The three North Miami mayoral candidates have filed their second Campaign Treasurer’s Reports of the season.  This time around they reported their contributions and expenditures for the period June 21, 2014 to July 4, 2014.  Let’s see what they’ve been up to.

As expected, Dr. Smith Joseph again dipped into his own deep pockets to help finance his campaign.  He made another loan of $30,000.00 on top of the $20,000.00 he previously reported.  Unlike his opponents Kevin Burns and Jean Rodrigue Marcellus, Dr. Joseph has money to burn.  With a successful medical practice, and with no messy legal problems that I could dig up, it certainly appears that he’s managed his business and personal finances very well.  That’s always a good sign in a candidate who aspires to run a city of 60,000 residents.  There appear to be no unexpected issues arising that would distract Dr. Joseph from running a well oiled campaign.  And, that’s exactly what he’s doing.

In addition to his personal loans, Smith Joseph raised $5,870.00 in donations, including $100.00 from Sunny Isles Beach City Attorney, Hans Ottinot, $500.00 from former State Representative Yolly Roberson, $1,500.00 from other individuals, and a random $20.00 cash donation from “unknown.”  Dr. Joseph received $3,750.00 in donations from eight businesses, all of them Florida corporations or limited liability companies in good standing, including a $500.00 donation from the prominent law firm of Shutts & Bowen, LLP.

For the record, all individual donors appear to be Haitian, and all but two of the business supporters are Haitian owned or operated.  This is, of course, understandable since Dr. Joseph happens to be Haitian.  Hopefully, he’ll start to raise money from non-Haitian sources if he’s serious about getting support from the nearly 60% of the North Miami residents who are not, well, Haitian.

As for Smith Joseph’s expenses, he spent $26,730.00 this reporting period on the usual costs of running a serious campaign, including accounting ($1,000.00), office and campaign supplies ($1,385.00), canvassing ($6,000.00), and of course, Haitian radio ($15,300.00!).  Dr. Joseph also paid $2,000.00 to “Despinosse Consulting,” which I will assume is the company of former Councilman Jacques Despinosse.  However, there is no active company by that name, although Jacques’ Despinosse Consultant Services, Inc. was dissolved in 2009.  Lastly, Dr. Joseph also paid $1,045.00 to Marsha Steril for her services as a “campaign coordinator,” who is related to Councilwoman Marie Erlande Steril.  I’m told she’s Marie’s daughter.  Let’s hope that she inherited only her mother’s good looks, and not her blatant disregard for ethics.

Just saying.

Jean R. Marcellus, who was probably nominated for the Least Likely to Succeed Award in high school, filed his hand-written Campaign Treasurer Report on July 15, 2014.  He added another $4,500.00 in loans to the $3,000.00 he reported for the preceding period.  He also received $2,120.00 in donations, including $500.00 from “Express Tax & Financial Services,” a company that either doesn’t exist, or is the Express Tax and Financial Services, LLC that was administratively dissolved by the Florida Department of State on September 28, 2012.  Marcellus also listed this corporate donor as “Business Owner.”  Huh?

Of bigger concern is that Carline Paul donated $700.00 to Jean R. Marcellus’ campaign.  That would be the same “Teacher” Carline who is the radio personality/”non-profit” owner/absentee ballot “broker” of North Miami and North Miami Beach infamy.  Ms. Paul is also running in next year’s election in District 4 against Marie Steril, who is expected to defend her seat even though she has not yet filed.  I’m told that Carline and Marie are sworn enemies.  I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for that cat fight when the 2015 election season begins in earnest!

Marcellus also reported $2,500.00 of “in-kind” donations, most notably $1,000.00 from himself for his recycled campaign signs from his last failed attempt to run for mayor.  The remaining $1,500.00 were from Haitian “radio personalities” in exchange for free advertising on, what else, Haitian radio.  In fact, all of Jean Marcellus’ donations came from Haitians.  Nothing like bringing diversity to a city-wide mayoral campaign!

Jean spent the bulk of his money on advertising.  $975.00 of it went to a Haitian newspaper and Haitian radio, $400.00 for campaign pictures (WTF?), and $880.00 for those beautiful campaign signs we all love so much and can’t wait to plant on our lawns.  He also paid First Global Services and Investment, LLC, a Haitian owned business, for (get this!) a lease on a campaign headquarters.

Seriously?  The Nomad of North Miami can’t settle down in a permanent residence to hang his hat, but he has no problem shelling out campaign donations for an office to headquarter his presidential mayoral campaign.  What next?  A chauffeur driven limousine?  Body guards?  Oh, dear.

Marcellus also finally paid his $2,400.00 qualifying fee and the $480.00 election trust fund fee on June 23, 2014, the last day of the qualifying period.  At least he managed to get that right.

Kevin Burns raised $6,400.00 in donations and did not report any loans to his campaign this reporting period.  Five out of fifteen donors were from individuals, including $100.00 from former North Miami Chief of Police Kenneth Each, $500.00 from former North Miami Beach lobbyist, Susan Freed, who is now in public relations, and a total of $1,550.00 from several others.  He also received a $925.55 “in-kind” donation from “attorney/judge” Karen Frances Mills for “fans, hand held.”  The bulk of his donors are businesses, including a rehab center ($500.00) and several real estate companies ($2,000.00), Lexus of North Miami ($1,000.00), an auto repair business ($500.00) and a private school called Get Smart Kids Academy ($250.00).

Kevin spent most of his reported $1,803.78 in monetary expenditures on random stuff, such as gasoline ($125.00), food ($62.54), and tee-shirts ($290.25).  He also spent $98.96 on office and sign supplies, made a $400.00 payment to one Terry Burns for sign installation, and paid $182.00 to rent a truck, which he probably needed for the sign installation.  In addition to wearing his tee shirts while eating, gassing up and installing signs, Kevin did manage to cough up $320.00 for the production of an ad on Haitian radio.  He also paid $100.00 to one Ted Ravio, address unknown, for “campaign outreach.”  I’m wondering if that “outreach” entails Ravio’s standing on a street corner, wearing a Burns tee-shirt and waving a hand held fan.

Just saying.

In summary, as of July 4, 2014 Smith Joseph has raised $55,870.00 in monetary contributions and has spent $37,258.00.  Jean R. Marcellus has received $9,730.00 monetary and $2,500.00 “in-kind” donations and has spent $6,435.00.  Kevin Burns has received $10,000.00 monetary and $925.55 “in-kind” donations and has spent $4,933.78.

If the one with the most toys wins, clearly Smith Joseph is in the lead.

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”