Miami-Dade’s Mayor Alvarez believes in green power, it’s why he’s bailing out his top aides
Al’s Loupe
Miami-Dade’s Mayor Alvarez believes in green power, it’s why he’s bailing out his top aides
By Alvaro F. Fernandez
alfernandez@the-beach.net
People are surprised and amazed. The Miami Herald editorialized and called it “Outrageous. Disgraceful. Obscene.”
As if we didn’t know.
The disconnection that exists between those in power (at least right here in Miami) and the rest of us can easily be compared to the existing disconnect where captains of industry nationally have shown that they are willing to steal from the poor in order to make the rich richer. And as we learned in 2008, they feel empowered to use our tax dollars to assure that this disconnection persists. Or have we forgotten that Bank of America, AIG and others (all on the brink of bankruptcy and saved by our tax dollars) used bailout money to assure that their top people did not miss out on millions of dollars in bonuses?
This past Sunday The Miami Herald reported that Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, after promising to “do more with less” and that “budgets must be trimmed, jobs cut and waste eliminated,” has given significant pay raises to at least 12 of his top aides in the mayor’s office. They range from a 54% increase to his communications director (an additional $43,680, putting her at $124,999), to an 11% raise — or $21,299, raising his chief of staff’s salary to $206,783. This, by the way, is occurring in a county trying to figure out how to come up with more than $400 million to fill a void in next year’s budget.
It is laughable (and sad) that the newspaper, and even some county commissioners, is surprised at what goes on behind closed doors in Mayor Alvarez’ office. This is the same Mayor Alvarez who fought hard and dirty on the baseball stadium deal and denied Miami-Dade taxpayers the vote on whether they were in favor of forking over taxpayer dollars to build it. This is also the same Miami Herald who editorialized in favor of the Marlins stadium earlier this year and who knew damn well that not only in Miami-Dade, but in other municipalities in this county (starting with Miami), there are hundreds of people taking home paychecks of more than 200,000 and thousands earning much more than 100,000 dollars.
Still, Mayor Alvarez, in his state of the county address, sadly informed us that “we are in for some tough times.” I guess he meant us. Because it appears he wants to save his people from the tough times he speaks of.
It’s time we opened our eyes. The system is rigged. And it’s not there to help us. Nope, under the guise of “democracy” and “justice for all” we are being ransacked and practically picked up, turned upside down and shaken so that even pennies fall out of our pockets. Ask yourself, where is all that money turning up?
Think about it… The government has already spent more than a trillion dollars bailing out America. But who have they bailed out? Have you received a check to cover that Visa card you couldn’t pay last month? As for health care reform promised allowing all Americans the right to receive medical attention, have you followed how that’s developed?
Right here in Miami, who’s getting the gravy? Well, we know that the millionaire owner of the Florida Marlins will be built a new home (I mean stadium) at our expense. But even the U.S. Treasury’s TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) dollars have reached some of the wrong pockets. Earlier this month The Miami Herald reported that U.S. Century Bank had “received $50.2 million in fresh capital from … TARP.” Who is U.S. Century Bank? Their board of directors reads as follows: Ramon E. Rasco, Octavio Hernandez, Sergio Pino, Francisco Angones, Rodney Barreto, Armando Guerra, Agustin Herran, Manuel Herran and Jose Cancela.
Every single member a millionaire — some many times over. A number of them you will recognize as big time republican contributors. There are some in this group who have made large amounts lobbying — especially Miami-Dade County. More than one in the group is responsible for the Miami International Airport fiasco. Several of them are members of the Latin Builders Association who have overbuilt parts of the county to the detriment of the environment.
Note who receives the money — our tax dollars. It’s all about influence not necessity. I bet you not one of the Century Bank board members is lacking for health insurance. Still, members of congress lash out against affordable health care because it will cost one trillion dollars over a 10 year period. Imagine that… It does point out where our priorities are, though. When it came to spending the same trillion dollars, there was some hemming and hawing, but industrial giants and banking monopolies got their money quick — although they were most responsible for taking us to the financial precipice we stand on today.
In the end, I still blame us. We still refer to ourselves as the “greatest” while millions die each year for lack of health care and our system of education is in the gutter as we do little to save it. And we keep electing politicians who only believe in green power — and not the kind that would revolutionize our system of energy.
