Eliott's Insight -- Miami-Dade Commissioner Pushing Charter Reform, Ethics Training
After serving her first year in office, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Lynda Bell wants to make big changes to county hall.
Bell is co-sponsor of two charter reform questions that will go before county voters next January 31st. The first question would ask voters if commissioners should serve full-time, earn a $92,000 salary, be banned from outside employment, and limited to 8 years in office. The second question would give county residents more time to collect petition signatures and place questions on the ballot.
Bell's plan makes sense. But the issue of paying commissioners a full-time salary for full-time work has gone before voters in the past, and has always been defeated. What does she think will make a difference this time around?
"I don't believe the question of a full-time salary has ever been linked to no outside employment," Bell said. She's hoping voters will realize that the current $6,000 a year salary paid to commissioner for part-time work is obsolete, unreasonable and an invitation for corruption. By banning outside employment, commissioners could not collect salaries from groups or businesses with any ties to the county. The 8-year term limit would also keep commissioners from turning the job of public service in to a lifetime career.
As for the current $6,000 salary, Bell said: "It was established in 1957, the year I was born." She's right that it's time for change, but Miami-Dade voters have shown little desire to raise commissioners' salaries in the past and I see nothing to convince me that attitude has changed.
Bell, who represents District 8 in Southwest Miami-Dade, announced on News & Views that she is sponsoring an ordinance requiring all county employees, elected officials and lobbyists to take mandatory ethics training. "Once you take the training, there will be no excuse for breaking the rules," she said. You can see my entire interview with Commissioner Lynda Bell on News & Views.
