8 Comments
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Lucy Alas's avatar

I am of the opinion that this recall is unjustified and baseless. The Mayor, who previously ran unopposed, enjoys widespread popularity that transcends the boundaries of our City.

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Alberto Santos's avatar

This is an outright election interference case. Out of town people doing canvassing. Funding coming out of town. Out of town newspaper broadcasting the recall. It is becoming clear that out of town political interests are working hard to manipulate the Coral Gables politics with an agenda that favors their ideologies and not the residents priorities. It is time for us, residents, to get our act together and to drive the politics of our city. It is our city and we cannot become a pawn of well funded national activist groups driving an agenda to usurp the the power from us the locals.

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Francisco Alvarez's avatar

I agree with Lucy.......but this can be the last step to get rid of the only two people who still care for the city, the Mayor and the Vice mayor, classic coup

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Jessica's avatar

On March 8th, a canvasser who said he was from New York was canvassing in the Gables. He was asking residents to sign a different petition for changes to the charter that were aligned with the Lago camp. I do not have a photo. I don’t mention this because I’m for one side or the other. I mention it because both sides are doing the same thing.

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Jorge Milagro's avatar

Come on Keller, your comment is misleading and lacks context. So for the sake of the rest of the readers, I'd like to offer some clarification on the guiding statutes for each item.

Recall Petitions (Fla. Stat. § 100.361(10)):

It is illegal to employ or pay another person to accept employment or payment for circulating or witnessing a recall petition.

Violating this provision is a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable as provided by law.

Ballot Initiative Petitions (Fla. Stat. § 106.191):

Paid petition collectors are allowed to gather signatures for ballot initiative petitions.

However, they must register with the Secretary of State and disclose their personal information to promote transparency and accountability.

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Jessica's avatar

You’re stating a statute.. You’re not identifying what is misleading about what I stated. What additional context can I provide?

The one thing I will not do is mislead. In fact, my intention is to fully inform.

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Jorge Milagro's avatar

What is the intent of your comment, Keller? You're saying both sides are doing the same thing but you're leaving out that legality of the recall petition. As has been made exceedingly clear, the canvassers for the Lago recall are being paid despite Fla. Stat. § 100.361(10), which clearly states it is illegal to employ or pay another person to accept employment or payment for circulating or witnessing a recall petition. You left this very important fact out of your comment... You are deceptive through omission.

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Jessica's avatar

Ok Milagro. Let me be more clear. Both camps are using out of town canvassers to sign petitions. In one context the act of using paid out-of-town canvassers it is allegedly illegal and in the other context to pay out-of-town canvassers it is not.

We can agree, they are both using out of town canvassers to get people to sign petitions.

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