Photo by Richard M. Brooks

Letters From Our Readers

[About: theleadmiamibeach.com, June 18 edition]

What a great issue! And that photo of the lifeguard stand on the beach with the stormy sky, superb!

Good luck to you. We need an alternative newspaper again so badly in Miami Beach, otherwise, who's going to keep the politicians honest?

Jo Manning

[About: "Storefront Storage: Miami Beach Commission Considers Forcing Some Restaurants to Stow their Stuff" by Angie Hargot, published June 11]

Restaurants with outdoor tables are already getting the equivalent of rent-free square footage, aren’t they?  The proposal to require that they stow their gear is reasonable. 

John Hopkins

[About: nbcmiami.com/news/local/Former-SunPost-Staffers-Take-The-Lead.html by Carlos Miller, published June 19]

Everyone knows that American newspapers, even the best of the best, are in big trouble. Right here in Miami Beach, we lost The SunPost  which provided a home for some very good writers who diligently covered public affairs.

Now, out of the ruins of The SunPost, a hybrid paper emerged, partly electronic, partly paper. What kind of a publication will it be? Fresher? Hipper? More heavily targeted on the young, the trendy, the pleasure-seeking, the arty, and the fashionista crowd? Maybe, because a new, thinly-financed business has to follow the money.

Still, I am hoping that you will, despite everything, carry on some of the old traditions of The SunPost and send your reporters to cover political events revealed in meetings of the commission, the commission committees, the land use boards and the significant ad hoc committees. Furthermore, as we head into the election period, I hope that The Lead Miami Beach will continue to turn a bright spotlight on candidates and issues, real and phony. Best wishes for the future.

Morris Sunshine
Miami Beach

[A Letter from Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff]

Our State government has created a major problem that we all have to deal with. The safety of residents in Miami and Miami Beach is at risk and no one has the luxury of sitting on the sidelines and hoping it goes away. We need action now.

After months of being ignored by officials in Tallahassee, I asked our City Manager to send a letter to Governor Crist demanding that the governor end the State of Florida’s policy of forcing registered sex offenders who have NOT completed probation and parole to live under the Julia Tuttle Causeway in the City of Miami. This policy is unacceptable.

In the letter, the manager identifies a small island in the water near the bridge named Picnic Island No. 4. The island is an official City of Miami Park and is managed and maintained by [Miami residents’] tax dollars. This is an important fact because both Miami and Miami Beach currently have ordinances restricting registered sex offenders from living within 2,500 feet from parks, schools, and any other places where children are known to congregate. The point here is NOT to arrest sex offenders for living where the State of Florida has ordered them. (The State even issues to offenders drivers licenses that list the Julia Tuttle as their home address.) The point is to force the State to take the proper action and find these individuals a suitable place to live: A place that does not jeopardize the safety of our community and one that does not trample on the human rights of anyone.

Representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) spent hours with me and my staff to draft a resolution (adopted unanimously by the [Miami] City Commission) which urges Governor Crist to stop ignoring this problem and take action. That resolution, R-09-0078, was also sent to every city in the state, including Miami Beach, as well as to county leaders. We strongly urged them all to adopt similar resolutions because unfortunately, this situation is not unique to Miami.

If it means [adopting] a city park used mostly by boaters to force the State’s hand, so be it. If the city has to sue the State of Florida for violating a city ordinance, so be it.

The myth is that forcing dozens of sex offenders and sexual predators to live under the bridge somehow keeps our residents safe. This could not be further from the truth, and I’ve confirmed it with our [Miami] Police Department, prosecutors, the ACLU, and experts in the field of public safety. The area under the Julia Tuttle Causeway is owned by the State but that does not give them the right to create such a health hazard in the heart of our city. If it turns out that the 2,500 feet boundary is doing more harm to the public than good, then appropriate actions must be taken. The boundary will probably be determined by the court; other jurisdictions have overturned similar ordinances in other states. If my standing up to the State leads to a lawsuit which finally forces a change, so be it.

My concern is for the safety and security of the people who live in our community. It’s clear the path we are currently on is not correct or proper — for anyone. It’s time for a new direction.

Marc D. Sarnoff

Miami City Commissioner

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