Economy may hold key to recall vote
Now that a recall election date has been set, let's start the rhetoric with a classic campaign message.
It's the economy, stupid.
More specifically, it's our economic base -- or lack of one -- that's really at the heart of the recall election. Come March 15, Miami-Dade voters won't just be deciding whether to keep Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez and County Commissioner Natacha Seijas.
They'll be casting a vote on the priorities of our leadership -- and, in turn, possibly determining the county's agenda for some time to come. That's because the tough choices that led to the recall effort -- whether to raise property taxes, what to do about compensation of county employees -- likely will come before county leaders again and again in the years ahead.
MORE COMING
Unless public officials become more adept at creating private-sector jobs instead of protecting government posts, this recall may be only the beginning of local voter fury.
The economic crisis is global, and ours is far from the only metropolitan area experiencing job losses and home foreclosures. Nor are our local leaders alone in their need to prioritize diminishing resources.
About 87 percent of city finance officers reported that they were less able to meet fiscal needs in 2010 compared to 2009, according to a recent report by the National League of Cities. Almost three of four cities responded with hiring freezes, more than half reduced or froze wages, about 15 percent revised union contracts and about 7 percent reduced pension benefits.
What's worse, the problem has only just begun to affect local governments. While the owner of, say, a small flower shop will quickly feel the impact of an economic decline, it takes 18 months to several years for local governments to feel the full force of a downturn because of the time lag in collecting fees and taxes.
``The effects of a depressed real estate market, low levels of consumer confidence and high levels of unemployment will likely play out in cities through 2010, 2011, and beyond,'' stated the report, entitled City Fiscal Conditions in 2010.
While Miami-Dade's problem isn't unique, our status is uniquely problematic. Few other communities have been hit as deeply, with unemployment and foreclosure rates that far surpass the rest of the country and the state.
JOB CREATION
Also, we don't have the diverse economic base of many other major metropolitan areas.
As a result, the recall debate is setting a scene that we'll keep playing over and over unless we figure out how to rev up job creation in this community.
Not just any jobs will do. Without the proper tax base, we can't support the Rolls Royce service some county leaders are so determined to give us.
Relying on the old fallbacks won't work. Real estate prices and construction activity likely won't return in significant numbers for many years to come. The hospitality sector mostly produces low-paying jobs that help deplete our middle-class tax base.
Back in the day, when property owners falsely believed they grew richer with each passing day, we could cover up our lack of a diverse local
economy. Today, there's no hiding the problem.
In March, when gainfully employed county employees and struggling private sector workers line up at the ballot to have their say, the problem will be more apparent still.
