Tuesday, October 23, 2018
WTF is Wrong With These People?
I can formulate a fantasy as to why four of the five* Commission candidates refused to participate in a Meet the Candidates event I intended to organize. It's much harder to imagine why the same four refused to participate in a similar exercise David Raymond and Art Gonzalez tried to organize.
After all of this, Milt Hunter wanted to interview the five* candidates for a post he wanted to do in his blog. Bizarrely, the same one candidate agreed to be interviewed, and the same four refused. Milt's description of this odyssey can be found at www.thebiscayneparker.blogspot.com.
These are people who are running for office here. Supposedly, they want to connect to their neighbors, and impress them. Meet the Candidates events always occur in the Village. They're not just an opportunity, they're essentially an obligation. This exposure is something Commission candidates owe their neighbors. So WhereTF are they?
Clearly, they're trying to hide something, and clearly it's their lack of fitness for the job they seek. Also clearly, they have reassured themselves they don't have to submit themselves to this kind of exposure. Presumably, someone has told them they can get elected without bothering. And apparently, getting elected is their only goal, and if they can avoid the risk of appearing (foolish) before their neighbors in the conventional way, they are relieved and eager to avoid it.
And this is the nonsense that's going to wind up on the BP Commission? If we've recently become known for convicted past police officers, we can now add this to our resume.
*Today, Manny Espinoza sent out an e-mail informing various people that he is withdrawing his candidacy. He will still be on the ballot, but presumably, he would decline a Commission seat if he won one. He did not say why he made this decision, but it's tempting to think he may have come to realize his candidacy, and the way he's handled it, are wrong. Since he doesn't appear to have done much actively to campaign, he isn't saving himself any time or trouble by withdrawing. It's a shame the other three insecure and contemptuous candidates aren't able to have the same level of insight, and respect for their neighbors.
Jared Susi it is. And what a sad day for the Village that we're getting anyone else.
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By the way, I don't know if these people are campaigning. I don't know if they come to their neighbors' houses. If they come to your house, ask them about this. Ask them why they refused to appear in any kind of forum, except being interviewed by John Ise. I assume they'll tell you that Fred is the anti-Christ, and they didn't want to be involved in anything that had to do with him. As far as I know, that's what Tracy has instilled in them to think and instructed them to say. But ask them about David Raymond and Art Gonzalez. Ask them if they're the anti-Christ, too. And ask them what evil they anticipated from Milt Hunter. (Nobody had more to fear from Milt Hunter than I did-- and I did expect mistreatment from him-- but I never shrank from taking whatever Milt intended to dish out.)
ReplyDeleteWe're getting nothing from these people. (Will Tudor has already openly demonstrated, for two years, what nothing we can expect.) All that's left to demand is an explanation. And keep in mind that at least of two of these people are going to get seats on the Commission, and it will be their pleasure to take your money once they're there.
I already admitted I was wrong, and Mac Kennedy and Janey Anderson were right: no one but Jared Susi deserves our vote. If Manny Espinoza's withdrawal from this election is reliable, it might be a fun joke to vote for him, too. Wouldn't it be a kicker if the guy who dropped out got more votes than some of the people who got elected?
It really is tragic that we're getting saddled with some of this foolishness on our Commission. Imagine if we could have had Jared Susi and two or three real candidates, who were really ABOUT something, apart from themselves. Maybe next time.
Fred, has it not occurred to you that Manny might just accept the seat if everyone votes for him "as a joke"?
DeleteIt sure has, and that's why I specified that I would want to be sure his withdrawal is reliable. By that, I mean I want to know that he has abandoned his attempt to get elected, and specifically that he would not accept a seat, if he won one. It's up to Manny to make that clear.
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ReplyDeleteFunny, you don't look...oh, never mind.
DeleteClearly, some of these candidates are much more interested in winning themselves than BP winning. If they wanted the best for BP, they would man up and show up for debates (or whatever you call an event where they must answer questions publicly), even if that meant they lost the race themselves. Other than Jared, not one mensche in the group in that regard.
ReplyDeleteThis is a hot mess we're in. Almost mimicing the 'Constitutional crisis' in the US, BP may have its own 'Charterial crisis' soon. Three of the four candidates will win, but three of them most certainly do not have the village's interests in mind, which they have made abundantly clear to everyone already. It would be great if they would withdraw too before it's too late.
ReplyDeleteIt's just amazing that 4, now 3, people who think they have the necessary "stuff" to make decisions that affect our finances, our quality of life and our future are already showing A. that if elected they will not be able to work with or respond to anyone with whom they disagree and B. a level of arrogance never before seen in this village in prior elections. Their insistence on only doing one on ones or the cutesy "meet and greets" speaks volumes to their unwillingness to be held accountable for their comments. goals etc. or should I say lack thereof. It's gonna be a REALLY long 2 years.
ReplyDeleteJaney, three of the four remaining are not running because they think they have the necessary stuff to make decisions. Two of them are running blatantly to provide Tracy with majority and supermajority strength. The third, Betsy, is running either because it's her next thrill in life (something else for her resume), or to prop up Tracy. Betsy has no business running, or wanting to run, or being a Commissioner. But as you and others have pointed out, the arrogance has gotten way past these people. And it's not only arrogance, but real disdain for the residents of BP. This is Jacobs-level disdain, maybe taken even further: I should be a Commissioner, based on nothing, because, well, just because I feel like it. The effect of what I will clumsily and unknowingly do on other people who live in BP? Gee, I don't know. I never thought about it. Who cares?
DeleteAnd Brian is exactly right: the three of them should withdraw.
Speaking of "hot messes," have you seen the mayor's email today from her personal email address to select village residents, charging that some folks (moi among them!) are trying to suppress votes in BP? She's a) wrong, b) not particularly bright or clever, and c) so much like her presidential namesake it's getting scary. At what point does she cross an actual line that gets her in trouble in addition to looking stupid and out of step?
ReplyDeleteYes, I was aware, as you are, of the very prominent suggestion of c. a, of course; b, probably not, and c is the funniest of them. And the truest.
DeleteTrying to suppress votes??? Seriously? Did she say how exactly that is being done?
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ReplyDeletePart of Tracy's personal email to select village residents. I didn't receive it, but a friend did, who forwarded it to me. In her email, Tracy asks recipients to forward to other residents:
ReplyDeleteManny Espinoza withdrew from the election late yesterday, so if you select Manny Espinoza, your vote will not count towards a commission seat. The Village Clerk notified the Miami-Dade County Department of Elections this morning. The Department of Elections is responsible for notifying voters. Mr. Espinoza’s name will remain on the ballot. Please select three (3) commissioners in the box below by bubbling in your three choices – See sample ballot:
While you can vote for less than three, I do not recommend this as this can be used as a strategy to provide an advantage to a candidate and is a form of voter suppression.
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"...to provide an advantage to a candidate:" DUH! What do you think a vote is? It's my way of providing an advantage to a candidate, the one I want to win! And, it's my prerogative to use 1, 2 or all 3 of my votes at my discretion. It's called "strategy." Tracy's claim of voter suppression is absurd, even for her. If anything, she might be rightfully accused of voter intimidation by asking residents to "please select 3" and to infer that voting only for one is somehow wrong and voter suppression. Should the village attorney or state attorney general be made aware of her "personal" communications to residents that use her title and power to direct residents how to vote and to possibly sway this election?
Geez that's a stretch of the imagination even for her. How the hell is someones choice to vote only for 1 candidate even remotely voter suppression? I would love to see this run by the ethics board just to get a ruling but my guess is if she didn't use her village email and does not actually mention her title she's off the hook.
ReplyDeleteoh yes she does mention her title ... she signed the email:
ReplyDeleteKind regards,
Tracy
Tracy Truppman, Mayor
She identifies herself as the mayor, thereby wielding her authority with residents, and uses the subject line: Subject: Election Update and Info
Here's the full email, even showing her personal email address because she says "feel free to share this email" ... consider it shared, Tracy.
From: Tracy Truppman
Date: October 24, 2018 at 12:34:01 PM EDT
To: Tracy Truppman
Subject: Election Update and Info
Dear Neighbors,
Early voting started October 22nd. In addition to the three Village Commission seats, selection of a new governor, and state and federal congressional seats, there are several ballot initiatives. Please see the link below for a sample ballot and information on where and when you can vote:
Specific to 33161: https://www.voterfocus.com/SampleBallots/WHSampleBallot.php?county=miamidade&fvrsid=108911185&election=756
General Miami-Dade County: https://www.miamidade.gov/elections/library/sample-ballots/2018-11-06-general-election.pdf
Manny Espinoza withdrew from the election late yesterday, so if you select Manny Espinoza, your vote will not count towards a commission seat. The Village Clerk notified the Miami-Dade County Department of Elections this morning. The Department of Elections is responsible for notifying voters. Mr. Espinoza’s name will remain on the ballot. Please select three (3) commissioners in the box below by bubbling in your three choices – See sample ballot:
image.png
While you can vote for less than three, I do not recommend this as this can be used as a strategy to provide an advantage to a candidate and is a form of voter suppression.
Regarding: NO. 1 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT Article VII, Section 6 Article XII, Section 37
This amendment would deliver most of the benefits to homes valued between $100,000 and $125,000. Everyone else … would face a higher share of the tax burden, as well as the risk of local property tax hikes. The Florida League of Cities does not support this amendment and recommends voting “NO.” Amendment 1 will negatively impact our Village losing an estimated $200,000 in revenue and as such, I will follow the Florida League of Cities recommendation and vote NO.
However, please learn about these amendments and other ballot initiatives. There are many resources available online and below are two:
http://www.floridaleagueofcities.com/docs/default-source/advocacy/summary-of-2018-constitutional-amendments.pdf?sfvrsn=5979d9d5_0
https://ballotpedia.org/Florida
Best of luck to all the candidates running and look forward to working with them on behalf of all of the residents. Please feel free to share this email and/or information with fellow residents.
Kind regards,
Tracy
Tracy Truppman, Mayor
She sent another one a few days ago and didn't use her title. Must have slipped this time. Couldn't hurt to ship it off the the ethics commission for an opinion although they are not known for being all that tough. And notice she did not specifically name names.
ReplyDeleteIf she had sent an email like that as a regular resident like us, it wouldn't seem like a big deal. But hiding behind a personal email address to tell people how to vote as a mayor seems rather shady/unethical to me.
ReplyDeleteJaney, who/where is that ethics commission, please? I'll forward it along. We can't allow elected officials to abuse powers and titles, if that's the case here. Sounds like the ethics commission is the group to tell us.
ReplyDeleteIt's the Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics and Public Trust. The contact name I have from seminars that have been given here in BP is Robert Thompson. Phone is 305-579-2594. Email is
ReplyDeleteROBTHOM@miamidade.gov.
It's been two years of her abusing her power and title. This is just the icing on the cake.
There's plenty of stuff we can look at but I don't think what Tracy did in this instance is a violation.
ReplyDeleteOn the voting/undervoting issue, as I already stated elsewhere, I am giving one vote for Jared and that's it. In my opinion the three that remain don't deserve my vote and I'm not going to waste the ink on them. I was initially willing to consider any of them, but their behavior has pushed me away. I think we should send a message if you do not think a Candidate is qualified then they do not deserve to get a vote. Let them scrape by with as few votes as possible.
Jared gets my vote since the rest have made no effort. Betsy, Dan, and Wil need to understand the residents are going to turn up the volume significantly and call them out once they get elected, it's not going to be pretty. I am surprised that no one has contacted the local media to discuss what's happening with the Biscayne Park Election.
ReplyDeleteDo it, Brad.
ReplyDeleteChuck, I do think Tracy stepped over a line and I've told her (and the other commissioners and village attorney) so, and I've reported it to the ethics commission. Let's let them decide, but they certainly should know what's going on. Remember, while you may be able to sort out truth from bullshit, many folks can't. Think about other recipients of Tracy's email who might not be so tuned in. I am concerned about the many gullible, naive, less educated/informed, elderly and first-time voters who read the mayor's email and believe everything in it to be true because it comes from the mayor, regardless of the email address used. Voter suppression is a VERY serious issue and charge coming from our mayor, and we can't let things like that slip through like they're OK. In the U.S., actual voter suppression is taking place and it's horribly undemocratic and anathema to what we stand for as a country. For the mayor to toss that phrase around so lightly in unconscionable.
Unless there's a law against it, I don't mind that Tracy prefers, and promotes, certain candidates. Tracy, like all the rest of us, lives here, and in theory, she might care who's on the Commission. Normally, I would like to think anyone would care, because they would want the best Commissioners in the interest of the best Village. Tracy's angle isn't that, but she has her own reasons for caring who's on the Commission.
ReplyDeleteWhere I have a problem with Tracy is when she lies, which she does a lot, and tries to bully people, which she does even more than she lies. Also, I happen to disagree that the people Tracy wants on the Commission are good for the Village, but as I say, being good for the Village is not Tracy's angle or her interest.
Encouraging people to be selective, and maybe not vote for people who are not good, even if it means not registering a vote, is not voter suppression. No one prevents them from voting for whomever they want. And they don't have to take the advice (not to spend all of their votes). What's closer to voter suppression is turning voters away from certain candidates by lying about them, or about their other supporters. It's Tracy who's guilty of that.
BINGO!
ReplyDeleteAnd, the other candidates who now spread lies about select candidates to fit their narrative of "negative campaigning." Meantime, not one of the ridiculously monikered '4GOOD' candidates (there are only three left, so that "brand" is now silly in addition to offensive) can articulate a message or show up for a debate or organized public meeting. That's enough reason for me to not vote for them, even if I suppress myself and my vote by voting only for one candidate. I'm terrible to myself that way, suppressing myself like that! How dare I! Next thing, I'll reconfigure precincts so I can't vote at all!
From Linda Dillon:
ReplyDeleteWhat's happening with our BP election, for me (and apparently for others as well), is beyond belief! "Surreal" doesn't even describe it. Some have suggested not casting the 3 votes allowed. Whatever you do, please don't do that. If we don't elect 3, no matter how unsuited one or more may be, we could end up having to have a special election. If so, that would cost us thousands! Therefore, everyone please select 2 from the 3 remaining candidates who decided to not participate in a formal MTC Night or in Milton Hunter''s one-on-one interview. Once elected, we can deal with them all!
Not to worry, Linda. There will be no special election caused by undervoting. The two causes of an additional special election are fewer than three candidates getting any votes at all, or a tie. If we assume that candidates will at the very least vote for themselves, then no one will get zero votes. Ties can happen-- and I'm not sure the Village doesn't have a mechanism to deal with that without a follow-up election-- but that situation is not caused by undervoting.
DeleteI know it's a private matter, and you don't have to respond, but for whom are you voting, and how did you choose each of them? Are you voting for anyone you actually don't want on your Commission, but you're trying to exercise your maximum right to vote?
When you say that once they're elected "we can deal with them," what do you mean? How did we deal with Bernard, Jacobs, Cooper, Watts, Truppman, Johnson-Sardella, and Tudor? I have very clear memories of how they dealt with us, but I don't have an image of how we dealt with them. We just suffered a lot. And we still are. And it's going to continue. We're going to wind up with at least two of these people, which will be added to Truppman and Johnson-Sardella, and the beatdown of us will go on.
Linda: They will all vote for themselves so we will have three elected. There is no possibility of not electing three. I hold firm that I'm voting ONLY for my one candidate. God forbid I vote for another one or two just because I can and that person beats my "real" candidate by one vote. THAT would be a problem! Be assured we will elect three commissioners, but also make sure you do whatever you can to ensure your candidate(s) do get elected!
ReplyDeletePS: Did you ever make that chocolate cake?
Ditto what Mac and Fred said. All four will get votes. It doesn't matter how many. The top 3 will get commission seats so there is no chance of voting only for 1 causing a special election. And I too do not want to cast my other 2 votes for someone I don't think is in anyway qualified and then find that person leapt over the one and only candidate - Jared - that is qualified.
ReplyDeleteYou know, Janey, I wish I could say Jared is the only one qualified. That would elevate this conversation. Jared has some Board experience, which is good, and he sometimes comes to Commission meetings, but rarely or never stays to the end. It's not that Jared is "qualified," in any formal sense. Tragically, Jared is not only just the only who makes any sense, but he's the only one who actually cares at all about the neighborhood. And I don't mean to say Dan doesn't care at all. He sort of does. But I think a lot of his involvement has an important component of self-promotion, maybe at least as prominently as reflecting a real commitment to the Village. I don't want to be unfair to Dan, but I really don't think he would take the approach Jared does. Here's one interesting example. Some time back, I pointed out publicly, in the blog, the problem about the bathroom renovation job Jared and his company did. Or at least the complaints about it. Jared was an amazingly good sport about my bringing this up. He did not get defensive, and he just related his side of things. I thought he was reassuring. And he never got angry, didn't blame anyone (he did point out some lack of clarity about the contracting for the job, and flak he got at the time, but I thought he was very fair about it), and just, as I say, reassured us we got as good a result as we could have gotten from that project. I don't have much occasion to use that restroom, but frankly, I don't see what the problem is. I think it's fine.
DeleteBut my point is that among this group, there's no one who's that open, receptive, and level-headed. And look at how Jared responded to my challenge to go deeper in letting us know what his candidacy is about. He did a magnificent job. The other four* hid under their beds or held onto Tracy's leg.
It's really not even close. I hope Jared gets elected, only because he wants to get elected. Having him there will be a waste of his great assets. Apart from that, we're getting losers.
I can't get past the idea that Will Tudor may actually get re-elected, possibly for a four year term. In his first two-year term, he accomplished nothing; he tried to accomplish next to nothing. So, extrapolating two years into four, he will accomplish twice as much nothing: 2 x 0 = 0. Who would vote for that? I'd rather not use my vote than vote for that. I've left plenty of ballots blanks in my voting career when I either didn't know enough to make an informed decision in a particular race or didn't want any candidate. Skipping over that race is every bit as much a legitimate use of one's vote, and I hope that's what many BP residents will do this election. That would send a nice message: XXX residents show up to cast a possible 3XXX votes, but only XXX votes were actually cast. Not a great vote of confidence for the "winners."
ReplyDeleteYour math is off. If Will gets a four year term, he'll extend to six years. So it's not 2 X O. It's 3 X 0. Let's not shortchange him on his "accomplishment."
DeleteMore from Linda Dillon:
ReplyDeleteI reread the Charter and see where I was wrong. Am very relieved to know that. Apparently there are other circumstances where a special election is required, but not because of undervoting. Whew! One example is if there are fewer candidates than the number of open seats.
Since I'm not running, I have concerns about all of those who are. Lol
I have had contact with each candidate either in person, by email, by text, or by phone. I've not decided 100% which 3 of the 4 will get my votes but I will remain hopeful that whoever gets elected will do what's best for our Village as a whole. But remember I still believe in the tooth fairy. On another note.... Yes, Mac, I did try that cake. It was yummy and I will always remember you were the one who told me where to find the recipe and who also sent me a copy of it.
Linda
The combined superpowers of the tooth fairy, Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny won't get us out of this mess.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I'm curious how you initially got confused about undervoting and the possibility of a special election. Did you merely misunderstand the Charter (easy to do, I've gotten lost in there), or did someone tell you that?
ReplyDeleteHopefully Jared will get the most votes and get the 4 year term. Once elections come around again hopefully we will have more candidates that will run for the betterment of BP alongside Jared.
ReplyDeleteI filed an official complaint about Tracy's email blast with the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics. I have received several responses with updates, including one yesterday that informed me that my complaint has been pushed through to the Commission Advocate, Michael Murawski, who is charged with the filing and prosecution of formal complaints. They have not concluded that any ordinances were violated, but they are investigating.
ReplyDelete