Rumors of who would replace an ousted Mayor Alvarez
Al’s Loupe
Rumors of who would replace an ousted Mayor Alvarez
By Alvaro F. Fernandez
alvaro@progresoweekly.com
The Miami rumor mill is heating up. Conversations of who will replace Mayor Carlos Alvarez are taking place in many corners of the county. And if it was not for the fact that the decision will be important for those of us who live here, I’d call what’s happening almost comical… but tragic.
But before we start we should be reminding some of these folks that Carlos Alvarez is still the mayor. And although his political nemesis, Miami businessman Norman Braman, has already collected twice the number of voter signatures needed to hold a referendum on whether to oust him from office, Alvarez is fighting the recall effort in court with a highly paid and excellent gunslinger (his lawyer, of course) who may throw the whole thing for a loop based on a technicality. A hearing and decision is expected after Dec. 3.
But still, it’s not keeping the buzzards from circling county hall. “Wouldn’t it be better to wait for his term to end normally in 2012?” some are asking, their plans to take over the county’s top spot possibly hurried by almost two years. Others who have worked out deals along the way are saying the opposite – in other words, the sooner the better.
Let’s take a look at names and situations I’ve heard mentioned. I can’t guarantee them, by the way, but in a county like ours, the most unlikely scenarios sometimes turn out to be the most likely results.
Rumor Number 1: There’s talk that it took some prodding from certain sectors to keep Kendrick Meek in the race for the senate seat won by Marco Rubio. I was assured that Kendrick had agreed with Bill Clinton to step away and give Charlie Crist a chance of overtaking Rubio in the last two weeks of the campaign. But something happened in the end and things didn’t turn out as expected.
Here’s what I’ve heard. The Diaz-Balarts stepped in and made Kendrick a promise. “We’ll raise you money,” they said. “And we’ll stomp for you in the Cuban community,” they added. The deal: stay in the senate race (a loser) and then run for mayor of Miami-Dade County.
Interestingly, my source, someone who knows the Diaz-Balart clan, feels strongly that especially Lincoln will NOT follow through with the promise(s). The reasons are varied, but an interesting one has Lincoln himself taking a look at a run for mayor of Miami-Dade County. I myself am not sure of Lincoln’s run for mayor. I still question why Diaz-Balart suddenly decided to retire from his safe congressional seat. And there’s still the question of the Puerto Rican investigation into corruption and graft where the Diaz-Balart name has surfaced prominently.
Rumor Number 2: At county hall there are no less than three or four commissioners eyeing the top spot – in 2012. Their plans have been laid out for months and the recall situation has caused some stress in downtown Miami. But, there are ways to remedy the problem.
If Miami-Dade voters recall Mayor Alvarez, county commissioners have the right to appoint his successor. This, they feel, might be sold to voters as a cost saving measure. A special election would cost millions.
Who’d they appoint? A name being bandied about is Dennis Moss. He is respected, does not seek the top spot, and he might be willing to serve out the mayor’s term. Of course, that leaves his commission seat open. Who would fill that?
Then again, like I said, these are simply rumors.
Anyway, if Mayor Alvarez does get recalled and we do hold a special election, there’s already one person who has raised nearly a quarter million dollars. State Rep. Marcelo Llorente has been running for mayor of Miami-Dade County for months. And since money seems to be the most important ingredient for getting elected these days, Mr. Llorente, whom I do not know, seems to be the frontrunner at this time.
