The debate is coming to a head over who should control the Miami Parking Authority.
On one side, the Miami Parking Authority, an independent body that critics have given high marks for installing hi-tech machines, expanding parking garages, and, this year, turning an estimated $7 million dollars over to the city.
"They are viewed by people in the business as running a top notch operation," said attorney Thomas Tew, who the parking authority board is paying $525 dollars an hour to lead its charge against the takeover.
The city's resolution says that the "Miami City Commission will discontinue the Department of Off-Street Parking (DOSP), transfer DOSP's assets to the city, allow for the operation, and control of parking."
"Bad idea", Tew said, who called it "a raid on the only profitable public asset left."
Tew issued a letter to the city, asking them to pull the takeover attempt off the November ballot.
"Their resolution seeks to disolve the management, which is indpedent business people and not politicians, and give the city the right to sell or lease those assets as it sees fit. I don't think that's prudent," Tew said.
Mayor Tomas Regalado explained the city's position: "What the city commission wants to do is to have the ability to go into the parking authority and look at their expenses and the way they operate."
Regalado said the city's finances are much better now and parking authority executives are making high salaries, too, but the city can't do anything
Miami resident Joe Garcia doesn't think turning the parking authority over to the city is a good idea.
"Oh, you mean they want to take it over from the off street parking authority?," he asked. "They will screw it up. They havent done anything right in a million years."
However, not everyone is against the takeover.
"If the city's going to run it, they need to make more parking spaces available," said Miami native Nancy Camacho.
If the parking authority is not able to convice the city to take the measure off the ballot, voters will decide Nov. 2nd.
