Remarks by Danielle Cohen Higgins
389 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 5 of 16
- Play at 3:35:07
“I do still have the floor, but I'm watching Commissioner Steinberg, and it doesn't seem as though that that reflects what she was trying to accomplish. I'm just trying to understand if there is a vehicle to accomplish what the commissioner specifically requested.”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 3:36:15
“So to the attorneys, well, go ahead and answer that question. So the same way that you were saying we can amend it to say this applies countywide with an opt-in, we can amend it by saying not applying countywide. And we would have basically interlocals allowing for municipalities to opt in. So my question is specific. I'm asking you whether the inverse of what you proposed is possible. Instead of saying we want this to apply county wide, we want instead to give the municipalities by interlocal or expression of interest. We represent a lot of municipalities obviously that may want to opt in.…”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 3:37:13
“Absolutely. You proposed having the ordinance amended to apply countywide With an opt in by the municipalities, the commissioner that made the original request, took her head and said, that's not exactly what I was requesting. Instead, what I was requesting was language simply allowing specific municipalities to opt in should they desire to do so. So it's simply taking the proposal that you gave and creating the inverse of that proposal. My question is a simple one. Is that possible?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 3:37:46
“It is possible. Okay, so then what is the downside then of including that language in this ordinance, considering the lives that it saves, the work that it's done, applauding the work. I represent Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay. What if they want to be included? I don't understand why we would need to wait months and months and months for that essentially can be accomplished here via a simple amendment, which is what I wanted to clarify through the attorneys whether or not that amendment was possible.”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 3:38:23
“Right. We understand that. We completely understand that. I don't think that anybody is confused.”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 3:46:56
“Thank you, Mr. Chair. To the attorneys and to the sponsor of the item, section five of the item that we're discussing says enforcement by municipalities. A municipality may upon approval by the Board of County Commissioners of an inter-local agreement between the county and such municipality. Enforce the provisions of this section as it relates to roads within the boundaries of said municipality. The agenda item approving such interlocal agreement shall be sponsored by a district commissioner in whose district any portion of such municipality lies. So it's already in the ordinance. We're…”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 4:25:31
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 4:25:46
“Okay, and that's reflected in the report that's also on the agenda today, correct?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 4:25:50
“Okay, thank you. So that's coming in the future. And I want to be clear regarding the salary commission that was recommended by the charter review task force. It's entirely possible that the commission can recommend a lower salary, is that correct?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 4:49:35
“Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Commissioner Steinberg. I do have a brief amendment to the item that hopefully will address potentially Commissioner Steinberg's concerns or any others. If the attorney can please read the amendment.”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 4:50:15
“Thank you. And that amendment came at the request of the League of Cities, indicating that apparently certain dates had already been published for their upcoming municipal elections. And so we wanted to amend it to allow it to have a later start date so they wouldn't have to republish those election dates. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I move 11A16.”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 6:01:18
“Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the commissioners that requested this report. I believe it was Commissioner Orbis and Commissioner Garcia and Commissioner Gonzalez to allow us to see where these legacy CBO dollars are going and how they're being spent. On 2B5 particularly, there are a number of CBOs that are color coded with both yellow and red, indicating five or more instances of noncompliance. And or receiving a suspension that has since been resolved or any number of instances of noncompliance that merit contract or payment suspension that are not resolved. Are those yellow and red…”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 6:02:53
“Thank you, and I'm glad that you're pleased to report that. I, however, am looking at this report carefully for those that are non-compliant in any way, especially when funding is as tight as it is. I find it fascinating that there would be any non-compliance, much less instances higher than five. And so I'll be taking a close look at those as we move into our budget. But thank you for the explanation regarding what we have included in our proposed new annual budget moving forward. Nothing further, Mr. Chair.”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 6:26:57
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 6:31:03
“So thank you for that explanation, but I am perplexed. You're representing that your department has a 50% collection rate of all debts that you all collect for?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 6:31:22
“Sure, but you're collecting $20 million, not on $40 million of debt. You're collecting $20 million on what aggregate number?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 6:31:40
“So then what is the number of the 2 billion and the 500 million? What is it that you're collecting on the 2 billion and the 500 million?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 6:32:02
“No, yeah, so this is not particularly complex at all. And so you've represented that your collection rate is at 50% and that you've collected $21 million to date. What's being eliminated is the other very important number. I'm just trying to get what that number is. You've represented that there's 2 billion in outstanding debt service for Jackson alone and 500 million county wide. I don't understand how you represent the 21 million is a 50% collection rate. That's what I'm just trying to understand. The math is not mathing.”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 6:33:24
“So here's the thing, I'm going to yield the floor to my colleagues. I know that the Vice Chairman has the gavel. I'm going to yield the floor to my colleagues because I see a lot of, so I'm going to yield the floor. But I'm not entirely sure that the question that I asked has been answered. And again, I think my goal has been crystal clear on this for the six and a half, seven, eight, nine months that we've been working on this. And I hope my colleague sentiment is similar. If we as an entity, we say all the time the mayor is the CEO of a $17 billion corporation. We use that analogy…”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 6:52:18
“Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to my colleagues on the conversation. What is it that we are doing? Are we just going to pass a report?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 6:52:24
“Are we going to get another report? Just to be clear to the administration, are we going to get a subsequent report?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 6:53:01
“I appreciate the conversation and all of the comments that have been made. And these are the conversations we have to make because as we enter budget season, a number of us have already communicated our intention to take deep dives in these things. But we can't keep saying that we need to make tough decisions while simultaneously saying that we are not willing to collect on $2.5 billion worth of debt. Something has to give at some point. So I believe that there is a universe where we can Use an agency that engages with the compassion that we require, that we can collect as much of this money…”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 7:09:55
“Thank you, Mr. Chair. What department does this money come out of?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 7:10:14
“This comes out of the Department of Transportation and Public Works?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026
- Play at 7:10:23
“Okay, and the total contract value that you are extending this to is $8.2 million?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jul 21, 2026