Remarks by Danielle Cohen Higgins
389 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 14 of 16
“Commissioner Gonzales, any additional comments? As we adjourn, I just wanna take a moment. This is the Miami, Commissioner Orbis, you are recognized, yes. Thank you, thank you, Madam Chair.”
“Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you for extending that invitation, Commissioner Orbis. And as we close, this is our first, yes, Commissioner Gilbert, you were recognized.”
“Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. But on that note, as we close, in a lighthearted manner, I do know that we are the Aviation and the Seaport Committee, and we did have a resignation tendered by our amazing port director, Heidi Webb. And so I wanted to take a moment at our first committee hearing subsequent to that resignation announcement to really thank her for her incredible years of service. to miami-dade county i know she has spent her entire professional career here serving the amazing residents of miami-dade county and so i just wanted to take that personal privilege to say thank you to heidi…”
“Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have an easiness and unreadiness on this because, and again, I'm paying very close attention to the conversation as it carries forward. In the whereas clauses, it says here, Um, speaking it, it introduces live local and it says, however, the statute also provides that for proposed live, local developments located within a transit oriented development, which is what we're talking about now or area. The applicant and the county may agree to development parameters for the project that differ from what is specified in the statute regarding. height, density, floor area…”
“Okay, so if the answer is yes, it can be done. And the concerns that I've heard from my colleagues are pretty consistent. Why would we yield this and delegate this authority when we could write a law that retains it with ourselves? And if the answer to that is yes, and I understand it may be mechanical, And I understand that there's been a lot of time spent on drafting this ordinance. I personally would prefer to keep that authority. And again, it's the only sliver of authority we have left under Live Local, as stated in the item. And so as it's written now, I won't be supporting it. Thank…”
“Director Kuti, could you approach and speak to some of the concerns that were addressed by Commissioner Ramirez?”
“Mr. Chair, while we're on the airport, if I can have the director approach just for an announcement that I think he, and I also believe is rather important. I think it'll take less than two minutes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.”
“Thank you, Mr. Chair. I pulled it because the administration has an amendment. If they'll read the amendment proposed for 8 and 6.”
“Commissioner. Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd like to pull 3C, 3D, and 3L, and please be listed as a co-sponsor on 1G1.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm certainly supportive of the item. I just have a few questions of the administration. There are millions of dollars of carryover funds indicated here, and it's my understanding that we have passed policy at the board. in different areas that captures 100% of carryover funds and distributes it in different places. The Affordable Housing Trust Fund is one example. There's previous legislation that said 50% of all carryover funds gets automatically swept into that fund. And so my question is, is it accurate that 100% of our carryover funds, assuming that that we ever…”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“And thank you for that. But that's a recommendation from the administration. Is that recommendation pursuant to board policies? Or is that just a preferential recommendation being made by the administration?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“Okay, and so I'm not sure that I still have a clear answer to the question. I'm not trying to belabor the point. I'll ask it differently this way. I know 50% is allocated pursuant to the board's policies. The other 50%, could we as a board say, we greatly appreciate your recommendation. However, we believe that these funds should be allocated elsewhere, i.e. not into reserves. Could we as a body do that?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“Thank you for answering that. So I'm going to support this item now and advance it to the full board. I do, however, want to have discussions with the administration about the allocation of the discretionary portion of the carryover funds as we enter into what we know is going to be a very difficult and tight budget season. I'm not sure that reserves is the best place for those funds, but I look forward to having those conversations with you between now and final hearing. Lastly, kind of going down memory lane a bit, today is May, I'm not sure what the date is, May 13th. Exactly a year ago…”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“Thank you, nothing further, Madam Chair. Want to move the item?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“Thank you, Madam Chair. Really quickly, just to respond to Senator Garcia's comment. Thank you for saying that. I couldn't agree more. When that ordinance was passed allocating the 50%, we were in a completely different financial situation than what we're in right now. And I have an item that's going to be coming. I look forward to working with you and the rest of this board and the entire body as we maybe relook at things and reconsider how we're going to handle carryover funds moving forward. So thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you. So would you like to move the item?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“Point of clarification, and I don't mean to interrupt, but Director, you said litigation. Legislation, I apologize. Yep, thank you, that's what I thought, thank you.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I pulled it for a similar question and comment, just making the request that the rejection of bids be re-solicited as expeditiously as possible. That was it, really. I understand the item entirely, and I understand that Compost USA is one of the current contract holders. I don't see them listed as a participating vendor in this particular contract. procurement and I know they're doing good work for the county so I hope that they do rebid if this goes out or when this goes out but my only comment was just that I hope that it's able to be done on a very expedited…”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Commissioner Millian-Orvis, for pulling the item. This item is specifically and only for leasing fleet vehicles, and it's $80 million. Have we done an analysis of whether or not it's more cost-efficient to the county to lease versus to buy vehicles? Every year we have an item at the beginning of the year asking us for $100 million to purchase new vehicles because of our aging fleet, and now we have $80 million leasing. In leasing, how do you all make a decision between leasing versus purchasing vehicles? And have you all done an analysis on what's most…”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“Okay, I didn't mean to catch you off guard on it. I'm happy to work with you between now and final hearing as this item travels. But the item didn't really speak to that. And I know we do always have a fleet item for always over $100 million. And so it raises the question when we're spending so much on leasing. And if you're not prepared to answer now, that's great. I'll work with you between now and final hearing. But I would be interested in that cost benefit analysis.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“Thank you, Madam Chair. I pulled 3L. I certainly am supportive of this item. I know it's a long time in the making. But I do need some clarification because the sponsor of the item is not the district commissioner, and this involves a conveyance of land. And so when we're conveying land, our rules don't allow us to convey land in other commissioners' districts. I cannot say I'm going to convey a parcel of land in Commissioner Garcia's. District, unless there's a two-third vote, I think either of the members present or what have you. So I need to know, and I'm glad that the sponsor is here. I…”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“Thank you, Madam Chair. So this is super interesting, because we don't typically get a rejection of all bids, especially on a contract of this size with this many participants. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine or so. Maybe my math is not so good, but I think I can count. Nine or ten participants, and the justification for rejecting all bids Is that the incumbent vendor is proposing. Help me understand because in the item, what it says is you all received a lot of objections. That's the language in the item that you were recommending a rejection of all bids because. You all…”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“But when the question was just asked by Commissioner Gonzalez, the answer was very different, because he asked the same question.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“Okay, in fairness to you, you're right. You did distinguish deferral from rejection of all bids. And the explanation you just gave was an explanation as to why you're recommending a rejection of all bids, ambiguities, FTA funding, I get that. But the reason for deferral, you said, was to work with the current contract holder for better pricing. So now I'm authentically confused.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“So I have unreadiness with moving this to the full board, because We say time and time again that committee is where we are tasked with fleshing these things out. But I understand where the senator is coming from because I understand the import of the item. So I am not sure where I land on the motion to advance it to the full board. Because what we're going to do is we're going to end up being the selection committee, because there's no recommendation for 1 awardee. And so I wonder what the ultimate outcome is going to be. Is it is it you are you envisioning us making a decision at the full…”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026
“So Senator Garcia, I don't disagree with you. But the question is, are you okay with us advancing it without recommendation? Because I don't think that you support the item as it stands, because the item is requesting a rejection of all bids, which I'm not gathering from you that you're supportive of that. So do you recommend advancing it without a recommendation?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Meeting · May 13, 2026