Angry. Frustrated. Disillusioned. These are the sentiments of many Brickell Homeowners Association Directors and residents after the most recent blow by City of Miami Commissioners overruling the will of BHA neighbors for the benefit of one or a few.

BHA residents may recall these earlier defeats at City Hall:

• Union meetings drawing hundreds of people, cars and congestion in otherwise residential Brickell are allowed by Commissioners despite their own zoning laws and massive disruption to neighboring residences.
• A plastic surgeon is granted a special exception to the zoning ordinance and allowed to buy a private residence to open up shop on otherwise residential Brickell (story below).
• While residents sleep, a huge gate is erected to block access to the primary thoroughfare for Wainwright Park users, residents and others, in essence granting the rich and famous a private street in Miami.

Déjà vu
The union. The plastic surgeon. "Sly-gate." BHA Directors discussed how the same sequence is common in all these situations:

• The BHA Board, representing 29 members and some 5,000 households, takes a stand and communicates the viewpoint to City of Miami officials.
• Often City of Miami zoning codes favor the stand of BHA, and City of Miami planning and legal staffs often advise City politicians in favor of the BHA side.
• The special interest side hires one of a select few legal firms or lobbyists that always seem to be involved in these matters.
• City Commissioners vote against the BHA, supporting the wishes of the one organization or single individual.

It Gets Worse
But now, the newest jab from Commissioners intro-duces a whole new, unsettling dimension. They've gone beyond eroding quality of life (not to mention pummeling faith in government). Now Commissioners are taking their victories from Brickell residents in check or money order form. Make the first one payable to the City of Miami, for a mere $160.00.

That's the pricetag for the arbitrary "Fire Rescue Tax" on condo owners to help the City out of its financial mess. Effective October 1 and billable January 1998, Brickell condominium residents will be invoiced a $160.00 annual tax. (Single family households in Miami will also be billed $160.00, but this will be offset by the City forgiving previously charged garbage fees-in essence free garbage pick up. Condominiums receive no garbage services from the City, but rather are required to contract with private companies for garbage service.) Many worry that this newest, lucrative tactic of increasing City coffers will not end with this first tax.

That's Not What They Taught In School
BHA Directors have been investigating the central question: How can these things happen? The answer that most can't stand to hear: Politics.

It seems that while the BHA employs top-notch legal counsel in these matters (one BHA attorney was recently named circuit court judge), somehow the other sides' advisors seem to have more clout with the elected officials. They seem to deal with City officials on a regular basis and have an ongoing dialog, a "give-and-take," about what interests each side. For the attorneys, a.k.a., lobbyists, this would be their client's interests. For the elected officials, it's getting re-elected.

When choosing who to tax, Commissioners chose the group they thought would be less watchful, less vocal than say, single-family households. Brickell has a diverse, international constituency and is only a part-time residence for many homeowners. Many residents are not available, eligible or even registered to vote. Although votership is strong among registered voters in BHA precincts, (two-thirds voted last November), the politicians assessed there was less political clout on the condo side. Never mind that Brickell Homeowners already pay 10 percent of the residential property taxes for the City of Miami but only represent five percent of the population. Never mind that Miami Police report that the Brickell area generates the least amount of emergency calls in all of Miami. Never mind the irony of taxing Brickell for a service they're never likely to use.

BHA Directors are troubled that the fair representation process hasn't worked. The BHA approach has been a grassroots effort in which the association democratically determines the collective will of its homeowners on matters of common concern and represents this stand to those government officials empowered to make the final decision. But that hasn't worked.

Letters, petitions, open dialog and calm interchange with the proper authorities haven't worked. Turning members out to City meetings to make their opinions known hasn't worked.
Standing firm in beliefs about quality of life issues through legal battles to the end with outstanding legal counsel doesn't work.
BHA residents ask, "So, what's it take?"

Time To PAC It In
In the 21st century version of neighborhood politics, a Political Action Committee is the way many go about looking out for their interests. PACs are no longer the exclusive domain of the big-time players in big-stake politics. It's the way it's done even at the local level.

The Brickell Homeowners Association voted to support the formation of a Political Action Committee to be set up independently of the BHA in partnership with neighboring civic groups. The purpose of the PAC (outlined in the Mission Statement below) is to watch out for the interests of area residents in matters of local government and to support and endorse candidates who fairly represent these interests. Revoking the "Fire Rescue Tax" is at the top of the agenda.

Other neighborhood homeowners groups, such as the Northeast Dade and the Kendall Federation, have already gone the PAC route and are considered successful and powerful, Oscar Rivero, an attorney specializing in this arena, told the BHA. Mr. Rivero summed it up to Brickell residents last April in a discussion of ways to fight City Hall,"Two things motivate politicians: money and votes."

Information about the formation of the Political Action Committee, which is set up as an entirely separate entity from the Brickell Homeowners Association, is being mailed to area residents. It includes details about the goals and mission of the PAC and ways homeowners can get involved and make their views known to local elected officials.
The Brickell PAC organizing committee is asking for contributions of $100 to fund the formation of the PAC and to take on the first issue. If the PAC is successful in killing the $160.00 Fire Rescue Fee, "a $100 contribution to the Brickell PAC will save you money," the committee explains.

Brickell residents need not be registered or even eligible to vote to participate in the PAC Anyone with an interest is invited to become a member of the Steering Committee which will elect the PAC officers and board members.

The BHA, with a seven-year track record as the watchdog for residential Brickell community interests, is sponsoring the PAC and plans to invite neighboring homeowner groups to participate.

Click on Involvement Form on the menu bar to the left to get involved with future Brickell Neighborhood PAC activities.

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