Vote Up the Ballot

You can see the sample ballot for North BayVillage here.

You can read my take on the North Bay Village Charter Amendments here.  

And for other views, check out Mario for North Bay Village

And Robot Bhandari here.  

It turns out there are more that just North Bay Village issues on the ballot November 6.  Who knew?  What I have below is my take on the county amendments and the school board questions.  All of these affect our lives in North Bay Village pretty directly so this might be useful for you.  At the very bottom, I put my views on the judges and statewide consitutional amendments. 

School Board
Sequence	Text	My View
School Board Question	Funding Modernization and Construction of Public School Facilities Through Issuance of General Obligation Bonds Shall the School District of Miami-Dade County fund a plan for modernization and construction of public school facilities throughout the district, including educational technology upgrades, by issuing general obligation bonds in an aggregate amount not exceeding $1,200,000,000, in one or more series, bearing interest at market rates, maturing within thirty years, and secured by the full faith and credit and ad-valorem taxing power of the district	Yes. Miami-Dade schools are improving rapidly. We are the fourth largest school district in the US and our school board needs to modernize the facilities and manage the educational improvement.
County Charter Amendments
Sequence	Text	My View
1.)	Home Rule Charter Amendment Relating to Term Limits of County Commissioners Shall the Charter be amended to provide that County Commissioners shall serve no more than two consecutive four-year terms in office excluding terms of service prior to 2012?	No. I realize I stand nearly alone on this but I firmly believe that we already have term limits – they are called elections – and if a commissioner is not performing, he or she should be voted out. For North Bay Village, Sally Heyman has been a strong and useful advocate. If she runs again, I want her in the position.
2,	Technical Amendments to Home Rule Charter Shall the Charter be amended to clarify the titles of subsections, correct and update cross-references between provisions, and delete references to offices and agencies which have been abolished?	Yes. This simply cleans up the charter language. It's actually a cost saving measure as there is less work trying to figure out what archaic and obscure references must be included or ignored.
3	Charter Amendment Requiring Extraordinary Vote to Include Additional Land within the Urban Development Boundary Shall the Charter be amended to require a two-thirds vote of County Commissioners then in office to include additional land within the Urban Development Boundary established by the County's Comprehensive Development Master Plan?	Yes. This is half a loaf but better than nothing. The Urban Development Boundary in a delicate environment matters. We have to control sprawl and requiring that this be at least be made more difficult to change is a step forward.
4	Charter Amendment Pertaining to Changes in Municipal Boundaries and Creation of New Municipalities Shall the Charter be amended to: • Require the County Commission to consider the benefits of any proposed annexation of commercial areas, when approving or authorizing an annexation	No. This seems like a good idea at first glance, allow unincorporated areas to create new cities for more local services and representation, but it ignores the reality that adjoining unincorporated areas will be impacted. It does not fix the issues of annexation and could cost taxpayers more not less to serve the county as a whole. The whole idea needs to be revised and part of a larger package.
5	Charter Amendment Regarding Penalties and Enforcement of Citizens' Bill of Rights Shall the Charter be amended to eliminate the provision providing for forfeiture of office if a public official or employee willfully violates the Citizens' Bill of Rights and allow, in addition to suit in circuit court, the Commission on Ethics and Public Trust to enforce the Citizens' Bill of Rights with penalties authorized by the Code?	No. This is a great idea that will be ruined by bad company. The Commission on Ethics is a deeply political office, favoring the powers that be, and has been proved worthless in addressing municipal corruption. There is no indication that they will be any more effective at protecting our rights than they are at addressing abuse. The Commission on Ethics needs to be removed and replaced by people who actually practice the ethics they pretend to enforce.
6	Charter Amendment Related to Option for Filling Mayoral or County Commissioner Vacancy Shall the Charter be amended to: • Extend the time to conduct an election to fill a mayoral or commissioner vacancy from 45 to 90 days from the decision to call such election and provide a timeframe for qualification and any necessary runoff; • Temporarily transfer, during a mayoral vacancy or incapacity, certain mayoral powers to the Commission Chairperson, Vice Chairperson or Commissioner chosen by the Board?	Meh. 45 days is enough to run an election. That it is not convenient for the candidates or administration is not a particular concern of mine. I'll probably vote no.
7	Charter Amendment Regarding Mayoral Conflicts in County Procurement Shall the Charter be amended to provide that when the County Mayor declares a conflict of interest in a particular procurement of a County contract, the chairperson of the Board of County Commissioners shall exercise all authority provided by the Charter or the County Commission to the Mayor with regard to such procurement including the authority to recommend a bid waiver?	No. It just transfers singular power. It's a bad solution to a real problem. The problem should be addressed by the commission and administration as a whole.
8	Referendum Regarding Structures and Modification of Existing Agreements for the Tennis Center at Crandon Park In accordance with Article 7 of the Home Rule Charter, do you approve as set forth in Resolution R-660-12: • Erection of permanent structures and expansion of existing structures at Crandon Park Tennis Center for public park and tennis tournament use, which shall be funded solely by tennis center and tournament revenues and private funds; and • Modification and extension of agreements with operator of Sony Open Tennis Tournament or its successors?	Yes. Okay. It's funded by user fees and corporate sponsors to update the park.
9	Non-Binding Straw Ballot on Funding Improved Animal Services Programs Would you be in favor of the County Commission increasing the countywide general fund millage by 0.1079 mills and applying the additional ad valorem tax revenues generated thereby to fund improved animal services, including: • Decreasing the killing of adoptable dogs and cats (historically approximately 20,000 annually); • Reducing stray cat populations (currently approximately 400,000 cats); and • Funding free and low-cost spay/neuter programs, low-cost veterinary care programs, and responsible pet ownership educational programs?	Yes. It's non-Binding and maybe it will call attention to the near out of control animal problems in the county. It does not replace personal responsibility of pet owners and I hope the county does address this issue.
10	Non-Binding Straw Ballot on Contracting with Companies Doing Business with State Sponsors of Terrorism Would you support, to the extent permitted by law, prohibiting further the use of taxpayers' dollars to procure services or capital improvement projects from companies actively doing business in countries that are on the U.S. Department of State's list of state sponsors of terrorism?	Yes. This is a national Federal issue that is not being addressed. It would stop the country from doing business with companies like Mitt Romney's Bain Capital who invest heavily in companies doing business in China, Iran and Cuba, while pretending not to.

State Ballots Amendments - No to All

These include amendments to enforce theology on women, fund churches in proselytizing,  give homestead exemptions to investors rather than residents, and are generally an abuse of the ideas and goals of the electoral process.   These are designed to deceive not improve our lives.  

Supreme Court Justices Florida - Yes to Retain

A number of radical organizations have attempted to turn this into a referendum to intimidate justices who do not agree with their views by removing them from office.  The Florida Supreme Court has done a good job ensuring that the basic laws of this state are fairly applied and while I disagree with many of their principles as regards individual rights, removing them would be a mistake.    

Andrea Wolfson - No.  Send Her Packing

Oh, she appears reasonable.  But she deliberately sought and accepted the endorsement of the "Christian Family Coalition of Miami" who stand against the County Human Rights Ordinance, frame a Woman's Right to Choose as the State's Right to Enforce Prohibitions and actively seek public funding of churches (not services provided, the actual church.)   

That Andrea Wolfson lacks the integrity to stand for non-partisan justice and sought their endorsement makes her unfit for the judiciary.   

Other Races - 

President - I'm voting for Obama.  I just can't get to the magical place where cutting revenue improves revenue, where the first priority is to eliminate $700bn in Medicare savings and claiming that somehow reduces Medicare costs and I can't vote for someone who made millions investing in China, Russia and Iran, then hides the money off shore.   Seems like we need a president who is  invested in America, not Iran and Russia.  

Senator -  Bill Nelson.  We need realists.  

Congress - this one may be a surprise.  I think Debbie Wasserman-Schultz is a poor rep for us.  She spends too much time seeking the limelight and not enough on her constituents.  Unfortunately her opponent seems to be a whack job so I may not vote on this one.  

Okay, so there's my opinion for the election.  Early voting starts tomorrow.  

Kevin Vericker  
October 26, 2012