Revisiting the Parking Authority issue
People are upset over the Parking Authority issue that we talked about last week; the payment for parking spots that don't exist. And many of you are putting your anger towards the BID, the beneficiary of the funds.
But if you look at this in the correct manner -- it's good that the BID is getting the funds. Would you rather have it go elsewhere? The Parking Authority has been collecting the money long before there was a BID and probably long before there was a BIC.
I think the collection of funds is the issue at hand. Not where the money goes. Better to go to us (the BID) than to some place else.
But if you look at this in the correct manner -- it's good that the BID is getting the funds. Would you rather have it go elsewhere? The Parking Authority has been collecting the money long before there was a BID and probably long before there was a BIC.
I think the collection of funds is the issue at hand. Not where the money goes. Better to go to us (the BID) than to some place else.
posted by Tom Falco at 12:01 PM
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11 Comments:
You wouldn't be backtracking would you?
Your reporting of the issues regarding the MPA is
far more complex than just who gets the funds.
Regarding the BID structure and the fact that it did an about face when it finally got what it needed is a red flag. I would sleep better if I knew that the persons who implement and have the power to vote are changed out on a regular basis and not as one blogger put it "gift positions".
I have been talking with many business owners and that is how most see it. The money has to go somewhere so why not to us, meaning the BID, where they are spending it on us. They give to the Bed race, the Strut, the Arts Festival, etc.
The Parking Authority does this all over Miami, not just the Grove and it has been going on for years. I think that needs to be looked into. Why is the Parking Authority funding things like Cultural Viernes on SW 8th Street and other things? Do we need them to forcefully collect money and then give it to festivals and such?
This is bigger than the BID. I do agree the BID needs to elect the board.
I'm curious about the BID in general, because it seems to me a perfect creation for use in fraud in corruption. We have a person heading it, who has never held any elected position, who's qualifications (other than his close personal relationship with Sarnoff)for the position have never been discussed by anyone, who has no accountability, who has power over a significant amount of money generated from a variety of shady sources... etc. etc.
Yes, it's a somewhat separate issue from the parking authority's extortion, but the BID is not a dissimilar creature from the MPA in many ways (operates under the radar and "off the books"), and look at the history of corruption in that.
Dave Collins has a one inch thick book in his office that explains all expenses. I am sure he would be happy to hand out a copy to anyone who asks. I have one and many others do.
Maybe you should look at that to see where the money is going. You may not agree with many of the expeenses, but it explains where the money is going.
Thank you Grape, I'm glad to know it's so readily available.
I also want to make it clear that I have nothing against Dave Collins, who seems like a nice enough guy, or the BID in general. I just hate the idea of un-elected public officials with a lot of power and control in general. There's simply no accountability. Is there anything in the way of terms or term limits for BID positions or are these people more or less lifetime appointees?
The whole process and structure is just a bit of a mystery to most of us I think.
In my opinion, having a BIC and a BID and a Chamber of Commerce and all the while having a bunch of empty retail space tells us that something is not working.
Just a little simple math will do.
Take four hours on any Friday or Saturday night, go into the parking garages and count the number of empty spaces. Then add the number of spaces Grove Businesses are forced to pay for that supposely do not exist. Then subtract the number the businesses are forced to pay for, the ones that do not exist, from the empty spaces and then tell me that number. You will see that the money paid by the business is unnecessary and is, for lack of a better word, some form of blackmail.
Is it true that Mr. Collins get paid over $175,000.00 as head of the BID?
Tony,
Had you been paying attention, you might have noticed that the BID only became official in the past month and is intended precisely to deal with issues that affect the rash of empty storefronts. While not instantly, progress on this front is likely to be quicker than that de-annexation effort, if you get my drift.
Anon 5:52,
No.
Isn't Mr. Collins head of BIC and not BID?
Wow Fact Check, Hostility not neccessary. Sorry that I was not paying attention. That does not change the fact that something is not working.
I also apologize to you for not succeeding in the de-annexation effort.
I certainly was hoping that I would not disappoint someone who is afraid to state their name ... if you get my drift.
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