By Coral Gables Gazette staff

Sandwiched between Thanksgiving and the Coral Gables’ Centennial Grand Finale at the Venetian Pool on Sunday, the city sent a small delegation to Tallahassee to get a head start on next year’s legislative session.

Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, Commissioner Richard Lara and Governmental Affairs Director Chelsea Granell traveled to the state capital to meet with the city’s local legislative delegation and key committee staff. Noticeably absent was Mayor Vince Lago.

City officials intend to make sure they are aware of the city’s priorities so they can advocate for its state funding requests. “Visiting Tallahassee before the start of session gives us an important opportunity to sit down with our legislators, share the story of what’s happening in Coral Gables, and underscore why our funding requests matter to residents,” said Granell, who was hired as the city’s chief legislative officer in June.

The city delegation’s trip coincides with the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce’s annual sojourn to Tallahassee known as Legislative Fly-In, not coincidentally. Although each organization has its priorities, they time the visit so that they could align in promoting the interests of the city.

“By working in tandem with our partners at the Chamber and engaging early with lawmakers, we’re better positioned to secure support for critical projects that enhance public safety, strengthen our infrastructure, and invest in the long-term resiliency of the City Beautiful,” Granell added.

Fighting for city’s legislative priorities

According to a statement put out by the city, the Gables delegation will be focused on its “adopted legislative priorities and appropriation requests, including support for infrastructure and public safety projects, water quality and resiliency efforts, and other initiatives that protect the quality of life for Coral Gables residents and businesses.”

The commission passed its legislative priorities in September without much fanfare. Among its priorities were:

·       Protecting home rule, opposing new state preemptions, and preserving local authority over zoning, building design, tree canopy regulations, and historic home demolitions.

·       The City also supports lowering property insurance costs and expanding home-hardening programs.

·       Additional priorities include environmental protections – particularly Biscayne Bay, septic-to-sewer conversions, and infrastructure upgrades – along with improved micromobility safety rules, stronger stalking protections, cybersecurity safeguards, stricter regulations for private school buses, and maintaining current sovereign immunity limits.

According to the priorities adopted, the city is requesting state funding for six major projects: rehabilitating aging sewer pipes; constructing two roundabouts near Carver Elementary to improve traffic safety; continuing downtown flood-mitigation work; dredging the Ponce Corridor Waterway to reduce flooding; upgrading to a reliable diesel generator system and adding portable emergency generators; and remediating the former Public Works Yard to safely restore it as a regional debris-management site.

It is unclear whether the delegation will advocate for all its adopted priorities or further shorten the list to share with its representatives.

Mayor misses trip

Despite touting his effectiveness in lobbying for the city’s interests in Tallahassee throughout the year, Lago missed the year end trip this time around. The mayor did not respond to requests for comment as to why.

In July, the commission adopted an ordinance which clarified the mayor’s ability to pick the city representatives to include in delegations like the one they sent to Tallahassee. During a discussion on the issue, the mayor said state legislators did not want to be bombarded by too many city officials. “I’ve spoken to many state representatives and many senators. They’re not they’re not interested in seeing four or five individuals in a room representing a city. They want to meet with one or two,” Lago explained. “The cost associated is pretty significant.”

The mayor went on to say that said costs were amplified when the city did not get a return on its investment on trips to the Tallahassee. “When I went up to Tallahassee four times we received almost $4 million. Last year I did not go up to Tallahassee, and we received zero appropriations. So the point is number one to save money and number (two) is to be a unified voice and get to work.”

At the latest commission meeting, Lago did say he had been traveling quite a bit in recent weeks, not including Thanksgiving. “I’ve been traveling three times in the past week. I’ve been delayed every single time I’ve caught a plane,” the mayor explained, although he did not say for what reason he was traveling. Calls to the mayor’s former employer, BDI Construction, in November confirmed that Lago no longer works at the company.