Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 1977-04-25 MinutesSPECIAL COM MISS I ON MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON ►PA 2 519i ' PREPARED BY THE OFFICE OF TIDE CITY CLERK CITY HA MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF MtAMt FLORIDA ON THE 25TH DAY OF APRIL, A 77) THE CITY COMMISSION OF MIAMI, FLORIDA MET AT ITS REGULAR MEETING PLACE IN SAID CITY IN SPECIAL SESSION TO DISCUSS MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORT, THE ME TtNG WAS CALLED TO ORDER ATJT2:37 O'CLOCK P,M, BY MAYOR MAURICE A. tIRRE WITH THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION FOUND TO BE PRESENT: COMMISSIONER MANOLO REBOSO COMMISSION J. L FLUMMER. JR. VICE VAYOR REV.) tHEO ORE (iIBSON AYOR AURICE A.ERRE ASSENT; COMMISSIONER ROSE GORDON ALSO PRESENT: JOSEPH R. GRASSIE, City MANAGER RI L. FO MO N, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER bI EOR E . KNOX, JR., LITY.ATTORNEY ALPH G. ONGIE, CITY CLERK MATTY HIRAI, ASSISTANT CITY CLERK AN INVOCATION WAS DELIVERED BY REVEREND THEODORE GIBSON WHO THEN LED THOSE PRESENT IN A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG. • Mayor Ferre: Ladies and gentlemen, the purpose of this meeting is a Special Commission Meeting to discuss the possibilities of a bond issue for a new sports stadium or improvements to the Orange Bowl and under the powers granted to me by the Charter, 1 have called this Special Commission Meeting and l apologize to all of you for the shortness of the time. As I understand it, let's get several things clear for the record. Mr. Grassie, did your office or did the Clerk's Office in- form all members of the Commission that this Special Meeting has been called for 12:30? Mr. Grassie: I don't know of my personal knowledge but my Secretary did, I am assuming, inform every member of the City Commission, yes, sir. Mayor Ferre: Do you know if Mrs. Gordon was informed? Mr. Grassie: I'm sure she was but I do not know personally whether she was. Mr. Ongie: I'll find out, Mr. Mayor. Mayor Ferre: Well I personally talked to Mrs. Gordon and she said that she was very busy today and she didn't think she could make any meeting and secondly, she wanted some additional time to think this matter over, My Assistant, Marie Petit, told me that she had talked to Mrs. Gordon at around 12:05 or 12:10 and that Mrs. Gordon said that she would not be here. Now, secondly, Mr. City Attorney, under the Charter, the City of Miami is allowed to put something on the ballot within 15 days or before. Is that correct? Mr. Knox; The Charter provides that a measure which is adopted for being placed on the ballot must be advertised for 15 days, at least once a week, in the news- paper of general circulation. Mayor Ferre: Alright, furthermore, it is my understanding that your office has been in touch with the Elections office of Metropolitan Dade County and I personally have talked to the Elections office and they said that provided we got this to them sometime in the early afternoon that they could put it on the ballot if that was the will of the Commission, .Mr, Knox: Yes, sir, this is the information 1 received from a Mr, Leahy at the County DlectiQn office, Mayor Ferro; Alright, and my last question, before we get into the presentation f this is that since this is an Amergency Ordinance, it would have to have all four of us voting for its 1s that correct? APR 2 51977 - Mr. Knox: Yet, tit, emergency measures MUst be passed by A fftrafiEth Wite, Mayor Ferret Alright, if it were to pass oh a 34,4 bais t 1 basis) then it would be On the regular and when is the earliest that we Could Vote On this item/ Mr. KM*: Our Charter prOVidet that it may be voted Oh second reading At another meeting. Mayoerre: Could it be done oh Thursday? Mr. Knox! Yes, sir. Mayor Petre: Alright. So therefore, if it does pats on a regular basis, hot Oh emergency basis, the second reading would be either Wednesday or Thursday, Since we do have a CoMmission Meeting or Wedhesday, we could vote the second time then. Is that cOrreCt? M. IthOX: Yes, sir, that's what our Charter provides. Mayor Ferret And therefore if it passed 3-5# on Wednesday then it would be ballot. Mr. Knox: tOu°Ve had first and second reading of an ordinary ordinance which, of course, we have when it takes effect to consider and it must be published for a requisit period of time before it takes effect. Mr. Plummer! Just for keeping the record straight # Mk. Knox, arn I understanding you correctly that it was my understanding that between the first and second reading there had to be an advertisement placed in the paper 10 days prior to the second reading or that there was an advertisement required. Now just for the purposes of... Maybe I misunderstood you. You're saying that that is not the case. That a regular ordinance can be, for example, passed today and can be second reading without any advertising, without anything further, 48 hours from now it can be read on the second and final reading. Mr. Knox: Yes, and then it must be advertised. The purpose of advertisement is to advise the public of the measure that has been adopted. Mr. Plummer: Fite, I just want to keep it in mind for future reference. Then, excuse me, Mr. Mayor, what would be the purpose of an emergency measure where you could read it twice in one day? Mr. Knox: Well the difference between an ordinary measure and an emergency measure is in when it becomes effective. When an emergency measure is adopted, number one, there's a lack of time and so you can then read it both times on the first reading and an emergency ordinance takes effect immediately subject to being overturned by referendum. An ordinary election does not take effect until the expiration of the time that the people would have to petition for a referendum. Mr. Plummer: Then if my understanding is correct, what you're saying on an ordinary motion or resolution or ordinance, this is not an ordinance... Mr. Knox: This would be an ordinance. Mr. Plummer; Alright. On a regular ordinance there is no time frame required. Mr. Knox; Except that it must be read at another meeting. Mr, Plummer: Clkey, so in other words the Mayor could, in fact, conclude this meeting, call another one and read it at that meeting. Mr. Knox; That, theoretically, could be done. Mr, Plummer; In other words, you're saying that there is nothing in the Charter to prohibit it, Mr, Knox; R,ight. Mr, Plummer; Qkay, well that's just for my edification. Mayor Form Atriqht6 can we now get onto the substance of this? Mr, ?tumor; N04 Fir+ would like only for the record that, mr, mayor, my@ vp g4n.ohy Out to put it on the recor44 you 4on't have tO eat it taterf would like 2 APR D 1911 to know oh the record who informed the Media and that all thr Media was infOrMed. Mayor Petra: 1 requested Lew Price at 11:10 this Morning to be On alert so that by noon=time he could inform the media that we Were going to have such a Meeting by 12:30► He and 1 talked just after 11:00, let Me correct that, ii:is, and t told him that it was important that he be ready to dove oh this very quickly, Mr. Plummer: so, in other words, what you're saying is that it was the reepoheim bility of the Publicity Department, in particular, Mr. Price, to notify everyone that needed to be notified to comply that there is ho violation of the sunshine Law► Mayor Perret 1 also asked the City Manager that that was properly done► Mr. Plummer: Mr, Grassier Mr, Plummer: And you did follow through, Mr. Orassie7 Yes, I asked Mrs. Tillman to do that. Alright, thank you. Mr. Knox: Excuse me, while we're at it, 1'd like to read into the record Section 2-9 of the Code of the City of Miami, sub -section 9 which reads as follows: "Nothing in this Section shall prohibit the Mayor from calling Special Meetings at any time he may deem proper for the consideration of any business of public import and without complying with the provisions of this Section, this Section referring back to the other provisions such as the 5-Day Rule, etc." Mayor Ferree Alright► now based on all this I'd like to present what this is all about and then see what the will of this Commission is. As you all know, we have, for the last 4 to 5 years, been in discussion with the Miami Dolphins and the University of Miami and the Orange Bowl Committee for the purposes of improving the Orange Bowl. Now up until this time, although we have spent a lot of money in making designs and so on and so forth, one of the main users, Mr. Joe Robbie of the Dolphins, has steadfastly stated that he did not feel that it was appro- priate to fix up the Orange Bowl and he was going to try to get a new stadium built. As you know, we've been through a series of negotiating postures which ended up, within the last month or so or two months, wherein we, in effect, gave Mr. Robbie a 10 year contract with a three year pull-out. Now it just so happens that on Tuesday, June 7th, Metropolitan Dade County has called for an election and since the people of Miami are going to go to the polls anyway, it seemed appropriate to me that perhaps we might refer to the people of Miami for their decision with their wisdom on whether or not they were willing to spend some money to either get a new sport stadium for this community or to improve the existing Orange Bowl Stadium. Now as we all know, it takes a lot of money to build a stadium. Mr. Joe Robbie says that it takes at least $40,000,000 to do it. We feel that it probably would cost in the vicinity of $50,000,000 to have a minimum first grade stadium. Now I . think it's unrealistic to expect for the people of Miami, the taxpayers, to come up with $50,000,000 for a stadium that would have relatively limited use when we already have a stadium although it is not, admitedly, a first-class stadium. On the other hand, I think the people of Miami have strongly expressed their opinion that they want either an improvement of the Orange Bowl or a new stadium built and I think that this is the opportune time, since it is a pertinent subject, to put this up before the voters and get them to react one way or the other. Now I would like to point out several things which I think are very key to this. In the first place, Moody, which is one of the rating services► rates the City of Miami at an A-1 basis and Standard & Poor has recently increased our rating to A+. Now we saw that visibly, two weeks ago, when we sold S28,000,000 worth of City of Miami bonds and they were sold for 4.92% which is one of the lowest we've had in years and one percentage point lower than Metropolitan Dade County sold their bonds within a week before that time. Now the present debt of the City of Miami is $105►000.000. I want to point out that that is exactly 2,79 of our total assessed valuation. Now the State Constitution permits this City to go up to 15%, We are now at 2,79. I would further like to point out that that $105,000.000 of existing debt is less than 13% of our total budget which is below the average and the normal in these United States for medium -size and major cities, What I'm trying to say is that 4 $150.000,000 debt is a very low debt for a community this size. That nobody can come around and say that this is a New York or a Dorton or a Philadelphia, That we sell our bonds for substantially less. that our debt is not anywhere near as high or a percentage of what we can go to, Now lastly, 1 want to point out that On March 9, 1976, the people of Miami voted for a $25.000,000 bond issue for housing, irverybody said it couldn't he done. Weil 1 want to tell, you that 1 think the people of Miami are willing to spend their money on things that they believe in and housing was one, I think that another one is a major sports stadium and theme- fore 1 would like to propose at thist time that the City of 144Pi put en the June ith ballot a si!pie referendum which Would request froth the Votete approval to spend up to $250o0,000 for the purposes of either refurbishing or building within the City limits of the City of Miami a first class sports Center, arena, stadiuf►, that would include both football and baseball, 1 turtt the Chair ()Vet to the Vioea, Mayor and so Move. Mr, Plummer: Mr, Mayor, 1 apologize,, Mayor Ferret Well t've asked Mr. Knox to put it in writing and if he's prepared 1 would like to read it into the record. It says: "That the City of Miafti would put on the Cline 7th ballot the following question: 8ha11 bonds of the City of Miami, Florida, in an aggregate principle amount not exceeding $25,000,000, be issued for the purpose of paying, together with other funds if necessary, the cost of providing a modern stadium designed to accommodate major league baseball and football events within the corporate limits of the City of Miami including the acquisition of all property and construction or reconstruction of all facilities attending thereto." That's the motion. Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, let me make a few statements here if 1 can, readily acknowledging that 1 haven't had time to give a lot of study to this, bet me tell you what's on the top of my mind. Number one, we don't have any plans at the present that show $25,000,000, we have plans that vary from 13 to $18,000,000 worth of improvements and 1 won't, for one minute, think that inflation could and possibly run them up to $25,000,000, that is a possibility. But without some kind of definite plan, Mr. Mayor, my fear is the same thing that is exactly happening to us in the housing issue. The people of this community have asked for $25,000,000 housing issue and that is, 1 think, almost a year and at this time really, in fact, we can make all kinds of excuses but ground has not been broken for the first one and I think that unfortunately these bonds have been sold, interest is accruing, and because we did not have a plan, people are being subjected... Mayor Ferret Interest is accruing? Mr. Plummer: Well it's accruing possibly in our favor and I don't know the interest that's being paid. The point I'm making, Mr. Mayor, is that nothing has been done because a plan was not formulated prior to with enough depth and it's just a point I'm trying to make, Mr. Mayor, I'm not finding fault. Number two, Mr. Mayor, there is no way, in my estimation, that a major sports facility, and we're not talking about now just a new football stadium because remember, and let's look at Kansas City, in which they have stadium grounds which both are available - one for base- ball and one for footballand it's two stadiums, in fact. So we're talking not only about double trouble but a lot more expense. We know because once before the Orange Bowl, they tried to hold major baseball and there was no way that major baseball could be held in the Miami Orange Bowl. My most important point that I wish to make, Mr. Mayor, that I somewhat feel that my commitment to the people of this City was and has been that there has never been a dime of taxpayers money that has been used to, in fact, operate the Orange Bowl. One of the finest systems that I think was ever put forth in this community, and unfortunately Mr. Reboso was not here, I was a young kid and I'm sure Father probably might remember it and you, yourself, Mr. Mayor, might remember it, is which really, the people who were the recipients, the consumer, paid for the improvements. There was a bond issue floated for the purposes of improvements in which the denominations of the bonds which paid interest gave the people a priority on and Mr. Mayor, that didn't cost the people of this community a dime. Those people readily paid for that right and not a single one of them lost a dime. I think that same concept can be used again because I am a firm believer that the people who will be the recipients that will utilize the Orange Bowl should be the people who pay for it. One of the reasons that I was called to hold out for so long on the Dolphin Contract was because I _firmly believed that the improvements one, needed to be made and number two, that the people, roughly 10% of this City. who use that Orange Bowl should not burden the other 90% for just a fuse benefit. Mr. Mayor, unfortunately I will have to vote against this motion. I don't, in any way, want my negative vote to be interpreted that it doesn't mean that J, L. feels that improvements should be made to one of the best stadiums in the United States to make it THB best, I am all in favor of improvements to the Orange Bowl, I realise. Maurice, that your shortness of time has caught you off -guard, We have not had e chance to have indepth of this to be done but I just want it to be known that 1 am definitely in favor of the improvements but 1 do not feel that the concept, as proposed here, is the way that 1 would like to see it done, Mayor Ferrel; With regards to the shortness of time, the shortness of time is that this -community and this City has been struggling with this problem since I first went en the Commission in the year 1967. 1 would not say that that has been exactly 4 APR 2 51971 the shortness of tithe, we've just never been able tb cone td grips with the probleM And we've nailer been able to find a solUtion, I'd like to point out several things, First of all, in rebuttal to the statements that you made, Mt, PluMMer) with regards to the cost Of the stadium. Yes, Our engineers said it would cost $18)000)000, that' t true, tut we also know that everything else that we touch, whether it be Bicentennial Park or any Other improvements ih the City or the County when we start) we're going to spend a million and we end up spending a Million and a half so 1 don't think we should tut ourselVes short. Number two) I want to say on the record that it is the intention Of this partioular motion and this particular election on Tune 7th not to carry the full burden oE this because I affi absolutely convincedthat it's going to cost SSO)000,000 to build a hew stadium if that's the way we're going and t would certainly hope that Metropolitan bade County would stand up to and meet the challenge and cane up with their half of it. If Metropolitan bade County did not come up with their half, if they were not able to bond or to furnish these kinds of monies, there would haVe to be other sources souht 1 do not think that the taxpayer of Miami Should tarry the full burden and with that 1 think we agree partially. Now with regard to housing. The housing bond issue that passed last year was turned over to Metropolitan bade County since the City of Miami did not have a Housing Authority. Now if Metropolitan bade County does not do something with the stadium, then I propose that we proceed our- selVes, NOw we have not turned over the stadium to Metropolitan Dade County and this Commission has voted, and t'll remind you that the Vote was 4-1 not to turn over the Orange Bowl and the year was 1973 and I think that this is a very different issue from housing. Housing is complicated because we require an agreement between Metro and the Federal GoVernment. We had a National Election, we had a Secretary of Housing, who was not very cooperative, we now have a new Secretary of Housing. You know we're all committed towards that Housing Bond Issue. L. F. Rothschild took three months in getting their work done. Our bond counsel, Mitchell Petty, took six months to get this thing validated from the Supreme Court and I don't think that the City of Miami should be held accountable for that, The fact is that the people of Miami did vote for a bond issue for housing, the fact is that it did pass and the fact is that we're moving ahead. Now your third point, with regards to taxpayers monies, and the question of whether or not taxpayers should be asked to carry the burden, I want to make three points on that. Number one, you're kidding yourself, mr. Plummer. The taxpayers of Miami, as Mr. Grassie will tell you, have been paying for the Orange Bowl because the monies that we've been getting have not been sufficient to keep that Orange Bowi going and we've been dipping into other places to carry the Orange Bowl so that's just fallacious, that's a fallacy that's been going on for years and years and just is not true and is certainly not true at this juncture of the game. Number two, the situation has changed in this community. Now the economy has changed, things are different and what was true 20 years ago is not true today. We live in a changing world and if any community in these United States wants to have a first-class stadium, they've got to pay for it, there is just no other way. Lastly, I want to point out with regards to this point that that's exactly what referendums are for. A referendum is, you go to the people of Miami and you say, do you want to tax yourself up to so much so that we can have a first-class stadium and facility. Now my last point. We live, in Miami, on what I'd like to call the 'Interama Syndrome'. The Interama Syndrome is when you want to plan the super -huge, undoable things and you study them to death and you study,and you study0and you study,and you studyjand you spend all kinds of money and then you don't do anything because so-and-so is against it and the other guy is against and the community can't come to a conclusion and as a consequence, our dreams are always going down the drain. Now I think what this community needs is less talk and less study and More action and I say to you that this is the time when the people of Miami, if they have the opportunity, in my opinion, will say 'yes' to either an improvement of the existing stadium or a brand new stadium in this community and it's time for the 10 years of inaction, the 10 years of studies, the 10 years of talk to be over and action to begin. Mr. Plummer, I want to remind you, and I hope you forgive me because this becomes,. Believe me, this is not on a personal basis but you, as I recall, voted against the new Police Station. Mr, Plummer; You are correct. Mayor Pierre; And now, as I understand it froM you, you're very happy with it, Mr,plummer; you are incorrect on both points, Wait a minute, Mr, Mayor. I'm going to apologise to you, Mr. Mayor, for bringing up the housing issue which was only trying to make a lint. 1 was not trying to find fault. Dut since you brought up the Police $tation, let's Make the record very clear of why 1 voted against it, Decaliae of the fact, and T would use statements that you, Mt, Mayor4 that it is totally improper to hove 4 facility in which so little of the utilipation io taking place, YOU are the great advocator of putting the Fire Department with APR 251971 the Police bepartMent to utilise and 1 have ho objedtions to that. t still have a great thing in my craw that 1 will never get out of an organitatien who took 10% of $20,000,000 to make a study and ran off and said before it was finished) here, it's yours, if you need us anymore you know where to reach us for a hew contract. t'il never get that out of my craw and if you want to go dower and be petty about the thing, which 1 don't mind being, 1 will remind everyone that the gates which we purchased, a policeman's policeman, if you will, today still_ do not work. There are a lot of malfunctions in that building that heed to be corrected but nobody seems to want to do anything about it. Now that's the reason I voted against it, not because, Mr. Mayor, as 1 said in my statement then and I'll say now► the people of this City gave us a mandate to build a new Police station and whether 1 liked it or not, 1 was going to try to get our dollars worth. 1 don't feel we got our dollars worth then and I don't feel it now. The preceeding motion, introduced by Mayor Perre and seconded by Cottttissioner Reboso, was passed and adopted by the following vote- AY'BS : Commissioner Manolo Reboso Vice -Mayor (Rev.) Theodore Gibson Mayor Maurice A. Terre NOBS: Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr. ABSENT: Commissioner Rose Gordon ROLL CALL DISCUSSION: Mr. Ongie Vice -Mayor Gibson? Rev. Gibson: I want to make a few comments. I haven't had an awful lot of time to think about this matter and the little time I've had, I've come to this conclusion. I regret that we have to do it this way on such a short notice but because I know that so many people felt and stated that I wasn't going to vote for Joe Robbie's contract, that I was opposed to the Orange Bowl, and I surprised them and I want to tell you that I have mixed emotions. I'd like to ask the Mayor and the other members of the Commission one question or two questions. We appointed an Orange Bowl Committee the other day. Have we said anything to them? Mayor Terre: Father, I really haven't said anything, and I take full blame and responsibility. Last week was a difficult week for me, I was out of town until Friday and I have not discussed this virtually with anybody at this point and for that I apologize to all of you. I might point out that that Committee was appointed for improvements within the Orange Bowl and this might go beyond that. In effect, I think what we're doing is we're going to the big committee, which is the citizens of Miami and see their opinion. Rev. Gibson: Alright, let me ask the other question. In order for me to vote, I hope I'm not voting for $25,000,000 to improve the Orange Bowl. Mayor Ferre: The way this is worded, it would permit the City of Miami, in the future, to use up to but not exceeding $25,000,000 to provide a modern stadium designed to accommodate major league football and/or baseball. That does not foreclose the possibility of the Orange Bowl being the site of that $25,000,000 expenditure. Rev. Gibson: Being the site? Mayox Ferre; Well, in other words, if the engineers come around and say that we can use the and use that as the basis for a new stadium that we would be willing to do that, That would have to be approved by the Commission at a public hearing. One of the objections, for example, that Rose Gordon, in my discussion with her this morning, she said, well, I would not want this to go into the Ginner area, Well, that would be a decision that would have to be made by this Commission at a future date at a full-fledged public hearing. This does not preclude where this stadium would go, it just says within the boundaries of the •City of Miami, Rev, Gibson; Mr, Mayor, l' 11 tell You what l'n going to do. l,m ageing to vote with this motion with the fill >nQwledge and under., standing that Theodore Gibson could change his mind On Wednesday, everybody understands that? So nobody would say that I voted now and I mislead anybody. I want everybody to know that this will give you the legal basis to get your thing in operation... I Vote "yes". ( Nb 1 ..AO1L CALL, btScvsSZQN) . Mayor Ferret For the record, ladies and gentlemen, l'd like to say that this hatter, if it gets through Wednesday and does get put on the ballot, that I did talk to Mr. The Robbie and Mr. doe Robbie is honorbound, at this point, to finish his negotiations with Broward County to put a stadium in Broward County. I think What, in effect, we're doing is that on gone 7th the people of Miami will tell the Dolphins if, in effect, they're willing to put up the kind of money that's going to be needed to do the kind of job that the Dolphins want but that the bolphins are not in any way sponsoring this at this point, they're not behind it, they did not think of this, they're not requesting it, it is not their request because at this point they are still dealing with Broward County. Now that's something that we'll have to decide in the future. Obviously, without a major football or base- ball team there's no way that this or any other Commission in the future could move forward on a stadium but I just wanted to snake that clear on the record Secondly, I want to point out that this is the first reading and therefore, any member of this Commission, on Second Reading, can change their vote or as long as the substance of this is not changed I think we could change a few things here and there on Wednesday. Now what time will we bring this up on Wednesday, Mr, Manager? What time do you recommend, sir? Mr. Grassier I would think, Mr. Mayor, that you know that you have a special hearing at 1:00, I would suggest that probably at 2:00, before you start into the regular business but after that special hearing. Mayor Ferre: Well then schedule this for 2:00 on Wednesday. Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, I would just, hopefully, that you would not be as strong on one point that you just made and that is that in no way, hypothetically, if this thing passes on Wednesday and it is submitted to the voters and that the voters turn it down, I hope I did not read that if that were to be the case that the improvements to the Orange Bowl are dead and forgotten. Mayor Ferret Well, Mr. Plummer, I might remind you of statements that you've made on several occasions here about the new City Hall and when we talked about finding other ways of expending money for City Hall, you come back with an answer and I think you're right, unfortunately, that the voters of Miami have voted twice against having a City Hall downtown and that you're not going to go in the back way what the voters didn't want the front way. Now, on the other hand, and you know I disagree with that statement, I agree in part and I disagree in part. Now you know that life is not black and white in these issues that you put before voters and that it could very well be that voters would turn down certain things in a proposal but might be in favor of others so my opinion is that a "no" vote by the people of Miami on June 7th against the $25,000,000 bond issue as presented is just a "no" vote on that particular issue. It doesn't mean... Mr. Plummer: As to the method of funding. Mayor Ferre: As to the method of funding, it does not mean that, for example, the City of Miami could be precluded from a revenue bond issue, for example, or using other things other than Ad Valorem Taxes, use monies to build a stadium. Mr. Plummer; Let's make the record clear. As I understand it, what you are asking the voters is whether or not they want to tax themselves for the improvements, not whether or not the improvements are to be made. Mayor Ferre; What's correct. In the same way that we asked the voters whether they wanted to tax themselves to build a City Hall in downtown Miami and that we, in no way, put the question of the City Hall in downtown Miami to the voters. It was just the method of doing it so that the people of Miami have not said "no" to a City Hall in downtown, they just said "no" to paying from Ad Valorem taxes and this is absolutely the same. Mr, Plummer; And also, Mr, Mayor, a big point that I think is being overlooked is that that proposed City Hall would be out over the water. That Was one of the big turndowns in them Mx. Clerk, if you will, before Wednesday, please furnish us a copy of when Mr, Me3 geese pressed this improvement before the Commission at which the statement was most emphatic that these improvements could be made without taxing the taxpayers= Mayor Porte: t Wad on the Commission when that Was done the fitst tiMe and as 1 recall, it Was in 1968 or 1969 and 1 might point out that a lot of things have hand site then. Mt, PlUkfter: Oh, I don't Mayor Perrot J. t., one last thing1 want to leave ytu with on the record. YOU also make a statement which 1 happen to agree with a lot and that statement is, "I will never deny the people of Miami the right to express their opinion On sOMe.6 thing." Mt, PluMmert On something that I fee1 is good, yet. Mayor ?erre: Okay, end that's all we're doing at this point, is just lettingthe people of Miami make a decision on an important matter, AN ORDINANCE ENTITLEb- AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING Pak TRH HOLDING OP A SPECIAL REFERENDUM ELECTION IN THE CITY oP M/AM/, PLOR/DA, ON JUNE 7, 1977, UPON THE QUESTION OF APPROVING $25,000,000 STADIUM BONDS OP SAID CITY FOR THE PURPOSE OP PAYING, TOGETHER WITH OTHER ruNbS IP NECESSARY, THE COST OP PROVIDING A MODERN STADIUM DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE MAJOR LEAGUE POOTBALL AND/OR BASEBALL EVENTS WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF' THE CITY OP MIAMI. Was introduced by Mayor Perre and seconded by CoMmissioner Reboso and passed on its first reading by title by the following vote - AYES: Commissioner Manolo Reboso Vice -Mayor (Rev.) Theodore Gibson Mayor Maurice A. Terre NOES: Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr. ABSENT: Commissioner Rose Gordon The City Attorney read the ordinance into the record and stated that copies had been furnished to the commissioners and that copies were available to the public. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the City Commission at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 1:25 O'Clock ATTEST: RALPH G. ONGIE City Clerk NATTY HIRAI Assistant City Clerk MAURICE A. FERRE Mayor \s, Q3itg4ral • 8 APR 2 5 1977