Mayor Carlos Alvarez goes to court again to block the recall election from taking place while Commissioner Natacha Seijas drops her lawsuit.
Fear of facing the voters is driving both the Mayor and Commissioner to undertake what some call "desperation moves," as reported in today's Miami New Times, hiring State Senator Alex Diaz de la Portilla to collect absentee ballots.
According to the Miami Herald, Alvarez "is gearing up for the upcoming vote."
"The mayor held an organizational meeting to strategize with supporters Thursday evening at a warehouse in Doral, drawing dozens, including many county officials. Among those attending were James Loftus, director of the Miami-Dade Police Department; Fire Chief Herminio Lorenzo; Harpal Kapoor, director of Miami-Dade Transit, and Special Assistant County manager Howard Piper."
Why would Miami-Dade County employees get involved in this election? To protect their salaries of course.
James Loftus: $200,297.82
Herminio Lorenzo: $225,010.09
Harpal Kapoor: $242,602.70
Howard Piper: $158,053.83
Now, these are pure salary only, not counting executive benefits, car allowances, pensions, or other compensation.
It is these County employees and so many others that benefited from the Mayor's tax increases on the people, so it is these employees that have the most to lose were the Mayor to fail in this upcoming election.
Instead of giving the people a reason to vote for him, the Mayor's arrogance blinds him to the need of the people he is supposed to serve. He cannot properly articulate any reasons or vision to keep office, but instead must rely on "political operatives" and high-paid bureaucrats to do his bidding.
The March 15th election is a grassroots uprising from people tired of being manipulated, of having their wallets dipped into by greedy politicians.
The Mayor and other politicians need to learn a lesson: no amount of posturing, legal maneuvers, or dirty politics will keep the people's will from being done.
UPDATE
From the Miami Herald:
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez’s 11th-hour legal bid to block his upcoming recall vote was thrown out Friday morning, as voting is set to begin Monday in the elections seeking the ouster of both the county mayor and Miami-Dade Commissioner Natacha Seijas.
