Norman Braman Gets Mayoral Candidates To Promise Charter Reform

By Tim Elfrink Mon., Mar. 21 2011 at 6:28 PM

photo by Tim Elfrink

Braman issues his marching orders.

When Norman Braman launched his campaign to oust Mayor Carlos Alvarez, he made it clear that charter reform -- including term limits -- was his real goal. Braman inched a step closer to making that happen today as three of the front-runners to replace Alvarez all promised to back his ideas.

Funny how getting almost 90 percent of voters to destroy a couple political careers really catches the establishment's ear, right?

"The loud and clear message (from Tuesday's recall) was that the voters are demanding accountability," Braman said, speaking to reporters in at the Midtown Miami offices of his BMW dealership.

The three candidates -- Commissioner Carlos Gimenez, Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina, and former State Rep. Marcelo Llorente -- all signed a pledge promising to back term limits, at-large districts and other reforms pushed by Braman.

Braman also lined up a half-dozen current politicos, including Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and Miami Beach Mayor Matti Herrera Bower, to sign on.

Also, since commissioners seem to be leaning toward a May 4 election to replace Alvarez -- a date too early to include charter reform votes on the ballot -- Braman is demanding that commissioners at least include a straw poll referendum on the ideas.

"Let the voters have a say on whether they want these changes or not," Braman said. "That's all I'm asking for."

Here are the full changes that Robaina, Llorente and Gimenez promised to back:

Terms limits for commissioners of two 4 year terms
Changing the commission to a mix of at-large and single districts
Making commission elections concurrent with elections for state and national elections
Repealing the current law governing recalls to make the recall process easier and less expensive
Changing regulations to make it easier for public votes on commission ordinances
Eliminating all commissioner "slush funds" and "discretionary funds"
Reducing the size and cost of county government

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Tags:

Carlos Gimenez, Julio Robaina, Marcelo Llorente, Norman Braman

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William Foote

Norman (and his three mayoral minions) really needs to tread carefully on changing the make-up of the commission. The Federal Court set this county's commission districts in 1992 in Meek v. Metro Dade. To reorganize the commission with other charter reforms could jeopardize the entire charter reform movement by messing with the court's decision on the number of districts, their composition and method of election (at-large v. district)...........William Foote

Peter

Thank YOu Norman

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Charter Reform Now

We all need to thank Norman Braman. Voters need to demand Charter reform. I hope the remaining 12 County commissioners realize the extent of the voter disgust.

$3.5 Billion in debt to pay for the Marlins Stadium and Garage? Please...

UF1993

Actually, Braman is right on the idea, but, wrong on the timing!! He said that he is ok with a Straw Ballot! Straw Ballot, WTF is that you ask, well, it has the value of an on-line poll!! If we vote on a Straw Ballot, no matter the result, nothing will be done. It will take a year or more to get ACTUAL CHARTER CHANGE on the ballot. a Straw VOTE It is simply a voter survey, paid for with County Money. There is a way to get the Charter Changes done now, just by waiting 3 weeks on the Mayor Special Election. FORGET THE STRAW BALLOT, LETS VOTE ON CHARTER CHANGE NOW!!!! Call your Commissioners, and tell them we don't want to wait on REFORM, WE WANT REFORM NOW!!!

nevernot

Not likely, commissioner Marc "Ethics" Sarnoff has a $250,000 capital improvements project on the current budget not for his district, but the park directly across the street from his Coconut Grove residence. A park he erected a large fence around illegally without approval or a contract. In fact the contractor submitted a bill months later without so much as an initial estimate.