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Mark Merwitzer’s public statements used to amuse me. Now they alarm me—for their sheer demagoguery. And they should alarm you, too.
Take his recent guest column, “Highrises That Will Reshape Palmetto Bay Are Coming to Old Cutler Road. Here’s Who Let It Happen.” In it, he doesn’t just criticize — he heaps scorn on Mayor Karyn Cunningham, Council Member Patrick Fiore, and me.
What did we do to earn his latest tantrum? We voted to settle a lawsuit — on better terms than the appellate courts ordered us to.
Let’s rewind.
Back in 2016, when Merwitzer was still in junior high, his political mentor, “Founding Mayor” Gene Flinn, gave a developer vested rights to build two ten-story towers, totaling 485 units and nearly 700,000 square feet of commercial space.
They promised a “postcard-worthy” development. What they submitted looked more like Soviet-era apartment blocks.
At a time when Merwitzer was still dreaming of getting his college diploma, the Village Council rejected the developer’s site plan. The developer responded with not one, but two lawsuits:
– The first to force approval of that uninspired project.
– The second, seeking $15 million in damages under the Bert J. Harris Act.
We lost in court. We took two appeals. And lost them both.
But the world changed. COVID-19 reshaped the real estate market. Even with their legal victory in hand, the developer returned to the table.
They offered a new plan:
– 30 fewer total residential units;
– A dramatic 81% reduction in commercial space;
– And a low-rise townhome component taking up 42 residential units
Is this an amazing deal? No. But it’s a better deal than Gene Flinn’s giveaway.
And it means we don’t blow through the $11 million in reserves we’ve rebuilt over the past four years.
Working alongside Mayor Cunningham and Council Member Fiore, I’ve been focused on restoring fiscal stability so we can invest in legacy projects — projects that last:
– A new Community Building at Coral Reef Park
– Expanded courts and a renovated skate park at Palmetto Bay Park
– Phases I and II of Veterans Park
These are amenities your children and grandchildren will enjoy long after Merwitzer and I are both term-limited out. And the Village didn’t have to float the kind of bonds that Pinecrest and Cutler Bay residents will have to pay into the next generation.
Merwitzer’s outrage isn’t really about development. After all, he’s pushing to let Luxcom build 125 homes on tiny lots at the old FPL site.
Worse, he’s proposing to let Luxcom dig canals through contaminated limestone—threatening to send toxins into Biscayne Bay and open flood paths for hurricane surges into north Palmetto Bay.
He even wants to waive millions in impact fees to say “sorry” to Luxcom.
I’m not sorry. And you shouldn’t be either. (Stay tuned — I’ll write more about his Luxcom giveaway in an upcoming column.)
So why the fireworks from Merwitzer?
Simple. The Miami Herald covered the settlement and quoted Mayor Cunningham extensively.
They didn’t mention Merwitzer. Not. One. Word.
It’s hard to build a one-man political dynasty when no one takes you seriously.
His article is basically a grown-up version of The I Was Right Song: “I was right and you were wrong, I get to sing the I Was Right Song!” (Sung in a shrill, squeaky voice for full effect.)
Merwitzer closes his piece with a familiar refrain: Three Council Members — Mayor Cunningham, Patrick Fiore, and Marsha Matson — will be term-limited in 2026. He wants you angry. He needs you to stay angry until 2026, hoping you’ll elect more people like him.
Don’t fall for it. Don’t buy the bitter outrage he’s selling.
Steve Cody is a Council Member in the Village of Palmetto Bay. You can reach him at (786) 570-0363 or scody@palmettobay-fl.gov.
