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February 26, 2009

Another "sunshine" lawsuit for Marlins

What was the Florida Marlins stadium mess missing? That's right: another lawsuit! Elvis Cruz and Grace Solares, described by the Miami Herald merely as "activists" but apparently leaders of local homeowners associations, have filed suit charging that the team's deal with the city and county should be voided because elected officials held secret meetings to negotiate it, in violation of the state's Sunshine Laws. This was an argument Norman Braman tried in his stadium lawsuit as well, but apparently Cruz and Solares think they have new evidence.

In other news, the Herald says the city and county should "tweak the deal" but then go ahead with it, a longtime local sports reporter says it's a waste of public funds, and the local NAACP isn't too happy about it either. City commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones is certainly going to have an interesting decision to make when she gets back from maternity leave to cast the deciding vote on this deal.

COMMENTS

If you object to Ms Solares 'activist' label - check out this blog - http://coconutgrovegrapevine.blogspot.com/2008/11/following-letter-came-from-activist.html
- whereby your non-activist/Homeowners Assoc Leader, Ms Solares, compared a vote for a rival as being 'kicked in the teeth.' That rival, co-incidentally, runs the City of Miami Commission and is for the stadium. The odds on the suit being dismissed have been taken off the board in Vegas. No word yet on whether 'community organizing' will be added to her business card.

The tie-breaking vote on the City of Miami Commission belongs to an African-American, Michelle Spence-Jones. The local NAACP risked being disbanded for malpractice if they hadn't met with the Marlins. I believe their position is technically referred to as having, 'kick-ass leverage.'

The most influential local political player, the Miami Herald, continues to endorse the stadium plans.

Sorry Neil, no ground swell here, just politics 101.

Posted by Jorge Costales on February 26, 2009 09:36 AM

I didn't mean that "activist" was a disparaging or incorrect label, just really vague.

Posted by Neil on February 26, 2009 09:40 AM

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