“To the administration on 8P5, this came into existence just a couple of years ago at a million dollar delegated authority to the mayor for this pool, and then just a year later, it was...”

questioning traffic control pool funding increases

“I'm okay with voting to override the mayor's veto as long as we do get concessions as long as we do meet with some of the mayor's veto message make sure that we add more protective land and make sure that we have more contiguous properties as it relates to these wetlands.”

Stating conditions for voting to override mayor's veto

“Where I find it hard to fathom is that there was a vote that was taken to add a water treatment plant to this area so if it's important to protect this pristine wetlands for one group then why is it important to protect it for another group I get that it's politics it is.”

Questioning inconsistent environmental protection standards

“I agree with you Commissioner Bermudez however look I did look at this and I did have some conversations and we do have to be intellectually honest with the voters and the residents of Miami-Dade County to the north of this property you have rock mining rock mining has been going on for many many years to the south of it you have some preservation you have some eel lands and so forth.”

Discussing the context of surrounding land uses and environmental inconsistencies

“It is incumbent upon us to urge the legislature to reconsider their position, the Department of Health, to reconsider their position and to make sure that we maintain the criteria that exist, that really protects the public safety in our community and the health of so many people living with HIV and AIDS in Miami-Dade County and across the state.”

Justifying 11A6 resolution regarding ADAP funding changes

“These life-saving drugs, they're not only life-saving drugs. What these drugs do is that it gets people to undetectable status that will prevent them from spreading the virus. So this is a community health crisis that we're facing.”

Explaining importance of ADAP drugs for 11A6

“Miami-Dade County continues to lead the nation in new HIV cases along with Broward County. It flips back and forth. And, unfortunately, minority women, particularly African-American women, Hispanic women, lead in the new HIV diagnosis. Unfortunately, the state of Florida this year has changed the criteria and eligibility for the ADAP funding, which will limit the amount of people that would have access to life-saving drugs.”

Introducing 11A6 resolution regarding HIV/AIDS ADAP funding

“I think we should be able to compare apples to apples, oranges to oranges. And when we look at budgets, numbers are numbers. It's not speaking another language, not French and English, you know, it's numbers are numbers and we should be able to see where these taxpayer dollars are actually going.”

Advocating for standardized budget comparison across CRAs

“When this came to us originally, there was over 1,000 vehicles that needed to be purchased, well over 1,000. And now all of a sudden, the number has gone down below that. I would like to know what criteria was used to lower the number of vehicles that were being to be purchased.”

Question about vehicle purchase reduction for 8P1

“The bus depot by the Dolphin Mall out there, I saw that the previous report there had been a impact on the timing of it and I just wanted to let the administration know that as we go forward I've had a lot of residents that park there because it's in district 12 but they come from other places and some live in district 12 like in the Belen area and a lot of them work downtown and sometimes they feel that when we cut those, you know, the 836 runs sometimes it impacts them so I just want to put that on the radar.”

Discussion of 2B5 TPW fare report and bus depot impacts

“This is on the trees. Actually, Commissioner Cohen-Higgins, this is a great program that you're doing, using some of these funds to reforest certain areas in your community, mainly Cutler Bay. Just a quick question on what is the fund balance that is left in this fund, and also where are the revenues coming from?”

Discussion of 9A1 tree reforestation program

“I have changed my position on CRAs. When I first started, I was totally against them, but I see what they've been able to accomplish in our communities, especially when the county lacks in investment.”

Evolution in personal position on CRA effectiveness

“You are in arbitration. But moving forward, what tools do we have at our hands to ensure that when a contractor does not meet their end of the deal, that we can go after them? What recourse do we have instead of always coming back and changing the vendor? What happens at that point?”

Questioning contractor accountability mechanisms for 14A2

“We have seen this before, not at your hands. It just happens because it is county government. We see someone that we enter into contract with to get some work done. For whatever reason, they don't do it. There are delays. We end up coming back to the county commission. We change the vendor. We end up coming to the county commission, ask for more money. That means the taxpayers are on the hook for their delay and their mistake.”

Discussion of Metro-Mover Wayside project delays and contractor issues for 14A2