Miami City Commissioner Ralph Rosado is urging Miami voters to approve a ballot measure in November that would mandate the creation of a Charter Review Commission every ten years, calling it a fundamental move toward “good governance.”
In an op-ed published Monday in the Miami Herald, Rosado said the city should regularly update its Charter, which he referred to as the city’s “constitution.”
“Every decade, the U.S. Census tells us who we are and how we’ve changed,” wrote Rosado, who sponsored the measure. “But while we regularly update our data, we rarely update the document that defines how we govern ourselves — the City Charter. That needs to change.”
Under the Nov. 4 proposed ballot measure, the city would create a seven-member commission following each U.S. Census, which is conducted every 10 years, to review the city’s charter, hold public hearings and recommend changes.
“It’s a simple idea rooted in good governance,” wrote Rosado, who said Miami’s current government structure often reflects a past version of the city.
“Miami is not the same city it was 50, 20 or even 10 years ago,” he wrote, noting “new residents, new industries, new environmental realities, and new expectations of what local government should be.”
“Creating a recurring Charter Review Commission ensures we never fall behind on our progress,” he wrote. “It provides a built-in mechanism to modernize our structure of government as the city grows — without waiting for a crisis or controversy to spark reform.”
Miami City Commissioner Ralph Rosado represents District 4, which includes Flagami, West Flagler, Little Havana, Coral Gate, Shenandoah, and Silver Bluff.
(City of Miami)
“Across Miami-Dade County and throughout Florida and the US, cities have long relied on recurring Charter Review Committees,” he added, noting that such panels provide residents a “formal seat at the table to assess how their local government is working and whether the Charter still meets community needs.”
Ultimately, Rosado framed the measure as an act of governmental self-reflection and stewardship.
“Government should never be afraid of review — in fact, the healthiest governments invite it,” he wrote, adding that by writing this requirement into the Charter, “we’re hard-wiring accountability into our civic DNA.”
In calling for a “YES” vote, Rosado said it would ensure that “residents will always have a formal role in shaping how their city operates.”
Rosado represents District 4, which includes Flagami, West Flagler, Little Havana, Coral Gate, Shenandoah, and Silver Bluff.
This story was produced by WLRN, South Florida’s only public radio station at 91.3 FM, as part of a content-sharing partnership with The Miami Times. Read more at WLRN.org.