Friday, August 15, 2014

THE TRUE COST OF NORTH BAY VILLAGE



When I decided not to run in 2012, and Jorge Gonzalez automatically took office, I had confidence that Commissioner Gonzalez had the best interest of the village at heart. 

I did not plan to run this year but when I take stock of what has transpired in the last 2 years, I realize that it is time to take a stand. 
Our property taxes went up 22% last year, and are now set to rise another 13% this year.  What do we get for this 35% raise?

1.    Our streets are filthy.
2.    Our water bills went up over 30% and raw sewage regularly flows into the streets on Treasure Island and Harbor Island.
3.    Crime has gone up and police patrols have gone down.

How has the money been spent?

1.    $6 million dollars on Vogel Park and we still can't use it.
2.    $102,000 to plan a pedestrian plaza under the metal grate East Bridge while the village has never cleaned the Tot Lot.
3.    $80,000 severance went to the previous village manager who was here less than a year and yet the village can't pay for PAL.
4.    $1,000,000 in legal fees wasted in two personnel cases that the village was warned from the start would lose, and the village did lose.

The Village has never enforced:

1.    The two year old contract to clean the sidewalks and NBI wall twice a year even though we pay for it.
2.    The requirement for waterfront access in exchange for over $2 million in tax abatements.
3.    The impact fees to fix our broken sewers.
4.    The requirement that foreclosing banks register their properties with the village and pay for their upkeep to prevent blight.

More specifically, Commissioner Jorge Gonzalez has never:

1.    Held a community meeting.
2.    Addressed the parking issue on Harbor Island except to propose a fee on Harbor Island residents.
3.    Addressed the recreational issues for our youth and elderly
4.    Proposed a single piece of legislation to support our businesses

But Commissioner Jorge Gonzalez has:

1.    Been rebuked by the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics for accepting a Suite at the Miami Heat’s game from a Turkish developer interested in North Bay Village.
2.    Been gifted by a still unknown donor for an all-expense paid trip to Isparta, Turkey which he will not discuss.
3.    Vigorously supported repealing the requirement that commissioners report gifts over $25.
4.    Closed off the legally required waterfront access to the public.
5.    Has stated publicly that “if residents don't want to pay higher taxes, they should move.”

The simple fact is that our money is disappearing while debris piles up in the streets, our sewers are rotting, our programs are cut, and Jorge Gonzalez has offered no solutions, no support while benefiting from his position with expensive gifts and travel from people doing business with the village.

In the campaign to come, you are going to hear a lot of smoke and noise, claims that taxes have not risen, new trees have been planted at no cost to the village, and that Mario Garcia is “negative” for proposing concrete solutions to:

·         Enforce the Street Cleaning Contracts.
·         Bring Bay front Access to all residents and to protect the affected condos.
·         Not accept extravagant gifts from people wanting favors from the village.
·         Report all gifts and bonuses given to the commissioners no matter how small.
·         Hold community workshops to fix the parking issue.
·         Restore the Youth Services and Elder Services.
·         Address the rotting sewers at last.
·         Ensure our police dollars are spent on public safety, not management issues.

Maybe it is time to be negative. It's time to say No to continue the same old government for government's sake and take back our village.  So I am running to bring positive, resident focused change to the village and need your support when the mud starts flying and the issues get lost in the campaign sewage.  Let's stick together to clean this Village up. 

Mario Garcia

North Bay Village deserves better! and  together we can make North Bay Village better!







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