Post Election Therapy

Now that the communal sigh of relief is over after a strained and disturbing election season, the results are in for review. For many of the residents, observers, and campaigners who still feel like they are attempting to digest a greasy truck stop meal thanks to the insults, innuendos, and bad blood of the campaign that culminated on Valentine’s Day; perhaps a rudimentary analysis of the data might help move the system into a state of cleansing.

Of 6,730 total registered voters in South Miami 1,955 residents turned out to vote or 29 percent of the population. This is good news as it represents a significant uptick from the 23 percent that voted in 2010.

In every one of the eight precincts, democratic voters outnumbered republican voters. Anglo voters also led the way, representing the largest designated block of voters in the election.

A breakdown by precinct reveals an apparent historical trend of fewer voters in the northern half of the city. The four northern precincts in the area of Bird Road and Southwest 57 Avenue resulted in 15 percent to 21 percent turn-out.

Bob Welsh after winning Commission Seat Group 3

The mid-city precincts include the historical African American neighborhoods south of 64 Street and neighborhoods west of 57 Avenue. Those are precincts 621and 623 and they had 24 percent and 35 percent voting.

Finally the most voter turn-out for the two most southern precincts 606, and 653 had 33 percent, and 35 percent, respectively, with the Fuchs Park region to the south —precinct 606— (where the majority of the sitting commission resides) leading the way in highest voter turnout.

One noteworthy observation appears to be a sleeping giant awakening in the African American voter turn-out—precinct 621—increasing from 19 percent in 2010 to 24 percent this year. Former Mayor Julio Robaina, Jr received 59 percent of the votes in this precinct compared to Mayor Philip Stoddard’s 41 percent.

It remains to be seen how the new commission leadership will unveil. Will the pleas from the business owners for a friendlier attitude to commerce generate any tangible cooperative results? Will the demeanor of the dais evolve into an environment of mutual respect notwithstanding ideological differences? So far the recent demise of another long awaited project that seemed so close to fruition during election season is dead in the water again: The Murray Pool Proposal. Not a good sign.

We congratulate all of the winners of the 2012 election season and wish them clarity of mind, articulation of voice, compassion for all, and sound judgment for the good of the residents who depend on a sane, accessible, professional and engaged leadership for South Miami.

Thought of the Day: As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action. Words are to confuse, so that at election time people will solemnly vote against their own interests. — Gore Vidal

Raquel Garcia contributed to this report.

Got Tips? Call 305-669-7355 ext. 249 or send emails to Michael@communitynewspapers.com.


Connect To Your Customers & Grow Your Business

Click Here

2 COMMENTS

  1. do you think that your "favorite" sally phillips, a PHD herself, and voted FOR this ordinance, had a temporary loss of sanity and therefore mistakenly voted in favor of this ordinance?

    mayor stoddard, professor stoddard, did you just become a politician, in front of our very eyes, like they describe them, just a big inflated EGO? is that it?
    was this simply a payoff to the developers, who object to anything that will interfere with their ability to make more and more and more money, but contributed to your campaign? what is it, mayor, the election is over and you do not need US any more?

    does this remind us all of the 1% against the 99%? who's side are you , professor stoddard, the 1%? another question comes up – was your attempt to stand up against the 1% just a smoke screen?
    is this the legacy that you want to leave, mr. mayor?

    and last, but not least, are we better of with phil, rather than robaina? i am sure, robaina sits in his comfy condo in the keys, looks at our meeting, and quietly says: "you got what you wanted, now eat it!"

    we invested quite a lot in you, mr. mayor, WE, THE RESIDENTS, DESERVE ANSWERS! and please, do not brush us off with a few words, we know you can talk at length when you want (see the last blog on the pond and robaina), so please, indulge us in a detailed explanation.

    and one more issue, rumors are flying that you want to change the administration that we have and ENJOY, YES, ENJOY, right now.
    we do think that we have the best administration we EVER had, a lot of good things have been accomplished, but are still in the middle and need to be finished. you yourself praised these people during your state of the city speech. you spoke to me personally and we both agreed that it would be very destabilizing to do something like this. meantime rumors are that you are already interviewing other people for potential administration position.
    did you bring it up to the commission and listen to what they have to say? or you are acting unilaterally? is it true, mayor stoddard? please, respond, and do not say "meantime", which can mean "not tomorrow, not this month, in half a year…" please put these rumors to rest, if there is no truth to them.

    YOU LET US DOWN, PHIL AND BOB. YOU DID. what a stab in the back, what a disappointment.

    thank you.
    p.s. please stay tuned, the next letter is to "bicycle Bob" who seemed to turn to "traitor Bob".

    and please feel free to pass it on to anybody that i forgot to include.
    everybody should get involved and stand up for our city.
    eda harris

  2. dear all,
    after having an emergency meeting with a few residents on the outcome of the TODD ordinance, we decided to look deeper into it and ask our elected officials to answer a few of our burning questions.
    the elections are over and all of us who worked our tails of, supported emotionally, monetarily, physically etc, our candidates (phil and bob) were looking with hopes at our rising "suns". but did we get what we expected and were promised? good, big question. i would urge you all to view the last commission meeting from march the 6, if you did not do it yet. and then it will become clear that our hopes for a cozy, nice, pretty, green PLEASANT city were shattered into a gazillion particles, at least at this particular meeting.

    on the agenda this day was the ordinance for the TODD, the intention of which was as usual to PROTECT the residents and insurance against developers who couldn't care less about the quality of OUR life and city.

    this ordinance would have secured that all developments in the city would have to be finished within 3 years (most big projects in our city were indeed finished withing this period), so we the residents, the merchants and visitors do not have to look at ugly construction sites for ever and ever. fair? no? NO for phil, bob and josh. they voted against it and against the recommendations of the planing board and planing department.

    there was another issue in this ordinance, that a developer, who provides a green space with his development, like a park, would have to maintain this park on a regular basis, unlike the south miami hospital who would take out trees and other plants and just leave the green space so to say "on the operating table" for ever and ever. and never take care of it again. so this way, the developers have some kind of responsibility towards the project and us, rather than just filling up their pockets with money (in many case, taxpayers' money), and tell us "
    i hate to eat and run". phil and bob take very good care of their own yards, gardens, ponds… but what about the city? they both voted NO on this either – i guess it would have been to much work for the developers.

    continued….

Comments are closed.