Miami voters will face two city referendums on Aug. 18, alongside the countywide primary. The questions deal with two very different aspects of city government: when Miami holds its municipal elections and how the city manages the historic Miami Marine Stadium and Flex Park.
These are The Miami Times’ recommendations for each.
Miami Referendum 1 — Charter Amendment to Move the City Elections from Odd-Numbered to Even-Numbered Years
YES. Miami should move its city elections from odd-numbered to even-numbered years. Holding municipal elections alongside statewide and federal elections should make it easier for residents to participate and, most importantly, put city government on the same ballot when voter attention and turnout are already much higher. The change would also eliminate the separate election cycle that has historically drawn far fewer voters.
Referendum 2 — Approve Management Agreement with Global Spectrum for Historic Miami Marine Stadium and Flex Park
NO. Miami Marine Stadium deserves to be restored and put back to productive public use. But that does not mean the city should lock itself into a 40-year management arrangement. The proposal would allow a management agreement of up to four decades for the Marine Stadium, Virginia Key Center and Flex Park.
Forty years is simply too long to surrender that much flexibility. Miami changes rapidly — economically, demographically and politically. A management structure that might make sense today could become a poor fit a decade or two from now. The stadium has already been closed since 1992; after waiting this long for its revival, the city should get the restoration right without tying future generations to a contract they had no role in negotiating.