Wednesday, October 06, 2010

DAY 354 - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?

With a city at nearly 13% unemployment and continuing to face a declining revenue base, the news that a brand new Publix and Whole Foods will be built downtown comes as a pleasant surprise.

The Daily Business Review reports how the Downtown Miami Whole Foods project is back on.  The downtown Whole Foods will join a Publix up the street in the Omni area, bringing two new markets to the neighborhood in addition to the concentration of markets south of the river in the Brickell area.

Both these markets will not only serve the residents of the area, but create sorely needed jobs in the area.

So much for the "empty condos" Tomas!

What allowed these markets to determine they need to open stores in downtown Miami?

Could it have been the vision of former Mayor Manny Diaz who turned downtown Miami into a residential neighborhood?

Tomas Regalado and Marc Sarnoff have no idea how to continue the development.

Regalado and Sarnoff have turned the CRA and DDA into personal piggy banks to hand out contracts to lobbyist friends and pay back political favors.

Instead of using CRA and DDA funds to further stimulate economic activity in the area and eliminate "slum and blight," the CRA and DDA are rudderless, with no direction whatsoever.

For the Diaz naysayers, the condo proliferation downtown has turned it into Miami's hottest neighborhood.

Too bad Tomas and Marc don't get it. 

Neither do Billionaire Braman or Billboard Bockweg.

Giant LED Billboards don't bring jobs, they only make your pals extra rich.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mayor Corruptalado and Commissioner Liaroff says....it is not about serving the residents or the neighborhoods in the City. It is about serving my pockets and filling it with money! So what if we are a little corrupted, we both hide behind making political statements of ending corruption and adopting ethical ordinances. Hey those things play well in the media and I, Corruptaldo, being the former journalist that I am will use my connection and I, Sarnoff, will use my public relations person, David Karsh, to use the necessary media sound bites to fool the public.

In a Communist state, this is called "Propaganda". Corruptalado and Liaroff you are nothing more than dictators and tyrants. This is America assholes!

Anonymous said...

Billboards, LED billboards and mural ads are urban blight. They send a signal to the public that elected officials are for sale.

Billboard companies are based out-of-town. There is no local benefit. Ruining our community is all about money. Money to elected officials.

Anonymous said...

Hey...it's the new Pair of Digims!

Anonymous said...

Read what Sarnoff is doing now that is so wrong wrong wrong!

www.thecrespogramreport.com

Sarnoff is evil!

John Le Queer said...

Sarnoff is spying on the Vice Chair Carollo?

Anonymous said...

CRA Employee says....Sarnoff told David Karsh that Carrollo is an asshole and tired of his continuing requests to defer agenda items. Sarnoff told David Karsh that he and the Mayor wanted dirt on Carrollo to come out in the media.

THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET INTERESTING! THE FIRST DIRT ON CARROLLO IS A STORY INVOLVING ROY BLACKS EX-WIFE AND CARROLLO DATING HER WHEN HE WAS A METRO-DADE COP! DOES ANYBODY KNOW THE STORY?

Brad K said...

One of the biggest barriers to economic development is the dual standard of how the City treats the connected few vs the unconnected masses. Operating an illegal parking lot? The connected get to operate for years with no enforcement. The unconnected get threatened with arrest. Want to develop a property? The connected few get the City to write a special zoning code (i.e. Miami World Center Special zoning district). The unconnected have to deal with the Building counter and wait more that a year to get permits. Want to put up a billboard? The connected get a fast track process with their lawyers writing the new ordinance for the City. The unconnected have to wait years for the red tape. Want to open an art gallery but don't have the money? The connected get Bicentennial park declared slum and blight to allow CRA funds meant for the poor to pay for it. The unconnected get evicted for not paying the rent. No wonder most savvy international investors and large corporations shy away from Miami's boom and bust investment climate that favors insiders as opposed to the masses.

Anonymous said...

Brad K

You sound like a great American. I feel for you. The gang at Miami City Hall is horrible. Look at all of the problems the 24 hour night clubs bring to the city. However, Sarnoff bends over backwards for them. Why? look at campaign contributions. Why should they get special concessions and not obey city codes? Others at the same time are put at huge disadvantage i.e. Mr Moes.

Anonymous said...

Great examples from Brad K.

Bicentennial Park will be the next BILLION dollar disaster. Two broke museums use lies and sleazy lobbyists to con the public out of $1 BILLION plus. Hundreds of worthy charities will not receive funding to cover the broke museums debacle.

Illegal parking lots charging $40 for Heat pre-season game. No taxes paid. Police ignore illegal behavior.

Anonymous said...

Al Crespo and Brad K,

We should submit a Public Records Request for all businesses who need a Business Tax Receipt (BTR) and send all of them notices to inform them that they are being required to pay for such BTRs when others politically connected are not. The notices should tell them not to pay for their BTRs until the City requires and receives payment from those who are politically connected.

Also, don't you think it is time to bring your story to light with "Help Me Howard" - Channel 7 and Al Sunshine- Channel 4?

Anonymous said...

Brad, please stop spinning "most savvy international investors and large corporations shy away from Miami's boom and bust investment climate that favors insiders as opposed to the masses."

Haven’t you read the stories just in the last week on Wells Fargo, Publix, and Whole Foods, investing in downtown Miami?

You too built your parking illegally, foregoing construction permits until threatened with enforcement.

While you were before the zoning board attempting to waive parking requirements for your building you waived around parking leases with the people you are complaining about. Then, when you didn’t want to pay, built an illegal lot which you only brought into compliance when threatened with arrest. Now you bad mouth the hard working Jeff and Wanda and talk about helping the “masses.”

Here’s what one of the “masses” wrote in the New Times about a recent event at your venue:

Chuck Livid says:
J. Duran's piece is about as good as it's gonna get for this show. The show was a fucking nightmare- A bunch of Miami drama, coke heads and assholes. Crystal Castles rocks but this was a sad day as far as shows go Miami.

You can’t say you should be allowed to rob the bank because others got away with it. Their day will come. You built and operated your lot for months before they enforced against you.

Stop spinning.

Anonymous said...

Brad, please stop spinning "most savvy international investors and large corporations shy away from Miami's boom and bust investment climate that favors insiders as opposed to the masses."

Haven’t you read the stories just in the last week on Wells Fargo, Publix, and Whole Foods, investing in downtown Miami?

You too built your parking illegally, foregoing construction permits until threatened with enforcement.

While you were before the zoning board attempting to waive parking requirements for your building you waived around parking leases with the people you are complaining about. Then, when you didn’t want to pay, built an illegal lot which you only brought into compliance when threatened with arrest. Now you bad mouth the hard working Jeff and Wanda and talk about helping the “masses.”

Here’s what one of the “masses” wrote in the New Times about a recent event at your venue:

Chuck Livid says:
J. Duran's piece is about as good as it's gonna get for this show. The show was a fucking nightmare- A bunch of Miami drama, coke heads and assholes. Crystal Castles rocks but this was a sad day as far as shows go Miami.

You can’t say you should be allowed to rob the bank because others got away with it. Their day will come. You built and operated your lot for months before they enforced against you.

Stop spinning.

Anonymous said...

Why is the city promoting the drug clubs?

Anonymous said...

City of Miami employee says....

The IT Department has been working with the Miami Police Department for over 6 months spying on all city employees' computers. This was requested by Mayor Regalado. The Police Officer involved in such spying Javier Ortiz. Carlos Migoya's and Tomas Regalado's boy.

Brad K said...

Here we go again with the personal attacks. Please stick with the facts and stop hiding.

FACT: A free parking lot to support an existing business with a BTR does not require a separate BTR. There is nothing in the City code to the contrary.

FACT: I was threatened by the City of Miami Police dept. with arrest for operating without a BTR

FACT: The lots owned by Nitin Motwani have no BTR and have been operating for months with no enforcement from "hard working Wanda and Jeff"

FACT: We had 10 officers here last night led by Wanda and Jeff to enforce petty infractions, while the illegal lots across the street continued to operate with no consequences.

FACT: Investors around the world shy away from uncertainty and an unfair business environment with no level playing field and selective enforcement. Might I refer you to "economics for dummies"?

Anonymous said...

The City is promoting the drug clubs because Mark Siffin is probably supplying and selling the drugs. He is a known drug-trafficker. He's cleaned his dirty money by purchasing real estate and becoming a developer. Mayor Regalado and Commissioner Sarnoff has partnered with this criminal to install giant billboards. This wlll bring millions of dollars back to Siffin and he will repay Regalado and Sarnoff. Bottom line Regalado and Sarnoff are guilty by association and are criminals.

Here let me write note to self using Sarnoff's pen. I saw Mayor Regalado and Commissioner Sarnoff sniffing around those white lines in front of the street where the drug clubs are located.

Anonymous said...

Fact: you built and operated the lot for months without getting permits until code enforced.

Fact: you opened by saying that you had existing parking agreements.

Fact: you only complained about others when you were told to follow the rules.

Fact: the police have said they are investigating the others.

Fact: Wells Fargo, Publix, Whole Foods just in the last week.

Fact: Do as I say not as I do.

Anonymous said...

David Karsh and Bert Gonzalez:

Fact- You are both pussies.

Fact- You can't survive in the real world.

Fact- You are both useless.

Fact- You are both Sarnoff's do-boys (bend over bitches!)

Fact- Those other parking lots are not in compliance.

Fact- Sarnoff is helping them.

Fact-Less revenue to the City.

Fact- Equal enforcement and not selective enforcemen

Fact- Enjoy it while you can until your little "bitch' of a Commissioner goes to jail.

Anonymous said...

That's Mister Pussies to you, sir.

This is the real world.

We wouldn't park Bockweg's Beemer in that lot much less our own.

He's gonna be State Attorney.

Al Crespo said...

Get it straight Mr. Pussies. Burt Gonzalez is the proud owner of the BMW X6. "Billboard" Bockweg owns a Ford Expedition.

Facts matter, even when its only about cars.

Anonymous said...

Billboard Bockweg is waiting for his $220,000 pay package to be approved RETROACTIVE to July 23rd. In the meantime, Bockweg is deciding on interior finishes for his new ride.

Just what it takes to clean up Overtown, yuppies in taxpayer paid luxury vehicles.

Average monthly income in Overtown - $700 per month. Requested monthly vehicle allowance for Billboard Bockweg - $800.

Anonymous said...

Brad K puts his money where his mouth is. Brad K lives in the CRA district.

Bockweg, Gonzalez, Karsh, etc all live in other Cities. They just show up to divert CRA money into their pockets.

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