On June 30, 2014, the candidates running for Mayor in the North Miami Special Election filed their first Campaign Treasurer’s Reports of the season. All three opened their war chests with personal loans, and only one has received an actual donation.
Dr. Smith Joseph, who we all know has money to burn, has kick started his campaign with a tidy sum of $20,000.00. Considering that he loaned his last (and failed) campaign $180,000.00, he’s apparently just getting started. If he was willing to invest (and lose) that kind of money, and then try again, you know he’s serious about becoming the Mayor. You can pretty much bet that this time around Smith Joseph is going to pull out all stops for the prize.
Joseph also appears to be serious about spending whatever it takes to achieve the Holy Grail. In addition to the $2,400.00 Filing Fee, $480.00 Trust Fund Fee and $250.00 Sign Bond, the good doctor has already expended:
- $2,600.00 to rent a campaign office;
- $2,000.00 to Sinal Consulting Group;
- $198.00 for website hosting; and
- $2,600.00 on media.
Yep, Smith Joseph has certainly hit the ground running!
Kevin Burns, on the other hand, seems to be in a bit of a financial pickle. As such, he opened his campaign bank account with a loan of a mere $3,600.00. He’s already blown through most of it on the North Miami Filing Fee of $2,400.00, Sign Bond of $250.00, and a “North Miami Filing Fee State” (which, I assume is the Trust Fund Fee) of $480.00.
Jean Rodrigue Marcellus has loaned his campaign the sum of $3,000.00. When he ran for Mayor in 2011, his personal loans added up to almost $24,000.00. We all know how that worked out for him. Maybe he should have used that money instead as a down payment on a more permanent place of residence.
Just saying.
According to Jean Marcellus’ current CTR, he has received a $100.00 donation from one Destinval Silvio, a “sales car manager” who lives at the same address as the candidate.
For the time being, anyway.
The only money he’s spent so far is $250.00 for the Sign Bond.
WAIT, WHAT? NO FILING FEE? NO TRUST FUND FEE?
IS THAT EVEN LEGAL??
It sure looks like Marcellus either didn’t cough up the required fees to run for office, or he forgot to report those expenses.
In any event, it also looks like the First Complaint of the Season will probably be getting filed tomorrow.
Right out of the box.
As campaign season heats up, it will be interesting to see how much money is raised, how much is spent, and which of the usual Campaign Season Trolls will be lined up with their palms outstretched.
For which candidates will each of the Haitian radio personalities shill?
For which candidate will Volney Nerette consult?
For which candidate will Nocelie Josna deliver absentee ballots?
No doubt, Dr. Smith Joseph could afford to buy this election if that were possible. We already know he can raise the most money. That’s not the issue here.
Voters should be asking themselves, “Which one needs this job the most?”
And then remind themselves that politics is the second oldest profession.
Just saying.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
North Miami Mayor position must pay a lot of money
I know it’s a pretty big salary, but I don’t know exactly how much. I’ll find out, though.
Its a great salary for someone who has no salary and can’t get no job!! But, can release a lot of hot air and lies!
I’m pretty sure its no so great a salary – I think Pierre was making just south of 50K (do not know about car or health expenses/pension, etc, sure you will find that out)… hence why no one who makes a good living (and has a career) would stop what they do to take the job.
But for someone without a career track, or someone independently wealthy, or a young person starting out/or someone changing careers, sure. Sadly it also may attract people who think power is cool and/or equate being a mayor (esp of North Miami) with thinking they are cool and have power. I do think this may make sense for someone who has never felt a sense of power in the USA, or who is an immigrant — and I say that without judgement. I am sure all our ancestors were there at some point.
For folks who have lived here a while or generations or have a career they love and who need more than 50K to live…or who not are career politicians or attys (or someone who something to gain career wise) they are not throwing their hat in… even if they do care about the city. My two –very unedited and incomplete– cents!
When you say that a candidate “loaned his campaign the sum of…” Who pays him back? It seems like the word loan is not quite right; it should be either a grant or an investment that gets paid back with tremendous gains.
There are really only two ways a candidate gets paid back his loans. The first is if there are funds left in the campaign account after the election, which rarely happens. The second is if the candidate runs again, raises more money through donations, and then uses those funds to pay himself back. Again, there’s usually no money left to repay himself after a second run. Sometimes it does happen, though, if the second campaign is only filed for the purpose of getting repaid and the candidate has no intention of actually spending those donations to run. I’m pretty sure that’s unethical, if not outright illegal. Then again, who’s gonna punish him? Joe Centorino? Yeah. Rhetorical question.
Wrong Ms. Kienzle. Once a local or state election is over in Florida, the slate is wiped clean. That “loan” to your own campaign becomes a contribution to your own campaign if there’s not enough money at midnight Thursday before the election (the deadline for contributions) to pay yourself back.
State candidates can now “carry over” surplus funds for their next race. It’s good to be a state legislator!
It’s even better to be a Congressman. Federal elections are a different story. They can do almost whatever they want. Carry over to next campaign, carry over funds indefinitely, run campaign deficits, etc.
I was given wrong information then. Thanks for the explanation. Now I get to go smack somebody for that.
Stephanie … The mayor’s salary is $ 48,000 plus the following monthly allowances:
1) Health/dental insurance is estimated at $ 500 per month;
2) Car/mileage reimbursement is estimated at $ 500 per month;
3) Cell phone is $ 100.00 per month; and
4) Travel/conferences are $ 2,000.00 per month
Total compensation is $ 87,200.00 per year.
Listed below are the backup documentation:
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Salaries-of-South-Florida-Mayors-207205521.html
On page 151 listed in the city’s budget, line item 002 Mayor
http://www.northmiamifl.gov/government/budget/files/FY14/FY14_Adop_Sec3_Department_Budgets_revised.pdf
To me, I think its best to remove the 24K for travel from the salary – just to be more balanced and fair about it.
It’s not like that is money that counts for an actual take home pay — which is what we all live on. So it makes it seem like 87 when in fact by those numbers it would be 63K (much less really) to be spent on ones actual life (and family). (and not ever mayor/council uses that 24 K /year accepting it is used in proper fashion!).
Kevin Burns needs to make some full and complete disclosures that can be verified by an independent third party.
Who paid your legal fees challenging the last election results? You can’t afford to pay them yourself.
Which special interests have paid you as a “consultant” in North Miami and North Miami Beach and a couple of other smaller towns nearby?
Why haven’t you registered to lobby in those cities for your “consulting” work when you were legally obligated to register before lobbying?
Was it Norman Braman and the others who want to rape and pillage MOCA?
Swerdlow? “Adult entertainment” establishments? CHM2 Hill? Garbage companies? Car dealerships? Developers bidding on CRA business? Bus bench companies?
Come clean Kevin. The truth will eventually come out.
You had me at the strip club!! Steph- find that one out. It’s been floating around. No vote for strip club politician for me. THAT is your vision for NoMi?
My source just advised me that Kevin Burns lobbied on behalf of Dean’s Gold in North Miami Beach. He did register as a lobbyist in that city. My source also told me that Burns lobbied for the NM strip club that was proposed a while back, but that he did not register in that city. I am confident that my source is correct , so I don’t look like an idiot this time. 😉
Stephanie … You are right as Mr. Burns has lobbied on behalf of many business and special interests in North Miami
Stephanie and Barbix ….Mr. Burns did speak in favor of a strip club right down the street from WPBT Channel 2 studios in North Miami … And right next store to a children’s gymnastic school
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2012/09/21/alcohol-permit-at-n-miami-strip-club-upsets-parents-in-nearby-kids-gym/
Here is the famous video from Mr. Burns with his famous quote:
http://miami.cbslocal.com/latest-videos?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=7749974
Previous posting is correct that Mr. Burns has failed to register as a lobbyist with other cities, including North Miami, on behalf of a proposed affordable housing development on NE 6th Avenue and 135 Street as he came racing into the planning commission meeting at 9:30 pm so he can make his positive comment about this project. Just go back and check on the February, March, and April 2013 planning commission meetings and see who is connected to who especially on Mr. Burns’ campaign finance report if you find it on North Miami’s web site.
Ned, for some reason I can’t access the 2013 Campaign Treasurer’s Reports on the city’s website. I do, however, have .pdf copies of the ones filed on April 10, 2013 posted on this blog: https://www.votersopinion.com/2013/04/15/north-miami-ctr-update/
You can access those files by clicking on the candidates’ names in that column. I’m not sure why the city deleted (or hid?) the CTRs from that election, but it’s worth contacting the IT department to find out.
FYI, North Miami Beach has all their election documents posted online dating back to 2005, including CTRs and election results. You can access that here: http://www.citynmb.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={C5440581-ED39-47B7-AD32-34ABFAC4F6F0}
And to think Etienne the City Clerk (the one I think is responsible for this) is running unopposed this coming election… food for thought. Stephanie, I’d say go down to city hall and see what you can do to get the final closing report… And while you are there, maybe make a stink about making public records better (also under City Clerk’s charge.) Keep us posted!
Stephanie … the campaign report links were active on the city’s web site until two weeks ago … All candidates had their final campaign closing report listed on the website ….Except two candidates …. 1) Lucie Tondreau; and 2) Kevin Burns!
Fair is fair, the city clerk must perform his duties and put the reports on line for the public to view and monitor!
For example, here is Carol Keys’s final report as I found it under a general search:
http://www.northmiamifl.gov/docs/Carol_Keys_09032013.pdf
Ned, I received a call from Kevin Burns, who advised me that since the results of the last election are still pending in the courts, he and Lucie are not required to file their Campaign Treasurer Reports until 90 days after the outcome of the case has been decided. In the meantime, he advised me that according to Florida Law, both of them are permitted to use their campaign donations toward the payment of their legal fees as they relate to the election. I have not looked up that statute to verify it yet. But based on NMB’s last election’s lawsuit (re Dargenson), if I recall correctly, this is the case. Of course, I’m sure someone here will tell me if this is true or not. Just don’t shoot the messenger.
Then, who is paying Mr Burns’ bills? He is using his last campaign fund to pay his ongoing legal expenses. The public has a right to know who dumped money into both campaigns during the last days! Under his explanation, we will never find out on whom he or she received their funds until after the special election!!
Plus, I am not shooting you … Stephanie … Just check this out with a good resource
but the question to ask him is why wont he make it public anyway – for the sake of honesty and transparency? Is there anything to hide? Then let it all out.
Ned, did I hear that right, out of Kevin Burns mouth about the proposed NoMI strip club? “It is where mommies and daddies go to watch other people dance naked?”!!!!! And was that said in the presence of children?
Enough said either way! (Let’s get Smith Joseph on the record about his views, too)
Yes, Mr. Burns stated at a Board of Adjustment meeting where Carol Keys and Lucie Tondreau were sitting as voting members …
Plus, Stephanie … I just found the last link of campaign report … click under Mr. Burns and Ms. Tondreau’s last report … You will see what I am talking about ….the missing final report …
http://www.northmiamifl.gov/northmiamifl/departments/city_clerk/elections/2013.aspx
what a boatload of puritans commenting..get a grip, you opposed the strip club, others supported it, so what? sounds like 1950 on here..North Miami needs an inclusive Mayor and after 3 Haitian Mayors who pitted Haitians against everyone else, i’m ready for someone who has already proven he can be inclusive and fairly represent everyone
Will, it is the cattle call of people with no depth to see the issues to tell someone they are a puritan just because they dont like strip clubs… look a little deeper… some of us are hardly puritans but we do stand for moving our city forward not back to the dark ages. A little class goes a long way.
Burns has represented special interests well, they say. I would rather vote for someone who has managed to keep himself or herself out of courts and out of judgements against him or her… “just sayin'”… and if you talk about representing everyone and being inclusive and fair then judge on character not on skin color or nationality.
And as a father with girls, I think strip clubs are really base to have in our community – goes for teaching boys about living well and respectfully of themselves also. I’ve never been in one of those sorry excuses for tintillation and addicts, on top of the fact that it is next to a childrenss gym and I am hardly a prude. Brother, if that’s your speed, I welcome you to look into yourself like the poster above said – get deeper. Sex is better that way too, but you gotta want to see yourself beyond your and other people’s body parts. Try tantra.
“I would rather vote for someone who has managed to keep himself or herself out of courts and out of judgements against him or her… “just sayin’”… and if you talk about representing everyone and being inclusive and fair then judge on character not on skin color or nationality.”
Choice of Words, this is exactly about “character”.
Burns has been in and out of court the last decade dodging creditors. Many people have had financial problems in recent years. I have had my share.
Burns has financial problems AND a severe credibility and trust problem as well.
Anyone who goes into business with him, or doesn’t demand money up front, is an idiot or fellow charlatan.
The issue with Burns has nothing to do with strip clubs. It has nothing to do with legal lobbying.
It’s about honoring your word, being above board, and not trying to cut legal corners.
Who is paying his legal bills? Who has hired him for “consulting” services where he didn’t register to lobby?
Why don’t we have a strip club opened right across the street from your house if you are so welcoming of these adult entertainment centers? This so-called gentlemen’s club is located at the wrong place, wrong time, and wrong city …. North Miami should attract high quality businesses (I.e Kohls, Fresh Market, Ikea, etc) than an adult entertainment center which will be troublesome to law enforcement officers!