October 25: Alvarez Is Dense - But Recall Effort Is Overkill

By Sylvia Gurinsky

Is this really necessary?

A year and a half before Carlos Alvarez' second and final term as mayor of Miami-Dade County is scheduled to end, a costly election to determine whether he should be recalled apparently will take place. If voters say yes, another costly election will be held to fill the county mayor's post for that year and a half.

It will cost a lot less to let Alvarez finish his term.

But businessman Norman Braman started this recall effort because of disgust over Alvarez' support of a budget with a tax increase in a recession - while certain county employees continue to get raises. There is also an effort underway to recall Commissioners Barbara Jordan, Audrey Edmonson, Dennis Moss, Natacha Seijas and Bruno Barreiro for approving the tax increases; a sixth commissioner who said yes, Katy Sorenson, will be leaving her post right after the election.

In announcing that he had enough signatures to put the measure on the ballot, Braman made the point that Alvarez is an honest man and not guilty of corruption.

Alvarez is politically dense, though. After the criticisms of last year, when he gave raises to a number of his employees, Braman and many other county residents argue that he still doesn't get it.

The question is whether that denseness is worth this recall effort. In this case, the solution may wind up costing a lot more than the problem.