Congratulations Mayor Carlos Gimenez! Now, get to work!

The challenges ahead are not for the weak and timid. Gimenez will have to make decisive actions on some major projects. With the county budget bleeding money every day, bandage approaches will not be sufficient. The changes made going forward will have to be permanent.

One of the issues that he should immediately address is the size of government. With so many cities incorporating from under the county’s umbrella and taking their valuable tax dollars with them, it has created a significant hole in the budget for Miami-Dade.

While 30,000 employees were necessary to operate the government 10 years ago, that number is not necessary today. That’s a Fact! Going forward, Gimenez will keep some old friends, gain some new friends and create some friends/enemies and straight out enemies along the way.

He will not be able to please everybody and they will come to know that it’s not personal, even when it’s personal, it’s just business; and he will have to perform his job with as much tact and diplomacy as possible, expecting to take some hits along the way. This is not just a prescription for Gimenez; the same methodology would apply had it been Robaina.

It’s the nature of the beast and Gimenez must know that from today and going forward, he will be standing in “the eye of the tiger!” the tiger being the budget and it’s components.

Because Gimenez was a former commissioner having dealt in the past with the same issues that he now faces as Mayor, it should not take him long to surround himself with the people, who will gather the necessary facts and figures to help him stop the bleeding and resurrect life with a balance budget for Miami-Dade County and a plan in place to push him through 2012 and beyond, based on transparency and accountability.

The road ahead will be tough, but you promised your constituents’, all of your constituents that you are the man for the plan!

“The constituents hats are off too you! And their confidence lies in you! Now let’s see what you will do, too prove yourself worthy?”

Who will stand up for the elderly?

Dimmer Time

Brian Lee, 39, now former-Director of the Florida Long-term Care Ombudsman Program, was abruptly terminated from his position of seven years by Governor Rick Scott, after requesting that the 677 nursing homes across the State of Florida reveal detailed information on ownership stakes. The information he requested is protected under the new Federal Healthcare legislation, which was designed to show greater transparency and accountability.

As Lee continued to insist on transparency, his relationship between the directors and CEO’s grew increasing volatile. What is the head of these nursing/retirement home industries hiding?

Periodically, Lee would pay an impromptu visit to the nursing/retirement homes and found evidence of poor conditions, which consisted of insect infestations, rotten food, crumbling furniture and other conditions that create a dangerous environment for the frail and elderly and placed them in harms way.

Unfortunately, Florida is a “Right to Work State” and it’s not unusual for the new administration to act under pressure without full disclosure of all the facts.

“It’s good to be reminded that “It always look easy when someone else is doing it!