State of the County: What’s Next for Miami-Dade | Mayor Daniella Levine Cava

Okay, here we go. Back in a day in Miami. Andy, welcome back to the show. We always love to have you, Andy.

Thanks, Manny. You know what I'm saying? Happy to be here.

Okay, it's a lot of fun.

It is a lot of fun. Well, today's even I don't want to say it's fun, but it's going to be a good informative, you know, podcast. I want to say welcome back to our Dade County Mayor,

Daniela. Thank you.

I am so happy again for being here. And I want to say thank you for coming and being the first podcast that you're going to be doing after last night's state of the county address. Congratulations on another state of county address.

Yes.

So um if

you can for all our viewers that were not in tuned or were watching something else, could you give us a little bit of the highlights of your county address and how did it go? What what did you roll out there and and Dr. Rogers address.

Yes. Well, first of all, the production values were really great.

Okay. [laughter]

We were at Florida Memorial University,

which is our only HBCU, which is a historical black university in our county. And so we had the black national anthem that was actually invented there, sung by their corral group. Fantastic. And their marching band, Roar. We had the beautiful little children from Head Start do the pledge of allegiance. and they were definitely the stars of the show. We had wonderful addresses from other electeds and we had my speech. So, oh, and we had a poem. We had a poem which was about Miami welcomes you. And my speech was about belonging. It was about who we are as a county, our diversity, our greatest strength, and that we need we need to stand together. We also need to address our challenges head on. and I talked about the things we've addressed our our housing crisis. Okay. Our affordability issues. We talked about the airport. Uh and

we've we've got that one here. We got that one.

Yes. Yes. So, we we talked about having to have a focus on results. So to build trust in government and that's what I've always done and and committed to. But at this time

of division in our country so important that we're united. We are a very united community. Not in spite of our diversity but our because of our diversity. As someone just said to me today as I was reflecting on it because we eat each other's food. Think about it. We just celebrate all the wonderful cultures that are here.

Okay. Um but apart from that, you know, what what were the biggest what was the biggest things for you of addressing of of the challenges that we have in in in Day County right now?

Yeah. But I do want to be clear. Okay.

Belonging is the number one because we're we're looking at our neighbors that are fearful for their future. We're looking at people who can't afford to live here. So being a united community is number one. We can't tackle things alone. We can only do it together. As far as the specifics, again, housing. So for example, since I've come into office as mayor, we've built 9,000 units of workforce and a affordable housing with 12,000 already underway. And then we've identified on top of that the potential for 5,000 more by repurposing county property that's not at its highest best use. So we're talking, you know, a significant number of units, I think that adds up to 40 and uh something like that. And then if you look at how many per household, we're talking about 60, 70, 80,000 people who can live a decent, dignified life because they can afford to stay here.

Staying on that subject, now that you touch that, what you know, we're going to be be even bigger. People are just keep on coming back. You know, they love Miami. People want to be in Miami.

Yeah. What what are your thoughts regarding and this will get a lot of people younger people are getting married and people that may not be you know wanting to live in apartments people that want to be in a house with a yard

um these people are going out you know down south down area I mean are we eventually have to move that property line do do you know do we h you know because how how much more can we do about the fact of just going you know up and up and up I'm I'm not an apartment guy I'm I'm I like to a house. Even if I have a little small yard, I think that we're going to get to a point that what do we do with those people that are looking for housing? Yes. And and want that little house or that little small house. And I know that that's a hot situation with, you know,

do we push the property? Like I know it's not only on you, it's the whole commission. It has to be in a hole. But what can we tell those those

right? Well, and the state they're debating whether they even allow us to have the right to determine where we build. So, you know, they're looking right now at the state at preempting us from that.

Would you explain that? Why is that a little bit?

Well, first let me give a little background. Yeah.

So, we have something called the community development master plan and it is how we plan for the future and we have to look at what's the availability of space of land to build single family homes. Now, single family homes also include town homes. So, you can have a yard with a town home, right? So that's a lot of what you see being built uh outside the the core inner city. But you know, we are a city now. We're not what we used to be. So we can't just have sprawl. We if we just start building into the farmland, first of all, we'll lose our our second biggest economic driver, which is still agriculture. But also, we don't have the roads or the water or the power or the all the infrastructure that you need to maintain. and that is very very expensive. So what we do is we keep track how much land is there and especially along transportation corridors. So the fact that we now have this bus rapid transit called Metro Express that goes all the way to Florida City means that land values right along that corridor are are bigger and better because you can leave your car. You don't have to sit in traffic. We had two members of the public yesterday at my state of the county who are saying they they're saving 30 minutes each way in traffic to get to work because of Metro Express. So, we understand people like to have a big yard. Um, you know, that costs more money and we do still have the ability to build single family homes within the urban development boundary. And and what about there's a lot of the the in the city in the heart of of the business of the of the county is the city of Miami. In the in the city there's a lot of development land.

Yeah.

A lot of it o owned in individual lots or by individual people. Um is there any plan or policy that will would promote building east instead of west? So, we have a new city mayor, right? Eileen Higgins. She's another affordable workforce housing advocate. And when we say those terms, we're talking about people who have professional jobs. We're not talking about poor people only, right? We're talking about just what you said. We our children, we want them to come back. We want them to be able to live here. So, one thing is we've got to move quicker. We've got to create pathways so that it doesn't take time to get the approvals. and county has a very good approval process and now your new city mayor has committed to also improving the city permitting and that will really help. It brings down the price and it allows people to to you know not be bogged down by bureaucracy.

Well, I as a builder in the city, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing changes.

Great.

With what with the with the permitting and and process that costs money.

We gave an example yesterday. It's on the business, not the housing side, but same idea. We now have joint permitting processes with 11 different cities. And we gave an example of a yogurt um concessionaire on Miami Beach who managed to get all his permits done within 16 days, both Miami Beach and the county.

Well, listen, that's that's that's important for like that guy that's a you know, doing a yogurt company. I mean, how many people have the time to really go down to the county and and the whole thing? Right. If

that could really be done, I mean, if that's being implemented, I think that's that's that's that's just great.

You know, you you've experienced a situation with the stuff over there at the River Landing.

Yes.

You know, we have with with everything there. So, but Okay. So, mayor, continuing with last night's um you know, state of address. Apart from that, we have a lot of people asking, okay, what else can we talk about in [snorts] the sense a lot of people are looking at, you know, tropical park? Ah,

a lot of people um you know there's a lot of I there's a lot of people in Miami that view Tropical Park as as as New York Central Park.

Absolutely.

You know what I'm saying? So they they see as a as a staple and you know growing up I would go to Tropical Park and ride my bike and everything there.

What what what can we talk about a little bit about Tropical Park?

Yes. Yes. Well, I think it's important to understand how do we pay for parks? Yes.

Okay. Because people want things but they just assume there's money for them. So, we don't have an income tax in Florida. The main source of funding for local government, which includes parks, is property tax. Now, you know, in Tallahassee, they're working on various bills that would come to the public and vote to reduce or even eliminate property tax. So, the consequence of that will be less money for parks, for transit, for animal services, for police, fire, everything like that. So, we're trying to educate people about the consequences. So, here we are with Tropical Park. It's a treasure. It is uh definitely our central park and we do have improvements that have been made and others in the pipeline,

right?

But not at the level that everybody would like to see and many many other parks that are waiting too. So, we have put together a plan that does prioritize with the limited funding we have repair and maintenance of parks. There are, you know, the the chairman of our commission, Anthony Rodriguez, has tropical in his district and he has a very ambitious plan to remake the equestrian center.

Well, you know, the the stables are old. We still have horses there. We have different law enforcement agencies using those stables and we have classes and we have his country fest that he sponsors and so on. So, that is top of agenda. But also, he wants to enhance playgrounds. We've added some playfields there. Uh so, you know, we we recognize uh but if we don't have the property tax money

cuz that's that's

you know, we'll be out of luck.

Okay. But but that's interesting.

Or or or that becomes something that is a is a is a user pay system. Correct. Which would aggravate a lot of taxpayers.

That was once, you know, that was once rumored that people had to pay. I think everybody got at least we got a whole bunch of comments in about the parking. We were looking at or something for parking. People were like, you know, they wanted to go out and and, you know, strike on that. Yes. But I think it's important because these are things that so everything that's under parks does not come out of the day county budget

or or some does, but you know,

well, the park system has some user fees,

okay?

Like if you go to the golf course or uh you have the marinas, there's different ways that they get revenues. or if there's a team, the team has to pay for the use of the field, something like that. But it's a very small portion of the park's budget. Uh so some parks do have parking that is paid for right now. Like if you go to a Marina Black Point, you pay if you go to Amelia Airheart, you pay parking. So some of that is in the system, but the the majority of the funding comes from property tax.

That's that's that's interesting because I don't think a lot of people know that.

No, they don't. and they just think that somehow money grows on trees. And look guys, we want to provide the best of the best. But you know, it's not that simple to just take away the money and think that these things will continue.

And this was a tough a tough budget year with federal government. Uh

yes,

funding being reduced

federal and state both.

Well, in part of that was that funding now because that's another question we have. What's happening with the you know with these the arches those those those these arches that we have over there signature bridge the signature bridge

signature bridge bridge is is this is this is this like completely like a stop is this like a standstill or is that also part of federal funding?

Yeah, it's it's a state project. The Florida Department of Transportation the funds exist to do it. It's progressing. Uh I don't think it's it's a little behind schedule but it's a very ambitious project. It's supposed to relieve a lot of traffic, right? Uh there's another major project which is Golden Glades which is actually ahead of schedule.

Really? Yeah.

That's one we should talk about because everything is always behind schedule.

Yeah. Yeah. It's great. Well, talking about ahead of schedule, we have the new parking garage at the airport. I know you want to talk about the airport, IBIS, and it was under budget and ahead of schedule. 2,000 plus new parking spaces.

Which was that one? Is that what

it's what used It's the actually the first one. Gotcha.

When you're coming in now, it used to be the open lot and so they turned it into a new

They redid that one completely. Completely. Yeah. Completely. Okay. Yeah. I mean, so if we're going to dive into the airport, let's keep on that one right now. We keep on getting a lot of a lot of messages from people. People still saying they don't see any type of updates in the airport.

Listen, I I hear our audience. I mean, I go to the airport sometimes. I've seen I've gone to places and I've seen updates,

you know, but I see a lot of photos that people will send us and they'll say, "Look at this bathroom's still broken. The tile's still broken." They'll see, you know, the roof all, you know, brown of of leaks or what have you. What can we tell those viewers out there? Even though that some are going to be happy with what you're saying, still some are going to say, you know, they're going to still say call BS then in their own way. But I want them to hear from you. Is have we advanced? Are we advancing? Do you see the advancement?

Yeah. So, we have a $9 billion commitment that was made when I first became mayor and I learned of the the state of the airport. It's an old airport. It's not new. There was an escalator that was as old as me. Okay, I'm 70. Last year was 69 and I'm looking at this escalator. They had kept it going with band-aids and, you know, chewing gum. And elevators supposed to last maybe 25 years. So, think about that. So 9 billion we committed the commission committed and now it's actually about 12 billion that we're investing. So new bathrooms uh I have to get the count 50 plus new bathrooms. There's 300 and something bathrooms at the airport. Jetways we got new jetways. They're coming in. They're glass. You know they're they're coming. Takes time. The elevators and escalators that were broken a lot that used to be 85% functioning not good is now above 95%. That is the national average. So people have stopped complaining about the elevators and the escalators. Those we got. Now I say, okay, we're taking care of the basics. Now let's look around and make it more beautiful. It's not a new airport. So how do we add that wow factor? So we have a new terminal that we broke ground, the first in over 20 years. We have uh already the central terminal has been updated. We are um uh goodness graciously there's so so many things happening but it needs to be more visible. So what did I do getting upgraded?

We get a new hotel coming in. Well, so I created something called the lightning crew.

Reample lightning crew. And we hired about 150 people. Their job is to roam and to find the missing light bulbs or the missing sockets or whatever. And and no, you don't have to fill out like a requisition form and wait for the team to show up. They're just

Manny gets his DMs of problems in the airport. He needs to email that. Well, I honestly I want you to send pictures, not to me. I want to have a central place. So, I'm going to from this conversation, I'm going to talk to them and we're going to add a QR code where you can send your photos.

And I'm happy you said that because I think that one of the most important things is so we went and we had a great conversation with the airport director.

Yeah. and you know he explained everything and and and listen I'm the first one that that I accept what you know it takes time to do all these jobs but I am also you know saying that some people are true and what they're saying when they go to the airport and they see things send a picture I think that these are things that we should forward to either your office and we should forward also to the director's office and I think it's something that I think it would be great for people to say we heard you fixed Here. Here. Here it is.

Before and after, right?

Before and after because I think there are stuff in the airport that are just quick fixes.

Well, so so again, that's why I did the lightning crew, but we didn't have a place for people to send their suggestions. So, we have to fix that. But yesterday, my big big announcement, I had two one's about the zoo, so don't forget about that. But my big big announcement was about the airport and I said, I am launching the MIA forward flight team.

Okay. Okay. It's a group of I think we're up to 14 people. They come from the arts. We have like the the president CEO of the PAM Perez Art Museum is on it. We have engineers who do the beautifification. We've got the Chamber of Commerce and uh a couple of those folks. So, we have a broad array of people who don't work at the airport who are going to come and give it the fresh eyes. And we already had some things in the works. We want to look really spiffy for World Cup. We want to really have a different experience when people come to that airport. And so we're gonna, you know, cut red tape. We're going to identify it. Get it done.

A little suggestion. Maybe you should have some people from, you know, Day of Miami podcast also take a look at from, you know, because we can we can advocate for our people, our viewers out there.

Sure. Well, there but everybody will be invited to send suggestions.

Absolutely. You know what I'm I think I think that's that's that's important to have also some people from out there. You know,

not only the Chamber of Commerce guys, but you know, some some of the regular jobs out here. You know what I'm saying? That's important.

Your resume coming. Is that what you're saying? I just I just need to be

That's the same because at the end of the day, really, you know, you can have everybody there, but you're still going to have the comments and you're still going to the people that travel are going to be looking at places. So, I really like, you know, her suggestion of that saying, you know, send us a stuff and I see if we can, you know, do a QR code and do some before and after

and if you could wonderful I have on my phone lots of photos whenever I go to the airport. I take and I send them to the airport and then of course they fix those things right away. But so I that's lightning I'll be in the lightning too if I got a mayor's text also to do that, you know. So, but apart from that, I mean I think it's it's it's important for you know Miami and and you just said something else on FIFA. So, we want to be prepar for FIFA. But again, and I'm not I'm just, you know, saying what we get with comments. Where are we with FIFA?

What what are we doing with FIFA? Because I get a lot of comments of people saying they don't say anything in FIFA. What's, you know, where's the hype? Where where what what are we doing? What are we doing? You know, people keep on saying, you know,

they're not feeling the hype yet. Okay.

You know, I mean, people keep on asking, you know, this is a huge huge event in Miami all over.

Well,

what what can we what can we tell them? For what? For what? 5 months away at this point.

I think we're likeund and some I don't know the exact

so 5 months. So we have a host committee. They have raised funds including from the county,

right?

They are planning an amazing month-long fanfest activation at Bayfront Park and activities all around the county. I don't know what the roll out is. We did have some big events I've been part of, but you know, everything costs money. So I think we it's a good a good point. I don't know. I have to find out like what's the the leading up there have been events but we need to do more.

Yeah. We need to get we need anticipation to get ready for it and then go to it and put on a Miami party the way it so [snorts] many people so many people that are going to are so enthused with FIFA. I mean remember we have as you said we have every culture every nationality in in in our backyard here. Remember I call this Miami USA. I

I don't call this Miami, Florida. I call us Miami, [laughter] USA. So, at the end of the day, all those folks are here. People want to see, you know,

I I just suggest, you know, listen, we invite them come to our come to our pod and share with us what's going on.

I say that we are the soccer capital of the United States. No question. And we're, of course, we've got Messi

and they're going to open Freedom Park. Actually, that's a big part of the the drum roll because they're selling tickets, right? Yeah.

Uh they're planning for uh the first uh game and that will bring a lot of

April. They're going to first games in April.

Mhm.

I'm looking forward to that.

Yeah.

Um mayor, another one of the things I want to How's how's how's it going for the new I want to say not independent but you know newly elected we have a sheriff you know. So how has that transition you know evolved is is you know between your office because that used to be under your you know your your management now it's independent so I mean do we still you know work together more independent you know is

okay well five constitutional officers three of them brand new and all five of them acting more independent so even the two that were with us before the clerk and the property appraiser are really more separate, if you will, um, in terms of the structure and their operations, but we still provide a lot of back office support to all five. So, the sheriff is still, you know, on our insurance plan is still we pro, you know, they can't own buildings. The buildings that they're in are owned by the county.

Okay.

So, that's right.

Budget wise, how does that work? I'll go through you guys. It's, let me say, it's complicated because the four have to bring their budgets to the county and then have it be included in what the commission passes.

So, they're not exactly accountable to the county, but it's it's all coming from the same pot of money. So, when we say we're still paying for it,

so it's all our property tax.

It's all on property taxes. That's exactly right. And that is why we had that challenge last year because suddenly now we're spending more money for services that had been under the county's opaces to these separate agencies. So they have their own bureaucracy if you will, their own infrastructure costs more money. So that really was the collision course. This year it'll be whatever the state does with property taxes. So the only one that doesn't have to come to us for inclusion is the tax collector because guess what? the tax collector collects the taxes and the tax collector takes it off the top and can take 2% off the top of everything collected and doesn't have to tell us until like the following year what he doesn't need. So it makes it extremely difficult to plan. That's why last year we were able to close some holes once the tax collector who didn't even have to tell us but said, "You know what? I'm not going to spend this much money cuz it's too much money." But the tax collector had a lot of new responsibilities. He had to put those Department of Motor Vehicles up and running. The state had not funded them and then they turned the obligation over to the county. It was an unfunded mandate and that money came out of our property taxes now all of a sudden. So, he's done a good job setting that up. He's also opened a bunch of offices and kiosks and other things. Costs money, folks. So that money came off the top. It doesn't come back into the county's coffers. And we really have no control over that.

So who does control that?

Just the property.

I would say ultimately the voters. You know, ultimately you have to look at this and see how money is being spent across all these departments. the the sheriff got a a major bump in

funding

funding through the commission and honestly the red light camera thing you know at the schools that helped that was a trunch of money that we were able to incorporate into

a lot of people are going to be listening to this right now and hating on those red light cameras

yeah like slow down

because everybody hates those red light cameras everywhere

and the buses is that back again by the way I don't even know is that back again because they had taken that off that the the yellow school buses were taking pictures of

Oh, yeah. I don't know about the school bus, but the ones when you speed in a school zone, that is actually where the revenue is split with the sheriff, with the commission. And uh

I get I get one I get once one once a week.

Oh my god.

No, not from me, from my wife. So, and she's like, "What are you talking about? I was annoyed." If she's listening, no, but it's not even a 50. No, it's not even a 50 m per hour because remember, you got to be at I think at 30 between that time and about 4:00 in the afternoon. Even if you're after the 50 the the school hours, you can't go above the speed limit because they'll go ahead and take it. Not that she's going over the speed limit when in a school area. Let's just be certain, you know, I want you covering yourself. But at the end of the day, you know, it's it's important

because I've been in government and a lot of people don't understand that of how that funding or what that

it's very complicated. You go get a PhD.

Yeah. But it's you know what mayor I know it's complicated but it's so important because that is the part

that I always say that before you go and criticize or do something educate find out what you're talking about first because sometimes and I'm not defending one person or the other. I'm just saying it's very important to go ahead and explain to people like a lot of people always thought with the airport. Oh my god that's my money that's my property that's not coming from the property.

Not at all. Not at all.

So a lot of people didn't understand that. Correct. That $9 billion is not coming from

Well, I'm not going to give names, but prominent people in Tallahassee electeds with whom I met a couple of weeks ago didn't know that we couldn't take money from the airport and use it safe for parks. So, like, no, that's federal law. Money at the airport stays at the airport. And that's why, you know, it's covered the cost of the airport from concessions, from fees, uh, landing fees. By the way, I forgot to mention the concessions at the airport are all being updated, right?

That was an agreement. Yes, they are all being

They should be there. You know, aortito is costing you four bucks now. You know what I'm saying?

Well, that's an update, [laughter]

you know, but that's not our part. You know, those are those are the people that own the the places. You know what I'm saying?

It's it's a partnership. And one of the things that I am so very proud of, I'm keeping track of the things that are really uh big news for me personally as mayor was that we launched the I am MIA campaign. So, you know, people were down about it from the public, but also the people that work at the airport. There's 37,000 people that work at the airport.

Oh, listen.

You know, all the concessions, all the companies, and you know, they're discouraged, too. They have to walk through. They want good amenities. So we said we're going to fix it and we want you to be part of the solution. So we launched this campaign called I am MIA. Everybody is getting trained in customer service throughout the entire airport system and they have a nice pin and logo and we repeat it and and basically when difficult situations happen at the airport which is often the case like a snowstorm that shuts down you know the whole uh northeast corridor and beyond. we come together across the airlines, across the vendors to make sure that we prepared. And we actually this last weekend really served as a kind of um a pressure valve for the whole country. We had airplanes come here because they couldn't park other places. We put CS out in our auditorium and we had like a hundred people per night sleeping in our auditorium because there were no hotel rooms.

It's crazy.

Yeah.

Wow. I didn't know that.

Yeah.

That didn't get reported. A little bit. A little bit. But you can help spread the word.

Well, I mean, absolutely.

All right. Speaking of all these people that are coming to our airport, it's creating growth in Miami Dade County. So, what's the what what are the prospects in the next five or 10 years? And how's the county planning for that?

Yeah, we have a really robust planning process. We have a planning department that uh focuses on those numbers and really deals with a a plan for the future 10 to 20 years out. So it's called the comprehensive development master plan or CDMP and uh they you know applications come in for major growth development comes to the board of county commissioners and they get recommendations from the department. Is is there adequate infrastructure? Uh what kind of uh impact fees do we need to really make sure that we're covering the roads, the water, sewer, and so on. And we also have to think about the protection of our water. I don't want to leave that aside because our water comes from the Everglades and if we build uh in a way that poses a risk to groundwater then we're really hurting ourselves and our wealth fields need to be protected. So there's many many things that go into that and we also have to have transportation. So, we know that the roads are clogged, right? Traffic is bad. And if we just keep building outside, we're we're just Somebody said you could have a heart attack, right? Because the arteries are getting uh

clogged. Yeah.

The arteries are getting clogged. So, we have to plan everything, the the transportation, the water and sewer, the housing availability, and do it in a way that doesn't hurt our environment.

Go ahead, Andy.

I'm going to jump in.

Go. you had last year published or your staff published uh a water transportation plan to relieve some of our clogged roads. I know it got stalled at the end of the year. We had elections and and things like that. And uh do you know can you talk about is there still a plan to maybe bring water taxis and waterborne transportation

into into our county and into say county facilities and and using the parks that are on the water as staging grounds for that transportation. Well, we're very excited that Miami Beach has actually brought in something that seems like it could be financially viable and they're going from various stops in in my Miami Beach to various stops in the city of Miami. Previous efforts have not been financially successful and you know there's we've had bids out and people haven't really come forward. So we have to show but your point about making sure that there's landing places right is is a very wise one. Um the we have a department of transportation and public works led by the former regional secretary for the state department. So she's very attuned to kind of what are the possibilities and and within the confines of of regulation I guess is what I'd have to say. your your staff presented a plan and actually asked us if River Landing would would accept a landing in the county's plan. We we said very quickly we said you bet.

Okay. Well, I have to follow up on that. Thank you.

And um the the plan got a little bit stalled while there were some changes at Durm and uh there discussions between Durm department and uh

Durm's always somewhere. Durm's always in in the mix every brought up they're mix.

So if I could say something. So, you know, I'm a water warrior. I protect the environment because it is it's our economy. It's also our lifeline. I mentioned about the water, the bay. We have to protect it because it's a 64 billion dollar industry. It's very critical.

It certainly is,

right? You can't have a nice ferry service on a polluted bay. So, you know, everything fits together. So, I um am am very bullish on the subject of protecting our our water. So, but there's other things we have to protect in the environment. So, I decided to create DURM as a standalone department, which it has not been for 12 or so years to elevate it as a policym and enforcement body. But all permitting now goes through regulatory and economic resources or basically our building department which has a very streamlined system which has been heralded by many. So they'll work together on environmental concerns just those like they'll work with transportation on transportation issues, water and sewer and water and sewer issues, but permitting will be in the hands of our building department. Now Durm as a separate agency will continue to make sure that we're monitoring our bay, that people are not uh putting their oil on the ground and letting it leech into our water supply and and so on. But yeah, the durm as to the along the riverway. I know you've had a lot of issues about that because it's limitations on where we can put in new

um

there were there were even limitations on the county where the county can do its own

if you want to use your property, your county property to do waterborne trans limitations on that.

And you did get and I'm sure it wasn't easy the ability to have dockage along the wall there. We we do have do beautiful dockage.

Beautiful dockage. I know I've been there. It's lovely. But I am going to follow up on that water transportation issue. Thank you.

And okay, so two more questions before we leave the transportation. Any any updates on are we ever people ask us metro rail?

Oh, okay.

Any any anything of expansion on on on metro rail? I know it's a tough one because land and all that bunch of stuff. I imagine that last interview I might have touched on this, but I want to emphasize again the half

forgot about that already.

The half penny.

Remind them again.

Yeah. You know, infrastructure costs money.

Yeah.

And a lot of money. You know, these things cost billions of dollars. We told the public, not me. I wasn't here. It wasn't wasn't my fault. The public was told, "Pass this half penny and you will get all this expansion of Metro Rail." But it was not really the truth because the plan had been developed on a full penny, not on a half. And it was decided that a full penny wouldn't pass. So it they put it on the ballot as a half penny. But they didn't really communicate with the public, oh, we're only going to get half a loaf. Then there was a recession. They used a lot of that money to plug holes in the operation of our transit system. Now that's ended. So we are building new things but not metro rail extensions at this time. So what we've done is the BRT or the Metro Express that goes down south was a huge project. The largest uh transit update again in a couple of decades here and it's the longest BRT electric in the country and it's our first BRT bus rapid transit. Then there's the Northeast Corridor, which would be an extension of it wouldn't be Metro Rail, it would be another service, maybe Tri Rail, but it's on the the corridor that Bright Line uses. So, we're working on making sure the state stays. They had given us a match to 400 million federal dollars we got, but then the state took away the match. So all of this is very complicated because we're trying to make up for the fact that people were told they were going to get metro oil expansion and it was really

because if you think about it through that bus I mean it' be great to be have the metro rail on top as well course. You know what I'm saying? I mean take it all the way over there. So is that something that's trying to be worked out between

I don't think you're going to see an expansion of metro rail per se. Okay,

in the near future the I'm glad you're honest.

I'm I am honest about it. The north corridor could potentially have been, but the right of way isn't there. The cost, we don't have a federal government right now that's prioritizing transit. These projects are hugely expensive. Okay, there we have the beach. We wanted again, everything is more like other pieces that we put together, but still are super fast and preferable. If we were able to do the um the uh MacArthur Causeway, it would be an elevated not metro rail, but a a metro mover expansion. That would be great, but you know, we got a lot of resistance to that, too. So, you know, it costs money and it requires political will.

Gotcha. Money's tight right now.

Yeah,

money is tight.

So, it's a lot of of wheelie and dealing between not only the, you know, the state but also federal funding.

Yes. And we are very fortunate that we have this 400 million plus still allocated to that northeast corridor and that would have local stops all along in um the design district in Lemon City in uh north north Miami um solemia, you know, it would be a great commuter lineup to uh to

places that people haven't visited. Is that is that the same tracks that the Bright Line runs on? It's the same track. And that's again, I'm sorry, but everything is so complicated because the tracks are owned by a Mexican company and the Mexican company gives the rights to Bright Line and Bright Line was going to sub to the county to use it for commuter rail, but they're in a dispute with FC. So, we're, you know, we're waiting. We're working it. We're working it.

How did Yeah. How does that

How did How did that come out about the fact that the Mexicans own the railroad? How

Yeah, I know. I know. It happened.

That was Antonio. I gotta figure out I gotta find out if that's

Yeah. Yeah. But you know

I gotta find out my Mexican friend.

But I don't want to say I'm not We're not working on it. We are. But it's just not as crazy to me. I mean I wish these are things that I still you know you think you know government. I think I know government and you learn something new every day. How the hell did I even know that Mexicans own the the rails,

you know, and that you know that's sub to you know tri rail.

Well yeah. No. So Tri Rail has its own tri rail has another track. This track is Bright Line and they run

okay

uh cargo. So FEC uses it for cargo, right?

And so they need to keep it open for their cargo and if there's a lot of passengers on it then they can't run their cargo.

This is that segment I tell everybody the things that make you go hm in government. This is one of them that makes you go in government. It's crazy.

It's crazy. Well, mayor, so I the the last question.

Yes. [snorts] Um, and and you know, listen, I I just want you to to because it wouldn't be us if we don't we don't bring these things up, especially to our audience.

Why Why are some people out there speaking about this um you know, recall?

There's some people saying they want to recall the mayor.

Oh, before the mayor answers that,

you know, there's two and a half years left. I think two years, right? 2026 is done. The budget's set. There's two years left. Why are you wasting our time and money? because it costs money

honestly.

Yes. Yes. Of course. And running an election if if the people who are doing this recall effort are able to secure 66,000 notorized individual living

petition. Yes. Day county voters and all that. If they're able to do it, which is a very tall order, then there would have to be an election. That of course does cost money and it would be whether to retain.

Does anybody know the cost more or less of that? What that more or less what that would be? I mean, it doesn't have to be accurate.

Yeah, it's a countywide election. So, you know,

you're talking about the hundreds of thousands of dollars,

if not more. So, we we will get you that number. But, you know, look, I obviously I'm aware that it's there. We are here running on our record. We've had great success. It's uh it's it's frivolous in my opinion. Nonetheless, of course, we take it seriously, and we want the public to know how we've served them well for these past five just from policy, right? If you got to focus on

this, what are you doing about on that day for policy? You have to focus.

So, if that would happen, you're talking about that's in in how many months from now because then at the end

there's a deadline. There's a deadline.

Yeah. The signatures would have to be gathered by May,

right?

And then the election has to occur shortly thereafter. So,

so that we're already now you said how many it you're already in into what a month and a couple of

year you're

you know so really you're going to I mean how much is it going to cost for like what a year or something

well and then there'd have to be a new election and all that but the bottom line is that I I feel confident about the the job I've done

correct

proud leading this community through some very difficult times don't forget COVID Surfside building collapse these budget challenges uh the airport

and we still have more budget challenges.

We do. We do. And I'm I'm staying focused on the work ahead.

Okay. So, mayor, before we go, you know, number one, I want to thank you for coming and especially coming after this, you know, the state of the county that you did. And I strong, very strong,

and I and I appreciate you coming always to a day in Miami

and and all our viewers really love that. And and and I really want to say that I take really to heart all the things you say here and the fact of we want you guys, you got those pictures of the airport. We want you to send it. We're gonna forward to the mayor's office and we're gonna try and get you results. If anything we're do, we're gonna get results. But before you leave from here, Andy's got three Andy's got a very important question to you and you got to come up with some new ones now by the by last time. What's the question, Andy?

Well, we pointed out that your time as mayor will will end in two years, two and a half years. And last time your honor, we asked or Manny asked if the if the state needed a a grandma's hug. And uh uh we we weren't quite sure. You were focused on that time on your reelection, but now you're uh you're into your second term and uh we're still wondering,

is there any future aspirations for our mayor? Well, I turned 70 uh recently and I'm trying to stay fit and healthy. Uh I exercise, I eat right, I sleep as best I can and I'm hopeful that when I finish this term, I'll still have some spunk in me to to move on and do something great. I don't know what that is, but I'm not I'm not going to learn ma jang.

Yeah. Well, I I take that as a yes, mayor. So, you know, we're now in the whole Girl Scout cookie era, you know, and and shout out to the Girl Scouts of America. I think it's a spectacular, wonderful organization. I don't want to put any more pressure on you, but do we have our favorite cookies?

First of all, you have to know I'm the first Girl Scout mayor.

Oh, okay.

Yes, absolutely. And um Samoas.

Oh, I'm I'm with you. Okay.

I'm so with you.

Samoas chocolate and coconut. Yes.

Combination. But they did come out with a new one this year. a new s'mores.

Really? Yeah, I haven't tried that one.

I'll send you a box.

Okay. Okay, I'll be waiting.

And we featured a Girl Scout in my state of the county because she had planted trees at Camp Mahachi and then she was inspired to go on and study biology and she was there with us to celebrate at my state of the county.

That's terrific. That's awesome. So again, mayor, I want to thank you and I thank you once again for coming to the pod and giving this whole great explanation and uh you know um we will be back with you again because I want to go ahead and see if we can follow up. You know, we're going to get a whole bunch of questions after this one.

Good. Good.

And I love the fact that when we call your office and your staff, shout out to the staff, we tell them, hey, we got more questions for the mayor and they they say, "Let's put it down the Thank you." So I like I like the fact and I really want to say that because some people will hide behind the fact and say and and I got to say whatever's opinion of anybody out there of you or whatever anytime we call and we say could could you know Mayor Cava come on we we get you on the calendar. You bet. So I thank you for that and stay tuned. We'll be back for another episode. Thank you.