Marlins give $50,000 to help Miami-Dade Mayor Alvarez fend off recall - Miami-Dade - MiamiHerald.com

MIAMI-DADE MAYOR

Marlins give $50,000 to help Miami-Dade Mayor Alvarez fend off recall

After steering millions in public dollars to the Florida Marlins, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez is getting financial backing from the team to fight a recall effort.

BY MATTHEW HAGGMAN AND MARTHA BRANNIGAN

MHAGGMAN@MIAMIHERALD.COM

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez, in a bare-knuckled fight to keep his job against a mounting recall effort, has received a major financial jolt from the Florida Marlins and contractors building the team's new stadium.

The Marlins' owner Jeffrey Loria and team president David Samson have given $50,000 to the political action committee Alvarez formed to fight a recall targeting him -- a year after the mayor successfully pitched more than $350 million in public money for the stadium.

The general contractor hired to construct the stadium -- Hunt/Moss -- has written a check for $5,000. The company pouring cement at the ballpark, Baker Concrete Construction, contributed another $5,000. The cabinet-maker, mechanical and electrical contractors at the Little Havana park have collectively written checks for more than $13,000.

All told, the low budget ballclub and builders of the new stadium handed $73,500 in checks to Alvarez in the past 2 ½ weeks -- the biggest financial contributions yet toward the mayor's defense.

``I think he's an outstanding mayor,'' said the Marlins' Samson.

The team president said the Marlins are not fundraising for Alvarez, and said he could not explain why a half-dozen stadium contractors have written checks just as the Marlins did.

Facing a recall campaign led by billionaire businessman Norman Braman, Alvarez formed a political action committee in September called Citizens For Truth, allowing him to raise unlimited sums of money to fund his legal and political campaign to defeat the recall.

Alvarez's decision to back public funding of the stadium in 2009 -- a deal approved by county and city commissioners -- is one of several flashpoints that have stoked voter anger. Braman, a car dealer who has often used his private fortune to wage public fights, previously sued unsuccessfully to stop the use of public money for the park.

Alvarez said the stadium is creating jobs when they're needed most. Yet on Thursday, some county commissioners critical of the deal may ask the mayor to reopen talks with the team, a long shot hope to up its contributions in the wake of reports about its profits.

The latest PAC campaign finance report, detailing funds raised and spent up to Oct. 28, shows Alvarez has raised $207,650 and spent nearly $35,000 on lawyers and consultants. ``I'm thankful for the support from a wide spectrum of people in our community,'' Alvarez said in a statement. ``When it comes to money, this is a David versus Goliath story.''

Alvarez's second biggest contributor is the Dade County Police Benevolent Association -- the Miami-Dade police union -- which gave $50,000 on Oct 1, according to public filings. A former Miami-Dade police director, Alvarez pushed through a 13 percent salary increase earlier this year for police officers as county tax rates are rising 12 percent on homeowners. Taken together, the Marlins and county police union account for nearly 60 percent of all the money he has raised.

``Why should that be a surprise?'' Braman asked about the team's contributions. ``He's given them hundreds of millions.''

He added: ``This is how business is done here, and exactly what must change.''

The Alvarez PAC includes donations from companies who have received county contracts, lobbyists and county employees themselves.

Jorge Munilla, president of MCM, a construction company that regularly does business with the county, wrote a check for $10,000, according to the report.

Lobbyist Ron Book, who has lobbying contracts with both Miami-Dade County and the Miami Dolphins, gave $10,000. The Dolphins want Miami-Dade to raise hotel taxes to fund a $190 million renovation of their stadium, which Alvarez said he opposes.

Developer Jorge Perez of The Related Group, who is business partners with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, wrote a check for $10,000.

``He has made the correct but hard choices that he knew would not please everyone,'' Perez said in a statement to The Herald. ``Now with a little over a year remaining in what is his LAST term you are going to spend millions to try to remove him?? This is good fiscal policy??''

Lobbyist Jorge Lopez, who regularly appears in front of the county, wrote a check for $1,000.

There are smaller donations, too. The report lists more than a dozen people who have given $500 or less since the PAC was created. Among them: Miami-Dade County police's current director James K. Loftus, who wrote a $500 check.

Last week Braman said he collected 90,000 signatures in his recall ballot initiative. The petitions will be filed with the Clerk of Courts later this week. If certified, a recall election must to be called -- though a legal fight from Alvarez is expected before that happens.

Meanwhile, Alvarez expresses confidence he can prevail if the recall bid comes to a vote. Braman has chided the county for raising the tax rate -- while handing raises to most employees.

``As people learn the truth and get the full story about Miami-Dade County's budget, a clearer picture begins to emerge,'' said Alvarez. ``We are a leaner government that is spending less yet preserving programs and services that are vital to our safety and quality of life. I want to thank the many people who are standing by me in a time of need.'

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