Our inspector general may be losing the battle with Corruption County!
How long do the residents of Palm Beach County have to wait for the 14 rebellious cities to join the 24 cities and 75 percent of the voters to bring us a completely functional inspector general?
While these cities’ lawsuit, led by West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio, stagnates in the courts, the monies allocated to fund the inspector general sit in the clerk’s office.
The inspector general’s office was to have jurisdiction over county government; then 38 cities were included, as well has the county’s healthcare district and children’s services council.
Things were going to happen and maybe Palm Beach County would lose the title “Corruption County.” Muoio and 13 cities then decided that they did not like the method of paying for the inspector general, which is for the contractors that do businesses with the county pay a fee of one quarter of 1 percent to fund the inspector general. This is the same system Miami-Dade has used for over 15 years, with great success.
Now things may be really going in the wrong direction. The Palm Beach Post recently wrote, “The healthcare district dropped its contract with the inspector general, inventing reasons to do so.” The Palm Beach Post also reported that Angeleta Gray, a Delray Beach city commissioner, rejected to put their trash contract out for bid despite the inspector general’s recommendation.
It is time for the residents of Palm Beach County, the 14 rogue cities, and Mayor Muoio to do what their constituents voted for — an independent and fully funded inspector general.
Morley Alperstein, Wellington
Morley you probably are not aware of the true facts. Let me help you if I can. The IG in Miami/Dade has not been as successful as you might think. Consider the following from the Public Employees Partnership http://www.floridapublicemployees.com/why-corruption-miami-dade-must-be-rooted-out
FAVORITISM NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
• “Miami-Dade County saw it fair to take from struggling working families and give 81% of its entire $6.2 billion budget ($5.022 billion) to underworked and overpaid government employees.” The Miami Herald Blog (December 13, 2011)
• “There are 3,125 Miami-Dade County employees who get six figures this year.”—Tim Elfrink, Miami New Times Blog (November 4, 2011)
• “The specter of more jobs has always been used to manipulate our community. The new Miami Marlins stadium and its bilingual requirement—something that disqualifies most blacks (and Anglos).” The Miami Herald (December 16, 2011)
• “Genting bought the Herald property and land around it, including the Omni building, where it wants to open a temporary casino to help finance construction of its mammoth resort.” The Miami Herald (November 6, 2011)
• “Carlos J. Gimenez publicly supports Malaysian giant Genting’s bid to bring a gambling resort downtown and he’s taken thousands ($10,000) from the firm.” Miami New Times Blog (October 28, 2011)
THE HEIGHT OF SHAMELESS NEPOTISM
• “Carlos J. Gimenez, Jr., the son of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos J. Gimenez, is listed as a lobbyist for American Traffic Solutions, the company that contracts with most of the red-light camera programs in Florida, record show.” The Miami Herald (October 3, 2011)
• “…Carlos (J. Gimenez, Jr. has close personal ties to many Miami-Dade County’s elected and appointed governmental officials.” (Source: Carlos J. Gimenez, Jr. professional bio published at his employer’s lobbying Law Practice of Becker & Poliakoff official website.)
(Is there any question as to who those “elected and appointed governmental officials of Miami-Dade County” are?)
• “A possible conflict has forced Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez to sit out the awarding of a $50 million contract to a local construction company that employs his son Julio and uses his other son Carlos Jr. as its lobbyist. Munilla Construction Management submitted the lowest bid out of seven firms vying to be the general contractor on miscellaneous construction projects at the county’s airport. As Miami-Dade government’s chief executive, Gimenez is supposed to ultimately decide if MCM get the deal.” Miami New Times Blogs (September 23, 2011)
DOUBLE-DIPPER CRONIES
• “Miami-Dade Mayor (Carlos J. Gimenez) talks about fiscal responsibility, but he doesn’t practice it. Many of the mayor’s cronies from the city of Miami fire department are now double dippers. William Bryson and Genaro Iglesias, both retired from the city of Miami, were appointed to positions of fire chief and vice mayor, in Miami-Dade. The Miami Herald (October 27, 2011)
• “The deputy mayors’ salaries, which ranges from low of $225,000 to high of $267,000.” The Miami Herald (August 4, 2011)
• William Bryson and Genaro Iglesias receive each an additional $10,000 per month for their pension–$120,000 annually!
• Mayor Carlos Gimenez receives, in addition to his salary, another $140,000 for his pension as a retired firefighter.
CORRUPTION LEADS TO FAILURE
Incompetency and corruption lead both to economic failure. Replacing former Mayor Carlos Alvarez with Mayor Carlos Gimenez has changed nothing—only compounded the problems and increased the economic woes of the Miami-Dade County, in term escalated the suffering of the residents of this county.
Here are some examples from the media reports about the economy in Miami-Dade County since Mayor Carlos J. Gimenez took office in July 2011.
HOUSING SITUATION:
• “Third-quarter foreclosure filing rose 13.2 percent to 9,170 in Miami-Dade County.” The Miami Herald
• “Bank repossessions – the final stage of the foreclosures process – rose 50 percent to 2,296 in Miami-Dade during the third quarter.” The Miami
Herald (October 14, 2011)
JOBS SITUATION:
• The unemployment rate in Miami-Dade County is 11.5%, among the highest in the nation! Nothing has been done to change it.
• 1,286 jobs were eliminated in Miami-Dade government and 13 libraries were closed since Mayor Carlos Gimenez become mayor in July 2011. But don’t worry, over 3100 top “managers” will not face reduction of their six-figure salaries!
• 300 more police officers will be receiving pink slips very soon.
BALANCING THE BUDGET
• “What started as a $239 million hole in Miami-Dade County’s 2012 budget is growing by the day as the county and its 10 unions struggle to reach new contract terms.” The Miami Herald (November 16, 2011)
• “Each and every day that the county and its 10 unions fail to reach accord on new contracts, the county digs itself $300,000 further into a hole.” The Miami Herald (November 16, 2011)
• “The county says it is seeking a cut totaling 21 percent in salary and benefits from police.” The Miami Herald (October 17, 2011)
• “The (police) union says the proposed cuts, for some officers, actually would total to more than 30 percent – a number the PBA that would drive away talented officers and recruits, endangering public safety.” The Miami Herald (November 12, 2011)
Interesting is the statement and the nerve of Genaro Iglesias, Deputy Mayor/Chief of Staff, Miami-Dade County, the right-hand man of the Mayor Carlos J. Gimenez:
“One point that isn’t up for debate is the need for county government to tighten its collective belt.”
(Source: The Miami Herald (November 23, 2011, Page 20A)
If they want austerity, they need to start with themselves, meaning Genaro Iglesias, William Bryson and Mayor Carlos J. Gimenez who each receive between $277,000 and $370,000 for their salaries and pensions.
It should also be reminded that it was just a pure sham when Mayor Carlos Gimenez accepted a cut of 50 percent cut in salary from what the former mayor Carlos Alvarez was receiving. Mayor Gimenez gets a $150,000 in salary plus $10,000 in bonuses and another $140,000 for his pension as former firefighter—a total of whopping $300,000!
For comparison, the salary of the Florida governor is a meager $130,000.
Incompetency and corruption come always with a high price and we all end up paying for it.
Investment Watch Blog – 2012: http://investmentwatchblog.com/why-corruption-in-miami-dade-county-must-be-rooted-out/#.TxUblKVSSO5
20 million dollars or more later and no corruption exposed,just recommendations. With all the corruption around many people should be in jail.They should find a new job as they are worthless to the taxpayer.