Miami, Hialeah Mayors Respond to Cities' Placement on Website's “Worst-Run” List

Mayor Carlos Hernandez challenged the writer to come to Hialeah to see what it's all about

The Magic City is certainly beautiful, but it's a tricky place to live, according to the website 24/7 Wall St. It ranks Miami as the second-worst-run city in the United States.

"I think it's just a website that doesn't like cities that are so diverse, because the real Wall Street is giving us better ratings in terms of bonds and in terms of quality of life,” Mayor Tomas Regalado responded.

The same article calls out Hialeah as the fifth-worst run city in the country.

"Oh, they don't know what they're talking about,” Mayor Carlos Hernandez said. “First of all, I don't even know who Wall St. 24/7 are."

The article bases its rankings on a city's credit rating, poverty rates, education, crime stats and unemployment rates. It says Hialeah's 14.1 percent unemployment and the fact that 40 percent of its residents don't have health insurance landed the city on the list. Hackles have been raised, right mayor?

“Very proud of the quality of life in Hialeah for our seniors, our youth, we're recognized nationwide for our parks, we're one of the safest cities over 200,000 citizens in the country,” Hernandez said.

The article says 31 percent of Miami's residents live below the poverty line. That’s almost twice the national rate.

"I think it's unfair to judge a city because people are poor,” Regalado said.

He added that “investing in Miami is now the ‘in’ thing for many people outside the country."

Miami's mayor pointed out the construction industry is booming, and the credit rating is getting better. Hialeah's mayor is still wondering who wrote the article.

"So whoever they are, if it's a guy in his pajamas at home, or whoever it is, I challenge him to come to Hialeah and he can see what Hialeah's all about,” Hernandez said.

Asked if he has new pajamas to give the writer, the mayor replied, "I'll give him a city of Hialeah pajamas if he wants to come to the city of Hialeah."

All kidding aside, the mayors of both cities know their cities have issues, but they, of course, both maintain they're making progress. At least Miami can say it's no longer number one. Last year the same website ranked it at the top of the worst-run cities list.

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