On Friday, two of Miami-Dade’s activist groups filed a recall petition for Commissioner Lynda Bell after they pulled her name out of a hat.
Pets’ Voice and Miami Economic Sustainability Alliance also held a press conference about the recall campaign.
"We should not be on the courthouse steps. They should have honored the vote bu they did not hear almost 500,000 voted to fund the project," said Michael Rosenberg from Pets' Trust.
Their beef with Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and commissioners centers on a straw vote in which just under 500,000 voters approved a yearly $19 million program to spay and neuter dogs and cats.
Gimenez originally said he would abide with the vote but now that political realities are such that raising taxes are unpopular, the mayor does not want to raise the county millage rate.
The mayor said that he favors keeping taxes flat and can still squeeze $4 million out of the county budget to give the Pets' Trust project a start.
The mayor and commissioners are wrestling with cutbacks in the fire services and library after the commission voted down any tax increases.
"We have decided we have another voice that we can use," Rosenberg said.
Activists had placed the names of the eight commissioners who voted against their project in a hat and then randomly drew a name. It was Bell's
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"Over the course of several months, I have heard from many of my constituents, as well as from residents throughout the county, pleading with me to not raise their taxes. Given the current state of the economy, I stand by my vote to not raise taxes on the residents of Miami-Dade County," Bell said in an email statement.
"We are going to take our community back," said Fred Frost, of Miami Economic Sustainability Alliance.
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