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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem #01 - Discussion ItemMayor Xavier L. , ez Inaugural Speech November 12, 1987 Miami leas just passed a difficult test. We leave shown our maturity by electing a new commissioner, a real commissioner and by giving a resounding -mandate to me, your humble servant. Some day, we'll realize the import of this accomplishment. Not only in the negative sense: no more bickering, no more unfounded accusations, no more divisiveness. But, perhaps more importantly, in the sheer potential of a competent new Commissioner, added to an independent, little people's Commissioner (my brother Miller Dawkins); a gentle, forward - looking Commissioner (my good friend Rosario Kennedy); and a steady, workmanlike Commissioner (our record -setting minority Commissioner J.L. Plummer). Miami has just outlived its worst nightmare, has rejected those who would use empty anti -communism for private gain, has turned the corner from unproductive hate to fruitful concern. By no means should it be understood as a step towards indifference or isolationism in our attitudes towards those enslaved by totalitarian oppressors, particularly those 90 miles away in Communist Cuba. Rather, we recognize, as a community, that there is no place in local government for those who use the rhetoric of foreign policy for their own advancement. There is, indeed a place for L� Mayor Xavier Suarez Inaugural Speech Page Two November 12, 1987 those who base on the philosophy of human rights their platforms for collective advancement. In the double effort that just took place, there were members of many neighborhoods associations, including the ever- present Jim Angleton of Greater Biscyne Boulevard Association. A fine Greek -American, working with an even finer Irish American, Pat Skubish. There were young leaders like Sheperd Nevel of the Young Democrats, whose early, eloquent endorsement of my candidacy gave me a huge moral boost. There was the director of the Urban League and the leaders of J.E.S.C.A.; the president of the Latin Builders and the president of the Tigertail Association; builders and environmentalists who recognize that growth must be balanced. And yes, there was the former City Manager, Howard Gary, and the prominent members of the Cuban American National Foundation. Haitian leaders like Ringo Cayard, Colombian leaders like Luis Alberto Ricon, Puerto Rican leaders like Emilio Lopez and Ralph Rosas. A young Jewish American lawyer, Tom Spencer, had the courage to take on Joe Carollo by heading the finance committee for Victor de Yurre. All these people, and all those who labored in anonimity had two things in common: the desire to improve our city and the guts to get involved. They understand the now -famous phrase of Theodore Roosevelt: t qt: 14 El Mayor Xavier Suarez Inaugural Speech Page Three November 12, 1987 The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who knows the great enthusiams, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best, if lie wins, knows the thrills of high achievement, and, if lie fails, at least fails daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. tie have known both victory and defeat. I prefer victoryl I also prefer substance to style, accomplishments to speeches, detailed administrative analysis to vague visionary plans. So do our people. Confronted with a choice between a slick voice and a down to earth spokesman of the people, Miamians chose the latter for its Mayor. Perhaps they were mindful of what Fiorello LaGuardia's campaign manager (Alfred Levitt) once said: "I don't like an open mouth for a man of greatness. It's an invitation for a bird to make a nest." In my first term, I was particularly concerned to make our government work to complete projects that were paralyzed, to respond to myriad small concerns of our neighborhoods. In these next two years, our task is still to render basic municipal services in a cost—effective manner, reducing taxes even more so that young families and elderly with fixed incomes Y," Mayor Xavier Suarez Inaugural Speech Page Four November 12, 1987 can afford to live in the core area of the City -- which happens to be closer to some 90,000 downtown jobs, reducing transporta- tion costs to the workplace. We must continue battling crime on every front, with more "sting" operations, more mini and substations, more police presence in the senior centers and schools. Citizen involvement, such as the Senior Citizens Alert Network (SCAN) must be fostered. I will propose to the Commission an "active citizen" identification card to be offered those who have voted regularly in recent elections. This will combat voter apathy -- resulting in voter purges -- and will enable the holder to obtain information from the police officers at the scene of a crime, so as to inform the community at large of the reason for police presence and action. It will help combat unfounded rumors of brutality and link our police to a network of responsible, model citizens who are ready to assist them in crime prevention. [State legislators might wish to grant special privileges to the bearers, enhancing further the incentive to participate in the civic arena.] Many times during this campaign I was asked what the single most important priority would be in my next term. On the premise that we have improved city services up to a reasonable level, Mayor Xavier Suarez Inaugural Speech Page Five November 120 1987 given our resources, and taxes down to a level where we don't scare away from the City the very people that we want to help, we must give first priority to bringing Miami's disadvantaged into the economic mainstream of our prospering City. We must do so, first of all by tightening the compliance of our minority procurement ordinance -- a task that Commissioner Miller Dawkins has been championing almost single-handedly. I would propose to the Commission that our office of minority compliance be placed directly under the Manager and be given resources more in keeping with its difficult task. Pro- claiming minority participation is one thing. Monitoring and enforcing compliance is another. In order to further secure participation in City contracts as well as joint public/private projects, I will propose to the Commission the creation of a standing advisory board, headed by Commissioner Dawkins, to review and advise on the progress of our compliance. This board would have broad powers, including the Charter -provided power of subpoena for investigative actions by the Commission. Beyond municipal services and minority particiption lies the question of Miami's growth and vitality. We are firmly estab- lished as an international city and this year's Caribbean Conference, coupled with the first Hemispheric Conference of 0 Mayor Xavier Suarez Inaugural Speech Page Six November 12, 1987 Commercial Officers, will expand the focus from central America to all of the Americas. As the telecommunication industry grows, we want the world to know that Miami, in addition to being a tourism and transportation hub, is also the premier telecom- munications center in the Southeast, boasting now the first all - private telecommunications satellite center, announced recently by Pan AmSat for its Opa-Locka location. We will work with the Beacon Council to assure our readiness as a City and will network with national black and Hispanic chambers of commerce to assure minority participation in such ventures, mindful that just the Caribbean countries' needs in this field are expected to reach 3 billion dollars in the next year and mindful, too, that our tri- ethnic population mirrors closely the composition of the Caribbean. To Miami's white non -Hispanic community, my apologies (first of all) for not having a better term to collectively refer to you; I trust these two years have convinced you that I care, first and foremost, for Miami's neighborhoods, to preserve and unite them. You need never want to secede, alienated by lack of attention from City Hall. Recent additions to our Civic League, such as the Roads Area, Coral Gate, Downtown Condominium, and Biscayne Boulevard Associations, assure that special interests or bureaucratic inertia will not spoil our neighborhoods' charm and historic character. Vf; Mayor Xavier Suarez Inaugural Speech Page Seven November 12, 1987 To Miami's deteriorated neighborhoods, be assured that help is on the way, to restore the Overtown Shopping Center, finance not one but four quadrants of Grand and Douglas, tear down and rebuild the strip at 36th Street and 17th Avenue, where students from Miami Jackson are confronted daily with urban decay, a sign of our community's failure instead of the sign of hope that they, too, can be a part of our thriving economy. To all who seek afordable housing, we will provide additional low-cost housing, on parcels long -since acquired by 1976 housing bonds and initially awarded to for -profit developers in a dubious process that led to eventual abandonment by said developers. Having awarded two such projects to not -for -profit developers, we will now press the County for surtax financing, and will make the County's responsiveness an issue in the '88 County elections, if need be. To all my volunteers, workers, contributors and advisors, I thank you for the most effective, most unifying, most positive mayoral campaign in recent Miami history. And to all Miamians, once again we are ready to consult you before presuming to act on your behalf and to use every ounce of our strength and imagination to foster the public interest. God bless our City. God bless you all.