What do Miami residents (and non) think of Carlos Alvarez?

[RagingInMiami]

Republican mayor of Miami-Dade County. He has pretty much depoliticized the mayor's office. He is a former police chief and detective who used to investigate Miami's corrupt politicians. And even though he is Cuban, I've never heard him talk about Cuba and Castro and Cold War and crap like that.

Late last year, he vetoed to prevent developers from extending the boundary line for construction into the Everglades while the county commission wanted to extend it. Extending the boundary would have had a huge environmental impact on the Everglades, not to mention overburden our already overburdened roads with traffic.

And just last week, he vetoed a measure that would have allowed county commission staff to publicly "correct" residents at meetings, arguing that "it could affect the right of free speech."

Last year, in his first year in office, he created a mental health task force to help mentally ill people because they were getting thrown in jail. And he introduced exercise and social programs for senior citizens to keep them active and healthy.

And in the State of the County Address, he vowed to provide free wireless Internet service for the entire county by the end of the year. That's progressive.

I think he ran as a republican to get the Cuban vote. I would like to see him switch parties.



By NOAKI SCHWARTZ
[email protected]

In his first veto of the year, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez is trying to kill a measure that orders County Commission staff to publicly ''correct'' residents who make inaccurate statements at commission meetings.

Though the proposal's sponsor, Vice Chairman Dennis Moss, has repeatedly said it is merely supposed to ''correct the public record,'' opponents say it could chill public comment.

Alvarez agreed Thursday, saying it could affect the right of free speech.


''It is already formidable for many speakers to take time off from work, wait a period of time and speak in front of an audience,'' the mayor said in his veto message. 'Now, add to this, trepidation that they may be `corrected' by staff regarding a situation that may be reality in their case.''


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14001884.htm



Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez widened his perspective and invited the commission to join him in opposing development closer to the Everglades.
BY NOAKI SCHWARTZ
[email protected]

In his second State of the County address, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez broadened his priorities to include affordable housing and an ambitious wireless initiative -- and he called on the commission to stand with him against development closer to the Everglades.

''It is and will continue to be the biggest challenge this community faces,'' Alvarez said Tuesday of pressure to move the urban development boundary, designed to deter sprawl from surging into the Everglades.

''The wrong decisions could leave us all with more traffic congestion, reduced services and unaffordable homes. The right ones will necessitate in-fill housing and protect our wildlife, water supply, agricultural industry and our precious Everglades,'' he declared. 'I ask the commission to join me in `Holding the Line,' '' he said to a round of applause.

State growth managers have urged the county to reject a slew of proposals to build homes and offices closer to the Everglades. Commissioners -- who sought the state's opinion rather than approve or deny the proposals outright last fall -- are due to consider them again in April.


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13986006.htm