Opinion - Coral Gables Gazette

CORAL GABLES, FL

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EDITORIAL: Coral Gables has processes. Lago did only what the rules required.

Illustration of a person in a dark suit raising a hand with the palm forward as if taking an oath.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables swore them in. Then acted as if the truth could wait.

Illustration of a balance scale with university development, hospital use and enrollment provisions on one side, and Centennial Park and annual payments on the other, with a question mark on the scale’s gauge above a 30-year development agreement.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables has not shown its 30-year UM deal is fair

Deputy City Manager Joe Gomez

EDITORIAL: Gomez may be the right city manager. Coral Gables should prove it

Aerial photograph of the University of Miami campus showing academic buildings, green spaces, a lake with a fountain, and athletic facilities surrounded by tree-lined neighborhoods.

EDITORIAL: Don’t rush the public decision on UM deal

Coral Gables City Commission seated during the final 2026 budget hearing on September 25, where commissioners approved a $313.6 million budget and debated pet projects and cost-of-living adjustments.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables City Commission should stop treating an interim manager as a contingency

Blank Transportation Advisory Board meeting record with four agenda items, empty “Action taken” fields and an unsigned “Minutes approved” line.

EDITORIAL: Why can’t Coral Gables’ transportation board meet regularly?

Graphic titled “PAC donations and City Hall votes,” showing a $25,000 Ponce Park Residences contribution followed 12 days later by a $3.9 million financing amendment, and a $10,000 developer contribution followed 12 days later by a 3-2 Crystal Residences rezoning vote.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables should finally debate a developer-donor ordinance

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables needs one set of numbers before it studies cuts

Exterior view of Coral Gables City Hall at dusk, with the historic Mediterranean Revival building illuminated against the evening sky, representing municipal governance and civic decision-making.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables should show its plan for the next budget

Coral Gables City Hall, where commissioners voted in May to change the city’s election calendar. A recent court ruling in Miami has cast new legal uncertainty over that decision.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables needs a public strategy on Live Local

Editorial illustration showing a Coral Gables planning document with a hospital cross pin over red-outlined parcels in the University of Miami campus Multi-Use Area along Ponce de Leon Boulevard, flanked by a City of Coral Gables seal, a judicial gavel, a Corinthian architectural capital, and a notecard reading Community, Compatibility, Public Benefit, Transparency.

EDITORIAL: A UM campus hospital deserves its own public review

Left, a lush tropical garden with a stone fountain, a small statue, and dense greenery surrounding a pool of water. Right, an architectural rendering of a nine-story Mediterranean-style mixed-use building with arched windows and a domed tower, seen from a street corner.

EDITORIAL: Before Crystal Residences advances, Coral Gables should show its work

Coral Gables City Hall, where commissioners voted in May to change the city’s election calendar. A recent court ruling in Miami has cast new legal uncertainty over that decision.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables should set a higher bar for conflicts than the legal minimum

Exterior of the Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center.

EDITORIAL: The Youth Center pause should lead to settlement, not leverage

Close-up view of a blue Florida disabled parking permit hanging from a car’s rearview mirror inside a parked vehicle.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables helped expose disabled parking abuse. Now it must complete the response.

A new dog park is planned across the street from the Coral Gables Branch Library.

EDITORIAL: At proposed dog park, evidence should come before action

A split bar chart comparing Coral Gables garbage collection costs, showing $601 labeled “What residents pay” on the left and $1,300 labeled “What it actually costs” on the right, with text between the bars stating that the general fund covers the difference.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables is raising garbage fees. Residents deserve the full math.

The Coral Gables City Commission seated at the dais during a public meeting, with residents visible in the foreground seating area and the Florida state flag displayed to the left.

EDITORIAL: A city commission cannot govern through permanent political warfare

Paved sidewalk along Miracle Mile with storefront awnings, outdoor seating, and trees.

EDITORIAL: The cost of deferred decisions

Editorial illustration showing the 2026 FIFA World Cup timeline with the group stage marked by a large red X, while the knockout rounds and final remain visible on a tournament bracket.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables should not shrink the World Cup

A packed stadium section filled with fans waving American flags and English St. George's Cross flags, many dressed in red, white, and blue, cheering during an international soccer match.

EDITORIAL: A city hosting FIFA should not fear the World Cup

A pie chart titled “General Fund Operating Revenue by Type” shows Coral Gables’ 2025–26 budget distribution: property taxes account for $137.5 million (63.2%), other city fees and taxes $72.6 million (33.3%), and intergovernmental revenue $7.6 million (3.5%).

EDITORIAL: A budget built on growth meets a changing reality

New construction accounted for $45 million of Coral Gables’ $1.33 billion increase. (Photo: Robin and Robert Burr, Great Gables Guide)

EDITORIAL: At 101, Coral Gables begins its second century as a different city

The circular official seal of the City of Coral Gables, Florida, rendered in coral orange on white. The seal depicts two classical figures flanking a shield, with a royal palm at center and the words "City of Coral Gables" and "Florida" around the perimeter.

EDITORIAL: Is the City Beautiful slowly becoming a Miami-Dade neighborhood?

EDITORIAL: A mandate, with limits, from Coral Gables voters

Editorial illustration of an unsigned mail ballot envelope on a wood surface with a pen beside it, showing an empty red signature box.

EDITORIAL: The ballots are out. Now they must be returned.

Aerial photograph of the 1250 South Dixie Highway site in Coral Gables, looking southeast. A red rectangle outlined in the center of the image marks the subject alley — a 45-foot wide strip of land running through a surface parking lot adjacent to the University Shopping Center on Madruga Avenue. A white arrow labeled "SUBJECT" points to the outlined area. US-1 runs diagonally through the lower portion of the image. The elevated Metrorail University Station platform is visible along the right side of the frame, with track running parallel to US-1. The UM Gables One Tower and The Paseo are visible in the upper right. Mariposa Court is labeled at lower left.Sonnet 4.6

EDITORIAL: The alley at 1250 South Dixie

The proposed “University Station Rapid Transit District Overlay,” a rezoning initiative that would allow high-rise, mixed-use development directly across from the University of Miami and its Metrorail station.

EDITORIAL: The overlay discussion and the overlay vote should be the same

A minimalist illustration showing two human silhouettes standing side by side on a warm cream background. The figure on the left is rendered in deep navy blue, fully solid and opaque. The figure on the right is identical in form but rendered in a very pale, nearly transparent blue, suggesting presence without full visibility. The two figures stand close together, their hands nearly touching. Above them, two lines of text read: "Who counts?" in dark navy, and "Who is counted?" in lighter blue italic. A faint amber shadow grounds both figures at their feet.

EDITORIAL: An election about participation — and the voters who don’t count

Aerial photo of Miracle Mile in downtown Coral Gables showing tree-lined streets, parked cars, and surrounding commercial buildings as the city considers plans to attract more visitors and strengthen the retail corridor.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables is building its mobility future. It still needs a plan to pay for it.

A wide green lawn bordered by trees and stone features in a Coral Gables neighborhood park, illustrating the city’s multi-use public spaces.

EDITORIAL: What a $6 million warning reveals about Coral Gables

An editorial illustration showing a residential street lined with Mediterranean-style homes with terracotta tile rooftops and white stucco walls, framed by palm trees and tropical foliage. In the right foreground, a figure seen from behind holds an envelope and stands at a metal mailbox with its flag raised. In the background, a large high-rise building under construction with multiple cranes rises above the neighborhood roofline against a hazy warm sky. The overall palette is muted gold, ochre, and brown, conveying a mood of quiet unease.

CASTRO: Why changing Coral Gables elections would give developers more power

Aerial view of the Coral Gables Public Safety Building, a large white multi-story structure with a Mediterranean-influenced facade, red tile roof accents, black-framed windows, and a central entrance marked with the city and department name in stone lettering. The building is surrounded by mature tropical trees and situated in an urban downtown context with commercial and residential buildings visible in the background.

EDITORIAL: How the Coral Gables Police Department built a culture of accountability

A three-panel image showing the entrance to the Coral Gables Business District. At left and right, a coral-colored gateway arch bearing the words "City of Coral Gables Business District" with a decorative oval window at the top. In the center, a landscaped median with flowering yellow and green plants leads toward a clock tower, with palm trees, traffic, and commercial buildings visible in the background.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables waited 15 years for this idea. Now it should move

A packed community meeting room at the Coral Gables Public Safety Building, with rows of residents seated facing a panel of city officials at a front table, American and Florida flags flanking the dais, and two large projection screens displaying a video presentation on the blue walls.

EDITORIAL: What Coral Gables town halls are for

Banyan trees arching over a residential street in Coral Gables.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables is deciding what its streets are for

White Waymo Jaguar I-Pace autonomous vehicle equipped with roof-mounted sensors parked along a tree-lined residential street in Coral Gables.

EDITORIAL: The future arrived quietly. Coral Gables should meet it prepared

A partially unrolled blue architectural blueprint lies open on a wooden table surrounded by gold trophies, a wooden gavel, framed certificates, a stack of ordinance documents, and a blank nameplate, leaving the blueprint unable to lie flat.

EDITORIAL: The Commission’s record is real. So was this missed opportunity

Aerial map of a residential neighborhood west of LeJeune Road in Coral Gables, showing mostly single-family homes with streets labeled including Sevilla Avenue, Valencia Avenue and Anastasia Avenue.

EDITORIAL: West of LeJeune and the question of housing intent

Two tin cans connected by a red string lie on a neutral background, symbolizing communication between two parties.

EDITORIAL: Trust depends on communication—and communication depends on participation

Conceptual illustration of Coral Gables City Hall and the Miami-Dade County Courthouse connected by a path, representing the shift from civic debate to judicial resolution.

EDITORIAL: When residents turn to the courts to be heard

The Coral Gables Commission voted to advance the “Carved by Nature” design for the proposed Mobility Hub, shown here in a rendering as viewed from Miracle Mile.

EDITORIAL: The hidden engine behind Coral Gables’ financial strength

Exterior view of Coral Gables City Hall at dusk, with the historic Mediterranean Revival building illuminated against the evening sky, representing municipal governance and civic decision-making.

WELLS: Why Coral Gables should keep runoff elections

Miracle Mile and Ponce de Leon Boulevard in downtown Coral Gables, where city leaders are weighing a new special taxing district.

EDITORIAL: A downtown vision still searching for its owners

A wide green lawn bordered by trees and stone features in a Coral Gables neighborhood park, illustrating the city’s multi-use public spaces.

EDITORIAL: Protecting shared public space in a city where land is scarce

An illustration of a man standing before a mirror that reflects a face made of newspaper headlines about media scrutiny, transparency, and public outcry.

EDITORIAL: ‘Mirror, mirror…’

Coral Gables City Hall, where commissioners voted in May to change the city’s election calendar. A recent court ruling in Miami has cast new legal uncertainty over that decision.

EDITORIAL: Clear rules, shared authority and the foundations of effective governance

View of Miracle Mile in downtown Coral Gables at dusk, showing palm trees in the median, storefronts lit along both sides, and cars moving through the street where the city is studying a new business taxing district.

EDITORIAL: Downtown’s future requires rethinking parking’s role

Illustration of the Miami Hurricanes’ ibis mascot holding a football, rendered in green, orange, and white.

EDITORIAL: The Canes brought us together — and that matters more than the score

EDITORIAL: A tale of two Lagos

Illustration of a muted cityscape with a “Vote Local” sign and a calendar marked April, set against a simplified rendering of Coral Gables City Hall, symbolizing the debate over local election timing.

WELLS: The case for keeping Coral Gables elections in April

A lush garden fountain surrounded by mature tropical plants and stonework, with a religious statue overlooking the water, showing the established landscape of the Garden of Our Lord before proposed redevelopment.

EDITORIAL: City Commission must weigh compatibility

Illustration of a Mediterranean-style archway with a marked ballot envelope resting at the threshold, symbolizing civic participation and voting.

EDITORIAL: 2026 will define Coral Gables

Banyan trees arching over a residential street in Coral Gables.

EDITORIAL: A new year, a shared civic purpose

Exterior view of Coral Gables City Hall at dusk, with the historic Mediterranean Revival building illuminated against the evening sky, representing municipal governance and civic decision-making.

EDITORIAL: What Coral Gables learned from a year under pressure

An aerial map showing Lincoln Park as a long green space between University of Miami campus buildings and nearby residential streets, bordered by Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Granada Boulevard.

EDITORIAL: A park worth the trade, if the terms are clear

Illustration showing a proposed dog park site positioned between City Hall and nearby homes, symbolizing a disconnect between municipal decision-making and neighborhood concerns.

EDITORIAL: When process meets trust: Why dog park debate still deserves a reset

View of Miracle Mile in downtown Coral Gables at dusk, showing palm trees in the median, storefronts lit along both sides, and cars moving through the street where the city is studying a new business taxing district.

EDITORIAL: What kind of downtown does Coral Gables want?

Illustration of a mail ballot marked “April 21” being carefully placed into an envelope, emphasizing the importance of correct completion and deadlines in a mail-only election.

EDITORIAL: Mail-only elections demand precision

Santa Claus and the Junior Orange Bowl mascot ride a festive float with reindeer during the 2015 parade on Miracle Mile, reflecting the long-standing holiday tradition embraced by the Coral Gables community.

EDITORIAL: The parade that brings our community together

Illustration of a Mediterranean Revival house in Coral Gables with workers pouring a concrete foundation beneath it, showing construction occurring out of sequence.

EDITORIAL: When zoning leads, Coral Gables loses its way

Watercolor illustration of a silhouetted voter holding a ballot while facing a large display labeled “City Charter Amendments,” with a spotlight emphasizing the act of voting.

EDITORIAL: Charter amendments should center the voter

Infographic comparing the Charter Review Committee and the City Commission, showing how public-meeting CRC decisions contrast with Commission shifts, omissions, and reversals in the charter-review process.

EDITORIAL: Voters deserve a clear Charter plan

A woven basket sits on a wooden table filled with small folded cards labeled “I’m thankful for…,” with several slips spread around it.

EDITORIAL: What are you thankful for?

Paved sidewalk along Miracle Mile with storefront awnings, outdoor seating, and trees.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables must protect its public realm

Illustrated diagram of an urban curb lane divided into sections labeled delivery pickups, parking, loading zone, ride-hail drop-off, and pedestrian space, with buildings in the background representing Coral Gables streets.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables needs a curbside strategy

Illustration of a conference room with a single occupied chair and several empty seats, representing low community participation in Coral Gables’ discussions over a potential Business Improvement District.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables cannot build a BID without the community

Close-up views of three weathered limestone columns at Coral Gables City Hall, each showing cracks and surface decay that highlight growing structural instability.

UGUCCIONI: Why restoring Coral Gables City Hall matters now more than ever

A digital illustration shows a Coral Gables residential street with arching oak trees and homes in the background, featuring manholes marked with $45K and $68K price tags to symbolize projected homeowner costs for the septic-to-sewer conversion.

EDITORIAL: Planning by sticker shock — Sewer Plan needs a financial roadmap

A bronze historical marker on Coral Gables’ Miracle Mile describes the street’s origins after World War II, with shops and palm trees in the background. The Gazette editorial argues that the city’s focus should be on the future, not the past.

EDITORIAL: A more vibrant downtown requires City Hall realism — and cash

EDITORIAL: One flag honors our nation — Three honor who we are

A Metrorail train passes through Coral Gables near new mixed-use buildings along U.S. 1, illustrating how population growth is intensifying the need for an integrated city-and-regional mobility strategy.

EDITORIAL: The Southern Loop is progress — but Coral Gables still needs a comprehensive mobility vision

Illustration showing two hands pressing down opposing buildings — one a Mediterranean-style “Local Control” structure and the other a modern high-rise labeled “Overlay Plan” — representing the struggle between Coral Gables’ self-governance and external development pressures.

EDITORIAL: University Station plan tests Coral Gables’ right to self-rule

Coral Gables City Hall, where commissioners voted in May to change the city’s election calendar. A recent court ruling in Miami has cast new legal uncertainty over that decision.

EDITORIAL: Optimism is earned — Coral Gables’ next step is proving it

Blue Coral Gables recycling bin on a brick driveway, symbolizing local garbage and sanitation services.

EDITORIAL: The garbage fee debate skips the real issue Coral Gables must confront

Coral Gables police officers and city workers stand near fallen trees and debris during post-Hurricane Irma cleanup in 2017, with a police car and heavy machinery visible in the scene.

EDITORIAL: Complacency can be catastrophic

A 2D digital illustration of a stylized compass with elegant gold and blue tones. The compass is centered on a soft, parchment-toned background with horizontal layout, evoking themes of guidance, navigation, and civic direction.

EDITORIAL: Advisory boards are city’s civic compass

A cyclist in motion rides on a narrow residential street near Granada Golf Course, with a car approaching from behind and no sidewalk or bike lane visible.

EDITORIAL: The Granada loop is scenic—but it shouldn’t be deadly

Undated photo of the front facade of Coral Gables Senior High School, showing art deco architecture with tall windows, palm trees, and the school crest in the corner.

EDITORIAL: Three generations, one school: The enduring power of Gables High

Split-screen image showing Mayor Vince Lago speaking sternly and Maria Cruz smiling during a tense exchange at the Sept. 25 Coral Gables Commission meeting on decorum rules.

EDITORIAL: New rules in Coral Gables. The harder work lies ahead

The historic Gondola Building sits beside a waterway in Coral Gables with the Biltmore Hotel visible in the background.

EDITORIAL: Preserving the past by bringing it forward

EDITORIAL: Mayor’s vision, Commission’s role: The unspoken test of leadership

Word cloud visualization showing the most frequently used words in Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago’s 2025 State of the City address. Prominent words include “city,” “leadership,” “community,” “business,” “coral,” “gables,” “residents,” “development,” and “chamber,” indicating repeated emphasis on institutional governance, economic partnerships, and civic identity.

EDITORIAL: Address reveals what’s important to the mayor — and what’s not

Dorothy Thomson, wearing sunglasses and a red jacket over a colorful skirt, smiles while holding the dedication plaque at the newly named Mayor Dorothy H. Thomson Park in Coral Gables.

EDITORIAL: Park a fitting tribute to a Coral Gables trailblazer

Digital drawing of a muscular arm flexing, symbolizing recent debates over whether power in Coral Gables is concentrating in the mayor’s hands and underscoring the editorial’s call for an active, balanced commission.

EDITORIAL: Is Coral Gables drifting toward a ‘strong mayor’?

Coral Gables City Hall, where commissioners voted in May to change the city’s election calendar. A recent court ruling in Miami has cast new legal uncertainty over that decision.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables must learn to do more with less

Photo of Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, Mayor Vince Lago, and Commissioner Richard Lara.

EDITORIAL: Menendez confirmation an uphill battle

The Coral Gables Police Department is on pace to hire 37 officers this year, a record-setting effort that officials say will strengthen coverage.

EDITORIAL: Hiring success, retention challenge for Coral Gables Police

A ballot box can carry votes, but not a blank check. When power outweighs inclusion, the foundation begins to crack.

EDITORIAL: A majority vote is not a blank check

Coral Gables must show that parking modernization strengthens public trust.

EDITORIAL: Balancing convenience and community in Coral Gables parking policy

A symbolic roundtable of Coral Gables’ Sister Cities, with empty chairs for Quito and Manta reflecting Ecuador’s fading ties.

EDITORIAL: Sister Cities must be more than names on a list

EDITORIAL: Is Mayor Vince Lago a good Coral Gables brand steward?

A fitness class at the Coral Gables Adult Activity Center, which offers year-round programming that keeps seniors active, connected, and engaged beyond Senior Citizens Week. (Photo: City of Coral Gables, Vanessa Fonte.

EDITORIAL: Coral Gables’ commitment to seniors goes far beyond one week

Aerial view of the two University Baptist Church-owned parcels at 627 and 635 Anastasia Avenue (outlined in yellow), directly across from Somerset Academy Gables and caddy-corner to the Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center.

EDITORIAL: Zoning change near Youth Center deserves careful, public-minded planning

Through his political action committee, Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago recently circulated an email which included pointed accusations about the Gazette’s independence, ethics, and editorial standards.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: On the mayor’s most recent criticisms

The next 100 days are a chance for the Coral Gables City Commission to raise the standard of governance. The most effective commissions are those that make disagreement productive.

EDITORIAL: Five seats, one city — The work ahead for the Coral Gables Commission

Nearly $118 million in budgeted funds remained unspent through June—raising questions about execution.

EDITORIAL: Surpluses should mean progress, not paralysis

Coral Gables is right to expand its public transportation options. But civic progress also demands civic process.

EDITORIAL: As Trolley expands, Coral Gables must bring its advisors on board

Dr. Lawrence and Barbara Stein gave Coral Gables more than a theatre. They gave it a legacy.

EDITORIAL: Actors’ Playhouse is the Steins’ boffo legacy