Remarks by Vicki L. Lopez
190 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 5 of 8
- Play at 1:19:10
“Yes, thank you for that comment, Commissioner Gonzalez. For me and all of us, we are on the ground talking to our constituents and they're tightening their belt and there's absolutely no reason why they should be alone. We should be leading. And I truly believe it. I'm grateful that we can work with the administration. There should be a very close relationship with us trying to figure out where could we suggest and recommend other savings. I think the work of this committee will absolutely help us do just that. Just like we do in the state, we dig deeply into the details of every department's…”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 18:41
“Do we have a second second? I do have a comment, a Madam chair, when appropriate.”
Housing Committee · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 18:46
“Thank you so much. So I think the discussion that we're having always begs the question about these AMI charts that we just got. And for me, as we've said in this committee before, our seniors are not 30% AMI, 20% AMI. Our working class is at 50 and 60 percent AMI. So the county has somehow in its inevitable way said that workforce is between 60 and 140, which does not encompass the true picture of Miami-Dade County. And either we start talking about that, because that is why everyone thinks that it's not affordable, even though we say it is. We all know it's not. And the people that we…”
Housing Committee · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 29:11
“Yes, and I would just say that to Commissioner Bermudez's point, talking to the new mayor and the new administration, they may have another idea. He, the mayor, may already begin to see where the needs are. That's a long time from the last administration. And I'd welcome to hear what he thinks. So certainly moving it to October gives everybody plenty of time to have conversations, to meet with the right people. But I like, you know, Commissioner Regalado think, you know, we're giving up something. We got to get something. And if it had been senior housing, I'd have been ecstatic, even if it…”
Housing Committee · Jul 14, 2026
- Play at 14:20
“Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So I just had a quick question. So this is being done through the sheriff's office, correct? So remember that we failed to increase the rates for solid waste, and we got a memo from the mayor saying that part of the reduction in services, because we did not increase rates, was a 50% decrease in illegal dumping. So how does that work? I'm trying to figure out Is that the same fund or these two different activities, one that the county does, one that the sheriff's does? I need a little bit of clarification, please.”
Safety and Health Committee · Jul 13, 2026
- Play at 16:07
“That in and of itself, but I was just trying to find out whose responsibility is what, right? Because it appears that now we have solid waste doing illegal dumping, but they've just informed us that they are reducing the illegal dumping services by 50%. And here, Commissioner Bastian is worried about figuring out what's going on in District 2. And so I'm somewhat confused because I hear what you're saying with regard to what your role is, but to know that we just have incurred a 50% decrease in illegal dumping services on solid waste part almost seems to be counterintuitive to what everyone…”
Safety and Health Committee · Jul 13, 2026
- Play at 17:23
“So that that then leads me to here's the sheriff's office doing an investigation and yet we don't have the funds available to actually pick it up and clean it up, which is what I'm hearing the chief say is the solid waste role. So somewhere along the line there's a disconnect because there's no sense in you doing an investigation if we don't have the money to provide the services that you need to clean it up, which goes counter to what poor Commissioner Bastien is trying to accomplish in her district with this item. I'm fully supportive of what you want to do. I just wanted to point that out,…”
Safety and Health Committee · Jul 13, 2026
- Play at 25:50
“Thank you, Madam Chair. So to the administration, I've read the RFP, have listened to all of the comments. I guess my only question to the administration would be, had the RFP that was issued been followed during the process to the letter of the RFP, who would have been the recommended vendor? I guess I'm confused because I've heard so much testimony regarding somehow, certainly the three versus five and anything else, I'm trying to build confidence in the business community doing business with the government, right? And sometimes when we don't do things right from the beginning, people say,…”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Jun 10, 2026
- Play at 1:23:46
“Thank you, Madam Chair. So this is a question to the county attorneys. I just want to make sure that we all understand what we're doing here, because I think it could be a little confusing. So I want to set the record straight as to exactly what this item does and then what the future steps will be. In the in sort of the context of and as I understand it to my colleagues, I understand that. We had a lot of discussion in our zoning and CDMP meetings regarding and even in our board meetings regarding. Text amendments versus CDMP applications and clearly this takes us to some examples where text…”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Jun 10, 2026
- Play at 1:26:23
“Yes, go ahead. Thank you. So how does this intersect with Senate Bill 180? I think that's an important thing to put on the record as well.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Jun 10, 2026
- Play at 1:27:11
“So we're asking, we're directing with this item, we're directing the administration to do a text amendment application. Would they have to, because of Senate Bill 180, would they have to wait until October of 2027 to submit that to the state?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Jun 10, 2026
- Play at 1:27:59
“My response to your questions, and I guess my last question is. This wouldn't go into effect then until we get the state's comments back. In 2027, so applications that are in the process now would not be subject to this to this change.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · Jun 10, 2026
- Play at 2:31:50
“I've really appreciated all the comments here. I think I know Live Local probably better than all of you. And I want to first appreciate the fact that Commissioner Regalado... You don't have to rub it in. Sorry. I appreciate Commissioner Regalado attempting to fill a gap that I'm painfully aware of since most of my development comes through the RTZ. And I too want to secure that they can't make the bait and switch, as Commissioner Steinberg said, which they do. I don't think that I would be giving up authority here at all. And somehow, I don't know how this got convoluted into, you know, we…”
Board of County Commissioners · Jun 2, 2026
- Play at 0:07
“Thank you very much. I would ask that Senator Garcia lead us in the invocation and Commissioner DCH, Danielle Cohen-Higgins, lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, please.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:14
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 1:53
“Yes, I would, please. Does any commissioner want to bifurcate any item?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 2:32
“Does anyone else have any items they wish to bifurcate?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 2:57
“Thank you. There's no other bifurcations. And I'm going to bifurcate 3F, Senator Garcia, just so that we can have that discussion. Thank you so much, Madam Chair. So do we have a motion to set the agenda? Second.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 3:25
“So I have a motion by Commissioner Cohen-Higgins, a second. I need a second. I'll second it.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 3:38
“So I have, any objection? All right, motion carries. All right, so let's move to the first item.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 6:34
“I'll move it if it's- We have a motion to move the item. Second. Second by Commissioner Cohen-Higgins. All in favor, say aye.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 6:42
“So we'll move, Vice Chairwoman, we'll move to 3C. I released that one. You released it, but Commissioner Cohen-Higgins, you had pulled 3C.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 12:21
“That is a direction. I don't think we need a motion for it. I think it's a request. I think that's in keeping with some direction that we had at the last Board of County Commissioners meeting when I said, if there's any property tax relief, we should be looking at it should be those that are 65 and older who need the relief more than anyone else. So I think that that's a great direction. And I think it's in keeping with the direction that came yesterday.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 13:48
“Yes, so it sounds like if we know what and I think the county attorney said that property tax was one of the items. Is that not correct?”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026
- Play at 13:58
“That's exactly what we're looking for. Tax relief. So I believe that what we're hearing is that when that when that mid year budget amendment comes before the board with your recommendation, we could say we prefer to use those funds.”
Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee · May 13, 2026