Remarks by David Suarez
153 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 4 of 7
- Play at 6:29:41
“Thank you, Commissioner. I mean, I want to save taxes right now. So I would be in favor of capping it We're lowering it by 0.05 mils. And we'll then have about a million and a half to really decipher. And that's good because now we have a pot and we're going to have to decide who gets the funding instead of just the full four.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:30:53
“So I'd like to make a motion for a maximum of 5.8.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:36:02
“I couldn't agree more. The proposed rollback rate budget cuts that the city gave us was a cooked document. I mean, they even had the cats in there, right? The cats people who showed up. It had all the bells and whistles for everyone to come up and say, no, we can't do that, we can't do this. It had frontline police workers who are on ATVs doing real patrol work, which I don't want it. I want to fund those positions because those are the police officers who are literally out on the beat on the street, not sitting in a car. They're on four wheelers. roving and patrolling our city streets. So,…”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:36:59
“Yeah, and thank you for the co-sponsorship, Commissioner Fernandez. But it really was a shame that we had the opportunity to really do a rollback rate, set the standard across Dade County, and Unfortunately, this is what the administration gave us, and it's going to be very difficult. But I just want to bring up another point. I know some of my colleagues mentioned that we have a process. Technically, this is the process, right? And we have the ability now, as part of that process, to lower the millage rate. We have a motion and a second for a .05 drop to 8.5. I'd like to get the win now for…”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:58:25
“Yeah, you know, I, Robert, after the last meeting, I mean, you don't have to get up, sure. I called out some of these public benefits and I said, hey, look, these are great and all, but I think all of these public benefits should go toward infrastructure. And I don't know how my colleagues feel about that because when I'm looking at this, YOU'VE GOT $100,000 FOR BLUE ZONES TO MAKE THE RESTAURANTS BLUE ZONES APPROVED. IT'S $100,000. YOU'VE GOT $100,000 TO A TIP LINE FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING, $50,000 FOR SISTER CITIES, AND THEN THERE'S $600,000 FOR LINCOLN ROAD IMPROVEMENTS AND OR LINCOLN ROAD…”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:59:57
“SO 1 MILLION IN TOTAL FOR PUBLIC BENEFITS. I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE ALL OF THAT TOWARD INFRASTRUCTURE. BECAUSE HOW MANY TIMES DO WE GET AN E-MAIL OR A COMMENT SAYING WHY DON'T WE JUST HAVE THE DEVELOPERS PAY? HERE'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHERE A DEVELOPER CAN LITERALLY PAY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE INSTEAD OF you know, $600,000 to Lincoln Road Art. So I'd like to see where my colleagues fall on that before we move forward on this.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:05:39
“Look, our core function as a government, public safety, infrastructure, sanitation, and literally with all due, and I don't mean this in any sort of disparaging way, giving $600,000 for art improvements on Lincoln Road MEANWHILE, WE HAVE ALMOST A BILLION DOLLARS IN INFRASTRUCTURE IS REALLY OFFENSIVE TO THE VOTERS. I MEAN, EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE CAN DEDICATE TOWARD INFRASTRUCTURE IS JUST LESS TAXES THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY. AND THAT'S OUR PRIORITY AS A GOVERNMENT. FOR ME, THAT'S WHERE I STAND. Now let's go. I may not have consensus on that with my colleagues So explain how the…”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:07:01
“Is that part of the proposal here today? Yes, it is.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:07:15
“Okay, I'd like to hear what the rest of my colleagues have to say.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:31:43
“Mr. Mayor, while Eric, maybe in the meantime, Eric, I just want to kind of get back to what the added value is to the residents by signing this deal. Because I certainly want to make sure that if we send this to the voters, it's a good deal, notwithstanding these public benefits. If we were to do nothing at the next appraisal date, what would the value, what would the city receive in total for funding?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:33:51
“I'm assuming right so eight right so And this is through 2051 So correct me if I'm wrong if we don't do anything We're 18 million dollars short but if we sign if we do this deal Through 2051, we would have had an additional $18 million? At least, yes. Okay, at least. Well, I mean, I don't know. That doesn't seem very fair. Just an additional cash value of $18 million through 2051, and then we have a rent cap of 20%. I MEAN, LOOK, I WANT THIS TO HAPPEN. I JUST WANT TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD DEAL. BUT JUST SAYING AN EXTRA $18 MILLION FOR SOMETHING WHEN POTENTIALLY MY SON COULD BE A COMMISSIONER UP…”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:34:58
“Yeah, like a members club. Would it be possible to have a rev share on that?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:35:06
“No, with the gross income from the restaurant. I don't own the restaurant. Well, you could potentially lease it to someone with the understanding that whatever revenue you have, it has to go to the city because it is on the city property. The revenue from the restaurant to go to the city? Similar to what we do at Smith & Walensky's.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:35:47
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:36:12
“But couldn't there be a negotiation or deal of whoever is in, whatever revenue gets generated in that building, which sits on public property. Maybe it's a better deal for the city where we get a percentage of that revenue.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:36:49
“Right, because, I mean, look, you could... I'm assuming you're probably gearing up to build something similar to, like, a really popular place. It's almost like a Mila's. And we want to make sure, at least from... the city side that we're gonna benefit too from any sort of venture that's gonna be going on on city property. And right now, I don't think $18 million through 2051 is, I don't think it's a good deal considering what we're giving away, but is there a way to have some skin in the game as a city where when you do good, we do good? I think that's why we have the percentage rent,…”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:37:55
“Isn't that part of the responsibility as being a landlord to a city asset?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:38:36
“What exactly, Ozzy, what exactly does Smith & Walensky do?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:38:57
“Okay. Okay. Well, I'd like to see what, I'd like to hear from my colleagues also.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:49:14
“I still want to explore this idea of the restaurant component or any sort of revenue generating business that's going to sit there. What's to say that you charge a dollar to the restaurant or the members club for very low rent and you have your own deal with the restaurant? Where do we get protected on that?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:54:34
“I am. Second the motion let's call the vote who dis Who decides what this six hundred thousand and cash contributions for Lincoln protein Lincoln Road improvements are I?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:59:28
“Chair, can we have staff go over what the changes were from the last time they spoke to what it is currently?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 8:01:49
“So what time does that start on demand? 11 p.m.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 8:03:18
“Well, I want to thank Commissioner Bott for hearing my concerns when this originally came up. I think this strikes a perfect balance of vessel traffic and quality of life issues in the immediate area.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 8:21:08
“And Mark, just to confirm, the equipped handlebars appropriate on these e-mobility devices for more than one person?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026