Voters in Coral Gables who got the robocall from Commissioner Rhonda Anderson agree on one thing: She sounds very unenthusiastic. Ladra is not sure that means anything. Anderson sounds monotone most of the time.
But some insiders think she had to hold her nose to endorse commission candidates Alex Bucelo and Ivette Arango O’Doski, the two development darlings, as a favor to Mayor Vince Lago — or, better said, as a trade to be vice mayor.
Lago endorsed and has been very publicly and privately working to hep Bucelo and Arango O’Doski and stack the commission. The deal, las malas lenguas say, is that Anderson will be named vice mayor when the new commission is sworn in if she backs them, too. Not that she would have to do Lago’s bidding. Only Anderson and Commissioner “Father Kirk” Menendez are potential vice mayors, because they both won two years ago; Lago really can’t name one of his puppet newbies. And Anderson is best positioned for the post.
Read related: For independence in Coral Gables, vote Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez
Of course, she denies any quid pro quo.
“I am completely independent,” Anderson told Political Cortadito. “I am by no means a rubber stamp.”
In the robocall she says, “Alex and Ivette are honest and have the experience ad fortitude needed to vote against projects the residents do not want.” Is she insinuating that Ariel Fernandez is not honest? Or Sean Patrick McGrover and Melissa Castro are liars?
“Ivette is the business owner who knows the permitting system in Coral Gables and has valuable experience with state and county government issues,” Anderson says in the robocall. But there’s no way Arango knows permitting better than Castro, who inherited a permit expediting firm from her mom two years ago. And Arango O’Doski’s experience with state and county government is as a lobbyist. Who knows how many favors she owes?
“Both candidates live and work in our city,” she said, but so does every other candidate, “and will represents you with the professionalism needed to get the issues you care about done.
“More importantly, they will work to unite, not divide our community,” she ends it.
Read related: Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago may have conflict of interest in Little Gables
Ladra thinks that last part is a dig at Fernandez, a polemic individual who was Anderson’s campaign consultant for a short while two years ago, until he found someone who could pay more.
“He pulled the plug. It’s not ethical,” Anderson told Ladra. And, yeah, there’s bad blood there.
“I don’t want a Joe Carollo on this commission,” Anderson said, referring to the polemic Miami city commissioner. “I don’t want the bickering and snickering. I want to get things done.”
But do we really want a completely united commission? Isn’t that dangerous? Just a bunch of bobbleheads to go along with whatever Lago wants?
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