Exits Leave Commission Lame, Ripe for Regalado
There are just two commissioners currently on the dais, not enough to meet or form a qorum.
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I'll take that one, and that one....Tomás Regalado may end up all but cherry-picking the Commission.
It sounds like a joke.
How many Miami city commissioners does it take to change a light bulb?
Knowing Magic City politics, it may end up being joke, too, but the answer is "three."
Until November 25, Miami only has two. Whoops!
In other words, the machines of government have stopped working, but the good news is that makes them only slightly less productive than before. And maybe in the meantime it'll be harder for them to enjoy any misdemeanors or (allegedly!) steal grant money.
As new Mayor Tomás Regalado put it, "Miami is functioning as a city" -- it just can't do anything. The two sitting commissioners, incumbent Marc Sarnoff and rookie JoeBro Frank Carollo, are left to twiddle their thumbs in the wake of Angel Gonzalez' resignation over a plea deal stemming from his daughter's no-show job with a city-contracted construction outfit, and Governor Charlie Crist's removal of Michelle Spence-Jones, who (allegedly!) directed grant funds intented for organizations called Timbuktu Marketplace, Osun Village, and Friends of MLK to the Michelle Spence-Jones Petty Cash, Clothes, and Travel Fund. (Allegedly!)
The fifth seat, from District 4, is involved in a run-off election and won't be awarded until the votes are tallied November 25, which means until then there aren't enough commissioners to hold a meeting or form a quorum.
The city requires decisions on replacing a departing commissioner to be made within 10 days of his or her ouster criminal charges resignation vacancy. Because Gonzalez' resignation is in effect Monday, the November 25 election is soon enough for the three to get together and decide how to replace him: appoint a new commissioner, or hold a special election.
For the seat of Michelle Spence-Jones, Mayor Regalado had hoped Crist could simply appoint a replacement (which would have been very convenient for him), but without a quorum in time to approve it the city must resort to public vote. A special election is slated for late January, at a cost of either $100,000 to $150,000, or $500,000 depending on whether it's the Mayor or Sarnoff giving a figure.
What does it all mean? Essentially, the city's political landscape just got rocked by earthquake, and, whether through appointment or influence, Regalado has an opportunity to put things back together just the way he wants. It's an exceptional position of power that comes within days of his ascension, and the result will almost assuredly be a commission stocked with allies.
(And if you need a light bulb changed in before late November, well, good luck with that.)
Posted Sunday, Nov 15, 2009 - 11:08 AM EST
