Remarks by Jerome Charles
393 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 12 of 16
- Play at 2:00:40
“Does somebody from the council have to be the one proffering it, or it will come from the manager's desk?”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:00:54
“My point is then the two items then. I mean, the council member is asking for a deferral of this discussion and possible action, which is new business.”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:04:24
“Thank you. And also, since we have this.”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:04:29
“Well, while we're here, though, in this council, and this was brought up two years ago, There are two separate things, but we might as well talk about it tonight. And it should be addressed while this council is active is, in my opinion, is number one, a death benefit modernization. Two, pre-retirement death benefit restructuring. Three, the employer contribution refund rate. It was brought up before, but we should still address it because other people have asked for it and other communities have it as a COLA. I mean, but that's totally sensitivity to analysis and cost with actuaries. But it…”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:05:49
“So it's overall looking at it. And number top, this is also legal framework. We have to work within the state constitution. But I mean, in general, for us to have a discussion, and maybe I know this doesn't go back to the pension board, but this is where the council wants to have a discussion about it. It's modernization of the death benefit. All right? This is separate from what we've been talking about tonight. Number two, pre-retirement death benefit restructuring. Number three, employee contribution refund rate. Then when do we set the rate on the one? What year was that written in? On…”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:06:36
“Right. I mean, but I think it should be, because it came up in this, and it's one of the things that we had to be deferred to another decision because of. So it needs to be talked about in another sense separate from the one employee. And then totally sensitive to this on every budget year, understand where the public comes from for the taxpayer, understand where the employee comes from. Cost of living increase, we should have a discussion about it so that at least the employees know where they're and who work here and how we will or any council could move forward with it. And then…”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:07:54
“Well, I have the floor and this is open. It's not an easy discussion. I just wanted to use this opportunity to Well, because since we've talked about this or kicked it around in other meetings and with one-on-ones with the manager or me being on the pension board and hearing or presentations from staff, I just think the village, since it is an older document, I think that we should just look at it. And on one sense, it's expensive and everybody knows it, but it's also a way to benefits are always part of compensation and attracting workers or attracting people and keeping, retaining quality…”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:09:04
“Yes, I'm crystal clear on that. I just don't want this to... Once the decision is made on the other one, I would like that the pension and benefits and compensation for the village be addressed at some point. That it doesn't become old business, that it actually gets in the... And I support that as well. Thank you. Next item.”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:31:11
“So I'll keep you informed on that. The second half speakeasy is in the play. I was going to say, turn this dais right here into a service bar.”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:31:38
“No, I was going to ask you about since Tallahassee is 900 miles away or whatever it is, can you inform the council and the public what happened today?”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:32:09
“House, yes. And then the Senate 30 to 9.”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:34:54
“It's a level of service. Level of service. And then with it also, it seems like they changed some of the language, the one where it's ambiguous about the five-year. It seems like today they changed it that that would be effective to anybody that moves to the state of Florida after 2027. Right. So therefore, that loophole that was how do you put it on the ballot for you've got to wait five years, they're just grandfathering everybody in before January 21st. So, I mean, with it, the other thing about it for – The Miami Shores residents just let you know. The homestead, the exemption that's…”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:38:41
“I disagree. The math that you did there, those homes that you're talking about were capped at 3%. And this will definitely affect us more than what you just said there.”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:38:52
“Listen to the homes that are here that are even homesteaded, that the value, if you add that to what their taxable dollars are and you subtract it, it affects the bottom line here because they were capped at 3%. If the county raises up the whole value of the whatever we're at, what is it, billions, two point whatever, for the two point square miles, that effect is over our overall budget for the general fund. I mean, there's eight, what is it, 65% of the homes here are homesteaded at that 3% increase, no matter what the county raises to overall property value here. But the overall, the ones…”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:43:03
“Well, just to piggyback on that, if you think about just the system of it, the state is the one that's allowed to tax. And then the county is a franchise of the state. Property appraiser is a separate entity. Property appraiser just looks at houses sold in Miami Shores, then does that figure that he just said. Then they say, oh, by the way, the taxes are too high. Well, the mayor and this council did not set the prices of the houses here. The public did. And the public's saying, we're getting charged too much in taxes when the state is the one that set the rate. And now they're being the…”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:44:33
“And you'll have green and white cars driving through here instead of black and white ones.”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:45:06
“We had to take care of everything ourselves here back in that time when a municipality existed.”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:47:17
“One other education for the public, 20, it might have been 40 years ago, the state, we all voted on a tax committee that was independent from the legislature to convene every 20 years. They were supposed to convene in 2027. So it's a little bit disingenuous with the legislature passing a law to give to the public to vote on taxes before what we voted for over 40 years ago to convene independently from the legislature or how our citizens are taxed. So we'll see what's coming up. I was surprised that a three-day special session could move something as quick or two-day than even to use their…”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:50:09
“Still, I mean, with that said, there's still a law that you cannot do anything with birds, whether you have the sign or not. It's a protected village.”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:50:20
“In other words, people that have just moved here and, you know, have they read all the resolutions that we've... Well, there's a county law against doing anything against birds in a bird sanctuary. So, I mean, I guess we could put up signs. I'd rather actually put up trespassing signs or no trespassing around the golf course, more so the... keep e-bikes off of it so that the police officers can actually get them for trespassing.”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:50:53
“They've crossed over 10th Avenue. By the way, we should have a joint meeting about this with the village south of us because they have a total different opinion on those birds. Last time I checked, those birds don't know the difference between Miami Shores or El Portal. They just are peacocks. And hopefully you got the email from Coral Gables. I think they're having it, and they don't agree with how Pinecrest does it. It definitely is an issue. But also with the bird sanctuary, one of the things for environmental stuff, the iguanas, we have two sides of it, they really shouldn't be here, and…”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:52:45
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:54:20
“Oh, no, but no. I'd also counsel comment. I had the pleasure of being able to attend the graduation ceremony for doctor's charter at Berry University, and I'll pass it to my colleague.”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 2:55:16
“Thank you for doing that, Tom. And by the way, he gave a speech, too, that we just sat on the stage. Right, right. I remembered my speech. I gave my speech. He gave a speech to the whole audience. Any other council comments? Motion to adjourn. So moved. Thank you.”
Village Council · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 1:04
“No, no, she's got two buttons. Is that it? Isabel?”
Village Council · May 19, 2026