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By South Miami Commissioner Josh Leibman
IN MY OPINION
There are enough questions on this year’s election ballot to make your head spin, but if you live in the City of Pleasant Living there are a few that could lead to better government and progress.
Once again, the question regarding how many commission members needed to effectuate a zoning change finds its way onto the ballot. Currently, a unanimous five out of five votes of the commission is required in the city to achieve a zoning change. This ballot question lowers that requirement to a super majority of four out of five citywide for zoning changes. The current five out of five impedes progress and is the main reason why Sunset Place and our Downtown District remain stagnant. It gives one commission member the power to veto what could be a great project for the city and provides the opportunity for corruption. No other municipality in Florida has such a requirement. It is about time to end this ludicrous requirement by voting YES on BALLOT #254 lowering to four out of five votes citywide for a zoning change.
Why exactly does South Miami’s mayor run for office every two years while city commissioners serve for four years? Historically, the city’s elections were in February and having the mayor’s race each cycle made those elections relevant. Now that the races culminate in November, they are relevant by default, and there is no need to require the mayor to run every two years. Allowing the mayor to serve for a four-year term instead will provide the city with more consistency and stability at the top, rather than a mayor who is constantly running for re-election. Let’s keep the mayor focused on governing and not perennially running for office by voting YES on BALLOT #258 changing the mayor’s term to four years.
If you perused the past year’s South Miami Commission meeting agendas, you would see some that had almost nothing on it. Those meetings happened because, currently, the City Charter requires two meetings per month. BALLOT item # 256 changes that, designating the commission to meet a minimum of once per month and allowing for consolidation of meetings during holidays and other times of year. It does not preclude special meetings from being called if necessary, promotes efficient government and is why we urge voting YES on BALLOT #256.
Now that you know, it’s time to vote. Remember that Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, 2022.
South Miami Commissioner Josh Liebman reflects his personal opinion on these items.
