WATCHDOG REPORT VOL.25 No.03 May 18, 2025: EST 05.05.00 – I cover when you cannot – A free weekly education resource for 25 years
WATCHDOG REPORT
Miami-Dade, Fla.
Vol.25 No. 03, May 18, 2025, Celebrating May 5th, 2000: 25 -years of free weekly publishing! www.watchdogreport.net & Former Miami Herald featured, news reporter & free: community education resource & news service, without the attitude.>>> NO money since Spotlight story sad; form at bottom:
>>> Just because you do not take an interest in politics does not mean politics will not take an interest in you. –Pericles (430 B.C.)
Context: I want to thank The Coconut Grove SPOTLIGHT: FOR the profile: 25th anniversary of the Watchdog Report, done by Mike Clary, someone I met long ago in 2000 at county hall during the Gore Bush 2000 election, when he was with the L.A. Times.: To read the story click here: https://coconutgrovespotlight.com/2025/04/14/still-barking-a-watchdog-at-25/
>>> I seem to have a curse in my life If I get profiled, over the years my life only gets harder as four weeks now with no support money has come in.
Further, I do not use a walker, yes, a cane, for long distances and my health is semi-OK (no colon or lung cancer after tests), and I’m not feeble, and will be going to Miami lower-level meetings like the never scheduled Finance Committee, on public no meeting notices, for months now. Also, after multiple requests asking how much spent on attorney’s fees for Carollo to both manager Art Noriega, and CFO Larry Spring they have not responded not asking for launch codes here and the public has a right to know. Even though commissioner Gabela has been requesting for weeks, months.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
>>> We will “no more [use] sticky notes,” said the county’s IT director Margaret Brisbane, MBA, and she had grim news when it came to the age of the existing systems at the county, noting, there are 2,500 dashboards in the IT system 38 years old.
County facing a $400 million shortfall county has $22 billion in debt. However, a Crisis in years developing, after years and $6.14 billion in federal funding and now going away with HUD cutting $26 billion in federal funding, key to the county’s Homeless Trust, as well as affordable housing stated county staff last week.
How could it be worse?
The county has $2billion in receivables debt from Jackson Health Systems to Animal Services and $24 million in growth for the public hospital system, explained staff, last week.
>>> ARGUS REPORT: HEARD SEEN ON THE STREETS
>>> Past FIU President Maidique, 39 years, retirement ceremony was held FIU transformational, president, from law to medicine.
Mitch Maidique, a past president transformational figure was honored recently by Florida International University whose main campus is named for the man who brought the public law school, and later medical school.
After 39-years he was honored, and the MIT graduate, was sensitive to any criticism in the course of his career. I once drove and covered a FIU trustee retreat in Naples at the Ritz- Carleton Golf & tennis club. I asked the president why this was not at the Ritz on Key Biscayne. He said trustees felt more comfortable here, versus somewhere where the public could attend and FIU is not the only organization doing this.
FLORIDA
>>> Budget countdown with falling revenue projections senate president says property tax reform a $ 50 billion issue in play, only job of legislature to pass a budget? Legislatures after long time growth facing declining revenues in 27/28, deficit of $3 to $7 billion deficits in a state budget that has to be balanced, very year
The legislature has failed to pass a budget the only task that the state demands by Jun 31,2025. The issue of modifying property taxes, a $50 billion statewide decision, or increase in sales taxes are the two opposing viewpoints. This clash during a tough budget year, after previous prosperous tax revenues but scaling back as lower future revenue projections are necessary
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY:
We will “no more [use] sticky notes,” said the counties IT director Margaret Brisbane, MBA, and she had grim news when it came to the age of the existing systems at the county, noting, there are 2,500 dashboards in the IT system 38 years old, County facing $400 million shortfall county has $22 billion in debt
The county’s failure to have updated given the past GOB, money that has the county in $22 billion in debt state county documents presented to commissioners Thursday. The administration has benefited from $1billion in federal covid funds in past ear but this new challenge. I saw coming back in 2021/2022,. new hires and constitutional offices that has created a whole new crowd of celebrities mingling in public and dominating some social media and I doubt they will wait for a table?
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article306477686.html
MIAMI-DADECOUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
>>> The Watchdog Report has been covering the fourth largest Public District in the nation with 34,000 students’ complaints about the public schools’ students, student board rep. going to Harvard like many past peers, district producing excellence, was benefit of past Supt Carvalho, doing same magic at LAUSD, not a Ph.D. Versus so many others in past.
Criticism is not warranted if you look at the success record of the student’s history transformed by past Supt. Alberto Carvalho, doing the same magic at the LAUSD, the # two largest district in the nation and recently began winning more awards and at Dade he had many national awards.
I write this because the student representative Maurits E. Acosta on the board is leaving for Harvard after doing a great job representing students>
>>> Commission taps Natalie Milian Orbus as the new District 6 commissioner for the end of the term. A county employee as well as her husband who resigned after her conformation, by the commission.
After Commissioner Kevin M. Cabrera was tapped Ambassador to Panama and confirmed by the senate. Leaving the commission seat vacant. Orbis a republican joins a majority on the 13-member body, and was a former local GOP executive committee member.
She is walking in the footsteps of Rebeca Sosa, an honest, straight arrow who loved the process and efficient competitive procurement policies & getting info on time and requests answered.
Sosa was dedicated to open, transparent government, and peace after Joe Arriola, slapped my head, and she would then disqualify him at the PHT nominating committee.
>> Gov. De Santis gets 23 nominees to the county’s Children Trust, https://www.thechildrenstrust.org/ where I believe he has, 6 appointments. County looking at enhancing efficiency, lofty goal difficult to achieve, residents want better repaired roads, that even after done torn up later and patch repairs poorly done where is QC.
CITY OF MIAMI
The Miami commission seeking to change municipal voting years to even years. The off-year choice was to allow grassroots candidates to run for office versus the competitive general election date, and is done by many cities in the county, but off years have low turnout.
SPONSERS:
Published on September 9, 1999, Page 1EA, Miami Herald, the (FL)
CITIZEN ADVOCATE’ KEEPS TABS ON POLITICIANS
Published on January 3, 2000, Page 1B, Miami Herald, the (FL)
MIAMI-DADE WATCHDOG WILL BE MISSED
Published on January 20, 2003, Page 1E, Orlando Sentinel, PAPERWORK TIGER, Miami’s citizen watchdog piles up government files in his quest to keep the “little people” informed. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2003-01-20-0301190045-story.html
>>> Watchdog Report publisher named ‘Best Citizen’ 2003 by the Miami New Times
The publisher would like to thank the weekly alternative paper Miami New Times for bestowing their 2003 Best of Miami, ‘Best Citizen’ award to me and I am honored. Thank you. To read the full story go to http://www.miaminewtimes.com/best-of/2003/people-and-places/best-citizen-6399517
>>> And to support the WDR go to my Pay Pal account that is easy to use and right now would be a great time: http://paypal.me/WatchdogReport
Further, if you would rather send a check send it made out to Daniel Ricker and mail it to 3109 Grand Ave., #125 Miami, Fla. 33133. Thank you, Dan.
>>> And having a member of the press at public meetings gives teeth to the Florida Sunshine Law (and why you get a Flu Shot) and open meetings tape recorded keeps good governance in place and reduces waste fraud and abuse, and public corruption, and is why you don’t speed in front of a state trooper for example. And hope you can support the WDR efforts to have informed residents of public institutions issues, in our community.
>>> Further the www.watchdogreport.net in South Florida is an established news service presence, because most people are too busy to go to these important meetings., and all the information comes through me as a central point allowing me to see things at a 100-mile altitude and being an early warning system when projects have overruns or other issues. But my job is to sound the alarm and I have done so many times over the past years in a host of ways.
Publisher’s Statement on the mission of the Watchdog Report and the special people and organizations that make it possible: Government Subscribers/Corporate Subscribers/Sustaining Sponsors/Supporting Sponsors
Sponsors
***** LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & Initial sponsors since 2000
Mr. ANGEL ESPINOSA – (Deceased) owner COCONUT GROVE DRY CLEANER’S, Allowed a $1,000. Dry cleaning bill, go slow payment plan
HUGH CULVERHOUSE, Jr (The first contributor to the WDR)
FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT www.fpl.com .
THE MIAMI HERALD www.miamiherald.com (2000-2007)
ARTHUR HERTZ, deceased one of the first supporters
WILLIAM HUGGETT, Seamen Attorney (Deceased)
ALFRED NOVAK
LINDA E. RICKER (Deceased)
JOHN S. and JAMES L. KNIGHT FOUNDATION www.knightfoundation.org
THE HONORABLE STANLEY G. TATE
>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $2,000 a year
MARTIN MARGULIES margulieswarehouse.com
BADIA SPICES www.badiaspices.com
RONALD Hall
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY www.miamidade.gov
UNITED WAY OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
>>> Watchdog Report supporters – $1,000 to $5,000 a year
BADIA SPICES www.badiaspices.com
BERKOWITZ POLLACK BRANT Advisors and Accountants www.bpbcpa.com
JEFFREY L. BERKOWITZ TRUST
BERCOW RADELL FERNANDEZ & LARKIN & Tapanes www.brzoninglaw.com
RON BOOK, Esq. https://rlbookpa.com/team/
BENEDICT P. KUEHNE, Esq. http://www.kuehnelaw.com/
LINDA MURPHY: Gave a new laptop in Oct. 2001 to keep me going.
Rbb www.rbbcommmunications.com
SHUBIN & BASS www.shubinbass.com
WILLIAMSOM AUTOMOTIVE GROUP http://williamsonautomotivegroup.com/
>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less
CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.
CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH www.miamibeachfl.gov
CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu
THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov
GREATER MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.miamichamber.com
GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU www.miamiandbeaches.com
HEALTH FOUNDATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA www.hfsf.org
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION www.miamidade.gov
MIAMI-DADE COMMISSION OFFICE OF THE CHAIR www.miamidade.gov
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ETHICS & PUBLIC TRUST COMMISSION
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMELESS TRUST: www.miamidade.gov/homeless/
MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE www.mdc.edu
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INSPECTOR GENERAL www.miamidade.gov/ig
MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net
MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPT. http://superintendent.dadeschools.net/
MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY www.miamidda.com
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST & JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM www.jhsmiami.org
THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.org
THE GOOD GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE http://goodgov.net/
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA http://www.firstgov.gov/
>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less
CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.
CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com
CHAPMAN PARTNERSHIP FOR HOMELESS www.chapmanpartnership.org
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY www.fiu.edu
THE STATE OF FLORIDA www.myflorida.gov
To contribute to the WDR send and make it payable to Daniel A. Ricker
Daniel A. Ricker
3109 Grand Ave. #125
Miami, Fla. 33133
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