Remarks by Damian Pardo
99 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 4
- Play at 15:44
“I just want to say that your work, even though it's unseen, it is seen by many of our residents. And you are very much appreciated. Every time a story comes out in the news that's actually appalling, they know that there are very good, solid people behind there doing hard work. So thank you very much for your service and work.”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 22:17
“I was not your problem. So... But I have to say, you handled everything with grace and challenges incredibly well. And you're just so valued here. And... You're going to keep doing what you're doing, so thank you.”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 2:41:06
“Madam Mayor, I did have a few minutes that I wanted to be able to just use a point of personal privilege to discuss an item that is for the public benefit.”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 2:41:51
“Sure, well, as the sponsor of the item, obviously I have a few words that I'd like to share.”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 2:41:59
“A lot of people spoke about Ruth Shack and what she's done for the arts, for culture, how Christos Islands were wrapped at a moment where the city was paradise lost. She made it paradise found. What she's done with Art Miami, Art Basel. I'm not going to talk about any of that. I'm going to talk about myself. When I was a very young man... Pretty insecure and very worried because I was openly gay. And it was a moment in Miami where HIV was killing a lot of people. Nobody knew why HIV was killing a lot of people. And here was this woman who, on TV, on camera, in the community, stood up in a…”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 2:46:04
“It's really quick. First of all, I want to thank everybody that has been engaged on tree and canopy issues. I think it's fantastic. We had a full house here for the HEP board meeting. There's a lot of feedback and a lot of people engaged. And the more eyes on anything, I think the better it is for us as a community. Even so, I want to explain to people some of the context of things that are happening because I've never seen this really happening before so far in my term in office. So Alex, if you can put on the, there you go. So this is a new organization that popped up, Miami Canopy Watch.…”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 3:04:35
“I'd just like to co-sponsor PZ5 if I'm not already on there. Absolutely. Thank you.”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 3:17:29
“I would. I just want to respond to some issues the residents had brought up. Some folks thought that the amount was... low or not correct, but there is an appraisal behind that and there was that's followed all the rules we use to establish the value. There was also a lot of public comment about not being sufficient engagement and not really being a public process. Totally agree with that. We have talked about this with Dade Heritage Trust and they have assured that they will have a public engagement process around this whole thing. Also, remember that there's a headboard meeting. So this has…”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 3:24:09
“Yeah, my main issue was being able to have control over location and site because it is visual pollution. In a park, it depends with placement and site and how that whole issue works. So as long as it's flexible with our district and we can choose to do it or not, or to do it here or not there, that's really what we're asking for. Of course, we're in favor of nice, cold, filtered water, not only for us, but dogs, you know, dog parks, all of the things. It's a great idea. I want to commend the founders and the people that have put this forward. It's exciting that you're coming here with great…”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 3:32:26
“No, not at all. Can we have the appropriate staff person that can answer? Hi. Good afternoon. Some... I wanted to understand, this is $150 million obligation, and it went before the Finance Committee. So there's a couple of things I'm interested in. The relationship with the Finance Committee, and this would be helpful for people to understand that this falls under the non-ad valorem bucket of what we can issue as debt. There are two kinds of buckets, the ad valorem, which taxpayers, their costs increase, and then there's non-ad valorem, which is not handled in the same way. So how did it…”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 3:34:05
“The issue I have is that in the debt management policy of the city, which you correctly stated, it should go before issuance because otherwise it kind of defeats the purpose of having advisors advise us as a commission on the best practice. So, you know, that's kind of like one big thing. The other big thing is the capacity that we have. How much capacity do we have on the non-Ad Valorem bucket? Meaning we're using 150 now. If we went up to our full capacity, how much more could we use?”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 3:34:48
“So potentially, we could have taken that from the 450 that we're putting on the taxpayer, and we could have financed that in this bucket of non-ad valorem. Correct? Potentially, yes. Potentially. And that's kind of what I'm gearing toward. I think that this should have absolutely gone to the Finance Committee. I'm in the world of finance. Finance is very specific, very difficult. If that's what you're in, if that's what you studied, if that's what you got your master's in, it's a different story. But for a regular resident or a commissioner or anyone to try to understand this in the same way…”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 3:37:20
“Well, no, she's correct. It's five years, so they finance it that way. But she also said there's another $250 million available for long-term financing where you can.”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 3:38:33
“Correct. Correct. No, but it does have one thing to do. It's using up our capacity.”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 3:39:14
“So, the issue here is debt issuance, right? The 150 is short-term debt. lease arrangements, et cetera. The 450 is long-term, but 250 of the 450 could have been issued in this manner as long-term debt without increasing taxpayer taxes. And the issue I have is when you read the ballot language that voters are going to have, the voters have been given, in my opinion, what's a false choice. You have to increase your taxes to feel safe. If I read the questions, It says, to enhance citywide public safety by improving critically deteriorating facilities for firefighters and paramedics through…”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 3:43:58
“And I feel the same way for District 2. They should just come up the way they normally come up. The public can engage and that's a better process for us.”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 3:45:52
“What I would add is that because, especially in the areas of our district where you have a lot of development, the urban core, Edgewater, downtown, Brickell, people are done. They already had the enormous billboard at PAM, the other billboards on the street. They don't want more advertising, period. When they're walking on a sidewalk or they're walking in a public space, that's not what they want. So our thinking was like, well, let's allow the other folks who feel comfortable to do this and that gives us the opportunity to watch and to try to bring our folks along if they like it if they…”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 3:57:37
“No, it's okay. First of all, I know all of the intentions and I know all the work that has been done behind this, and I have almost confidence in the body cams and the police force and a lot of the people doing this work. But for me, there is this slippery slope that I'm not comfortable with. Full respect, I'm not. But in my case, I'm going to be on the no side for this.”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 3:59:42
“And I'm very grateful that the mental health center is actually opening because that's what that was about. But what I'm concerned about here is Please make the connection for me of your example where they're sleeping outside the business. What would happen?”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 4:00:16
“His example of where there are a lot of unhoused people in front of a business, and they're all in the street, and the owners don't feel safe, and it is a reality in, I think, all of our districts. What does this change for that situation? What's different from what we're doing now to just... you know, getting rid of that warning paper?”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 4:03:27
“Actually, what I'd like to do is have administration answer. We received feedback from residents as to our modifications and our substitution. And why were we adding a general contractor? And the whole kind of narrative was us being about pro-development. And I think it really lost what you were trying to do in that item. So I'd like you if you could speak to that.”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 4:03:59
“With the sidewalk safety, with the modification.”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 4:05:22
“And what are the three parties that you need in order for that to come true, to happen?”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 4:05:41
“Engineer, general contractor, and who else? I thought there were three parties.”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026
- Play at 4:05:45
“Of course, the city staff. And you have to have all three concur?”
City Commission · Jul 23, 2026