board of County Commissioners” and noted, “We have not come close to deciding what we [the county commission] want to do.”

What did the PHT chair Copeland say?

John Copeland III, the chair of the Public Health Trust said the organization stands “to lose $150 million in the governor’s budget” and we “need to keep funding the medically needy program” as well as keeping state payments for “fee for services,” he told state leaders. He also believed keeping Jackson viable as a health care system was paramount and pledged to work in “collaboration on these pretty daunting challenges,” in the months ahead, he said.

What about the history of Jackson?

Former state Rep. Michael Abrams who was involved in getting the county’s half-cent-sales tax for the main hospital through the state House in 1991 said “without hesitation. If it was not for the support of the delegation Jackson would not be in existence today” and a “hospital that gives a single level of care.” He noted back in 1987, the legislature passed the “first Disproportionate Share Program” and it was totally “funded by the state.” However, before the sales tax was approved by the state legislature to let local voters decide, the House demanded “a maintenance of effort formula from the county,” he said. But he noted times have changed and back then, they “did not envision a health system like now” and includes $130 million in medical services from the University of Miami’s Miller Medical School.

However, the health trust’s CFO Ted Knight kept the attention of the group when he detailed the $220 million in savings initiatives already under taken and achieved. But he noted a “cash deficit” in early July was looming and losses through the first four months was $31 million but the institution is expected to close the budget year ending Sept. 30, with a number that balloons to $72 million he said. The organization is also trying to pare down this loss but the size of the number highlights the challenges facing the public hospital with two teaching affiliations with UM and FIU medical schools.

Also, adding to the financial concern was newly minted state Rep. Jeanette Nunez, R-West Miami comments who used to be the senior legislative liaison for Jackson with the state legislature and she has followed the health system’s challenges in the state legislature closely over the past months while House committees were meeting before the upcoming session Tuesday. She said, “I see up to $240 million impacting Jackson” and she is concerned there are “no assumptions what we can get,” from the state in the coming budget year. But Lopez-Cantera the Republican majority leader in the House has pledged that the issue of Jackson will be one of the top two legislative priorities for the group but it will be a tough legislative slog it is believed.

What about the issue of governance of the PHT?

Jorge Arrizurieta, a six-year member of the PHT board once again voiced his concern that the current governance model is broken and is not working, as it should. He has served in the George W. Bush and Gov. Jeb Bush’s administrations over the past decade but said the issues of Jackson were the “most challenging” he has ever experienced. He noted many “cities moved on to a more functional governance” model over the past decade and that should be considered for Jackson. He said people should “come to the realization” and “not denial” that something is not working and they should be working on “figuring out another way to govern and run this hospital” and consider what the options are, he said.

Lopez-Cantera

Luis Garcia

Rene Garcia

>>> PAST WDR: JUL. 2008: Here are the graphs former PHT CEO Marvin O’Quinn presented to the PHT/BCC joint board meeting in 2008 and mentioned the meetings.

>>> Jackson Health System – Future Uncertain

>>> Press Release: Following meetings last month, Gov. Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Claims Czar Kenneth Feinberg have agreed on initial steps for improving the Gulf Coast Claims Facility’s (GCCF) process regarding outstanding Florida claims as a result of the Deepwater oil spill.

“Florida’s tourism, fishing and seafood industries are still feeling the impacts of last summer’s disaster almost a year later,” said Gov. Scott. “Mr. Feinberg agrees that It’s time to get to work and implement a streamlined, fair and effective way of paying these claims for Floridians.” Last month Gov. Scott and Attorney General Bondi met separately with Feinberg and wrote letters outlining the initial steps that must be taken. Some of those steps include: Processing at least 25 percent of all pending claims by March 31, 2011. Expanding staffing in Florida to provide more localized treatment of claimants, specifically in Panama City, Pensacola, Santa Rosa, Gulf Breeze and Ft. Walton Beach. In each Florida claims office, providing the names of local, independent accounting firms that are available to review and assist claimants in preparing claims documentation. The fees for these accountants will be submitted with the claimant’s GCCF submission as an expense, reimbursable by the GCCF. In each Florida claims office, providing a named contact person who is part of Florida claims’ team to allow claimants to obtain additional information on the status of their claim.

Coordinating the claims process through one person in Florida and one person in Washington in an effort to assure responsiveness and efficiency. Having GCCF accountants on site or available by appointment to answer questions for claimants about their claim determination calculations. Summarizing, by general category, the reasons for claims being denied to assist with educating claimants and possibly preventing future denials. “Hundreds of thousands of Floridians’ livelihoods have been devastated by the oil spill and compounded by a nearly halted claims process,” said Attorney General Bondi. “I look forward to working with Gov. Scott and Mr. Feinberg to ensure Floridians receive the compensation they deserve.” Feinberg has agreed to return to Tallahassee in April to report on the progress of these steps and discuss additional improvements moving forward. To view Gov. Scott’s letter to Fienberg from March 2, 2011, visit:

http://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/GovScottLetter-03.02.2011.pdf To view Attorney General Bondi’s letter to Fienberg from Feb. 25, 2011, visit: http://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/bondi-feinbergltrt.pdf

>>> Press release: Governor Rick Scott Invites College and University Students to  Apply for Gubernatorial Fellowships www.FloridaFellows.com

Governor Rick Scott invites college and university students to apply for the 2011-2012 Gubernatorial Fellows program.  Participation in the program provides Florida college and university students with firsthand, high-level experience and insight into how state government operates. Established in 2004, and endowed by Al and Dawn Hoffman in 2005, the program gives Florida college and university students the unique opportunity to work alongside state government’s top staff for two semesters. Students can visit www.FloridaFellows.com to learn about the expectations and requirements of the program, as well as testimonials from alumni.  Interested students must apply online, and the site includes complete information about the recruitment process. Gubernatorial Fellows are assigned to the Executive Office of the Governor and the Governor’s agencies, based on their major or area of concentration.  Fellows work a minimum of 20 hours per week and are paid for their time on the job.  Fellows also participate in a weekly lecture series, where they meet face-to-face with prominent leaders, including Governor Scott, Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll, Cabinet officers, agency heads and other top government officials…  >>> To be eligible for a Gubernatorial Fellowship, candidates should be enrolled at a Florida college or university as an upperclassman (junior or senior) or a graduate student. Applicants should exhibit strong leadership, written and oral communication skills, community activism and a desire to serve the people of Florida. Approximately 12 students from around the state will be selected based on a competitive application process. Applications are due by Friday, April 1, 2011. The Fellowship will follow the university calendar starting in August 2011 and ending in May 2012. The Governor’s screening and selection committee will announce the program participants during the first week of June 2011. For more information on the Gubernatorial Fellowship program, please visit www.FloridaFellows.com.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> Voters are turning out for Mayor Alvarez recall, mixed sentiment in the air, but many want to send a dramatic message to county government

Mayor Carlos Alvarez (Net worth $1.74 million) is juggling staving off a recall from office while also being county mayor and with the clock ticking to the March 15 election that has absentee ballots and early voting going on; campaign time is of the essence if he is to prevent his recall on election night from office. The Watchdog Report has been talking with a wide swath of voters and many support the mayor but others are taking this election to be more than about one person or a commissioner. The sentiment from many county voters is this is a “way to send a message” that they are upset though only one commissioner has ever lost their office since 1994, though other commissioners have resigned because of being busted by the law. Further, even some of the mayor’s past supporters have expressed disappointment over a variety of issues with the former police department director elected in 2004 and in their case said, they were passing on voting at all.

Alvarez was relaxed in county hall last week talking to people in the lobby but the initial voting line in the lobby is starting to thin out though I saw many county employees waiting to vote at the early voting site earlier in the week, one of the 20 sites around the county. Further, www.miamiherald.com released a county poll on Alvarez and Commissioner Natacha Seijas (Net worth $617,000) with people that had voted or were likely too and both got some bad news. The poll results found 67 percent were going to vote to recall the mayor and Seijas had 60 percent saying she should be booted from office since she was first elected in 1992. Both are out campaigning but it could be too little to late for the election is whipping up a sentiment in the community after years of frustration with their county leaders and the two politicians are bearing the brunt of voter anger at the moment. Further, many people could not name significant things Alvarez had achieved in office, especially since county voters gave him strong mayor powers in 2007, and that is not good news for the mayor.

How did this recall all get started?

Norman Braman, the auto magnate billionaire and philanthropist months ago when he announced his recall drive of Alvarez for a variety of reasons said he wanted to light a civic fervor among residents and voters that would initiate a change in the political culture and dynamics of county government, and the campaign seems to be working, with his financial help. Over the decades, he has called for Miami-Dade voter referendums to be held on general election days versus in lower turnout primaries as is generally done. He also fought Alvarez and former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz (Net worth $1.8 million) in the courts over the new Florida Marlins Stadium but lost that battle. He has also now teamed up with attorney Victor Diaz, Jr. to craft a 8 point contract with the people of Miami for county charter reforms calling for term limits, paying a suitable salary but limiting outside income, and allowing recommendations coming from Charter Review Committees to go directly on the ballot to name a few of the suggested reforms that should go before county voters. Diaz chaired the last charter task force in 2008 where the numerous recommendations from the charter body went nowhere with commissioners and one of the reasons for all this frustration. Further, Braman has been seen telling people to vote over the past week now that early voting has begun, is hitting the media outlets, and all through this process the last few months. He has stayed on his message to let county voters decide on many of these important issues and that now is happening.  >>> Editor’s note: to read “A Covenant With The People of Miami-Dade for Reform of County Government” as it is being called go to www.recallmayoralvarez.org

What about the Seijas & Barreiro dustup?

And in Seijas’ case, Miami Voice has dogged her, a political organization that gathered signatures to get the veteran acerbic commissioner on the ballot, but failed to get Commissioner Bruno Barreiro (Net worth $728,000) certified petition recall attempt on the ballot as well. This is the second attempt to recall Seijas over the past few years, and last time she prevailed with 65 percent of her District 13 vote. But the political winds have changed and she will suffer because of being on the ballot with Alvarez and had her lashing out at Barreiro last week on a Spanish media outlet claiming he used intimidation tactics to keep people from signing a petition asking for his recall from the District 5 seat. The former state legislator before joining the commission in the late 1990s responded by writing an immediate letter to her. He denied him or his staff and supporters “intimidated anyone” and was in “complete dismay” at the charges. He closed his letter to Seijas writing, “I wish you luck in the March 15^th election and may God grant you all that you deserve for your work in Miami-Dade County!” and highlights the tense undercurrent going on at county hall until this vote is over, and the final voting results known.

What about the impact of this recall around the nation?

People forget that Miami-Dade with 2.4 million residents is much larger in population then well over a dozen states in the nation and if the recall succeeds or fails. The election will have a profound resonance with people not only demonstrating for greater accountability of their government but could spur the genesis of other voters taking to the polls. And this fact should not be over looked for whatever political spectrum you hail from, you can be sure the final March 15 results will be waited for with anticipation.

What about the security that Natacha Seijas is using?

The Miami New Times reported that Seijas was using Luis de los Santos for her protection at court and other public events over the past weeks. However, he is not a Miami-Dade Commission Sergeant of Arms as was identified in the story but actually works for the county’s Department of Corrections. To see the original story that refers to The Godfather movie character Luca Brasi as a look alike go to http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2011/02/natacha_seijas_calls_in_luca_b.php#

Alvarez

Seijas

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

>>> Obama & Bush drop in at Central High, local diversity rules supreme; And president raises some cash for 2012

Miami Central High School got a shout out by President Barack Obama on Friday and former Gov. Jeb Bush (Net worth in 06 $1.28 million) accompanied him to the school that used to rank as one of the state’s worst, but got a C rating, and high school graduation rates had increased to around 63 percent of the students. Seeing the president with Republican Bush surprised some people but Bush has stuck to his guns that education of our nation’s youth is a non-partisan issue and must be the highest priority and has praised some of Obama’s education initiatives. Bush has also been a strong supporter of charter schools with Dade having 82 such schools and Obama also embraces some of these ideas, but it also bleeds the local public school districts of funding since the charters are taxpayer supported and funding comes from the school district. Further, Bush in an editorial in www.miamiherald.com Sunday calls for the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind Act initiated by his brother when he was president.

However, Obama and Bush need to always remember that specifically with Miami-Dade, there are about 80,000 children in English as a Second Language ESL class, and 19 languages including sign are being spoken in the nation’s fourth largest public school district and there are very few places on the planet that have Miami’s diverse demographics. Further, Obama while in Miami was doing some fundraising for his 2012 reelection campaign and in the past South Florida has been a rich campaign vein to tap into. His campaign is expected to raise almost a $1 billion and who would have thought a presidential election would need such a sum.

>>> Here is an unedited excerpt of the Obama’s speech at the school

Now, I want all the young people here to listen, because over the next 10 years, nearly half of all new jobs are going to require a level of education that goes beyond a high school degree.  So, first of all, you can’t drop out.  You can’t even think about dropping out.  (Applause.)  You can’t even think about dropping out.  But it’s not going to be enough just to graduate from high school.  You’re going to need some additional education.  And a good education equals a good job.  If we want more good news on the jobs front, then we’ve got to make more investments in education.  As a nation, making these investments -– in education, in innovation, in infrastructure –- all of them are essential. Now, what makes it tough is that we’re in a difficult fiscal situation, as well.  For too long, the government has been spending more than it takes in.  So in order to make sure we can keep doing our part to invest in Miami Central, to invest in your schools, to invest in Pell Grants, to invest in your education, then we’re also going to have to get serious about cutting whatever spending we don’t need.

So what I’ve done is I’ve called for a five-year freeze on annual domestic spending -– and that freeze would cut the deficit by more than $400 billion over the next decade, and it will bring that kind of spending to a lower share of our economy than has been true for the last 50 years.  To achieve those savings, we’ve proposed eliminating more than 200 federal programs.  We’re freezing the salaries of hardworking civil servants for the next two years.  We’re finding ways to save billions of dollars, of tax dollars, by selling, for example, 14,000 government properties that we don’t need anymore. And that’s just a start.  If we’re serious about tackling our long-run fiscal challenges, we’re going to have to cut excessive spending wherever we find it -– in defense spending, in spending on entitlements, spending through tax breaks and loopholes.  And I’m going to be sitting down with Democrats and Republicans to figure out how we can reduce our deficits. But I want everybody to understand, our job is not just to cut.  Even as we find ways to cut spending, what we can’t do is cut back on investments like education that will help us create jobs and grow our economy.  (Applause.)  We can’t sacrifice your future.

Think about your family.  Let’s say something tough happens — somebody gets laid off in the family, or you have a medical emergency.  If you’re a family that has to cut back, what do you do?  First thing you do is you give things you don’t need.  So you give up vacations.  Maybe you eat out a little bit less.  Maybe you don’t buy as many new clothes.  Maybe you don’t buy that new car that you thought you needed.  But the last thing you give up on is saving for your child’s college education.  (Applause.)  The last thing you give up on is making sure that your children have the books they need and the computers they need — because you know that’s going to be the key to his or her success in life, over the long term. Well, the same is true for our country.  When we sacrifice our commitment to education, we’re sacrificing our future.  And we can’t let that happen.  Our kids deserve better.  Our country deserves better. And over the course of March, what we’re calling Education Month around the White House, I’m going to be traveling the country, and Arne is going to be traveling the country, and we’re going to be talking to parents and students and educators about what we need to do to achieve reform, promote responsibility, and deliver results when it comes to education.  (Applause.)

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> BCC gets to meet Dr. Torre trying to acquire Jackson Health for $1.1 billion; last big deal done had to be signed off by Pope

A PHT board meeting Monday afternoon highlighted the new impact of having two new Miami-Dade County commissioners as voting members on the board and one of them, Commissioner Joe Martinez (net worth $245,000) is the chair for the second time of the board of county commission. Further, other meetings for the next three days in the commission chambers all had discussions concerning the survival of Jackson Health System and its struggling cash on hand position, followed this monthly PHT meeting. And on Thursday at the county commission carryover meeting the issue of a nonbinding proposed deal with Steward Health Care System that would bring in $1.1 billion in debt retirement and a major capital infusion to the health trust had the man making the offer in the commission chambers, after he first met with Martinez behind the scenes. Martinez had Ralph de la Torre, M.D., Steward’s Chair and CEO speak to the commission and it was the first glimpse of the person offering to take over the public health system that delivers around $700 million in charity care yearly.

The physician and heart surgeon trained at Harvard’s medical school, and a Master’s Degree from MIT spoke frankly to commissioners about why they made the offer and what they brought to the table. He said Miami-Dade could do the same thing if they were to commit over $1 billion to the endeavor but the county is cash strapped as it is and why PHT Chair John Copeland III has been talking to outside investors looking for a way to stave off a looming cash crunch in July, that already has taken full time employees from 12,5000 at its peak to around 11,180 employees at the health trust, as management tries to cut down on overhead, including a significant reduced hospital patient census rate, while also delivering world class healthcare to patients.

After de la Torre’s discussion with the commissioners, he spoke to the press about his plans and any concerns he had with dealing with elected officials and the politics of this acquisition. He said when the organization first took over a number of Catholic Charity hospitals in New England that they not only had to get a sign off from numerous Massachusetts agencies, no easy task, but also the “Pope at the Vatican” and thought this deal might not be so much different when it came to the difficulty. He is a Cuban American and understands Miami but grew up farther north in Florida and then went to Duke University to get his undergraduate degree, but he was in Miami in the late 1980s when he worked at Cordis Corp, a maker of medical stents, and angiographic catheters in Miami Lakes, before he went on to get his medical degree. The Stewart’s home office is in Boston and to check out the organization go to www.steward.org

What about the use of lobbyists in Miami-Dade?

This non-binding buy out deal, in the very preliminary stage of discussions has already employed two men in the endeavor. Former state Rep. Miguel De Grandy has been retained as a lobbyist since Feb. 25 and joins former state Rep. Mike Abrams who registered the day before to represent Steward Health Care System LLC state county clerk lobbying records. De Grandy was a Republican and Abrams was a Democrat when they were in the legislature.

PHT Chair Copeland

BCC Chair Martinez

>>> PAST WDR: JUNE 2008: Joint BCC/PHT board meeting somber affair, institution will not survive in future without changing mission, “rationed” medical care could come in 2010

The joint meeting between the PHT board and the Board of County Commissioners Tuesday morning in the county commission chambers with 22 of them attending was a somber event as PHT President Marvin O’Quinn gave his presentation and the grim financial fortunes facing the health trust that gives over $500 million in charity care yearly. O’Quinn has trimmed hundreds of millions in costs over the last few years but the demand for charity care is infinite when you have over 600,000 residents without health insurance.

PAST WDR: Is this why the Watchdog Report has been doing PHT 101?

The Watchdog Report knew this meeting was coming up and in past years county commissioners would pound the trust’s administration regarding union contracts, parking fees or other issues such as the campus infrastructure but not this time for the future is clear. The PHT will need more financial assistance, that if not provided will change the hospitals mission to one where care is “rationed” and certain medical services would be cut. The Watchdog Report has a unique take on this issue for as a medical sales representative in 1979. I sold implantable pacemakers at the institution and actually have been in the operating rooms there. However, back then Jackson was on COD, I could not give a surgeon a device or electrode without a certified check in my hand, and that is a terrible way for a hospital to operate.

>>> Miami-Dade Commission approves Arriola as new UM PHT representative

On Thursday, the county commission confirmed Joe Arriola as the University of Miami’s appointment to the 17–member voting PHT board that includes county commissioners Joe Martinez and Sally Heyman. He has been on the PHT board before but left in 2003 to become the manager of the city of Miami and failed to get tapped again in 2006 when he reapplied. He is a university trustee and made around $40 million in the late 1990s when he sold his printing company. His son Ricky is also prominent in the community and is a past chair of Arsht Center board.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> Mgr. Crapp says “$8.5 million” adjustment for current budget year, but what of any reconciliation from past year?

Last week in the Watchdog Report, I reported that the city would be making a around $28 million negative budget adjustment in the future regarding the current budget year but that issue may have applied to last year’s budget and any reconciliations that might have to be done. I contacted Miami Manager Tony Crapp, Jr., about the issue last week and he responded by email that he would have Larry Spring get back to me about the reconciliation number but wrote. “I’ve had discussions about this current year and the shortfall is around $8.5 million. We will address it by significantly reducing the payroll. For example, we will not fill all of the remaining vacant positions this year.” In regard to the initial question, “I’m going to ask Larry Spring to address your question directly,” he wrote. As of my deadline, I have not gotten a clarification on the matter from Spring.

Further, www.miamiherald.com did an extensive story on the current budget shortfall on Thursday and Mayor Tomas Regalado (Net worth $5,000) is asking the SEC investigating the city to conclude and settle with the city, which is costing Miami considerable in legal fees that are still climbing. The federal securities agency is reviewing how money was booked and transferred within the past administration under Mayor Manny Diaz and his appointed and confirmed by the commission. Miami Manager Pete Hernandez back in June of 2006 after he worked decades at Miami-Dade where he was last an assistant county manager before joining the city.

HUSBAND, WIFE, AND CORPORATION CHARGED IN A CONSPIRACY TO SMUGGLE ADULTERATED CHEESE

>>> Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations, Miami Field Office, and David Bourne, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigation, announced the indictment of defendants Yuri Izurieta, 41, of Miami, Anneri Izurieta, 46, of Miami, and Naver Trading, Corp., a Miami-based company on one charge of conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and six counts of smuggling goods into the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 545.  If convicted, the defendants face a maximum of five years’ imprisonment for the count of count of conspiracy, and a maximum of twenty years’ imprisonment for each count of smuggling.  The defendants made their initial appearances in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry L. Garber.

According to the allegations in the indictment, Anneri Izurieta was the President and Director of Naver Trading, Corp., which is a licensed importer engaged in the importation and sale of dairy products.  Yuri Izurieta is the husband of Anneri Izurieta.  Over several years, the Izurietas and Naver Trading, Corp. repeatedly imported shipments of dairy products into the United States.  These dairy products were released from the port into the custody of the Izurietas and Naver Trading, Corp., but the defendants were not authorized to sell and distribute the dairy products pending successful completion of an examination by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The indictment alleges that the defendants knew that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was concerned that Naver Trading, Corp.’s dairy products were potentially contaminated with harmful bacteria.  The indictment also alleges that, in some instances, the defendants actually knew that the dairy products were in fact contaminated.  Nonetheless, the defendants allegedly failed to return the merchandise for destruction as required and, on some occasions, even sold and distributed their dairy products. >>> Mr. Ferrer commended investigative efforts of the ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations in Miami and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation.  This case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime Raich. An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

>>> Readers should stay tuned and catch the meeting on the city’s cable station channel 77. >>> Stream Channel 77, for all City of Miami meetings, (Commission, PAB,CIP, Code, etc. hearings)    http://videos.miamigov.com/

CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS

>>> Two men plead guilty to stolen mail identity theft and bank fraud schemes

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Henry Gutierrez, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Field Office, and Michael K. Fithen, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, Miami Field Office, announced that Jamaal Willie Williams, 27, of Miami, and Willie Antwon Little, 26, of Miami Gardens, pled guilty yesterday before U. S. District Judge Kenneth Ryskamp in West Palm Beach to charges stemming from their conspiracy to commit mail theft and access device fraud. Little pled guilty to one count of possession of stolen mail in violation of Title 18, U. S. C. § 1708, and Williams pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit mail theft and access device fraud, and one substantive count of access device fraud, in violation of Title 18, U. S. C. §§ 371 and 1029.  In addition to those charges, Williams also pled guilty in a related case to conspiracy and bank fraud in violation of  18, U. S. C. §§ 1349 and 1344.  The entry of these two guilty pleas brings the total convictions in this case to five, since all the remaining defendants, Ricardo Penn, Dorian Cawley and Willie Little previously entered guilty pleas.

According to the charges and statements made in court, between August 1, 2008 and July 23, 2010, Williams, Little and the other defendants conspired to steal credit and debit cards from the mailboxes of residents of Wellington and other cities, and to use those cards to make purchases and make cash withdrawals from the accounts.  According to the charges, in some cases, multiple $500 money orders were purchased using the stolen debit cards, which were then cashed by Williams, Penn, & Cawley.   In other cases, large purchases were made at area stores and restaurants.  According to court filings, multiple victims of stolen mail suffered losses of more than  $200,00 due to their identities being compromised through the use of stolen credit and debit cards. In addition to the identity theft charges, Williams also pled guilty to a bank fraud scheme involving the depositing of stolen and counterfeit checks into legitimate TD Bank accounts, and the subsequent withdrawals of cash from those accounts.  As part of his plea agreement, Williams admitted to losses of more than $176,000 through this bank fraud scheme, which occurred between June 2008 and March 2010. Sentencing has been set for July 14, 2011.  Little faces up to 5 years in prison, and Williams faces up to 30 years on each of the two bank fraud counts, up to 10 years in prison on the access device fraud charge, and up to five years on the conspiracy count.  Both defendants also face up to $250,000 in fines and mandatory restitution as to each charge against them. >>> A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> Commissioner Wolfson on Convention Center debate in his own words

Press release: MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER – Late last week, the Commission discussed a “Basis of Design Report” for the Convention Center expansion and remodeling.  There is no question that the facility needs improvement.  However, the type of “project” that is warranted is a matter of inquiry and debate.  Done right, it could enhance the local economy by improving revenue for local businesses, ranging from hotels to restaurants.  Done wrong, it could choke the hotels, municipality, and taxpayers with debt while providing an overbearing mass of concrete that imposes upon neighbors such as the Bayshore and Palmview Historic neighborhoods and Holocaust Memorial.

The Convention Center improvements are something that many in the community want to see happen with great urgency and desire.  Some see it as a way to increase revenue.  Others see it as a legacy.  But I have genuine concerns.  I would be remiss if I did not voice them, and I would be neglecting my duties as a representative of the people.  This matter promises to have a lasting impact (positive or negative) on Miami Beach.

The Basis of Design Report had a plan with roughly $640 million of construction.  However, right now, there is a small fraction of that amount available for construction.  A government project like this should begin with a discussion of what the budget is so that the end product can be designed around that limiting factor.  In the private sector, this is how any reasonable business or family would go about such work.  For example, any homeowner embarking on a remodeling project would start with a budget of how much they have to spend.  Similarly, in government, we should look to what available money we have to build the convention center before we talk about a specific design.  Why move forward with building something we don’t have the money to build?  Building with a blank check is fiscally irresponsible and not in the taxpayers’ best interests. If we proceed with a project that is underfunded, we will end up backing into a deal in a stretched and undesirable position.  But many a bureaucrat or zealous advocate will say that this is a “chicken and the egg” discourse and that you need the plan to get the financing (aka tax increase).  While it may sound cynical, and yes, I am a government skeptic, I have to think that the true intention by the bureaucracy is to make this project, in all its grandiosity, a foregone conclusion.  The result would be to brainwash the public into believing that the plan has to happen “as planned but not budgeted” and we have to get the money at all costs.  But I implore you, the residents and taxpayers, to consider that the better, more intellectually honest and fiscally responsible way to proceed with the Convention Center enhancement is to force the government to establish how much money we have first, then proceed with a design.

It must be said that, other than what the private sector may give for air rights or development opportunities, the majority of the money for the convention center work will come from the public, taxpayer funding.  And that is okay because this is a legitimate public purpose that will generate revenue and jobs locally.  On this point, several tax sources could be used to fund the convention center work:

First, an RDA is a geographical area within which county taxes are accumulated and remitted to a Redevelopment Agency (City of Miami Beach Commission is empaneled as such) and not remitted to the County.  The City Center RDA was created in 1992 when the base property assessment was $292 million.  In 2011, the property assessment was $3.404 billion (preliminary).  On the base, we get our tax rate and county gets tax rate.  We get 95% on everything on the increment (difference between the base year and current).  So for the County, we would get their rate times the increment times 95% which came to $16,048,000 last year.  The City portion was the same calculation using our tax rate, which came to $18,377,000.  Through the end of the current RDA, much of that $34 million is promised to certain debt obligations (however, those would need to be paid off by the end of the current RDA in 2022). If you extended the RDA from 2023 to 2053, and it was generating roughly $34 million a year in the above fashion, I was informed that it would generate $150 million in construction money from the County portion of the above (that is the $16,048,000 number).  If you consider the City portion as well, you have to assume it would be double (I am assuming this but can’t see how it wouldn’t be the case).  This recurring revenue could be pledged as debt service in conjunction with a bond issuance.

Second, an increase in the resort tax locally by one penny is available and could, I am told, generate more than $120 million in construction dollars.

Third, an increase in the Convention Development tax could raise significant amounts as well, in amounts relative and close to the resort tax and the RDA.

Fourth, there are $55 million roughly in County GO bonds available for improving the Convention Center.  This money has been available for some time. Fifth, there is the possibility that the private sector may come forward to entertain a public private partnership that would include private entities obtaining development rights in exchange for money used toward building the convention center expansion. In closing, my position we should finish the discourse on how much money we have before we commit to any plan at all, especially not by way of the “blank check” approach.  We should commit to some, all, or none of the above and then see how much money we have to build.  Doing the opposite approach creates the proverbial runaway train of government spending without careful consideration of the implications and feasibility of the funding scheme.  The Convention Center must be enhanced, but only through a fiscally disciplined approach that gets the greatest return for taxpayers, the people we were elected to represent.

>>> Press release: City of Miami Beach Commissioner, Edward L. Tobin, has become the newest member on the MPO Governing Board, a twenty-three (23) member board that acts as the authority on all local transportation planning matters and ensures that all entities engaging in transportation-related activities conform to statutory requirements… The MPO for the Miami Urbanized Area guides the transportation planning process in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Federal Statutes mandate the establishment of MPOs as a precondition for the flow of federal transportation funds to urban areas. The Miami-Dade MPO was established in 1977 under Chapter 163 of the Florida Statutes. The MPO approves all federally required plans for the deployment of highways, mass transit and other surface transportation facilities and services in the metropolitan area. If you would like more information about the MPO Governing Board, please call (305) 375-4507 or visit our website at www.miamidade.gov/mpo.

CITY OF NORTH MIAMI

>>> There he goes again, Mayor Pierre’s check bounces paying for controversial badges, voters will get to decide on his performance

The Mayor of North Miami, Andre Pierre just cannot avoid controversy, first it was the free Porsche, then the over 40 official city badges made with some marked with Mayor Staff even though he has a small office staff. And now his $4,151 check paying the city back for the badges bounces, though he has corrected the issue with another check that was confirmed there was enough money in the checking account to clear the check, but it is odd behavior for someone running to be reelected in the coming weeks. He lost a shot at being possible the vice chair of a county transportation planning board and county commissioners, who abhor controversy, gave his name a pass a few months ago. Now, the voters of the city will get to decide who they want to be their city’s mayor, but these missteps that continue will hurt him with some municipal voters I suspect.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES

>>> Downtown to get ambassadors to help people find what they are looking for in April

Need help navigating through the City’s Downtown area? Want to find an Italian restaurant? Just ask the Coral Gables Ambassadors. Beginning in April, these friendly and easy-to-spot Ambassadors will be providing the public street-side, concierge-like services in Downtown Coral Gables. Noticing the growing trend among urban commercial districts, City Manager Pat Salerno asked staff to develop an “ambassador” program designed specifically for Coral Gables. Parking Enforcement Officers, who are on the streets daily serving as the eyes and ears of the community, will also perform as “ambassadors” as they see and talk to residents every day. These individuals will provide hospitality services, answer questions about the City and its history, give directions, hand out literature such as maps and brochures, and provide information on local hotels, restaurants and current happenings, in addition to their regular duties of enforcing parking regulations. Four Parking Enforcement Officers will provide this service in the Downtown area after receiving training by Miami-Dade College Center for Service Excellence and being certified in first aid and CPR. Bright, easy-to-identify uniforms with logos and distinctive vehicles will make the Coral Gables Ambassadors easy to spot.

They will be well equipped to answer a variety of questions regarding where to park for extended stays, where to live in or near Downtown, where to have a romantic dinner and what local entertainment and events are taking place. Whether it’s enforcing parking regulations or directing customers to a local business, the goal of the program is to make Coral Gables a better place to do business and provide everyone who visits, works, lives and shops in the Downtown area a friendlier and more enjoyable experience.

CITY OF DORAL

>>> Mayor Bermudez gets tapped as President of M-DC League of Cities

Press release:  City of Doral Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez became the President of the Miami-Dade County League of Cities on February 19, 2011, during the organization’s 57th Annual Installation Gala at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa.

“I am honored to be the new President of the Miami-Dade County League of Cities, and I look forward to working with all of the member municipalities to ensure that we have a place at the table in County, State and Federal discussions of issues that affect all of our residents,” said Mayor Bermudez.

The event included attendees from the governments of all municipalities in Miami Dade County, all members of the MDCLC, as well as other members of the community. Univision anchor Pamela Silva Conde served as mistress of ceremony for the sold-out event and salsa duo “Hansel y Raul” entertained guests with live music. Along with Mayor Bermudez being sworn in as President of the MDCLC for 2011-2012, Doral Vice Mayor Michael DiPietro was also be sworn in as member of the MDCLC Board of Directors.>> The MDCLC was established in 1953 for the purpose of uniting the common interests of the municipalities within Miami-Dade County. CAC-Florida Medical Centers was the presenting sponsor of the event.

>>> OTHER STORIES AROUND FLORIDA

BROWARD COUNTY

>>> Commission taps Atty. Armstrong-Coffey as new county attorney, experienced with good temperament after 28-years with M-DC

Joni Armstrong-Coffey, a 28-year assistant county attorney for Miami-Dade County is the new Broward Commission attorney, she was honored last week by Commissioners with a proclamation by the Miami-Dade Commission, and her colleagues in the attorney’s office turned out as well. She has worked in a variety of legal capacities during these almost three decades, including Miami International Airport and she is a 1979 University if Florida law school graduate with Honors. She called Miami-Dade with its “Home Rule powers” what the “courts call a laboratory of Democracy” and she believes Miami is one of the most “dynamic and creative and beautiful communities in the United States.” She will find that the Broward Commission is a different political animal from the state’s largest county and her husband is former local U.S. Attorney Kendall Coffee who worked on Elian Gonzalez and the 2000 legal election challenge by Vice President Al Gore. The Broward Commission selected her after a national search had been done, and she made the cut. She will begin work no later than March 21, is being paid $240,345 a year and she is a house divided since she got her BA from Florida State University in 1976. >>> Over the past 14-years, I have gotten to know her in a variety of different legal assignments from culture to zoning and land use issues and she was always friendly and informed on the issues at hand. The Watchdog Report gives Armstrong-Coffey a Tip of the Hat for a job well done, with honor and integrity, and good luck in Broward in your new important legal post in the coming weeks.   To see Broward County’s press release on Coffey go to http://bcegov3.broward.org/newsrelease/AdminDisplayMessages.aspx?intMessageId=3042

>>> Thank you for using the Broward County Commission Agenda E-mail Notification System. A new Broward County Commission Agenda is available. Point your browser to http://www.broward.org/commission/welcome.htm to view the new agenda.

PALM BEACH COUNTY

>>> Three men charged in Versailles mortgage fraud scheme

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Daniel W. Auer, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Miami Field Office, Jeff Atwater, Chief Financial Officer, Department of Financial Services, John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and the members of the Palm Beach County Mortgage Fraud Task Force, announced the unsealing of an indictment against defendants Patrick Brinson, 34, of Miami, David Lam, 42, of Parkland, and Godfrey Myles, 42, of Miami. The eleven-count indictment charges defendants Brinson, Lam and Myles with a mortgage fraud scheme involving two properties in the Versailles development in Wellington, Florida.  All three defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349; two counts of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343; and one count of making false statements on loan applications to mortgage lender American Broker’s Conduit, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.  Defendants Brinson and Myles are also charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h); and six counts of money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison on the mail and wire fraud conspiracy, 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud counts, and 5 years in prison on the false statement charge.  Defendants Brinson and Myles also face a maximum 20 years imprisonment for the money laundering conspiracy, and 10 years in prison for each of the money laundering counts. According to the indictment, Brinson, Lam, Myles, and others conspired to obtain more than $2.55 million in mortgage loans on the Versailles properties by using straw buyers to submit false documentation substantially inflating the purchase price of the properties.  The conspirators recruited an attorney to prepare double HUD-1 Settlement statements, giving one set with the real price to the seller and another with the inflated price to the lender.  More than $488,000 in fraudulent loan proceeds were laundered by Brinson and Myles and others through multiple accounts and were ultimately used for the benefit of the defendants and others…

An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

MARTIN COUNTY

>>> Commissioner Smith takes road trip to Miami, says 74 new county commissioners around the state after 2010 election

Commissioner Doug Smith (Net worth $1.41 million), one of five members of the Martin County Commission took a road trip to the Miami-Dade Commission on Tuesday as the head of the Florida League of Counties. He said the organization has “74 new county commissioners” elected in the 2010 cycle that included two new members on the Miami-Dade Commission. He offered to help any way they could on issues that will be discussed in Tallahassee during the upcoming session. The chair of the Martin County Commission is Edward Campi and the vice Chair is Sarah Heard (Net worth $743,000) of the Martin County Commission. Smith represents District 1 and commissioners are paid $54,202 in yearly salary as a commissioner in the county just north of Palm Beach.

Smith

Heard

MONROE COUNTY

>>> Miami-Dade funds bus route to Keys to tune of $1.9 million last week

A Miami-Dade bus route that goes into Monroe County got funding approval last week at the county’s commission meeting after strong support from Commissioners Dennis Moss (Net worth $342,000) and Lynda Bell who represent South Dade. Moss said the buses were needed because many Miami residents countywide work in Monroe but cannot live there because of the high costs for housing. He said the buses were packed and the commission gave the go ahead for the $1.9 million the service is costing the county.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

>>> A Special Tribute Celebrating the Legendary Cole Porter – March 19, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets $50 – $125 – John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall – Now celebrating its Fifth Anniversary Season, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County proudly presents the return to the Adrienne Arsht Center of the famed Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, under the baton of renowned conductor Keith Lockhart, on March 19, 2011 at 8 p.m. in the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall. The program will honor the marvelous Cole Porter in celebration of the 120th anniversary of his birth. Porter’s saucy style will come to life with special guests Kelli O’Hara, who recently starred in the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of South Pacific, and Jason Danieley, who most recently starred on Broadway in the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal. Highlights of the tribute, entitled You’ll Get a Kick Out of Cole, include Porter’s iconic songs: “Night and Day,” “I Get A Kick Out of You,” “Begin the Beguine,” “It’s De-Lovely,” “What Is This Thing Called Love?,” plus much more. Works by Berlin, Bernstein, Gershwin, and Rodgers will also be performed. >>> The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra is the third engagement of the new four-concert 2010-2011 Signature Pops Series as part of the John S. and James L. Knight Masterworks Season. Tickets range from $50 to $125 and may be purchased through the Adrienne Arsht Center box office by calling (305) 949-6722, or online at www.arshtcenter.org.

>>> Press release: In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Miami-Dade Park and Recreation Department (MDPR) and the Miami-Dade County Commission for Women are hosting the 23rd Annual In the Company of Women Awards Celebration on Thursday, March 31, from 6-9 p.m., at the Biltmore Hotel, 1200 Anastasia Ave., Coral Gables.  The event includes a cocktail-reception and an awards-presentation recognizing 12 local women for their long-standing contributions to the residents of Miami-Dade County.

WPLG Channel 10 reporter Neki Mohan will emcee the festivities.  As part of the program, a representative from the Office of the Mayor will present the Mayor’s Pioneer Award, which honors a woman who has proven leadership, creativity, and vision in addressing community issues in Miami-Dade County within the past 10 years. The honorees include: Arts & Entertainment–Eveline Pierre, Founder of the Haitian Heritage Museum; Business & Economics–Patricia Thorp, Senior Counselor, RBB Public Relations; Communications & Literature–Michele Gillen, Chief Investigative Reporter, CBS Miami; Education & Research–Dr. Stacey Mancuso, Principle, DASH; Government & Law–Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz; Health & Human Services–Lucy Morillo-Agnetti, President & CEO, Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation; Science & Technology–Sherry Thompson Giordano, Executive Director, IT Women, and June Randall, Chief, Administration & Technology Division, Miami-Dade County Police; Sports & Athletics–Marta Montenegro, Founder, Publisher & Editor-In-Chief, SoBeFit Magazine; Mayor’s Pioneer Award–Elaine Bloom, former member of the Florida House of Representatives; Community Spirit Award–Donna Ginn, Founder & Managing Partner, Crossroad Consulting Group; and posthumous honors–Amanda Haworth, Detective, Miami-Dade Police Warrants Bureau.

Nominations were solicited from the general public from October through December 2010.  Nominees must have a history of continued accomplishments in their field and have met these five criteria: professional development, community responsibility, leadership and vision, contribution to women’s progress and promotion of pluralism.  Award recipients were selected by a panel, comprised of some of last year’s winners and the event’s organizing committee.

Tickets for In the Company of Women $40 and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 305-358-5885, or visiting their web site: www.ticketmaster.com; or at Miami-Dade County Auditorium, 2901 West Flagler Street. For more information about the event, call Lisa Fernandez at the Women’s Park, 305-480-1717.

>>> Press release: How to Run a Clean Campaign — Citizens considering running for elected office can learn how to do it right by attending the next Campaign Skills Seminar sponsored by the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust. The seminar, at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, 2011, at the North Miami Police Department’s Community Service Room, will provide essential information on fundraising and record keeping to candidates, campaign treasurers, volunteers and anyone who wants to understand the legal and ethical obligations of seeking public office.  Speakers include representatives of the Miami-Dade Ethics Commission, the State Attorney’s Office and the Elections Department.  The event is free and open to the public.  Attorneys can earn Continuing Legal Education credits from the Florida Bar. Campaign Skills Seminar, Thursday, April 7, 2011 6:30 p.m., Community Service Room at the North Miami Police Department, 700 NE 124 Street, North Miami, Florida 33161 >>For more information or to reserve a seat, call Robert Thompson at 305-350-0630 or e-mail robthom@miamidade.gov. >> The Ethics Commission was created in 1996 as an independent agency with advisory and quasi-judicial powers.  It is composed of five members, serving staggered terms of four years each.  Through a program of education and outreach, the Commission seeks to empower the community and bolster public trust.

EDITORIALS

>>> Will ailing Jackson Hospital system heal itself? Only with a lot of help from many sources, cool minds must prevail to save medical jewel of the community

The extensive four days of discussion of the Miami-Dade Public Trust in the Miami-Dade Commission Chambers last week was one of the most grueling experiences I have ever experienced when it comes to watching government and public institutions. The issue of the health trust’s financial health that includes the grim graphs presented to the community back in 2008 should have been a wake-up call, but really wasn’t to many, but government only reacts when there is a crisis and the reality is finally settling in. While the discussions dragged on and commissioners got to see the possible White Knight representing a corporation possible willing to take the hospital system off the community’s hands for $1.1 billion, very little progress is actually being made in many areas to keep the institution funded past July. And these discussion and decisions made in the immediate future will be the most critical this community has made in decades. For once a sprawling medical enterprise like Jackson begins to unravel, it will not be pretty and incredible difficult to reestablish its medical excellence once gone.

Since late 1997, I have been going to PHT board and committee meetings religiously and over the years no other news source in South Florida has written so many stories on what was going on, of which about 45 of these PHT stories were in The Miami Herald www.miamiherald.com . When I wrote the independent but featured Watchdog Report story every Monday for four-years that included in 2004 the revelation that Jackson would be making a $84 million negative financial adjustment, that included charges that went back to 1987, and a over decade old $40 million hit from the federal government. At the time readers asked me, why I wrote about Jackson so much and only in the past year has that reason caught the public and media’s eye but is there time left.

Since this awakening of the PHT,’s importance to the community everyone seems to have an idea of how to run the hospital, fix it, or close it down. But arm chair quarterbacking at a time like this is not the answer, and I don’t have an miracle in my repertoire but the ramifications of this health system failing, will cut a wide swath through our community hitting all ethnic groups because with around 650,000 county residents medically uninsured. The patient onslaught is endless and is seen in the hospitals $700 million of charity care number, that cascades to other hospitals throughout Miami-Dade giving extensive charity care as well. Leaders and the community must get engaged to deal with this cresting and vexing problem for we are out of time, and while I don’t have the answer. I do know something has to change, and will it be for the good or the bad? That is the question that will be answered in the months ahead by the decisions we all make as a community known as Miami-Dade County.

LETTER

>>> The [Hialeah Mayor Raul] Martinez reference [re the $1.2 billion MIA overrun in1999] is just too funny!

Jose

Miami

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The Watchdog Report covers a few of the meetings attended weekly. It remains my belief that an informed public will make better decisions. Therefore, I go to meetings, make the presence of an informed citizen known, and bring the information to you.   The Watchdog Report is in the fourth year of publication and it has been an honor to be able to send this information to you. It is sent to readers in Miami-Dade, Florida, the U.S. and the world. The Watchdog Report is sent to thousands free and while readers have been prodded to subscribe the results have been mixed. Over 250 reports and Extra’s have been sent since May 5, 2000 and over one million words have been written on our community’s governments and events.  The report is an original work based on information gathered at public meetings, interviews and from documents in the public domain.

LETTER POLICY

I welcome letters via e-mail, fax, or snail mail. Letters may be edited for length or clarity and must refer to material published in the Watchdog Report.  Please see address and contact information. Please send any additions and corrections by e-mail, fax or snail mail. All corrections will be published in the next Watchdog Report. If you or your organization would like to publish the contents of this newsletter, please contact me. Please send your request to watchdogreport1@earthlink.net

Daniel A. Ricker

Publisher & Editor

Watchdog Report

Est. 05.05.00

Copyright © of original material, 2011, Daniel A. Ricker

>>> Watchdog Report is expanding as a new service and this content is now available to other news media, no longer exclusive to The Miami Herald

The Watchdog Report is no longer exclusively with The Miami Herald, and excluding the one story a week that is printed in the paper on Monday in the Metro & State section by me. The rest of the 20 or so news stories weekly sent out Sunday in the Watchdog Report are now available to television stations web pages, and all the newspapers and other media in South Florida if the publishers have an interest to run part or all of the stories. Further, in 2000, I used to have some paper’s running the report in the Spanish press, that option is available again, and publishers should contact me.  The news content will not be free, but you can pick and chose the stories of interest, edit them if necessary but you must still keep the general story intact.  If you are a news outlet and would like to learn more about, the Watchdog Report and this offer contact me at watchdogreport1@earthlink.net for further information.

>>> Here is what past newspapers have written about the Watchdog Report publisher including a survey and regional study done by the U. North Carolina at Chapel Hill on the media in the southeast United States.

>>> The Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel & Sun-Sentinel articles on the Watchdog Report publisher over the years. >>> Published on September 9, 1999, Page 1EA, Miami Herald, The (FL) CITIZEN ADVOCATE’ KEEPS TABS ON POLITICIANS >>> Published on January 3, 2000, Page 1B, Miami Herald, The (FL) MIAMI-DADE WATCHDOG WILL BE MISSED >>> 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.

>>>Watchdog Report publisher named ‘Best Citizen’ 2003 by the Miami New Times  —The publisher would like to thank the weekly alternative paper Miami New Times for bestowing their 2003 Best of Miami, ‘Best Citizen’ award to me and I am honored.  Thank you. To read the full story go to http://www.miaminewtimes.com/issues/2003-05-15/citylife2.html/1/index.html

From the spring of 2003:  U. North Carolina, Chapel Hill:  Southeast U.S. Media Report lists Watchdog Report publisher as leading Florida commentator >>> Selected excerpts from the report on Florida’s media sources

Those who do read the newspaper in Florida have a bevy of options for state government and political coverage. The dominant newspapers in the state are Knight-Ridder’s The Miami Herald (Acquired by The McClatchy Company in 2006) and the Poynter Institute’s St. Petersburg Times. Both papers endorsed Gore in 2000 but split on the 2002 gubernatorial race, with the Herald endorsing Republican incumbent Jeb Bush and the Times backing Democratic challenger Bill McBride.

Daniel Ricker of The Miami Herald also writes an influential column as well as an email newsletter called the Watchdog Report that goes out to more than 100,000 subscribers. FEBRUARY 2004 – Florida: Columnists in Abundance —ERIC GAUTSCHI, graduate student, School of Journalism & Mass Communication, UNC-Chapel Hill – D) LEADING COMMENTATORS – Resource Commentator Organization Type Web site –Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times Column www.sptimes.com/columns/bousquet.shtml -“First Friday” WPBT TV (Miami) TV Show www.channel2.org/firstfriday/issues.html –Lucy Morgan St. Petersburg Times Column www.sptimes.com/columns/morgan.shtml –Daniel Ricker Miami Herald/Watchdog Report Newsletter –www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/columnists/dan_ricker/ >>> Readers who would like to read the complete University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Southeast United States Media Report go to view the complete report or download all the data used in this study. >>> Watchdog Report Editor’s note to the NCU/CH study: The subscriber number referenced is incorrect and applies to readership.

General subscriber’s names will not be published in the Report. To subscribe to the Watchdog Report please use the form below as a subscription invoice.

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