Occasionally an idea is so self-evident that you marvel that nobody did it long ago.

That’s the case with Miami-Dade Commissioner Javier Souto’s legislation to outlaw backroom deals between the administration and commissioners to trade favors for votes.

It’s obvious that, in a state that purports to require government in the sunshine, passage would be a no-brainer.

Why, then, is it likely that the administration and a commission majority will kill the effort or water it down to make it useless?

To read the remainder of this article, visit: http://miamitodaynews.com/news/091119/story-viewpoint.shtml

New Miami Mayor Tom·s Regalado plans to start off on the right foot next week by seeking a vote that could terminate a lease to a developer who has defaulted on payments due the city.

Immediately bringing the Watson Island lease for the unborn Island Gardens project before the commission is absolutely the right first step. It shows concern for the city’s wallet that City Manager Pete Hernandez has not.

Mr. Hernandez told us last week, before the election, that he sees no hurry in seeking a quarter million dollars in late land use payments from developer Mehmet Bayraktar as the city struggles to pay its bills.

To read the remainder of this article, visit: http://miamitodaynews.com/news/091112/story-viewpoint.shtml

Even before this week’s election picture clarifies, Miami’s new leaders face an immediate test with vital long-term coloration: What to do about a long-awaited Watson Island showcase that’s clearly painted red?

A developer who variously says he has put $49 million or $54 million into a mega-yacht marina/luxury hotels project but has yet to sign a ground lease with the city, turn a shovel of dirt or get financing keeps stumbling over relatively minor monthly rent — a big red flag.

To read the remainder of this article, visit: http://miamitodaynews.com/news/091105/story-viewpoint.shtml

When Miami commissioners held their noses, if not tempers, and voted last week to permit $120 million bonding for Marlins stadium garages that were supposed to cost $94 million, most were shocked.

After all, when they’d approved the parking in March, City Manager Pete Hernandez had agreed to a $94 million cap and said he’d scale down construction to fewer spaces if garage costs were higher.

Yet there his finance chief stood at the outset of Thursday’s meeting asking for $135 million — $41 million above the manager’s own ceiling.

But why were commissioners surprised?

To read the remainder of this article, visit: http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/091029/story-viewpoint.shtml

Even as Miami-Dade irons out its budget cuts for struggling cultural groups, the arts put forth their construction plans.

In this sole respect the arts and professional sports are curiously similar: each seeks a new building.

For sports, it will have a very short life.

As we know, our first professional basketball arena was used less than 10 years. We’re on our second.

The first hockey arena (combined with basketball) lasted less than a decade before we “needed” the second — thankfully, on Broward’s tab.

Major League Baseball, 17 years old here, expects its second stadium — the first created for baseball — by its 20th birthday.

Then last week the National Football League made clear to the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce that the Dolphins’ two-decade-old stadium is dated and something expensive must be done if we want to keep luring Super Bowl and Pro Bowl games.

To read the remainder of this article, visit: http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/091015/story-viewpoint.shtml

The architect of Miami-Dade County’s $3 billion Florida Marlins stadium giveaway is seething at a New York Times report that pinpoints some of the boondoggle’s worst aspects.

The article “took unwarranted editorial liberties and omitted important facts about our decision,” County Manager George Burgess wrote in a letter to reporter Ken Belson that he copied to the paper’s top executives, county and city executives and elected officials and, of course, the Marlins.

The article, headed “In Lean Times, Miami Pays Most of Cost for New Ballpark,” pointed out that the deal proceeded in the depths of the recession and that in return for the county and City of Miami covering three-quarters of the stadium costs they “will receive no new revenue from the park, and the team can keep all the money from the 50 luxury suites, concessions and advertising, as well as from naming rights, which alone could generate more than $100 million.”

To read the remainder of this article, visit: http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/091008/story-viewpoint.shtml

That debate could be fruitful. Whacking millions is easy. Deciding exactly where to whack them is anything but.

Unfortunately, time is up. By Thursday night, the budget must be done.

Also unfortunately, bargaining with unions that represent 87% of the county’s 29,027 fulltime workers over a proposed 5% pay cut won’t be anywhere near finished this week.

And that means that whatever budget is adopted will be unfinished business. As the fiscal year begins Oct. 1, Miami-Dade is unlikely to know how much more must be cut, and where, if union talks stumble.

To read the remainder of this article, visit: http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/090917/story-viewpoint.shtml

“Good morning, children. In civics class today we’ll be talking about how Miami-Dade government really works. Do you know what the county does?”

“My daddy says the county doesn’t do anything good, Miss Jones.”

“That’s not exactly right, Henry. The county tries to give us things we really need.”

“Like what, Miss Jones?”

“Well, today at our airport it’s trying to bring us not only horseracing for your parents to bet on but also lots of shiny slot machines that everyone who passes through will have fun dropping their money into.”

“My daddy says gambling is wrong, Miss Jones. He told me never to bet my lunch money on anything.”

To read the remainder of this article, visit: http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/090903/story-viewpoint.shtml

It’s been 10 years since the county spent $26.7 million of state money to buy 2.2 acres at the mouth of the Miami River in order to preserve a circle of stone uncovered as the site was cleared for condo construction.

Archaeologists had decided the circle was probably a 2,000-year-old Tequesta Indian artifact of unknown purpose and was therefore vital history. They studied the circle beginning in 1998 and, fearful that the elements would erode the find, reburied it under limestone in 2003.

And there it rests, despite a groundbreaking this month on the first phase of a historical use for the site, a passive park. There’s no money for the other 99% of the job: some structure to exhibit either the circle or a replica to the public.

To read the remainder of this article, visit: http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/090827/story-viewpoint.shtml

Miami just can’t keep its hands off public waterfront. It wants to develop every speck.

Despite having a so-called green mayor, green space isn’t on the city’s radar.

Today the city has a shaky deal with a little-known developer who has never done a project here to add a 50-slip mega-yacht marina, two hotel towers, 221,000 square feet of retail, ultra-pricey residences and a maritime museum on its Watson Island land.

The deal with Flagstone Property Group was set up eight years ago, but $1 million a year construction rents have never started — nor has construction.

To read the remainder of this article, please visit: http://miamitodaynews.com/news/090820/story-viewpoint.shtml