Remarks by Danielle Cohen Higgins
389 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 9 of 16
- Play at 27:25
“Thank you to my colleagues. Are there any items on this morning's agenda that you'd like to bifurcate or discuss?”
Aviation and Seaport Committee · Jul 13, 2026
- Play at 28:09
“Thank you Commissioner Gilbert and thank you for bringing that up. I too would like to hear an update to the director. Do you know what Commissioner Gilbert is referring to? We had certain unions that were present. There was one story in particular that stood out that a number of us had some real concerns about and I think our message at that hearing was pretty clear. And so if you could provide us with an update, we'd greatly appreciate it.”
Aviation and Seaport Committee · Jul 13, 2026
- Play at 33:36
“Thank you for that update. To my colleagues, any bifurcations on this morning's agenda? I'll entertain a motion on the entire agenda. It's been moved. It's been moved. It's been seconded. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Anyone wish to be recorded? No. The agenda carries. To the attorneys, any unreadiness or any unfinished business before the body this morning? Okay, I believe we have. I believe we have budget presentations by Miami International Airport, Port Miami, and the Miami Dade Economic Advocacy Trust. Can we commence with Miami International Airport, please?”
Aviation and Seaport Committee · Jul 13, 2026
- Play at 41:45
“Thank you, Director. Any questions for our Director regarding the budget update from Miami International Airport? Thank you very, very much. I don't have any questions. Can our seaport please approach for a brief budgetary update? You also are a proprietary fund, which we understand, not general fund tax dollars. If you could give us a brief update regarding the financial health of Port Miami.”
Aviation and Seaport Committee · Jul 13, 2026
- Play at 42:10
“And Director, how much time do you think you'll need for this?”
Aviation and Seaport Committee · Jul 13, 2026
- Play at 44:07
“Director, yeah, I don't necessarily want you to read from the, I really would prefer just kind of a macro financial outlook if you could hone in on that. Thank you.”
Aviation and Seaport Committee · Jul 13, 2026
- Play at 45:56
“Thank you. Any questions or comments for Port Miami? Seeing none, thank you so much. I think our final presentation is from the Miami-Dade Economic Advocacy Trust. If you can please approach and tell us how much time you'll need for your presentation. Good morning and welcome. Actually, it's good afternoon. So good afternoon and welcome.”
Aviation and Seaport Committee · Jul 13, 2026
- Play at 50:10
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Aviation and Seaport Committee · Jul 13, 2026
- Play at 50:22
“Okay, thank you. I'd like to request that item 3G be advanced to the July 21st calendar. I know it's subject to the discretion of our chair, but I'd like 3G advanced if possible. If nothing further, we are adjourned. Thank you so much, everyone.”
Aviation and Seaport Committee · Jul 13, 2026
- Play at 1:21:36
“Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am in support of Item 8J1. I do have a friendly amendment, if the attorneys can read it. The spirit of the amendment is simply this, understanding the level of contention surrounding the item and anticipating that contention will continue having the greatest confidence in our county attorney's office and understanding that all parties involved in this transaction happen to be some of the most wealthiest residents of Miami-Dade County. I would like to equip our county attorney's office with as much support as possible to make sure as much as we can that we offer them…”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 2:13:56
“Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a follow-up to AECOM, because I think that their remarks have been important. So if AECOM can approach, again, I know you mentioned looking at five sites and that three of them were deemed viable, but then you said there would be a higher cost and operational and policy decisions that need to be made. Can you speak to what that cost is? Can you articulate on the record what the estimated cost is of selecting potentially one of those three sites, in addition to what you already mentioned regarding there being existing tenants on that land and needing to shift the…”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 2:54:06
“Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm sure all of our colleagues are going to speak on this item, and thank you for recognizing me. I do think, and I pulled it because I wanted to make sure that the item received the attention that, frankly, it deserves. I think that this is a historic day in Miami-Dade County, and I think it's worth noting, as a number of our colleagues have done, and I want to take a moment to do as well, The journey that it took us to get where we are today, and it was somewhat of a tumultuous journey, unfortunately, but here we are. And I say unfortunately because throughout the…”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 3:28:30
“I'm sorry. I'm about to call the vote for- I know, I know, but very quickly, there's just one name that hasn't been mentioned that I think is deserving of mention. She was here at the beginning. She's a former commissioner, a dear friend of us all. I think Commissioner Sally Haman deserves a thank you as well.”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 3:45:34
“Thank you, Mr. Chair. Since we are on these floor motions, I have a floor motion and Commissioner Gilbert just raised FIFA. I have a motion, if the attorneys will read it, as it pertains to FIFA. And it's my understanding that the contract that the host committee signed with the county already has language in it that says, to the extent that there is any overage, i.e. money that you all have not found necessary to spend, we need you all to give it back to the county. But at the time that that contract was signed, that was in advance of our FIFA host committee, who, by the way, is doing an…”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 3:52:18
“Absolutely, I mean, I'm speaking with the attorneys. I would appreciate the motion that I wanted to be read because it addresses the issue that my colleagues are bringing up now. It's my understanding that there's $25 million in potential recapture of funds. The way that that motion was just read speaks to only the 21 million. in cash contribution, not the aggregate $60 million of in-kind contribution, which is where we are recovering and have the opportunity to recover. So to the extent that we can get a motion that is clear on those issues so that we have the opportunity to recapture the…”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 4:06:34
“Thank you, Mr. Chair. I support 7A. I think I'm a co-sponsor on it. And I think that these measures are important to the administration. I've been working with you all on implementing order 8-4 and updating it. And I'd love an update on that. And I bring it up because in District 8, for example, I've been in office I think five and a half years. I've never, I think I'm just now for the first time conveying property for infill housing program. And the reason I haven't done it in the past is because when an applicant would come and ask for an opportunity to develop and we convey the parcels for…”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 4:14:14
“Thank you, Mr. Chair. If you all recall this item at committee, I had a number of questions regarding whether or not we could do better on price. And I met with the leadership of Motorola in my office and we spoke at length and Comparisons of other municipalities or counties that they had sold similar radios to and assured me that the price that we were getting was the best price. And so I have questions on the $5 million reduction. If someone from Motorola can approach, I'd like to understand where the $5 million reduction is coming from without affecting either the service or the device,…”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 4:15:03
“Is no one from Motorola here? I find that difficult to believe.”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 4:16:16
“No, no, no. I'm asking you, where is the $5 million coming from? Because it's being represented that it's not going to cut the number of devices or the service that's being offered to our corrections department. And I'm just trying to understand. First of all, I applaud it, because any time that we're able to save money, of course, we're going to be supportive of that. So I want to make that very clear. But I also want to understand, where is the $5 million in savings coming from from Motorola's end? Because if you recall, you sat in my office and we spoke at length about you all not being…”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 4:17:34
“Okay, but the number was very specific. It wasn't like 5 million flat. It was 5,254,000. I mean, where did this number come from? It certainly came from somewhere.”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 4:19:11
“No, that's fair. To the administration, is this the same radio? Because, I mean, I've received a lot of letters that this is the radio that they need, this is the radio we want. And so this radio that we, I guess, presumably at one point we're going to pay $8,500 per radio for, we are now agreeing to pay $6,500 per radio for? Yes.”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 4:19:53
“Had we not asked the questions, and the cosponsor asked these questions, I asked the question, clearly the chairman has asked the question because he now has an amendment. we would have agreed to pay $8,500 per radio for almost 30,000 radios. Because that was the original price that was presented to us as an item for us to sign off on. And so help me understand that, right?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 4:20:46
“Okay, this is just for corrections, correct?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 4:20:51
“Motorola has already provided radios to our law enforcement officers and to our firefighters, correct?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026
- Play at 4:21:08
“Okay, the radios that our law enforcement officers and our firefighters received, we paid $8,500 for those radios?”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 16, 2026