Left to Right: Candidate Gabrielle Redfern, Breakfast Club Moderator David Kelsey, Candidate Alex Fernadez and Candidate Michael Gongora

Threedom of Choice
Group 3 Candidates Face Off, and Face Residents

By Lee Molloy

With as many as eight candidates throwing their hat in the ring at one stage or another, the Group 3 commission seat vacated by caretaker-Commissioner Victor Diaz has been the most avidly contested this election season. However, when the qualifying period for the Nov. 3 election ended, only three candidates were still in the race. The trio faced off, and faced residents at the Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club on Sept. 29.
At the most watched of the three debates that the gathering of politically-concerned citizens has held so far this season, Miami Beach Commissioners Deede Weithorn and Jerry Libbin, state-Rep Luis Garcia, and a host of other political names of note showed up with an eye on a different kind of dais. At David’s Café II at 1654 Meridian Ave., activist and political newcomer Alex Fernandez, 23, squared off against former commissioner Michael Gongora and Design Review Board member Gabrielle Redfern, in what turned out to be an exciting exchange of ideas.

Staff at Davids Café cheerfully rearranged tables and chairs to accommodate all the extra audience members, although many more ended up standing at the back of the room. Michael Gongora was well represented by supporters wearing T-shirts emblazoned with his name, alongside others holding Gongora picket signs, as the candidates circulated their campaign materials. 

Redfern was the first to make opening remarks. “My history in the city began on a bicycle,” said the cycling-obsessed candidate. She went on to explain how, when she moved to Miami Beach, she had written to then-Mayor Neisen Kasdin about the lack of bike lanes in the city. It was that grassroots campaign which kicked off her local civic involvement.

“We need to find new ways to generate revenue,” Fernandez said, citing the city budget as his main priority. He also discussed the decline in Miami Beach tourism and his concerns about public safety. “We have too many [police] officers who are making close to $60 grand a year and more, who are sitting behind a desk,” he said. The independently-wealthy Fernandez also vowed to “be a full-time commissioner,” he said. “I’m going to work 9 to 5 at city hall.”

Drawing on his time as a Miami Beach City Commissioner, Gongora said one of the major benefits of voting for him is his experience. “These are times that we need experienced leaders that can get the job done,” he said. Gongora spoke about the need to work for the sustainability of the tourism industry, as well as of the environment. However, his main concern is the “budget, budget and budget,” he said.

The audience, however, had other ideas about what was important in the election. The three candidates were quizzed on corruption in government and breaches of the public trust.

“I would do whatever it takes to weed out corruption,” Gongora said. He then explained that a failure to live up to ethical standards were “crimes” that must be punished to the full extent of the law.

“There is no room in government for corruption,” Fernandez told the room, and agreed with Gongora that corruption in Miami Beach was, luckily, not as bad as in other governments where people steal taxpayers’ money. Fernandez also has a simple solution to make sure that our tax dollars are safe. Citizens must “continue electing officials with integrity that won’t let that happen in Miami Beach,” he said.

The question of how Miami Beach elections are organized into groups has been a favorite topic at the Breakfast Club. Currently a candidate runs for election to a group that has no geographical or otherwise defined meaning. Therefore, candidates are not really choosing whom they want to represent, but rather whom they want to run against. The candidates for Group 3 were asked if they were in favor or against the group system.

Gongora, who refers to the system as having “fictitious group designations” supports doing away with groups and believes that a change “would do away with negative campaigning,” he said.

Many believe that Gongora fell victim to the current system during the 2007 election. Even though he lost his seat, with 4,564 votes he still got a few more votes than Commissioner Deede Weithorn (4,503) who, although pitted against more candidates, was elected via a different group race.

Fernandez advocates for a direct “at large” system where the top three candidates are elected to the commission and the candidate with the most votes would become mayor.

“Abolish the groups,” Redfern said, adding that, “by eliminating the group seats we eliminate runoff [elections]. That could save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

A concerned resident asked the candidates if they would be willing to stand up to the unions.

 “I’m not going to be the commissioner who stands up against the unions. I’m going to be the commissioner who stands with the unions,” to work together on solving the city’s problems, Redfern said. “We are paying our people more than any other municipality in this country,” she said, adding that city employees “need to realize that the good times right now are over.”

Fernandez took a harder line. “We need to get our unions to understand that you’re lucky if you still have a job,” in the current economic climate, he said. “Police and fire [unions] this year are still asking for a raise in their salaries when they should be getting a cut. … And I’m not scared to say that.”

Gongora disagreed that all city employees are overpaid and said that he thought there is actually even some disparity in the current pay levels  leaving some employees underpaid. Although he is and would be happy to have union endorsements “that is not going to influence my decisions,” he said.

Gongora admitted that he had received a $500 donation to his campaign from the Hispanic Law Enforcement of Miami Beach union and a personal donation of $250 from local fire union president Adonis Garcia.

During discussion of graffiti as an indication of the decline of a community, candidates were asked what could be done about tagging of the urban landscape. The seemingly benign topic revealed the candidate’s positions on what could be perceived a need for structural change in local government: the city’s Code Compliance Division.
Fernandez said that he believes graffiti is a code enforcement issue but warned that if the commission creates new regulations without adding to the number of people to enforce the rules, it could create an even bigger problem.

Saying that the defacing of buildings is a pet peeve of his, Gongora does not think that graffiti is a matter for code enforcement but rather one of law enforcement. The former commissioner opined that there must be more law enforcement officers on the street to prevent graffiti that “leads to car break-ins, house break-ins and more major crimes,” he said.

Redfern vocalized her dissatisfaction with the city department charged with enforcing the rules. “We don’t have a code enforcement department,” she said. “We have ‘code compliance’ officers. …We need a code enforcement department.”

In closing, the three candidates were given the opportunity to let the audience and viewers know what distinguished them from each other.

Declaring himself “the green candidate,” Gongora spoke about his dedication to creating a sustainable city. I will “ensure Miami Beach continues to be the place that we love — the place to live, work and play,” he said.
Fernandez voiced his desire to enhance the culture of giving service to the city and explained that he wanted to “bring our government closer to the people,” by being more open and creating more opportunities for citizens to have dialogue with commissioners.

Redfern rounded off the discussion by confirming her “deep love and commitment” to the city. “My resume is not only long but it is deep,” she said and then declared her readiness to lead. “I am ready, I am willing, I am able and I am educated.”

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