[CALL TO ORDER]
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GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO OUR COMMISSION MEETING, UH, OF THE MIAMI BEACH CITY COMMISSION, MARCH 19TH, 2025.
UH, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I'M GONNA ASK OUR CITY CLERK TO READ ANY PERTINENT ANNOUNCEMENTS.
DURING THIS HYBRID COMMISSION MEETING, THE CITY COMMISSION IS PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE COMMISSION CHAMBER AT MAMEE BEACH CITY HALL, 1700 CONVENTIONAL CENTER DRIVE THIRD FLOOR.
THE PUBLIC MAY ATTEND THE MEETING VIRTUALLY, HOWEVER, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ATTEND THE MEETING OR PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENTS IN PERSON MAY APPEAR AT THE COMMISSION CHAMBER TO PARTICIPATE OR PROVIDE COMMENTS VIRTUALLY DURING THE COMMISSION MEETING.
THE PUBLIC MAY JOIN THE MEETING BY VISITING THE ZOOM APP ON THEIR SMART DEVICE OR ON THE WEB AT ZOOM US OR BY TELEPHONE AT THREE OH FIVE TWO TWO FOUR NINETEEN SIXTY EIGHT THREE OH FIVE TWO TWO FOUR NINETEEN SIXTY EIGHT.
THE TOLL FREE NUMBER IS 8 8 8 4 7 1 4 4 9 9.
THE WEBINAR ID IS 8 1 3 9 2 8 5 7 6 71 POUND.
AGAIN, THE WEBINAR ID IS 8 1 3 9 2 8 5 7 6 71 POUND.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WANTING TO SPEAK VIRTUALLY ON AN ITEM DURING THE MEETING MUST CLICK THE RAISE HAND ICON IF USING THE ZOOM APP, OR PRESS STAR NINE ON THEIR TELEPHONE TO RAISE THEIR HAND.
THE ZOO, THE ZOOM LINK WEBINAR ID AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS PROVIDED FOR THIS COMMISSION MEETING ARE STATIC AND DO NOT CHANGE FROM MEETING TO MEETING.
UH, AND IT'S MY HONOR TO CALL, UH, TO HAVE OUR INVOCATION TO CALL FATHER JUAN SOSA FROM ST.
WHICH WAY DO I RIGHT, SIR, FROM HERE.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, SPRINGTIME IS AMONG US AND, UH, OUR MIAMI BEACH SUN SHOWERS US WITH LIGHT AND HEALTH AND PEACE AS WE GO ABOUT OUR BUSINESS, UM, WE MUST ALWAYS STOP TO APPRECIATE GOD'S GIFT OF CREATION AND LIFE.
SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION IN PROVIDING SAFETY AND DEVELOPMENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE CITY AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMITMENT OF EACH OF ITS MEMBERS TO THE WORK ENTRUSTED TO THEM BY OUR CITIZENS.
SO LET US PRAY BY ECHOING THE PSALMIST, THE, THE BOOK OF PSALMS 36 THAT MAY OFFER A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, GUIDANCE TODAY.
LORD, YOUR MERCY REACHES TO HEAVEN, YOUR FIDELITY TO THE CLOUDS.
YOUR JUSTICE IS LIKE THE HIGHEST MOUNTAINS, YOUR JUDGMENTS LIKE THE MIGHTY DEEP HUMAN BEING AND BEAST USE OF STAND.
LORD, HOW PRECIOUS IS YOUR MERCY? OH GOD, THE CHILDREN OF ADAM TAKE REFUGE IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS, FOR WITH YOU IS THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
IN YOUR LIGHT, WE SEE LIGHT, SHOW MERCY ON THOSE WHO KNOW YOU, YOUR JUST DEFENSE TO THE UPRIGHT OF HEART.
DO NOT LET THE FOOT OF THE PROUD OVERTAKE ME, NOR THE HAND OF THE WICKED DISTURB ME.
SO AS THE PSALMIST EXALTS THE RULE OF DIVINE LOVE OVER MERCY AND OVER GOD'S FRIENDS, SO DO I IN GOD'S NAME DO THE SAME.
OVER THIS GATHERING OF OUR CIVIC LEADERS AND ANYONE ELSE, ALL OF US PRESENT AMONG US, I ASK THAT GOD'S GUIDANCE MAY NEVER CEASE AMONG US FOR THE SAKE OF THE COMMON GOOD AND THE WELLBEING OF ALL MIAMI BEACH CITIZENS.
I MAKE THIS PRAYER, IT MAY HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT, BUT I MAKE THIS PRAYER PRECISELY ON THE FEAST OF ST.
JOSEPH, OUR PATRON SAINT, OUR PARISH IN NORTH BEACH, AND OBVIOUSLY TWO DAYS AFTER ST.
PATRICK'S, WHICH IS THE OTHER PARISH NEARBY, TWO JUST MEN, JOSEPH AND PATRICK, WHO ALWAYS CARRIED OUT THEIR MISSIONS WITH GOD IN THEIR HEARTS.
SO MAY I PRAY, MAY ALL HERE PRESENT TODAY GO ABOUT THEIR DAILY CHORES IN THE SAME MANNER CARRYING ALWAYS GOD IN THEIR HEARTS.
THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR YOUR WORDS OF PRAYER.
UM, I'M GONNA ASK, WE'RE GONNA DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND I'M GONNA ASK OUR CHIEF JONES TO COME UP, BUT WANTED TO GIVE A BIG THANK YOU.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT DONE YET WITH SPRING BREAK, BUT, UH, FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, WE'RE HAVING INCREDIBLE SUCCESS.
UH, OUR CITY IS VIBRANT, WELCOMING, AND SAFE.
AND UH, REALLY I THANK OUR CITY COMMISSION HERE IN ITS ENTIRETY FOR EVERYONE'S WORK ON THIS.
IT'S REALLY A COLLECTIVE EFFORT, OUR CITY ADMINISTRATION AND
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CERTAINLY OUR POLICE CHIEF, UH, AND ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT HAVE HELPED US.SO PLEASE CHIEF LEAD US IN, IN THE PLEDGE MORNING, MR. MAYOR.
THANKS V HONOR OF ALLOWING ME TO DO THIS THIS MORNING.
PLEASE PLACE YOUR HAND OVER YOUR HEART FOR ME AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WILL, LIBERTY, INJUSTICE FOR ALL.
SO WHERE, BEFORE WE START SUT HOUR, I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK BRIEFLY, UH, TO EXPLAIN MY REASONING FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT, UM, AND OBVIOUSLY I WANNA HEAR FROM EVERYBODY.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA EXTEND SUT HOUR TODAY A BIT.
UH, AND I THINK BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THERE, I THINK WE CAN HOPEFULLY ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE.
I WANT TO HEAR EVERYONE'S VOICES.
WE ALL WANT TO HEAR EVERYONE'S VOICES.
BUT I WILL SAY THIS, WHATEVER OPINIONS ANYONE HAS, INCLUDING MY OWN, THIS IS DEMOCRACY.
I'M ACTUALLY VERY PROUD OF OUR COUNTRY, I'M PROUD OF OUR CITY, AND THIS IS THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK.
THINGS GET SAID, LEGISLATION GETS PUT ON, HILARIOUS LEGISLATION GETS PUT ON, AND THEN THE PUBLIC HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN, GIVE OPINIONS, DISAGREE.
UM, SO THE BACKGROUND, IF YOU CAN JUST BEAR WITH ME AND YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK MR. MAYOR, BEFORE YOU EVEN START THIS, A POINT OF PRIVILEGE.
UM, NORMALLY WHEN A FORMER MAYOR PASSES, WE START OUR MEETING WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR MAYOR ALEX DOWD, WHO PASSED, UH, THIS PAST WEEKEND.
UH, WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHEN HIS FUNERAL SERVICES WERE WILL BE, BUT, UM, HE WAS MAYOR OF MIAMI BEACH FOR EIGHT YEARS, FROM 1985 TO 1981.
HE WAS ALSO ALSO THE AUTHOR OF SINS OF SOUTH BEACH.
MOST RECENTLY HE HAD BEEN ELECTED TO THE PALM.
I WAS GONNA SAY, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND HIS PASSING REALLY CAME AS A SHOCK, UH, BECAUSE IT JUST HAPPENED OUT OF NOWHERE.
SO IF WE COULD RIGHT NOW, JUST TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR ALEX DOWD.
AND, UH, WITH ALL THE EXCITEMENT OF THE DAY, I, I NEGLECTED TO DO THAT, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ.
SO I DO ASK JUST TO BEAR WITH ME FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND EVERYONE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT MY THINKING WAS.
AND YOU MAY COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH ME, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF OUR, OF OUR COUNTRY.
SO THE GENESIS OF THIS IS I WAS WATCHING THE ACADEMY AWARDS AND I SEE THAT THE FILM NO OTHER LAND WON THE ACADEMY AWARDS.
AND, UM, BUT WHAT I WAS SURPRISED ABOUT WAS THE HURTFUL AND WHAT I CONSIDERED HATEFUL COMMENTS MADE BY THE PRODUCERS OF THE FILM AND DID SOME RESEARCH AND REALIZED THEY DID SOMETHING SIMILAR AT THE BERLIN AWARDS, WHICH CAUSED MANY COMMENTS, UH, INTERNATIONALLY, INCLUDING FROM THE GERMAN, UH, THE GERMAN, UH, GOVERNMENT AND THE CITY OF BERLIN.
I THEN STARTED RESEARCHING, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE MOVIE, ABOUT THE FACTS AND NOTICED THAT IT WAS PLAYING IN A LOCAL THEATER OR CINEMA, WHICH IS A GOVERNMENT FACILITY, UH, AND ALSO RECEIVED SOME GRANT FUNDING.
I ACTUALLY THEN GOT A, I WAS ABLE TO WATCH THE MOVIE.
UH, I GOT A COPY OF IT AND, AND WATCHED IT.
SO I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME, DID YOU ACTUALLY WATCH IT, MAYOR? AND THE ANSWER IS YES, I DID WATCH IT IN ITS ENTIRETY.
I THEN PROCEEDED TO WRITE A LETTER TO SINEMA EXPRESSING MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE MOVIE AND ALSO THE HATEFUL COMMENTS MADE, UH, AT THE ACADEMY AWARDS WHAT I DEEMED HATEFUL.
AND THEN, UH, I GOT A LETTER BACK FROM SINEMA, UH, AND I DON'T WANNA PUT WORDS WHAT THEY MEANT OR WHAT THEY DIDN'T MEAN, BUT THE ANSWER WAS DUE TO CONCERNS OF ANTI-SEMITIC RHETORIC, THEY WOULD NOT BE SHOWING THE FILM AND, AND REITERATED THAT, UH, SECOND TIME IN THE LETTER.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE END OF THE MATTER.
I THANKED THEM AND THEN I GOT, UH, FOUND OUT SUBSEQUENTLY THAT THE BOARD OVERRULED THE DECISION AND WOULD BE SHOWING THE FILM.
AGAIN, REASONABLE MINDS CAN DIFFER, BUT A GOVERNMENT OWNED FACILITY, BRAND FUNDING, UM, IS, THIS WASN'T A PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO WHAT WAS HURTFUL TO ME, IT IS IN THE GUISE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD.
AND I THINK, I DON'T PRETEND TO SPEAK FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE.
I AM JEWISH, BUT I DON'T PRETEND TO SPEAK FOR JEWISH PEOPLE.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHAT I SEE AND HEAR FROM WHAT I BELIEVE IS 90%, AT LEAST OF OUR RESIDENTS, NOT ALL SOME JEWISH PEOPLE WILL DISAGREE WITH ME, BUT I THINK I'M SPEAKING ON THE VAST MAJORITY FROM THE LEFT OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM TO THE RIGHT OF THE POLITICAL POLITICAL SPECTRUM, TO THE RIGHT OF RELIGIOUS SPECTRUM, TO
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THE LEFT OF RELIGIOUS SPECTRUM FROM PEOPLE WHO SINCERELY DEDICATE THEIR LIVES TO THE ARTS HAVE ACTUALLY COMMENDED ME FOR HIGHLIGHTING AN ISSUE.AND THE ISSUE IS ANTISEMITISM.
THE BELIEF IS THERE'S AN ABSOLUTE DOUBLE STANDARD IN THE WORLD IN THIS COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO ANTISEMITISM.
EVERY GROUP DESERVES TO BE PERFECTED.
AND I HAVE PROTECTED EVERY GROUP, WHETHER IT BE RACISM, WHETHER IT BE ATTACKS ON THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT BE ANY GROUP DESERVES TO BE PROTECTED, BUT SOMEHOW, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE THAT GOT LOST.
WHEN IT COMES TO JEW HATRED, WHETHER IT BE DEMONSTRATIONS THAT HARASS AND INTIMIDATED JEWS, WE SEE COLUMBIA, OTHER CITIES, UCLA HAD ACTUALLY WHAT A COURT CALLED A JEW EXCLUSION ZONE.
IF YOU DID NOT DEDICATE AND DENOUNCE THE STATE OF ISRAEL, YOU COULD NOT GET THROUGH THE CAMP.
CERTAIN COURTS, IT'S NOT A LIE.
IT'S WRITTEN ABOUT CENSORSHIP, IT'S WRITTEN ABOUT IN A JUDGE'S DECISION.
WHAT I AM HIGHLIGHTING FOCUS ON, WHAT I'M HIGHLIGHTING IS WHAT JEWISH PEOPLE FEAR IN THIS COUNTRY.
THIS COUNTRY HAS BEEN OUTSIDE OF ISRAEL, THE BEST COUNTRY FOR JEWISH PEOPLE.
I HOPE MANY GROUPS CAN SAY THAT.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU AS A JEWISH PERSON AND WHAT I HEAR FROM OTHERS, NO OTHER COUNTRY HAS ALLOWED JEWISH PEOPLE TO PRACTICE AND LIVE FREELY AND SECURELY AS THIS COUNTRY HAS.
BUT AS THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY, JEWISH HISTORY, THAT THAT COMES TO AN END IN EVERY COUNTRY WE'RE IN AND SIMULTANEOUSLY IN THE COUNTRY OF ISRAEL SURROUNDED BY ALMOST 500 MILLION ARABS, AND THERE'S ABOUT 9 MILLION JEWS, THE COUNTRY IS UNDER ATTACK.
THIS IS RELEVANT, THIS IS RELEVANT TO WHY I BRING THIS UP.
WE NEED TO NOT HAVE A DOUBLE STANDARD.
I'LL FINISH OFF AND THEN I WANT TO HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU.
AND THE REASON WHY THIS HAS RESONATED, YOU MAY AGAIN AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH ME, BUT THE REASON WHY THIS HAS RESONATED SO MUCH, AND I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF BACKLASH AND I UNDERSTAND IT, BY THE WAY, WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND ACTUALLY THOUGH, IS THE HATE MAIL.
I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF VERY NICE CONSIDERATE EMAILS.
MAYOR, YOU'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT WRONG.
BUT HALF OF THE STUFF I'VE GOT IS NOT THAT IT'S HATE, IT'S VILE, IT'S DISGUSTING.
SOME OF IT'S THREATENING IT, IT'S NOT OKAY, BUT I'LL F I'LL FINISH OFF WITH THIS.
AND THIS IS WHY THE PERSPECTIVE IS IMPORTANT.
I DON'T, AND AGAIN, I THINK I'M SPEAKING FOR ALL THE VAST MAJORITY OF JEWISH PEOPLE, THERE'S A WAR GOING ON.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE WAR WITH GUNS, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE WAR WITH PROPAGANDA.
AND IT IS AN ABSOLUTE WAR THAT'S GOING ON.
AND EVERY JEWISH PERSON THAT I SPEAK WITH FEELS THEY'RE A SOLDIER IN THAT WAR.
AND THIS IS PART OF IT, AND THIS IS PART OF IT.
NOW, IF YOU WANNA SHOW A FILM, IF YOU WANNA SHOW A FILM THAT BY THE WAY, AND I'M SURE I'M GONNA HEAR THE BOOZE ON THIS, I DID THE RESEARCH, THE FILM SHOWS AN INTERESTING STORY AND FOR SOME, AND IN MANY RESPECTS A TRUE STORY.
BUT WHAT IT LEAVES OUT CHANGES THE WHOLE NARRATIVE.
I WATCHED IT, IT IS A HARD WATCH, BUT IT TELLS YOU A STORY OF ISRAEL BULLDOZING HOMES.
NOBODY WANTS TO SEE ANYBODY MOVED OUT OF THEIR HOMES, HAVING THEIR HOMES LOST.
BUT WHAT THEY DON'T TELL YOU IN THE MOVIE IS THAT IT WAS A MILITARY TRAINING ZONE THAT HAD, WE CAN MAKE OUR OWN DECISIONS, WE DON'T NEED YOU.
I GET THAT AND I WILL LET YOU SPEAK, BUT IT WAS A MILITARY TRAINING ZONE.
IT WAS EMPTY LAND FOR 20 YEARS UNDER INTERNATIONAL OSLO, UNDER INTERNATIONAL OSLO ACCORDS.
THE MOVIE DOESN'T SHOW YOU THE MOVIE DOESN'T SHOW YOU.
WELL, YOU'RE CENSORING ME RIGHT NOW.
THE MOVIE, THE MOVIE DOESN'T SHOW ANY OF THAT HISTORY.
THE MOVIE DOESN'T SHOW YOU THAT THIS WENT THROUGH THE COURTS FOR 20 YEARS.
THE ISRAELI SUPREME COURT, WHICH BY THE WAY OFTEN RULES AGAINST THE ISRAELI ARMY, OFTEN RULES AGAINST THE ISRAELI ARMY, WHICH IS A HOT TOPIC OF DEBATE IN ISRAEL RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHY WE WANNA SEE THE MOVIE FOR LEAD ICE ASIDE.
AND WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT IF WHAT'S FAIR IS FAIR, WE'RE IN THE HEART OF MIAMI BEACH, A VERY HIGHLY POPULATED JEWISH AREA.
IF YOU WENT INTO THE HEART OF A BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD AND SHOWED A RACIST FILM, OR IF YOU WENT INTO THE HEART OF A CUBAN NEIGHBORHOOD AND SHOWED A FILM THAT GLORIFIED CASTRO AND THE REVOLUTION OR INTO THE HEART OF A GAY COMMUNITY, THE LGBT COMMUNITY AND SHOWED ATTACKS
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ON THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY, I THINK SOMEONE CAN EXPECT A RESPONSE.I THINK WHAT'S FAIR IS FAIR AND MY ISSUES, AND BY THE WAY, I WILL SAY PUBLICLY, SMA HAS BEEN A GOOD PARTNER.
THIS HAS BEEN, UH, AN ISSUE OBVIOUSLY THAT HAS, HAS BROUGHT UM, I THINK SOME ISSUES TO, TO THE FOREFRONT.
BUT THEY'VE BEEN A GOOD PARTNER.
THEY'VE SHOWN A LOT OF FILMS ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST.
WHAT BOTHERED ME ALSO IS THERE HASN'T BEEN A FILM THAT SHOWS THE CURRENT ISRAEL PERSPECTIVE, IF YOU'RE GONNA SHOW THE FILM FROM A PALESTINIAN PERSPECTIVE, SHOW A FAIR AND BALANCED SHOW, A FAIR AND BALANCED FILM SHOWING.
SO WHAT I'M DOING TODAY IS I HAVE PUT ON A RESOLUTION R SEVEN G THAT URGES ENCOURAGES A FAIR AND BALANCED SHOWING AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA BRING FOR A VOTE AFTER THE SUT HOUR.
[R9 C DR. STANLEY SUTNICK CITIZEN'S FORUM. (8:35 A.M./1:00 P.M.)]
UH, FIRST SPEAKER, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND DUE TO, AND WE'RE GOING TO, THE TIME ALLOTTED WILL BE ONE MINUTE PER SPEAKER TO ACCOMMODATE ALL PARTICIPANTS.
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES ME ALMOST ONE MINUTE TO OPEN MY MOUTH, SO I WILL BE REALLY VERY BRIEF.
I AM WENDY JOSEPH, RUG COORDINATOR OF THE LECTURE SERIES AT BELL PLAZA CONDOMINIUM, OF WHICH MANY OF YOU HAVE PARTICIPATED.
I WANNA START OFF WITH SOMETHING POSITIVE.
I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU FOR KEEPING US SAFE DURING SPRING BREAK.
IT'S DUE TO YOU AND WHAT YOU IMPLEMENTED AND HOPEFULLY THE NEXT TWO WEEKENDS WILL BE THE SAME.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA CURTAIL MY SPEECH SO THAT I'M FAIR TO ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SPEAK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE OUR FIRST VIRTUAL SPEAKER, SPEAKER, ALEX HECKLER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOHAN MOORE.
UH, I WILL TAKE HALF OF MY TIME TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, R FIVE ONE.
WE THANK COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ FOR MAKING IT POSSIBLE.
WE HOPE YOU'LL SUPPORT THAT TODAY.
UH, FOR TWO YARD SALES A YEAR, UH, C SEVEN R, COMMISSIONER BOTS, NEIGHBORHOOD WALKTHROUGHS INVALUABLE.
WE REALLY WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER FERNANDES FOR THE WATER RATE INCREASE MORATORIUM AND I WANT TO THANK POSSIBLE PROSPECTIVE COMMISSION CANDIDATE MITCH NOVIK FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD.
C SEVEN A ONE RAISES A CONCERN IN ONE OF ITS ITEMS, UH, THAT THERE APPEARS TO BE THE POSSIBILITY OF A SLUSH FUND.
UH, AND I WOULD URGE YOU TO STRIP THAT DETAIL OUT.
UH, I OPPOSE R SEVEN G JUST AS I OPPOSED C SEVEN AA.
BOTH OF THEM ARE ANTI-CONSTITUTIONAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
AND IN LIGHT OF THE MAYOR'S JEWISH SUPREMACIST ZIONIST STATEMENTS IN HIS, UH, REMARKS.
AND IN THE ITEM, OUR NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER, PLEASE REPORT THE PODIUM IF UP.
DO YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE? STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
25 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS DIRECTOR OF THE SECOND LARGEST ART MUSEUM IN THE UNITED STATES, THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM IN NEW NEW YORK CITY, MAYOR RUDY GIULIANI TRIED TO SHUT DOWN OUR MUSEUM BECAUSE WE WERE SHOWING A WORK OF ART THAT HE FOUND OFFENSIVE.
HOWEVER, THE MUSEUM SUED HIM IN THE CITY AND FEDERAL COURT AND WON ON EVERY COUNT AT THE TIME.
THIS WAS THE COUNTRY'S MOST PUBLICIZED FIRST AMENDMENT CASE.
I HOPE THAT OZ CINEMA VERSUS THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH DOES NOT BECOME THE SECOND ONE.
I'M 80 YEARS OLD, A VISITOR OR PART-TIME RESIDENT OF MIAMI BEACH FOR 79 YEARS, I AM JEWISH HANDICAPPED AND FIERCELY PROTECTIVE OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION.
PUBLIC FUNDING FOR THE ARTS DOES NOT ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT TO PLAY THE ROLE OF CENSOR.
ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT REQUIRED TO SUBSIDIZE ARTS PROGRAMS ONCE IT DOES SO IT CANNOT RESCIND FUNDING OR THREATEN EVICTION BECAUSE IT DISAGREES WITH A VIEWPOINT EXPRESSED IN A PARTICULAR WORK OF ART.
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ALRIGHT, GREETINGS EVERYONE.MY NAME IS BRENDA JORDAN, BETTER KNOWN AS IMA TO MOST OF MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS, WHICH MEANS MOTHER.
I CAME HERE AS AN ARTIST VENDOR, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE MAKING, UM, RULES AND REGULATIONS AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE ON THE COMMISSION HERE IS AN ARTIST OR HAVE EVER WORKED OUTSIDE ON THE STREET.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WHEN YOU'RE SETTING UP A PROGRAM, YOU GET AN EXPERT IN THAT FIELD TO GUIDE YOU ON HOW TO SET UP THE PROGRAM AND THAT WASN'T DONE.
AND WE'RE GOING DOWN THIS ROAD AND NONE OF YOU EXCEPT ONE CAME TO VISIT MY TABLE OR HAS TAKEN A STROLL OUT TO GET THIS RIGHT THIS TIME.
THE FIRST PEOPLE WHO SET UP THIS PROGRAM DID IT WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM ARTISTS.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU TAKE A STROLL OUT ON THE STREET AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON SO THAT WE CAN REGULATE THIS TOGETHER.
BUT WHEN I CAME HERE AND I HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON, I WAS WONDERING WHAT EVERYBODY WAS HERE FOR.
YOU KNOW, AS LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, IT'S IMPORTANT.
SOMETIMES WE ARE GROWN WITH RELIGION AND WE TAKE THAT VIEW.
AS LAW, WE NEED TO OPEN UP TO ALL SIDES.
YOU CAN'T GET A BALANCED SOCIETY UNLESS YOU LOOK AT ALL THINGS.
SO PLEASE OPEN YOUR HEART AND NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE TRAINED IN A CERTAIN WAY, YOU FOLLOW THAT PATH.
OPEN YOUR HEART AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, BUT THERE'S A BIG LARGE LINE AND MIND HUMANITY.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER HAS A SCREEN NAME OF JUDAS.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS.
I AM JUDITH SMI OF THE FLAMINGO PARK NEIGHBORHOOD AND I AM A JEW.
I WAS RAISED IN THE KOSHER THAT CHERISHED ISRAEL, WHICH GAVE A REMNANT OF SLANDER, DESPISE, OR CANCELED EUROPEAN JEWS THAT OWN HOMELAND.
I AM MAD, VERY RELUCTANT TO HAVE STARTED FINDING FAULT WITH ISRAEL, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? FACTS, TRUMP BELIEFS.
I'VE BEEN CONCERNED SINCE THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION CAME IN WITH THE MAYOR BEING VERY AGGRESSIVE IN THESE MEETINGS THAT EVEN TODAY CUT OFF A RESIDENT BECAUSE APPARENTLY HE SAID A WORD THAT THE MAYOR DIDN'T LIKE OR THAT THE ADMINISTRATION DIDN'T LIKE.
AND SPECIFICALLY FOR EQUATING CRITICISM OF ISRAEL WITH ANTISEMITISM.
I AM VERY HAPPY WITH THE OTHER SPEAKERS THAT CAME TO TALK ABOUT OPPOSING RESOLUTIONS TO DEFUND OR CONTROL O CINEMA.
I APOLOGIZE FOR YOUR TIME IS UP.
STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
I AM JEWISH AND I'M A FORMER SMA EMPLOYEE SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION OF C SEVEN AA.
CONTRARY TO THE MAYOR'S RANSOM LETTER TO SMA, HE DOES NOT SPEAK FOR ALL JEWISH RESIDENTS OF MIAMI BEACH OR ALL JEWS AT LARGE.
PUNISHING A CULTURAL INSTITUTION FOR SCREENING A FILM ABOUT THE LIVES OF PALESTINIANS CONTRADICTS THE JEWISH VALUES THAT I WAS RAISED WITH.
THE JEWISH VALUE OF JUSTICE COMMANDS US TO SEEK TRUTH, NOT SUPPRESS IT.
THE TRADITION OF WELCOMING STRANGERS INVITES US TO LEARN FROM OTHERS, NOT TO EXCLUDE THEM.
AND INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM IS FOUNDATIONAL TO JEWISH LIFE.
AS MANY OF YOU ON THE DAYS KNOW, WE ARE A PEOPLE OF DEBATE, NOT CENSORSHIP, THE DESTRUCTION OF A SCHOOL, THE THE DESTRUCTION OF A SCHOOL, THE SHOOTING OF CIVILIANS, THE POURING OF CONCRETE INTO A WATER.
WELL, THESE ARE NOT HATEFUL INACCURACIES, IT'S NOT PROPAGANDA, AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT ANTI-SEMITIC TO PORTRAY IT.
THEY ARE DOCUMENTED REALITIES, SILENCING THEM, DOES NOT MAKE THEM UNTRUE.
AND TO INVOKE THE JEWISH VALUES IN NAME OF REPRESSION IS TO BETRAY OUR FAITH.
THE MAYOR SEEKS NOT TO DEFEND THE JEWISH TRADITION, BUT TO DISTORT IT.
AND AS A JEW, I CANNOT STAND IDLY BY.
OUR NEXT, OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS MELANIE RYAN.
MELANIE, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
HI, THIS IS ACTUALLY DAVID ROLAND, SEVEN 60 EQUI AVENUE.
I'M A LONGTIME MIAMI BEACH RESIDENT AND VOTER.
IN FACT, I VOTED FOR MAYOR MINOR IN THE LAST ELECTION.
THAT ALONG WITH BEING A FILM LOVER, A JEWISH PERSON AND AN AMERICAN, MAKES ME VERY CONCERNED BY HIS THREAT TO EVICT SMA.
FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS AS A FILM CRITIC, I HAVE HAD THE HONOR TO SERVE ON THE CRITICS PANEL FOR THE MIAMI JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL.
MANY OF WHOSE FILMS ARE SCREAMED AT ARE SCREAMED AT SMA.
WHILE MANY JEWISH PEOPLE I HAVE MET HAVE DIVERSE OPINIONS ON ISRAEL, ALL JEWISH PEOPLE ARE UNITED
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IN THEIR LOVE FOR MOVIES.THERE IS A FAMOUS QUOTE I ASK THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER BEFORE VOTING AND THE MAYOR TO CONSIDER.
I MAY NOT AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAY, BUT I WILL DEFEND TO THE DEATH, THE RIGHT TO SAY IT.
MY NAME IS ADAM SAER, A JEWISH RESIDENT OF MIAMI BEACH AT 10TH AND LENNOX SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO C SEVEN AA AND R SEVEN G.
IT IS NO WORSE TO CENSOR ART THAN IT IS TO MANDATE ITS DISPLAY.
THE MAYOR'S FIRST RESOLUTION TO SHUTTER O CINEMA IS BOUND TO FAIL BECAUSE IT IS UNSUPPORTABLE BY MIAMI BEACH RESIDENTS, BY THE ARTS COMMUNITY, AND BY THE LAW.
RESOLUTION R SEVEN G IMPOSING A CULTURAL MANDATE IS EQUALLY UNSUPPORTABLE.
IN BOTH RESOLUTIONS, THE MAYOR SEEKS TO DENY THE LEGITIMACY OF A PALESTINIAN PERSPECTIVE.
AT THE SAME TIME, HE PROPOSES TO CODIFY HIS PERSONAL BELIEFS ABOUT THE MORALITY OF ISRAEL'S DEADLY VIOLENCE AS OFFICIAL CITY POLICY.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT BALANCE, IT IS ABOUT CONTROL.
AND CONTROLLING A NARRATIVE FOR A POLITICAL PURPOSE IS QUITE LITERALLY THE DEFINITION OF PROPAGANDA.
WHEN GOVERNMENTS DEMAND THAT ART SERVE THEIR POLITICAL AGENDA, THEY DO NOT PROTECT THE TRUTH.
I ASK THE REST OF YOU, COMMISSIONERS DO NOT BE A PART OF THAT MACHINE.
THE COMMISSION SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON CLIMATE, RESILIENCY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND SAFE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
OUR NEXT, OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS BAN'S IPHONE.
UM, I'M THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HIALEAH AND I WANTED TO SHOW MY SOLIDARITY WITH, UH, MAYOR MINOR AND HIS COURAGE TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST WITH YOU, AS I COULD TELL BY THE AUDIENCE AND ITS REACTION.
YOU KNOW, IT'S SAD WHEN PEOPLE TRY TO HIDE UNDER THE GUISE OF ART TO PROMOTE HATE.
AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN NOW IN THIS COUNTRY OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF OF ANTISEMITISM ACROSS OUR CAMPUSES, FOLKS THAT COME INTO THIS COUNTRY AS GUESTS WITH VISAS JUST TO SPEW HATE AGAINST THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND SOONER OR LATER AGAINST THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO STAND UP AGAINST THIS.
THE FACT THAT IT'S HAPPENING IN MIAMI BEACH IS TO BASICALLY STICK IT TO THE EYES OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY.
AND I KNOW MANY IN THE AUDIENCE MAY BE JEWS AND BELIEVE STRONGLY IN THE RIGHT FOR THE PALESTINIAN STORY TO BE TOLD.
AND ABSOLUTELY IT SHOULD BE, BUT IT SHOULD BE BALANCED.
STAY STRONG AND WE'RE WITH YOU FROM THE CITY OF HIALEAH.
OKAY, UH, CHANGE OF SUBJECT HERE, MITCH NOVIK.
FOR ONE YEAR, I'VE STOOD HERE AT LEAST HALF A DOZEN TIMES EXPRESSING MY CONCERN ABOUT STATE PREEMPTIONS TO OUR HOME RULE.
THE FORMER CITY ATTORNEY WHO IS NOW EMPLOYED BY A PROMINENT PRO DEVELOPMENT LAW FIRM ISSUED A FLAWED OPINION SUGGESTING MIAMI BEACH NOT CHALLENGED THIS LEGISLATION.
THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS EXPIRES SOON AND I CONTINUE TO URGE THIS BODY TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION AS WE NOW HAVE A DEMOLITION REQUEST FOR TWO HISTORIC BUILDINGS BYPASSING ALL REVIEW BY THE CITY.
ONCE THESE TWO BUILDINGS ARE TORN DOWN, I BELIEVE THE WHOLESALE DEMOLITION OF OUR HISTORY WILL HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED.
I IMPLORE YOU TO TREAT THIS AS AN EMERGENCY MATTER AND FULFILL YOUR CONSTITUENTS EXPECTATIONS.
TO CONTINUE DOING NOTHING IMPLIES COMPLICITY IN ERASING MIAMI BEACH'S RICH ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS FRANKLIN PEREZ.
MR. PEREZ, DO YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE? STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE.
HI, MY NAME IS FRANKLIN PEREZ.
MY ADDRESS IS 5 9 8 KENWOODS TRAIL OF VITO, FLORIDA.
DO NOT VOTE FOR OUTRAGEOUS RESOLUTION.
C-A-A-A-A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD REVOKE SIMA'S LEASE FOR MERELY EXERCISING SIMA'S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT IN SHOWING THE ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY NO OTHER LAND.
THIS FILM CHRONICLES AND EXPOSES THE DESTRUCTION OF A PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK BY THE ISRAELI APARTHEID REGIME BETWEEN YEARS 2019 AND 2023.
ENOUGH, ISRAEL IS A JEWISH SUPREMACIST APARTHEID STATE THAT HAS BEEN COMMITTING ETHNIC CLEANSING, HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES, AND NOW GENOCIDE AGAINST PALESTINIANS FOR 76 PLUS YEARS.
STOP SUPPORTING ISRAEL, STOP GIVING IT WEAPONS.
IT'S EPIDEMIC FOR WHAT? IT'S ON APARTHEID AND GENOCIDAL TRAIT THAT HAS MURDERED 186,000 PLUS PALESTINIANS IN GAZA NOW ON OUTRAGEOUS REVOLUTION C SEVEN AA.
[00:30:01]
GOT THANK YOU TWO.OUR FIRST, OUR OUR NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER, GO AHEAD PLEASE.
I'M A MIAMI BEACH RESIDENT VOTER AND A PROFESSIONAL WHO HAS WORKED IN THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY SINCE THE 1980S.
I DO WANNA SAY THAT THE CENSORSHIP AND DEFUNDING OF A SMALL ART HOUSE CINEMA IS A VERY LOCAL TRAGEDY.
IT IS AN ACT OF CULTURAL REPRESSION AND SHOULD ALARM EVERY CITIZEN REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL BELIEF.
ANYTIME A GOVERNMENT TARGETS CULTURE, IT IS A CAUSE FOR GRAVE CONCERN.
WE HAVE SEEN THIS STORY BEFORE AND IT NEVER ENDS.
WELL ESTEEM COMMISSIONERS, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THIS.
DOCUMENTARY FILMS EXIST TO CHALLENGE, TO ILLUMINATE AND TO FOSTER DISCOURSE.
THAT IS WHAT ART DOES AND THAT IS WHAT FREE SOCIETY ALLOWS.
AND IF MIAMI BEACH TRULY WANTS TO BE A BEACON FOR ARTS AND CULTURE, IT CANNOT SIMULTANEOUSLY SHUT DOWN SPACES THAT ALLOW FOR CONVERSATIONS TO TAKE PLACE.
KILLING A MOVIE THEATER IS NOT FOSTERING ARTS AND CULTURE.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER HAS A PHONE NUMBER THAT ENDS IN THREE, THREE, FOUR TWO.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, UNMUTE YOURSELF PLEASE.
GOOD MORNING, THIS IS MAYOR OF FRANCIS SUAREZ FROM THE CITY OF MIAMI, UH, MAYOR MINOR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT ITEM BEFORE YOU YOU START OVER.
IT WAS A LITTLE, UH, YESTERDAY.
IT WAS A LITTLE HARD TO HEAR YOU.
YEAH, HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HEAR ME BETTER NOW.
THIS IS MAYOR FRANCIS SUAREZ FROM THE CITY OF MIAMI, AND I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS MY THOUGHTS ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT ITEM.
JUST YESTERDAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI ON 82ND AND BISCAYNE, WE HAD SOMEONE GRAFFITI, HEINOUS AND DISRESPECTFUL AND ANTISEMITIC, UH, TROPES ON ONE OF OUR BUILDINGS.
UH, THIS WAS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, NOT ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
WE CONTACTED THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER AND THEY PUT IT DOWN WITHIN AN HOUR.
IT'S IMPERATIVE FOR US AS A COMMUNITY STANDING TOGETHER TO BE UNIFIED ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, WE BELIEVE THAT IN MIAMI AND IN MIAMI, THE BROADER MIAMI, MIAMI BEACH, HIALEAH, AND ALL THE OTHER CITIES OF DADE COUNTY, IT'S THE SAFEST PLACE, PLACES AND PLACE FOR JEWS TO LIVE ON THE PLANET.
AND WE'RE, WE ARE COMPLETELY, UM, IN SOLIDARITY WITH YOU MAYOR MINOR IN YOUR CONCERNS OVER WHAT IS HAPPENING IN A PUBLIC THEATER.
WE HAVE PUBLIC THEATERS AS WELL.
UH, AND IF, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I BELIEVE THAT ANYONE WHO OPERATES A PUBLIC THEATER IS ALSO A STEWARD OF THE PUBLIC TRUST.
AND THAT PERSON SHOULD HAVE, THAT PERSON SHOULD, SHOULD ALSO UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY ARE PRODUCING FILMS AND SHOWING FILMS IN, AND THEY SHOULD BE RESPECTFUL FOR THAT COMMUNITY.
AND SO THE FACT THAT I'M SPEAKING AND PEOPLE ARE SHOUTING THE FACT THAT I'M SPEAKING AND EVERYONE'S SHOUTING, THE FACT, THE FACT THAT I'M SPEAKING, THE FACT THAT I'M SPEAKING AND EVERYONE IS SHOUTING AT THE TIME THAT I'M SPEAKING MEANS THAT IT SEEMS LIKE THEY WANT TO CENSOR ME.
SO I FIND IT VERY, VERY INTERESTING THAT MANY OF THEM ARE MAKING THE ARGUMENT AGAINST CENSORSHIP AND ARE ALSO AT THE SAME TIME TRYING TO SHOUT DOWN SOMEONE WHO'S SPEAKING AND GIVING THEIR PERSPECTIVE.
UH, AND I WOULD DO SIMILARLY IF IT WERE A SIMILAR SITUATION IN MIAMI, UH, OFFENSIVE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
ALRIGHT, OUR NEXT IN PERSON CALL, UH, SPEAKER.
GOOD MORNING, ROBERT LANDSBERG, 90 ALTON ROAD.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT, UH, SPRING BREAK MEASURES.
THERE'S A BILLBOARD ON I 95 THAT SAYS, THINKING ABOUT COMING TO MIAMI BEACH.
DON'T COME HERE AS EARLY AS THE SEVENTIES, PEOPLE OF COLOR HAD TO LEAVE ITS SUNSET.
THEY WEREN'T WELCOME HERE IN THE THIRTIES.
ADVERTISEMENTS ALWAYS A VIEW, NEVER A JEW.
THE UNPRIVILEGED PEOPLE THAT CAN'T AFFORD OUR UPSCALE LIFESTYLE, NOT WELCOME HERE TODAY.
MILITARY STYLE BLOCKADES, 1215 POLICE OFFICERS SHINING LIGHTS IN YOUR CAR AS YOU CROSS OVER THE CAUSEWAY.
IF YOU WERE A PERSON OF COLOR, A YOUTH, WOULD YOU THINK IT'S FAIR? WHAT WE'RE DOING? WHAT IS OUR GOAL TO STOP CRIME TWERKING? COUPLE OF PEOPLE PUTTING THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
[00:35:01]
SAYS CRIME HAS BEEN FLAT THE LAST 10 YEARS.SO WHAT ARE WE DOING? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS ALEX HECKLER.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR, THANK YOU COMMISSION FOR TAKING UP THIS ITEM.
I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ITEM TO BE DISCUSSED.
I AM VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF ON GOVERNMENT LAND, ON THE GOVERNMENT, LEASE EQUAL TIME FOR PERSPECTIVES.
THIS IS A LARGE JEWISH COMMUNITY.
THE MAYOR HAS CONSTITUENCY THAT HE'S REACHING OUT TO, THAT HE'S STICKING UP FOR, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THIS DIALOGUE.
IF YOU'RE GONNA SHOW A FILM IF'S REALLY A FICTION FILM, NOT A NONFICTION FILM, YOU COULD AT LEAST GIVE EQUAL TIME.
YOU COULD AT LEAST GIVE EQUAL TIME TO OTHER FILMS THAT TELL THE TRUTH AND OTHER FILMS THAT ARE NOT ANTISEMITIC OR ANTI-ANYTHING.
AND I THINK OZ CINEMA, IF YOU SEND A LETTER ADMITTING THAT THIS IS AN ANTISEMITIC FILM AND THEN YOUR BOARD TRIES TO RAISE MONEY AROUND IT BY SENDING OUT MASS EMAILS AND NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING, SHAME ON YOU.
YOU WERE A GOOD CORPORATE CITIZEN, YOU WERE A GOOD NONPROFIT CITIZEN.
THANK YOU MR. IF YOU WANNA SHOW, IF YOU WANNA SHOW THIS FILM, SHOW A FILM ABOUT OCTOBER 7TH.
NEXT, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS SO YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
I RESIDE AT 20 ISLAND AVENUE HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL TO PLEASE DROP ALL PROPOSALS REGARDING SMA AND GET ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF RUNNING OUR CITY.
PLEASE VOTE NO ON ANY ATTEMPTS TO CENSOR, CENSOR OR POLITICALLY CORRECT, POLITICALLY CONTROLLED THE PROGRAMMING OF SMA.
OUR CITY IS A DIVERSE, MULTI-ETHNIC, MULTI-RELIGIOUS CITY AND THESE PROPOSALS ARE ALREADY DAMAGING MIAMI BEACH'S WELL-DESERVED REPUTATION FOR OPENNESS AND DIVERSITY.
I'M HERE TODAY AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN AND RESIDENT AS A MOVIE GOER AND ALSO AS A BOOK SELLER WHO OWNS UNDER BRIDGE BOOKSTORE IN CHICAGO, WHICH I STARTED 44 YEARS AGO.
I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RECENT TRENDS TOWARDS CENSORSHIP BOOK BANNINGS AND ATTEMPTS TO LIMIT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN OUR COUNTRY.
WHAT MOVIES WE SEE AT A LOCAL THEATER SHOULD NOT BE DECIDED BY THE MAYOR OR OR THE CITY COUNCIL PERIOD.
WE VALUE ALL THE ARTS AND CULTURE INSTITUTIONS WE HAVE HERE IN OUR CITY THAT MAKE MIAMI BEACH SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST ITS BARS AND BEACHES.
PLEASE SAY NO TO ALL FORMS OF CENSORSHIP AND YES TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.
PLEASE DO NOT INJECT POLITICS INTO THE DECISION MAKING PROCESSES OF THE OATH THEATER.
OUR NEXT, OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS RO GUTIERREZ.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD PLEASE.
HI, I AM SPEAKING TODAY, UH, URGING THE MAYOR AND THE REST OF THE COMMISSION TO VOTE NO ON REMOVING FUNDING FROM A BELOVED CULTURAL INSTITUTION, OSMA, WHICH I HAVE BEEN ATTENDING SINCE HIGH SCHOOL FOR OVER 10 YEARS NOW.
UM, AND I WOULD ALSO LOVE THE MAYOR TO STOP CENSORING THE TRUTH.
I THINK WHAT HE'S AFRAID OF IS THAT THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE AND NOW THE WAR THAT HE'S SAYING IS ACTUALLY JUST THE FACT THAT WE ARE GETTING TO SEE THE OTHER PERSPECTIVE THAT HAS BEEN CENSORED FOR SO LONG BY THE ZIONIST REGIME OF ISRAEL.
AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
I'M A MIAMI BEACH RESIDENT AND I'M JEWISH PRO-ISIS ISRAEL, A JOURNALIST AND AN AUTHOR AND NONE OF THAT IS RELEVANT BECAUSE I'M HERE TO PROTECT OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
BUT, BUT LAST NIGHT, MAYOR MINOR FLIPPED THE, THE SCRIPT AND PUT IN A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR FAIRNESS.
WHEN CIN SCREENS FILMS, THAT'S ALSO IRRELEVANT.
THIS ISN'T THE FCC, WE DON'T HAVE A FAIRNESS DOCTRINE.
WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS APPARENTLY THOUGHT THIS WAS, UM, REASONABLE, ALTHOUGH I SUSPECT THEY HAVE CHANGED THEIR MIND BY NOW AFTER HEARING FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS THIS ISSUE ISN'T MOOT.
THERE IS NO ISSUE MORE IMPORTANT THAN FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND WE SHOULDN'T MOVE ON TO OTHER THINGS.
UNTIL THIS IS RESOLVED, THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO, TO STRIP US OF THIS FREEDOM, WHICH IS WHY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COMMISSION GO ON RECORD SO I KNOW WHO I'M VOTING FOR WHEN I ENTER THE VOTING BOOTH IN NOVEMBER.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER HAS A SCREEN NAME OF THE INITIALS D AND G.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS,
[00:40:01]
AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.MY NAME IS DAVID GOLDWASSER, I LIVE AT 45 45 NANOS COURT.
UM, GOOD MORNING EVEN MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
I JUST WANTED TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THE MAYOR'S AGENDA.
UH, ITEM REGARDING SINEMA, I'M JEWISH AND I HEAR AND UNDERSTAND THE OPPOSITION'S VIEW VIEWPOINT REGARDING FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
HOWEVER, I'M FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT IF THE FILM WAS SUPPORTIVE OF ISRAEL, THEY WOULD BE PROTESTING IT AS FASCIST AND HATE.
THE PREVIOUS VIRTUAL SPEAKER WHO SOUNDED LIKE A PRERECORDED MESSAGE PROVES THAT I HEAR THE ARGUMENT OF FREE SPEECH.
BUT LET'S BE HONEST HERE, THIS ISN'T A PROTEST ABOUT FREE SPEECH.
IT'S ABOUT, IT'S A PROTEST ABOUT ISRAEL BEING THAT SIMA IS OCC OCCUPYING CITY PROPERTY.
THE COMMISSION SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE WHO OCCUPIES AND WHO HAS WHO.
AND THE COMMISSION SHALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO SANCTION A TENANT IF IT CHOOSES TO.
WE VOTED FOR THIS COMMISSION AND THIS MAYOR THE COMMISSION AND THE MAYOR SHOULD VOTE THEIR CONSCIOUS.
OUR NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE
HELLO, I'M ORAL BAKI, THE CONS GENERAL OF ISRAEL IN MIAMI.
FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS FROM BRINGING ME TO MIAMI BEACH ON SPRING BREAK.
THAT DOES NOT, UH, HAPPEN LIGHTLY.
UH, LET ME FIRST COMMEND YOU, UH, MAYOR AND THE COMMISSION FOR FOR YOUR SUPPORT WITH THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEART.
AND I WANT TO OF COURSE, THANK ALSO THE RESIDENTS OF OF MIAMI BEACH FOR THEIR, UH, LONG TIME, LONG TIME SUPPORT.
AND I SHOULD ALSO COMMEND THE OLD CINEMA.
THEY HAVE BEEN GOOD PARTNERS AND THEY HAVE SHOWN, UH, JEWISH FILMS AND, AND FILMS ABOUT HOLOCAUSTS AND, AND, AND ISRAEL FILMS. AND, AND, AND, AND I WANNA START OFF BY SAYING THAT I AM TOTALLY AGAINST CENSORSHIP OF ART AND I'M ALL FOR A FREEDOM OF ART AND, AND, AND ART AND CULTURAL INSTITUTION.
AT THE SAME TIME, THIS FREEDOM OF ART, IT DOES NOT TAKE AWAY THE, THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT THESE INSTITUTIONS HAVE TO SHOW THE FULL PICTURES AND TO SHOW THE CONTEXT THAT WE ARE, THAT WE ARE IN.
AND WE ARE IN A VERY, VERY, UH, COMPLICATED SITUATION IN WHICH THE FULL CONTEXT SHOULD BE, SHOULD BE SHOWN.
AND I WANNA SAY SOMETHING, ONE LAST SENTENCE I HATE TO BREAK IT OUT TO, TO THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. PEREZ ONTO THOSE SPEAKERS THAT ARE THOSE, UH, UH, CHANTERS IN THE BACK.
YOU ARE ANTI-SEMITES AND I HATE TO BREAK IT OUT TO YOU.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER HAS A SCREEN NAME OF SOPHIA.
SOPHIA STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
I LIVE AT SIX 50 WEST AVENUE, UM, ON MIAMI BEACH.
I AM A ARTIST PHOTOGRAPHER AND UH, I AM VERY OPPOSED TO MAYOR MINOR'S, UH, REVOKING OF O CINEMA'S LEASE.
AND LIKE CHARLOTTE, THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER, I WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS REALLY AN ISSUE OF, OF FREEDOM, OF SPEECH, THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
YOU EITHER STAND WITH THAT OR YOU OPPOSE THAT.
WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE PEOPLE HAVE CONFEDERATE FLAGS ON THEIR LAWN.
PEOPLE DRESS UP AS KKK MEMBERS, PROUD BOYS AND ALL OF THAT.
AND IT'S HORRIBLE AND HORRIFYING.
BUT TO HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, YOU HAVE TO FACE THE OPPOSITION AND THAT THAT'S WHAT GIVES US THE RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO SAY GOOD THINGS AS OPPOSED TO BAD THINGS.
IN TERMS OF A DOCUMENTARY, A DOCUMENTARY IS A PERSPECTIVE BY THE FILMMAKER.
YOU HAVE SPOKEN OF TRUTH, MA'AM, I NEED TO WRAP IT UP, BUT YOU DIDN'T SPEAK ABOUT INTERNATIONAL LAW REGARDING ISRAEL AND THE SETTLEMENTS IN GAZA.
SO IF, IF A PERSON NEXT, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
I'M A TEACHER OF MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UM, CULTURAL WORKER STANDING UP POSITION TO THE RESOLUTION TO TERMINATE THE CITY'S RELATIONSHIP AND FUNDING OF THOSE CINEMA.
MAYOR AS AN ELECTOR OFFICIAL VOTED WITH 5,000 VOTES IN A ROUND OF ELECTION.
LET US REMIND YOU THAT YOU ASSUME THAT POSITION MEANT TO REPRESENT A CONSTITUENCY OF OVER 79,000 PEOPLE IN THE CITY.
AS AN OFFICER OF THE CITY AND A RECIPIENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS, YOU TOOK AN OATH TO DEFEND FREE SPEECH AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, BOTH PROTECTED UNDER THE US AND FLORIDA STATE IN CONSTITUTIONS.
THIS OATH ALSO REQUIRES YOU TO RENOUNCE ALLEGIANCE TO FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS.
WE DEMAND AN IMMEDIATE END TO THIS PERIOD OF RESOLUTION AS WELL AS ANY FUTURE RESOLUTIONS THAT INFRINGE UPON OATH CINEMA'S PROGRAMMING AND END TO CONFLATING JUSTICE SEEKING NARRATIVES WITH ANTI-SEMITISM OBSERVANCE OF US AND STATE LAWS INTENDED TO PROTECT FREE SPEECH AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, DIVESTMENT FROM ISRAELI BONDS, A TOTAL OF 20 MILLION IN TAXPAYER DOLLARS AS THESE FOREIGN INVESTMENTS UNDERMINE OUR NEEDS AND OUR TRUST IN YOUR GOVERNANCE.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER HAS A SCREEN NAME OF WAYNE WAYNE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS,
[00:45:01]
AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.UM, GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS SINCE, UH, THE ROMAN EMPIRE, UH, THREW US OUT OF ISRAEL.
AND, UH, WHETHER IT'S THE, UH, THE, UH, BIZARRES OF RUSSIA OR THE SPANISH INQUISITION OR THE GERMAN NAZIS ANYWHERE AROUND THE WORLD WE'VE SUFFERED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
AND, UH, THE SYRIANS AND THE LEBANESE ARE ALSO VICTIMS OF THESE SAME MONSTERS CALLED HAMAS AND HEZBOLLAH.
THEY KILLED A MILLION OF ARABS IN THOSE COUNTRIES, DISPLAY 70% OF THEIR POPULATION PERMANENTLY, AND THEY WANT TO DO THE SAME TO THE JEWS OF ISRAEL.
AND YES, WE SHOULD HAVE A ALTERNATIVE VIEW ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN ISRAEL AFTER FIVE WARS THAT WERE INSTIGATED BY THE ARAB LEAGUE.
AND IRAN IS TAKING ON THE FLAG THESE PROXIES OF IRAN AND, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
PLEASE GO AHEAD, MR. MAYOR COMMISSIONERS, MY NAME IS ALFRED SPELLMAN.
I'M A MIAMI BEACH NATIVE AND LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THE ISLAND.
THE MAYOR'S PROPOSALS REGARDING THE SINEMA HAVE SUBJECTED THE CITY AND ALL OF YOU TO INTERNATIONAL HUMILIATION AND RIDICULE.
THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION THE MAYOR INTRODUCED IS BLATANTLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
IF PASSED MIAMI BEACH, TAXPAYERS WILL BE ON THE HOOK FOR POTENTIALLY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN LEGAL FEES.
I'M SURE YOUR ATTORNEYS CAN TELL YOU HOW THE CITY OF MIAMI DID IN FEDERAL COURT IN 1991 WHEN IT TRIED TO EVICT THE CUBAN MUSEUM OF ARTS FROM A CITY BUILDING.
UNDER NEARLY IDENTICAL CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE IS A POTENTIAL SOLUTION HERE.
THE CITY COULD EXPRESS ITS VALUES BY PROGRAMMING FILMS AT VENUES.
IT ALREADY CONTROLS LIKE THE SYMPHONY WALL CAST OR THE NORTH BEACH BANDSHELL.
YOU COULD SIMPLY CHOOSE TO COMPETE IN THE FREE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS.
ONE MORE THING, MR. MAYOR, YOU SEEM TO FORGET THIS HISTORICAL FACT.
US US JEWS ARE SAFEST IN LIBERAL DEMOCRACIES WHERE CIVIL LIBERTIES ARE CHERISHED AND RESPECTED.
THANK AND OUR, OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS ANNA GOMEZ.
MS. GOMEZ STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
I LIVE IN 2101 BRICKELL AVENUE.
I'M A RESIDENT OF MIAMI AID AND I'M HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS A DEEPLY DISTRESS DISTRESSING AND UNLAWFUL SITUATION I ENCOUNTERED AT THE HANDS OF BEACH TOWING SERVICES
UM, ON SUNDAY, MARCH 9TH, MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND WHEN I CAME HERE, BEACH TOWING SERVICES VIOLATED MY RIGHTS.
DESPITE MY LEGAL ENTITLEMENT TO PAY WITH A DEBIT CARD AS OUTLAND IN THE MIAMI BEACH TOWING BILL OF RIGHTS, I WAS FORCED TO PAY IN CASH.
THE WORKERS AT BEACH TOWING SERVICES REFUSED TO ACCEPT ANY DEBIT CARD PAYMENT, ANY MONEY ORDERS.
AND DESPITE CHARGING ME NEARLY $700 IN TOWING AND STORAGE FEES, THEY WOULD NOT EVEN EXPLAIN WHAT AMOUNTED TO THIS TOTAL.
THIS LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND REFUSAL TO COMPLY WITH MY LEGAL RIGHT WAS BOTH FRUSTRATING AND UNJUST.
I CO I CO I I CO-SIGNED WITH HER CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE AS WELL.
SIR, STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
BILLY CORBIN, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER WITH AN OFFICE ON LINCOLN ROAD FOR 20 YEARS.
ONCE AGAIN, THE HUMILIATING MISCONDUCT OF THIS GOVERNMENT HAS, UH, MADE THE CITY AN EMBARRASSING INTERNATIONAL LAUGHING STOCK AND CREATED A DISTRACTION THAT DOES NOTHING TO IMPROVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, WHICH IS WHAT ALL OF YOU WERE ELECTED TO DO.
YOU ARE NOT PUBLIC SERVANTS TODAY.
MR. MAYOR, PLEASE STOP YOUR UNWANTED ADVANCES ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF OZ CINEMA.
YOU ARE GETTING A LITTLE TOO HANDSY WITH THEIR PROGRAMMING DECISIONS.
YOUR INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING OF THEIR CURATION DECISIONS HAS GOT TO END.
DO NOT ABUSE THE POWER OF GOVERNMENT TO URGE OR ENCOURAGE OR DISCOURAGE OR INTIMIDATE ARTISTS TO CHANGE THEIR CONTENT.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT SUPPORTING ISRAEL.
THIS IS ABOUT SUPPORTING AMERICAN VALUES.
IT'S ABOUT SUPPORTING OUR CONSTITUTION.
OUR FIRST AMENDMENT TO PARAPHRASE THE FAMOUS MARTIN E MUELLER QUOTE THAT ADORNS THE WALL AS THE FINAL WORDS OF THE EXHIBITION OF THE US HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM.
FIRST THEY CAME FOR THE O CINEMA AND I DID NOT SPEAK OUT BECAUSE I WAS NOT SINEMA.
WE ALL KNOW WHERE THAT SLIPPERY SLOPE GOES, MR. MAYOR.
THEY COME FOR US ALL EVENTUALLY.
AND PLEASE REMEMBER THE TALIBAN WHEN THEY TOOK CONTROL OF AFGHANISTAN IN 1996, THE FIRST THING THEY DID WAS SHUT DOWN THE CINEMA.
[00:50:02]
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER HAS A SCREEN NAME OF JENNIFER.PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
2 4 4 5 FLAMINGO PLACE, MIAMI BEACH.
MY FAMILY HAS OWNED A PROPERTY ON MIAMI BEACH FOR OVER 60 YEARS, WHICH WE CONTINUE TO USE AS A FAMILY GATHERING PLACE.
THE SOLUTION THAT IS NOW UNDER, UH, CONSIDERATION AND WAS JUST PUT OUT LAST NIGHT, UM, IT APPEARS TO BE FAIR, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT IT RUNS THE RISK THAT THE CITY WILL BE THE ARBITER OF FAIRNESS RATHER THAN PUTTING IN THAT DECISION IN THE HANDS OF THE O INE ITSELF.
IF THE MIAMI BEACH MAYOR AND COMMISSION ARE GIVEN THE FINAL SAY, THIS DECISION TODAY WILL BE SEEN AS A CAPITULATION TO THE, THE AUTHORITARIANISM THAT IS RAPIDLY TAKING OVER OUR ENTIRE NATION.
MY NAME IS CHARLOTTE ELLEY AND I'VE LIVED IN MIAMI BEACH SINCE 2001 WITH MY HUSBAND WHO IS PALESTINIAN AND WE HAVE THREE DAUGHTERS.
IT HAS BEEN HARD AS A MOTHER TO SEE PART OF MY CHILDREN'S IDENTITY TREATED AS CONTROVERSIAL.
WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT PALESTINIANS HERE, BUT RARELY FROM THEM.
OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, I HAVE SEEN HOW EVEN GRIEF IS A PRIVILEGE.
SOME LOSSES ARE MOURNED PUBLICLY WHILE OTHERS FEEL INVISIBLE.
EVEN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF MY FAMILY'S PAIN FEELS LIKE IT'S MAKING A POLITICAL STATEMENT FOR SOME PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHY NO OTHER LAND O CINEMA MEANT SO MUCH.
THIS FILM SHOWS MORE THAN THE BRUTALITY OF OCCUPATION.
IT SHOWS PALESTINIANS AS PEOPLE, IT SHOWS THEM NOT AS NUMBERS.
IT SHOWS THEM AS PARENTS, CHILDREN, AS FRIENDS.
CENSORING THIS FILM AND THREATENING TO SHUT DOWN O CINEMA NOT ONLY STIFLES FREE SPEECH, IT TELLS FAMILIES LIKE MY OWN, THAT THEIR STORIES DON'T MATTER, BUT THEY DO.
AND THIS CITY SHOULD NOT BE IN THE BUSINESS OF ERASING THEM.
OUR OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER HAS A SCREEN NAME OF DAVID HALSTON.
PJ, LET'S GO TO BRIAN'S IPHONE.
I USED TO LIVE AT 47TH AND PINE STREET DRIVE.
FIRST OF ALL, THE CONSUL GENERAL DOESN'T SPEAK FOR ALL ISRAELIS.
YOU SHOULD POSTPONE AND REWRITE A NEW RESOLUTION THAT SPEAKS TO YOUR EARNEST ASPIRATION FOR OPEN DIALOGUE.
THIS NEW BILL IS FILLED WITH SO MUCH RAGE AND FRAGILITY AND DISTRUST IN ENGAGING SMA WITH THIS CONVERSATION.
AND EVEN THIS BILL MAYOR, YOU'RE TRYING TO CREATE A CULTURE OF BALANCED DIALOGUE AND UNDERSTANDING AROUND THE WAR AND THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT.
THAT'S ACTUALLY ADMIRABLE, BUT THIS ISN'T THE WAY TO DO IT IN THE RESOLUTION.
YOU DANGEROUSLY CONFLATE HAMAS AND HEZBOLLAH WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.
I KNOW YOU'RE SCARED OF ANTISEMITISM AND I SHARE THAT CONCERN, BUT PUT YOUR WEAPONS DOWN.
NO ONE IS SAYING THAT OCTOBER 7TH WASN'T HORRIFIC.
NO OTHER LAND ISN'T ABOUT THIS WAR AND ISN'T STEALING ATTENTION AWAY FROM OCTOBER 7TH OR THE HOSTAGES.
YOU MENTIONED THE MILITARY FIRING ZONE.
WHAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLING INTO? QUESTION IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAW AND JUSTICE.
JUST BECAUSE THE ISRAELI MILITARY, THE CIVIL ADMINISTRATION AND EVEN THE SUPREME COURT DESIGNATES MATA FIRING ZONE DOESN'T MAKE THAT JUST, AND THAT'S WHAT BASIL ADRA AND YUVAL ABRAHAM ARE CALLING ATTENTION TO.
I'M HAPPY TO HELP YOU REWRITE THIS.
STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
GABRIEL GROSSMAN FROM BALL HARBOR, FLORIDA.
I, I'M HERE JUST TO POINT OUT THE NAKED HYPOCRISY OF THE CROWD HERE IN THE ROOM TODAY.
UM, IF SINEMA WAS PLAYING A MOVIE ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP, THEY WOULD ALL BE HERE AS WELL, UH, URGING THE CITY TO CANCEL THE LEASE OR TO CANCEL THE, THE SHOWING JUST LIKE THEY WOULD IF IT WAS AGAINST WHITE SUPREMACY PRETENDING THAT IT'S ABOUT FREE SPEECH IS LAUGHABLE AND IT'S AS LAUGHABLE AS IT IS WRONG.
PEOPLE WERE SIGNING ALL THESE OLD CASES, SUDDENLY EVERYBODY'S A CONSTITUTIONAL LAW EXPERT.
BUT I URGE EVERYBODY TO LOOK AT THE WALKER CASE FROM JUST A FEW YEARS AGO IN THE SUPREME COURT, WHICH STATES THAT THE GOVERNMENT ALSO HAS THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH.
AND IF THIS IS A GOVERNMENT FACILITY, THE GOVERNMENT HAS A RIGHT TO DECIDE WHAT IS SHOWN THERE AND WHAT IS NOT.
AND THE PROPOSAL AND THE PROPOSAL THAT IS BEING, THAT IS BEING PUT FORWARD TODAY ABOUT FAIRNESS.
IT'S INCREDIBLE TO ME THAT WE DON'T HAVE A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE SAYING WE'RE ALL FOR FREE ART, FOR ARTS AND FOR ALL DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS.
WE SHOULD HAVE ALL KINDS OF MOVIES IN THIS THEATER.
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THAT IF THEY WERE BEING HONEST.THEY'RE NOT BEING, THEY'RE NOT BEING HONEST ARBITERS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
AND I URGE THE COMMISSION TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT, NOT JUST TO ANSWER TO THE CIRCUS THAT'S HERE TONIGHT.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS DANNY PINSON.
UM, YES, UM, MY NAME IS DANNY.
I AM ACTUALLY FROM HIALEAH MIAMI GARDENS AND HONESTLY JUST LIKE A LONG-TERM LOVER OF MIAMI BEACH AND THE ARTS AND CULTURE THAT IS THERE AT A CONSTANT BASIS.
I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT MIAMI BEACH ISN'T JUST FOR THE RESIDENTS, IT'S FOR EVERYONE THAT SURROUNDS IT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IN MY AREA WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH DIVERSITY INTO ARTS AND CULTURE AS WE DO OVER THERE A LOT.
BUT BOTH CINEMA HAS REALLY CREATED A SPACE FOR US ALL TO HAVE COME TOGETHER TO LEARN AND DISCUSS AND SHARE OUR THOUGHTS OVER MOVIES.
AND IT'S REALLY BEEN A PILLAR OF CREATIVITY AND CONNECTION FOR SO MANY OF US.
SO I REALLY DEEPLY URGED THE PANEL TO VOTE NO, UM, AND VOTE NO ON CENSORSHIP AND JUST VOTE NO ON, YOU KNOW, JUST CENSORING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
UM, THIS IS REALLY PROTECT IT IS REALLY ABOUT PROTECTING THE FREEDOM TO EXPRESS OURSELVES NO MATTER WHAT THE PERSPECTIVE.
AND I REALLY THINK THAT THE MAYOR'S LAST MINUTE DECISION ON CREATING LIKE THIS FAIRNESS.
AND UM, NEXT, PLEASE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST BOTH OF THE MAYOR'S RESOLUTIONS IN RELATION TO SINEMA.
I SPEAK AS A JEWISH WOMAN WHO GREW UP IN MIAMI BEACH.
THE MAYOR CALLS THE FILM ANTISEMITIC.
NOTHING IS FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
THE MAYOR IS TRYING TO SHUT DOWN A THEATER FOR SHARING THE STORIES OF OF PALESTINIANS LIVING UNDER ISRAEL'S BRUTAL OCCUPATION.
IT'S ANOTHER ONE OF THE MAYOR'S ATTEMPTS TO SILENCE AND PENALIZE THOSE WHO CARE ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE TO LIVE FREE OF VIOLENCE ON THEIR LAND IN THEIR HOMES.
THESE FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF ANTISEMITISM ALSO DERAIL THE FIGHT AGAINST ACTUAL ANTISEMITISM, WHICH WE KNOW IS COMING FROM WHITE NATIONALISTS.
AS PART OF ATTACKS ON SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES, ANTISEMITISM MUST BE FOUGHT ALONGSIDE ALL FORMS OF INJUSTICE, INCLUDING ANTI PALESTINIAN RACISM.
THE MAYOR CLAIMS THAT HIS VIEWS REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF MOST JEWISH PEOPLE IN OUR CITY.
ON THE SECOND RESOLUTION, IT'S MORALLY REPREHENSIBLE TO THINK THAT YOU HAVE TO SHOW THANK YOU, SHOW A FILM FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF THE OPPRESSOR AND OCCUPIER AFTER YOU HAVE SHOWN A FILM ABOUT THOSE BEING OPPRESSED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND LIVING UNDER OCCUPATION.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS LIANA.
LIANA STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF YOU, UH, MAYOR AND COMMISSION FOR PROVIDING THIS FORUM.
I'M THE SHABOS GO IN MY BUILDING.
UM, FIRST LET ME SAY IT TO KRISTEN ROSEN GONZALEZ FOR BEING SO AVAILABLE.
UM, I'M THANKFUL FOR THE, FOR THE CONTROVERSY BECAUSE I GOT TO SEE THIS DOCUMENTARY AND I'M NAIVE MAYBE, BUT THIS IS A LOVE STORY.
I THINK, UH, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING EVERYONE SHOULD SEE AND THEY SHOULD DISAGREE ABOUT.
STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, MINUTE JUDY MARTINEZ.
I'M A FILM PRODUCER, A MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL FILM COMMUNITY AND I'M CO-CHAIR OF THE RESORT TAX BOARD OF THE CITY OF CSET.
WE INVITED MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL FOR A SCREENING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND THE SCREEN WAS A SUCCESS ON APRIL 6TH.
WE ARE BRINGING THE JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL TO THE CITY AND WE HOPE THE MOVIE WE HAVE CHOSEN IS A SUCCESS AS WELL.
WE OPEN THE DOORS TO FILMS WITHOUT CENSORSHIP.
TODAY I'M HERE AS A NEIGHBOR WHO BELIEVES THAT THE AUDIENCE DESERVES THE FREEDOM TO ELECT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE AND EXPRESS, EXPRESS FREELY ABOUT IT.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT CINEMA, THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF OUR CONSTITUTION, THE ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY NO OTHER LAND CINEMA O IS A GEM LIKE NO OTHER CENSORSHIP THE WAY MAYOR MAYER IS DOING EQUALS DICTATORSHIPS.
WE ALL DESERVE AN APOLOGY FROM YOU MAYOR, FOR UNDERMINING OUR FREEDOM OF OUR EXPRESSION.
TO FINISH COTA DIRECTOR, I ADMIRE MOVIES ARE THE MEMORIES OF
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OUR LIFETIME.THEY TOUCH OUR HEARTS AND A AWAKEN OUR VISION.
CHANGING THE WAY WE SEE THINGS, CINEMA IS THE BEST MEDIUM FOR UNDERSTANDING HOW WE SEE THE WORLD.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS ELIO MENDE.
HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
I LIVE IN WESTCHESTER, FLORIDA.
AND O CINEMA IS A PLACE WHERE MANY FILMS I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WATCH AND JUST LIKE MANY OTHER PEOPLE HERE, IT HAS BEEN A PLACE OF EDUCATION.
I VERY STRONGLY AM AGAINST THE CENSORSHIP AND THE ENDING OF THIS PLACE.
IF YOU WANT TO END A PLACE FOR JOY, IF YOU WANT TO END A PLACE FOR EDUCATION, GO AHEAD.
BUT YOU ARE PUTTING YOURSELF IN A RUT FOR UNEDUCATED PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANNA ASK QUESTIONS.
PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT TO OPEN THEIR MINDS AND THEIR THOUGHTS.
I'M NOT AS WELL VERBOSE AS SOME OF THE PEOPLE HERE, BUT I FEEL STRONGLY ON IT.
THIS PLACE DESERVES TO EXIST AND WE DESERVE TO WATCH FILMS THERE NO MATTER WHAT THE FILM IS.
NO, I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH YOUR PLACE OF GETTING RID OF SMA.
IT IS USUALLY 30 MINUTES, SO WE RECOMMEND THAT THIS END AT THIS POINT AND WE GO TO SUT AT ONE 30.
STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
MR. MINOR, FOR 18 MONTHS, YOU'VE DONE WHAT YOU CAN TO BELITTLE AND TO SILENCE THOSE OF US WHO ARE IN THIS CHAMBER AND ON THE STREETS OF MIAMI BEACH CALLING ATTENTION TO THE GENOCIDE IN ISRAEL.
AND NOW IN THE SAME SPIRIT, YOU PROPOSE CENSORING AN AWARD-WINNING FILM THAT ALSO TRIES TO EXPOSE ISRAEL'S INHUMANE TREATMENT OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.
YOU CALL THE FILM HATE SPEECH, BUT IT IS CLEAR THAT FOR YOU ALL TALK ABOUT ISRAEL'S CRIMES IS HATE SPEECH.
YOUR ORIGINAL RESOLUTION IS FLATLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
SO NOW YOU'VE OFFERED A RESOLUTION THAT SIMPLY ENCOURAGES SMA TO TAKE A FAIR AND BALANCED APPROACH.
THE THREAT TO SMA CANNOT BE CLEARER.
IT'S IN A CITY OWNED BUILDING.
ARE YOU GONNA DEMAND THAT THEY PRESENT EXHIBITS THAT ARE FAIR AND BALANCED? YOU HOLD YOURSELF OUT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AS AN ART WELCOMING CITY.
THESE RESOLUTIONS MAKE A MOCKERY OF THAT.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS WESLEY.
STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
MY NAME IS WESLEY CHOW, 1690 SOUTHWEST 27TH AVENUE, BUT I'M SPEAKING AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN OF MIAMI.
I HAVE GREAT ISSUE WITH WHAT MANY OF OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS HAVE SAID ON THIS CALL.
MAYOR MINOR HIMSELF CALLED HIMSELF A SOLDIER IN THE PROPAGANDA WAR.
YOU ARE A ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO GUARANTEES THE CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS AS OUR PREVIOUS SPEAKERS HAVE POINTED OUT, AMERICANS FLY CONFEDERATE FLAGS, AMERICANS BURN AMERICAN FLAGS.
FREE SPEECH IS OFTEN ABOUT CHALLENGING OUR VIEWS, AND THAT IS SOMETIMES A GOOD THING.
THE BALANCE OF POWER IN THIS HEARING HAS ITSELF DEMONSTRATED WHY FREE SPEECH AND NO CENSORSHIP IS NEEDED.
WHO IS ON THE SIDE OF SHUTTERING SMA GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND WHO IS ON THE SIDE OF KEEPING IT OPEN? THE PEOPLE AMERICANS MUST SPEAK UP ABOUT AGAINST ANTISEMITISM.
THAT'S TRUE, AND THAT'S WHY I EXPECT MAYOR SUAREZ TO DENOUNCE ELON.
MUCH, MUCH WHO HAVE SPENT YEARS ACCORDING.
I'M JEWISH AND I LIVE IN MIAMI.
TODAY YOU ARE CONSIDERING A RESOLUTION ABOUT THE O CINEMA, THE SMA, THE MERE FACT OF WHICH WOULD'VE A CHILLING EFFECT ON THE SHOWING OF FILMS AT THE CINEMA.
THIS IS AFTER HE THREATENED TO CUT FUNDS AND CLOSE THE CINEMA, ESSENTIALLY ACTING AS THE CENSOR OF FILMS. THE ISSUE BRINGS TO MIND SOME HISTORY.
FILM PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE PROPAGANDA OF THE NATIONAL SOCIALIST PARTY.
A WRIGHT FILM LAW PASSED IN 1920 AND AMENDED IN 1934.
ESTABLISHED A CENSORSHIP COMMITTEE ENABLING, ENABLING THE NAZIS TO BAN TROUBLESOME MOVIES.
NO OTHER LAND IS A TROUBLESOME MOVIE AS IT CHALLENGES US AS INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITY TO RETHINK OUR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT, CHRONICLING THE DESPAIR OF THE DISPLACED IN THEIR HOME TERRITORY.
SEEING TROUBLESOME MOVIES IS REQUIRED OF US NOW MORE THAN EVER.
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AND CITY COMMISSION HAVE NO RIGHT TO DICTATE WHAT FILMS SHOULD BE SHOWN AT THE THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR.IMPOSING ITS MORALITY AND IN PARTICULAR SHOULD NOT MAKE EFFORTS TO SILENCE PRO-PALESTINIAN VOICES.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS DAVID SEXTON.
DAVID, UNMUTE YOURSELF PLEASE GO AHEAD, DAVID.
I'M THE CHAIR OF THE CULTURAL ARTS COUNCIL AND THE 30 YEAR RESIDENT OF MIAMI BEACH.
UM, I AM, I'M HERE TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT SMA AND THEIR ABILITY TO DO WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING IN THE COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME.
I DID SUPPORT THE SUSPENSION OF FUNDING FOR OLI ARTS WHEN THEY SHOWED THE ART DISPLAY THAT FEATURED THE PHRASE FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA.
THAT WAS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SITUATION.
IT WAS PUBLIC FACING, IT WAS A CALL FOR VIOLENCE.
IT WAS NOT A JEWISH ARTIST THAT PUT IT OUT THERE.
THIS IS ART CREATED BY CO-CREATED BY JEWS.
I WISH THE MAYOR HAD STARTED WITH THE SECOND RESOLUTION, WHICH WOULD'VE GENTLY ASKED SMA TO SHOW THE OTHER ONE.
BUT I, I FEEL LIKE TODAY WE NEED TO STEP BACK, PULL BOTH OF THESE RESOLUTIONS, LOOK AT SOME WAY TO WORK THROUGH THIS SITUATION, AND, AND I HOPE WE CAN COME TO A PEACEFUL SOLUTION.
I, I THINK CINON DOES AMAZING WORK AND I HOPE THEY CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
UH, YOU'LL BE THE LAST SPEAKER.
WAIT, CAN I SAY ONE THING? THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CAME DOWN HERE TO SPEAK AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HEAR THEM.
THEY'RE SPEAKING FOR ONE MINUTE.
UM, I HAVE NO, I HAVE, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH LISTENING TO MORE PEOPLE AND MAYOR, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO ALLOW PEOPLE WHO, WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK.
I SEE ONE STUDENT FROM RANSOM EVERGLADES WHO PRE, YOU KNOW, WHO HE'S COMING HERE TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING AND NOW HE'S GOING TO BE SENT LIKE, IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT.
I'M HEARING FROM MY COMMISSION EVERYONE WHO, WHO ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK? LEMME JUST, OUR MICROPHONES AREN'T WORKING, SO, UH, IT'S A PERFECT TIME.
STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS SO YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS GENEVA CLAUS AND WHETHER THE MAYOR LIKES IT OR NOT, I'M A MEMBER OF THE MIAMI JEWISH COMMUNITY AND REGARDLESS, CRITICISM OF ISRAEL OR DEPICTING LIFE FOR PALESTINIANS UNDER ISRAEL'S OCCUPATION, AS THE FILM DOES IS NOT ANTI-SEMITIC.
TO THE CONTRARY, IT'S AN URGENT CALL FOR JUSTICE FOR US ALL.
SHUTTING DOWN THE FILM DOES NOT ERASE ISRAEL'S VIOLENCE.
IN FACT, PREVENTING THE FACTS FROM BEING TOLD ENABLES THE VIOLENCE AND MAKES US COMPLICIT IN THAT VIOLENCE.
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF JEWISH PEOPLE ACROSS THE GLOBE TOGETHER WITH MILLIONS OF OTHERS, ARE CALLING OUT FOR JUSTICE FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.
THE PROPOSED CANCELLATION OF THE LEASE AND FUNDING OF SMA AND THE RESOLUTION FORCING SMA TO SHOW FILMS THE CITY ARBITRARILY SEES FIT FOR PUBLIC VIEWING IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, EMBARRASSING AND SHAMEFUL.
I URGE YOU ALL TO PROTECT YOUR LEGACY, YOUR DIGNITY, AND DO THE RIGHT.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS YONA STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
I'M A LONG, LONG TIME MIAMI BEACH RESIDENT.
I'M A PROPERTY OWNER IN SOUTH POINT AND I'M JEWISH WITH GRANDPARENTS WHO ESCAPED THE HOLOCAUST.
MANY OF THE COMMENTS HERE HAVE BEEN VERY DISTURBING.
THAT SAID, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE NO.
THERE ARE SO MANY BETTER WAYS THE MAYOR COULD HAVE HANDLED THIS ONE.
YOU DON'T LIKE THE MOVIE? DON'T SEE THE MOVIE.
TWO, THIS IS AN ART HOUSE FILM.
IT WOULD'VE COME AND GONE QUICKLY, BUT THE MAYOR'S ACTIONS CREATED A STREISAND EFFECT DRIVING MORE INTEREST, MORE SHOWINGS THAT EVEN EXPANDED INTO COCONUT GROVE AND FREE PUBLICITY FOR THE FILM.
THIS IS ART AND IT SHOWS THE DOCUMENTARIES FILMMAKERS POINT OF VIEW.
IT'S INHERENTLY IMBALANCED JUST BY BEING THAT PERSON THAT GROUP'S POINT OF VIEW.
OH, CINEMA HAS HOSTED JEWISH FILM FESTIVALS BEFORE.
INSTEAD OF TRYING TO BAN OR SHUT DOWN THE THEATER, THE MAYOR COULD HAVE SUGGESTED NOT DEMANDED VIA LEGISLATION A PANEL DISCUSSED IN OR A DOUBLE FEATURE WITH AN OCTOBER 7TH FILM.
THERE ARE THREE OF THEM EVEN THOUGH THE FILM ISN'T ABOUT OCTOBER 7TH.
NOW IF THE WORRY IS REALLY TAXPAYER MONEY, THERE'S LIKELY A NEGLIGIBLE AMOUNT THAT THAT WOULD GO TO THE THEM BASED ON THE ORIGINAL PLAN OF BEING SHOWN FOR TWO DAYS.
BUT NOW WE'LL END UP SPENDING MORE ON A LAWSUIT, GIVING THE FILMMAKERS EVEN MORE INTERNATIONAL PRESS AND PROBABLY A STREAMING DEAL, WHICH THEY HADN'T EVEN GOTTEN UNTIL NOW.
[01:10:01]
THE MOVIE IS NOT UNLOCKED.PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS SO YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
HI, MY NAME IS STEPHANIE AGU AND I AM HERE TO OPPOSE THE CITY'S RESOLUTIONS TO RETALIATE AGAINST O CINEMA FOR CONTRIBUTING TO OUR CIVIC DISCOURSE.
WE ALL WANT TO SEE MIAMI BEACH FLOURISH.
AN OPEN DIALOGUE IS KEY TO THAT GOAL THAT MIAMI BEACH IS SEEKING TO TERMINATE THE LEASE OF OZ CINEMA AND CONTROL.
ITS PROGRAMMING FOR DOING WHAT THE CINEMA WAS CREATED TO DO AND DOES WELL, WHICH IS HOST ACCLAIMED, THOUGHT-PROVOKING ART THAT CREATES A CONVERSATION.
THIS REFLECTS TERRIBLY ON THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND ITS LEADERSHIP AND IT'S QUITE FRANKLY AN EMBARRASSING USE OF CITY RESOURCES AND EVERYONE'S TIME.
WHAT KIND OF CITY DO WE WANT TO BE? THE FACT THAT NO OTHER LAND IS UNCOMFORTABLE, AS THE MAYOR HAS SAID IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE TO WATCH, DOES NOT GIVE THE COMMISSION THE RIGHT TO USE ITS PEN AND PUNISH O CINEMA IN THE MIAMI BEACH COMMUNITY.
I URGE THE COMMISSION TO DO BETTER AND VOTE AGAINST THE O CINEMA RESOLUTIONS.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE NEXT PERSON ON THE PODIUM.
WHEN THE MAYOR'S NOT ON THE DAYS.
I'M THE VICE MAYOR AND I'M TAKING A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR ME WITH THE MICS AND MY VOICE, WHICH I HAVE LOST BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE LAST FRIDAY WHEN THE MAYOR OR ANY OF US ARE NOT AT THE COMMISSION DI DAYS, IT'S PROBABLY 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
YOU TRY SITTING HERE DRINKING COFFEE ALL DAY LONG AND NOT, EXCUSE ME, LET ME FINISH MY SENTENCE PLEASE.
YOU DON'T KNOW BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THIS, BUT THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE BATHROOM SO WE CAN HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON.
THERE ARE SPEAKERS BACK THERE SO WE CAN HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON.
THE MEETING IS BROADCAST OUT IN THE LOBBY OF THE THIRD FLOOR SO WE CAN HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO EVEN IF WE ARE NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT SITTING HERE, WE ARE HEARING, I CAN'T SPEAK TO MY OTHER COLLEAGUES, UM, UH, HEARING CAPABILITIES, BUT I THINK WE CAN ALL HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING LOUD AND CLEAR.
SO IF WE ARE NOT SITTING HERE, IT IS NOT BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID SOMETHING, WE WERE ELECTED TO HANDLE THINGS.
GIVE US THE COURTESY OF LETTING US DO OUR JOBS.
MY NAME'S MATEOS ADA AND I CAME HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT ORDINANCE R FIVE B REGARDING DOUBLING VENDOR FEES AND LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF BEAD VENDORS.
WHILE I KNOW THE DISCUSSION AND VOTE WAS MOVED TO JUNE, I WOULD STILL LIKE TO COMMENT WHAT I HAVE PREPARED.
COMMISSIONER SUAREZ INTRODUCED THIS LAST YEAR TO COMBAT THE AMOUNT OF BEAD VENDORS AND THE $53,000 THE CITY SPENDS ON THE PROGRAM.
IT'S MY PERSPECTIVE THAT THE ORDINANCE IN QUESTION IS AN UNETHICAL COURSE OF ACTION TO TAKE AGAINST THE VENDORS BECAUSE YOU'RE FURTHER DESTABILIZING A COMMUNITY THAT'S ALREADY UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE EVERY DAY.
VENDORS CAN'T SET UP THEIR STANDS WHEN IT'S TOO HOT, TOO WINDY OR TOO RAINY.
AND WHEN THEY CAN, THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS TAKING HOME MONEY.
A VENDOR THAT I SPOKE TO GLAD TOLD ME SHE SOMETIMES TAKES HOME AS LITTLE AS 25 TO $5 A WEEK.
DOUBLING FEES WOULD BE DEVASTATING FOR MANY VENDORS WHO ARE WORKING HARD AND TRYING THEIR BEST TO PROVIDE.
THE VENDORS HERE ARE A COMMUNITY, AND WHILE I AGREE, THERE NEEDS TO BE A MORE ROBUST QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEM.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T MAKE MOST OF THEIR OWN PRODUCTS, THE MAJORITY OF THEM DO.
THIS ORDINANCE IN ITS CURRENT FORM WILL ONLY SERVE AS A DETRIMENT TO AN ALREADY CHALLENGED YET CONTINUALLY PERSEVERING COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER.
I'M A RESIDENT OF NORTH MIAMI AND I'M SOMEBODY WHO GOES TO SMA AND NEEDS SMA.
I'M HERE TO OPPOSE BOTH THE MOTION TO EVICT SMA AS WELL AS THE ONE SEEKING GOVERNMENT CONTROL OVER THE ARTISTIC PROGRAMMING DECISIONS THAT IT MAKES.
I'M HERE TO OPPOSE MAYOR MINOR'S CLAIM TO BE SPEAKING FOR ALL JEWS AND IN THE INTEREST OF ALL JEWS WHEN HE MAKES THESE MOTIONS BECAUSE HE CERTAINLY DOES NOT SPEAK FOR ME AND OBVIOUSLY MANY OTHERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF MIAMI BEACH, LIKE CARL FISHER AND HENRY FLAGLER WERE ANTISEMITES OF THE HIGHEST ORDER.
IT WASN'T UNTIL 1947 THAT RESTRICTIONS AGAINST JEWISH PEOPLE AS GUESTS OR PROPERTY OWNERS IN MIAMI BEACH WERE MADE ILLEGAL.
BEFORE THEN, IT WAS COMMON TO SEE SIGNS IN MIAMI AND MIAMI BEACH THAT READ GENTILES ONLY OR NO JEWS OR DOGS.
ONE HOTEL ADVERTISED ALWAYS A VIEW, NEVER A JEW.
HOW IRONIC THAT TODAY A JEW WHO HAS BECOME MAYOR
[01:15:01]
OF THE CITY IS PROPOSING TO TAKE US BACK TO THESE TERRIBLE TIMES.ALWAYS A VIEW, BUT NEVER A PALESTINIAN.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER.
I'M AN ISRAELI WOMAN AND I'M HORRIFIED TO HAVE TO SPEND MY WEDNESDAY HERE WITH YOU TODAY BECAUSE MAYOR MINER DECIDED NOT TO TAKE QUESTIONS DURING HIS TOWN HALL MEETING YESTERDAY THAT I KNOW ME AND MANY OF MY FRIENDS TOOK THE TIME TO ATTEND, BUT USE AS A WAY TO JUST EXTEMPORANEOUSLY SPEAK ABOUT HIS VIEWS AND ONCE AGAIN, PUT WORDS INTO THE MOUTHS OF OTHER JEWS.
YOU DO NOT SPEAK ON MY BEHALF AS A JEWISH MAN.
YOU DO NOT SPEAK ON MY BEHALF AS AN ISRAELI AND I'M OUTRAGED TO HAVE TO SPEND MY TIME WITH MY COMMUNITY WHO ALL HAD TO TAKE OFF WORK, GET CHILDCARE, AND DO WHAT THEY HAD TO DO.
BECAUSE YOU WANT THIS TOWN AND CITY TO BE A RACIST ESTABLISHMENT THAT JUST FURTHERS JEWISH VALUES AND ISN'T AN AMERICAN EXPRESSION OF THE FREEDOM THAT WE ALL LOVE AND TAKE FOR GRANTED, WHICH IS TO SAY HOW WE FEEL AND HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND HAVE OUR COMMUNITY REFLECT THOSE VALUES.
SO IF YOU ARE GOING TO VOTE WITH HIM, YOU SHOULD HAVE TO PUT MONEY ON YOUR OWN TOWARDS THIS LAWSUIT SO THAT THE CITY MUCH IS NOT PAYING FOR THIS HORRIBLE.
I'M A, UH, MIAMI BEACH RESIDENT AT 100 LINCOLN ROAD.
I'M A GRANDDAUGHTER OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS THAT IMMIGRATED HERE AFTER THE WAR.
I COME FROM A PROUD ZIONIST FAMILY.
ZIONIST ONLY MEANING SAFETY AND SECURITY AND SELF-ACTUALIZATION RIGHTS FOR JEWISH PEOPLE.
YOU EVEN HAVE TO QUALIFY THAT.
UM, I'VE SPENT TIME IN ISRAEL.
I HAVE MY MASTER'S DEGREE IN INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION.
I HAVE WORKED MY ENTIRE LIFE TO BRING PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS TOGETHER.
I'VE BROUGHT TOGETHER ARABS, JEWS, MUSLIMS, ISRAELIS, AND WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT WE HAVE TO HUMANIZE EACH OTHER AND CENSORING THIS DOCUMENTARY IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT.
I'M SCARED OF ANTISEMITISM, SO IS MY FAMILY.
WE'RE VERY WORRIED, BUT THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT.
WE NEED FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, WE NEED DIALOGUE.
WE NEED TO BE OPEN TO HEARING OUR STORIES.
SO I HOPE YOU, AND JUST FOR RECORD KEEPING PURPOSES, THE GENTLEMAN WITH THE BLUE JACKET IS THE LAST PERSON SPEAKING IS YES, SIR.
I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF MIAMI BEACH.
UM, IN THE SPIRIT OF LEARNING FROM HISTORY, THERE WAS A MOVIE MADE IN 1915 CALLED BIRTH OF A NATION.
THIS WAS IN THE AGE OF SILENT FILMS. IT WAS TECHNICALLY ADVANCED AND IT WAS THE FIRST MOVIE TO HAVE A MUSICAL SCORE.
IT WAS ALSO THE FIRST MOVIE SHOWN IN THE WHITE HOUSE TO PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON.
THIS MOVIE WAS MADE AS PROPAGANDA AGAINST THE BLACK POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES.
IT SHOWED BLACK PEOPLE IN A HORRIBLE LIGHT, MADE THE KKK OUT TO BE THE SAVIORS OF AMERICA.
THIS MOVIE REVIVED THE KKK LARGE SCALE DISTRIBUTION OF FILM DID NOT EXIST AT THE TIME.
SO THIS MOVIE WAS TAKEN CITY TO CITY LIKE A CIRCUS WAS.
A STUDY WAS DONE IN 2020 BY DESMOND ENG, THE PROFESSOR AT HARVARD THAT SHOWS THAT IN CITIES WHERE THIS MOVIE WAS SHOWN, HATE CRIMES AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE INCREASED FIVE TIMES.
THIS SINGLE HANDEDLY EXTENDED THE SUFFERING OF BLACK PEOPLE INTO THE NEXT DECADES IN THIS COUNTRY.
THIS IS THE SAME SITUATION WE'RE FACING NOW.
WE SHOULD LEARN FROM HISTORY AND NOT ALLOW RACIST PROPAGANDA FOOTAGE TO BE SHOWN AGAINST ANY MINORITY COMMUNITY.
MAYOR FIRST SHOWS PEOPLE IN BLACK NEXT, PLEASE THE SAME THING.
MAY I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE EXTRA TIME, MR. MAYOR.
I'M A FATHER AND I'M A HUSBAND, AND I'M ALSO SEPHARDIC.
AND THE REASON WHY I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STUDY WITH THE BREAST LOVERS IN NEW YORK CITY WAS BECAUSE I SAW THE SORROW IN THE PITY AT SINEMA.
THESE WERE FILMS THAT NEEDED TO BE SAID.
I AM NOT, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE PAIN THAT THIS CAUSED YOU.
I DON'T THINK YOU'RE THE ENEMY.
I THINK YOU ARE REACTING TO IT, AND I WILL.
AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE MADE THE DECISION, I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO QUOTE, UM,
[01:20:02]
THE RABBI NACHMAN.HOW VERY GOOD IT IS WHEN YOU AWAKEN YOUR HEART AND PLEAD UNTIL YOUR TEARS STREAM FROM YOUR EYES AS MINE.
AND WHEN YOU STAND LIKE A LITTLE CHILD CRYING BEFORE YOUR FATHER, FATHER, PLEASE DON'T LET THIS CANDLE GO OUT.
MY NAME IS MARY, MARY MICHELLE FROM SOUTHWEST RANCHES, FLORIDA.
I'M NO STRANGER TO THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND IT'S OPPRESSIVE AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL TACTICS.
I HAVE BEEN HARASSED AND INTIMIDATED BY POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE TOLD ME I WAS FORBIDDEN TO WALK DOWN A PUBLIC SIDEWALK OR RISK ARREST.
I HAVE SEEN PEACEFUL PROTESTORS ATTACKED BY POLICEMEN WHO ALLOW VIOLENT ZIONISTS TO PHYSICALLY AND ENCROACH AND ATTACK WHILE THEY STAND IDLY BY.
IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS, THE MAYOR HAS REPEATEDLY VIOLATED THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH BY SHUTTING OFF THE MICROPHONE OF ANYONE WHO DARES TO CRITICIZE ISRAEL.
NOW THE MAYOR WANTS TO DECIDE WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT SEE.
THIS WILL NOT STAND ANY POLITICIAN, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES WHO PUTS THE INTEREST OF A FOREIGN NATION ABOVE THE CONSTITUTION.
AND LAWS OF THIS LAND IS NOTHING MORE THAN A TRAITOR.
THIS IS STILL THE LAND OF MY FATHER'S AND I WILL AND I FOR ONE, WILL DEFEND IT, THE IDEALS OF THE CONSTITUTION AND FIGHT AGAINST ZIONISM.
ISRAEL HAS INVITED OUR COUNTRY.
I THANK YOU FOR BEING IN THE PRESENCE AND I THANK YOU FOR GETTING US ALL TOGETHER IN THIS ROOM.
I LIVE IN CARROLL CITY, MIAMI GARDENS.
I CAME ALL THE WAY HERE TODAY.
AND UM, FOR ONE, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY TO EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, LET'S LISTEN MORE AND FOR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE MAYOR, I NEVER HAD AN IMPRESSION OF YOU UNTIL NOW.
IT TOOK THIS OUTBURST AS IT SEEMS FOR ME TO GET YOUR ATTENTION.
JUST BECAUSE OF FILM WON AN OSCAR DOESN'T MEAN I'M NECESSARILY GONNA WATCH IT.
THE FILM HAS A VERY HEAVY SUBJECT MATTER AND I'M NOT NECESSARILY WILLING TO WATCH SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON A, ON A TYPICAL NIGHT.
BUT NOW I FEEL OBLIGATED TO WATCH IT IN THE MOVIE THEATER, TO BUY A TICKET, TO BRING MY FRIENDS OUT TO WATCH IT.
NOT BECAUSE IT'S A POPCORN FLICK AND AN ACTION MOVIE, BUT BECAUSE YOU TRY TO CENSOR IT LIKE CAVE PAINTINGS ON A WALL.
WE CANNOT CENSOR IT BECAUSE IT IS A PART OF HISTORY, WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IN IT OR NOT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
JESUS DIED FOR OUR SINS, AND SO LET US NOT CRUCIFY HIM THE WAY THAT THE CORRUPT ROMANS CRUCIFIED HIM.
LET US NOT BE A CORRUPT GOVERNMENT.
WE ARE THE TEAM, USA TEAM USA.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS SO YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
MY NAME IS HILL BLACKETT AND, UH, I LIVE AT 1000 WEST AVENUE, UH, HERE ON THE BEACH.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA, UM, TAKE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TACK THAN, UH, A LOT OF MY FRIENDS HAVE BEEN TAKING, AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONERS, UH, WHICHEVER WAY YOU VOTE ON THE ONE HAND, UM, IF YOU VOTE AGAINST THESE RESOLUTIONS, UH, AND STAND UP TO THIS GOOFBALL MAYOR AND SAY THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA EVICT OR, OR CENSOR, UH, OR CONTROL THE PROGRAMMING OF THIS, YOU KNOW, BELOVED LOCAL MOVIE THEATER, UM, THAT'S A GREAT WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU VOTE WITH HIM AND YOU DO DO THOSE THINGS, UM, IT SHOWS THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE CORRECT.
PEOPLE WHO SAY THIS IS NOT REALLY A FREE COUNTRY.
AND, UH, WE NEED SOME MAJOR CHANGES.
SO, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU WHICHEVER WAY YOU GO.
I'M A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF MIAMI BEACH.
I LIVE ON PINE TREE DRIVE IN 30TH STREET.
I'M A PROUD GRADUATE OF COLUMBIA SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM, AND I DO WANNA SAY, AND I, MY BROTHERS AND MY CHILDREN HAVE GONE THERE AS WELL AND PROTESTED.
I PROUDLY PROTESTED THERE MYSELF WHEN I WAS AN UNDERGRADUATE.
AND I WANNA SAY MAYOR, THAT RESPECTFULLY, YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE PROTESTS ARE ILL-INFORMED.
AND ALSO TO SAY THAT THE MATTER HERE, I SUPPORT SO MANY PEOPLE WHO'VE SAID WHAT THEY'VE SAID.
THE MATTER OF FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT SEEMS VERY OBVIOUS THAT WE SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO DISCUSS IT.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT I WANNA SAY IS, IN SIX MONTHS TIME, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OSMA IS STILL HERE.
WHEN IT'S OUTTA THE HEADLINES, I WANNA SEE THAT GRANT MONEY STILL GOES TO THEM.
THEY'VE SHOWN THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF JEWISH FILMS. THEY'RE TWO HOURS OF A PALESTINIAN PERSPECTIVE, AND THAT MIMICS AND MIRRORS WHAT WE SEE IN THIS COUNTRY.
[01:25:01]
WAR AND IT'S NOT UP TO YOU TO FIGHT IT.I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE THE PALESTINIANS, I'VE SEEN THE MOVIE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MONICA RELL.
UM, I AM A RESIDENT OF, UH, NORTH MIAMI.
I'M A FILMMAKER AND PROUD FORMER SINEMA EMPLOYEE, AND I STRONGLY OPPOSE RESOLUTION C SEVEN AA.
YOU HAVE CALLED THIS FILM ANTISEMITIC, THE JEWISH ISRAELI FILMMAKER OF NO OTHER LAND.
YUVAL ABRAHAM HAS RESPONDED TO YOU SAYING, WHEN THIS MAYOR USES THE WORD ANTISEMITISM TO SILENCE US, PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS, WHO PROUDLY OPPOSE OCCUPATION, APARTHEID TOGETHER, FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY FOR ALL, HE'S DANGEROUSLY EMPTYING IT OUT OF MEANING.
IT'S INTERESTING AND IRONIC TO ME THAT JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, IF JEWISH MAN SHOT ISRAELI TOURISTS IN THE NAME OF ANTISEMITISM, THIS IS THE SAME LOGIC AT WORK.
THIS IS THE ENVIRONMENT MIAMI BEACH HAS CREATED.
FLORIDA IS DESCENDING INTO FASCISM QUICKLY.
I CONSIDER A RESOLUTION TO BE A PART OF THAT PRESIDENT'S MATTERS.
YOUR HURT FEELINGS, YOUR SENSITIVITY TO TRUTH, AND YOUR MISINFORMED BELIEFS THAT ARE SO PAPER THIN, FRAGILE THAT A FILM BY ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN FILMMAKERS TOGETHER CAN SHAKE YOU TO CENSORSHIP ARE NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT YOUR COMMUNITY WANTS.
I HOPE THE MAYOR CAN HEAR ME BECAUSE I WANT TO ADDRESS HIM SPECIFICALLY.
YOU START WITH THE NAME PLEASE.
UM, I WAS LOOKING AROUND YOUR NAME.
HI, MY NAME IS SUSAN SCHEIN AND I LIVE ON WEST AVENUE.
I'VE LIVED HERE AND WORKED AND VOTED HERE IN MIAMI BEACH FOR MORE THAN 32 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN IN THE MEDIA BUSINESS FOR NEARLY 40 AND 34 OF THOSE HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE BUSINESS OF FILM.
AND A DOCUMENTARY IS BY NATURE ONE, ONE-SIDED.
I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU, MR. MAYOR, SPECIFICALLY AS I WAS ON THE ZOOM CALL BUILD AS A TOWN HALL LAST EVENING WHERE COMMENTS WERE DISABLED.
SO I COULDN'T RESPOND TO WHAT I HEARD.
AS A FELLOW JEW AND VACILLATING SUPPORTER OF ISRAEL, I AGREED WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID REGARDING THE DANGEROUS NATURE OF THE INCREASING ANTISEMITISM IN THIS COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD.
INDEED, WE'VE SEEN THIS MANY TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
WHERE I DISAGREE IS IN THE WAY YOU'VE CHOSEN TO PORTRAY THAT PARTICULAR SCOURGE AS JUSTIFYING A VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
BECAUSE PERSONALLY, BECAUSE YOU PERSONALLY DISAGREE WITH THIS MESSAGE IN THIS CASE, CASE A DOES NOT EQUAL B DOES NOT.
MY NAME IS JONATHAN DAVID KAIN.
I'M A JEWISH AMERICAN FILMMAKER AND ARTIST, BORN AND RAISED IN MIAMI BEACH AT 43 54 ALTON ROAD.
I'M A PRODUCT OF MIAMI BEACH AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I LEARNED HOW TO USE A CAMERA FILMING BAR MITZVAHS AT TEMPLE BEST SHALOM.
I'M HERE TODAY IN OPPOSITION OF MAYOR MINER'S.
PROPOSAL CENSORSHIP HAS NO PLACE IN THESE HALLS IN THIS CITY, NOR IN OUR AMERICAN CONSTITUTION.
SINEMA IS A PILLAR OF MIAMI CINEMATIC ARTS COMMUNITY.
S CINEMA HAS SUPPORTED THE FILMS AND CAREERS OF COUNTLESS MIAMI-BASED FILMMAKERS AND ARTISTS.
THEIR PROGRAMMING HAS ALWAYS BEEN INSIGHTFUL, EDUCATIONAL, AND THOUGHT PROVOKING.
TO SHUTTER THEIR DOORS IS TO DEEPLY WOUND THE ARTIST AND ART LOVERS OF OUR MIAMI BEACH COMMUNITY.
DISAGREEING WITH POLITIC POLITICAL LEADERS IS NOT ANTISEMITISM.
EXPRESSING CONFLICTING VIEWPOINTS AND INVITING DEBATE IS NOT ANTISEMITISM DENOUNCING WAR MONGERING IS NOT ANTISEMITISM.
I REMIND YOU THAT THE WORLD IS WATCHING US HERE TODAY AND HOW WE HANDLE THIS FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUE WILL REVERBERATE.
UH, HI, MY NAME'S UH, GERALD PAYNE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO THANK THE COMMISSION FOR GIVING THIS FILM MORE PUBLICITY THAN AN ACADEMY AWARD COULD EVER HAVE.
I GOT UP AT 6:00 AM TO BE HERE.
I DON'T GET UP AT 6:00 AM FOR ANYTHING.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE TODAY HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT BALANCE.
UH, YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS AN ISRAELI FILM, THERE'D BE PROTESTS.
I THINK THAT'S CRAZY BECAUSE CAPTAIN AMERICA FOUR HAD AN ISRAELI SUPERHERO IS VERY BOUND.
THIS CAN'T EVEN GET SCREENED IN A THEATER, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK IT SETS A REALLY BAD PRECEDENT TO START CENSORING THINGS THAT WE DON'T AGREE WITH BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMBALANCED.
UH, YOU KNOW, ISRAEL HAS JETS.
GAZA DOESN'T EVEN HAVE AMBULANCES.
SO WHEN YOU TELL PEOPLE NOT TO WATCH SOMETHING, THE FIRST THING THEY THINK IS, WELL, WHY? WHAT'S, WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT? I WANNA SEE IT IMMEDIATELY.
YOU SILENCING THE MOVIE THAN THE MOVIE EVER COULD HAVE ON ITS OWN.
[01:30:01]
I AM A FIRST TIME SNOWBIRD TO MIAMI BEACH, AND IRONICALLY, I DISCOVERED S CINEMA WHILE I WAS PERUSING THE CATALOG FOR THE JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL.I SINCERELY DOUBT THAT ANYONE ON THE COMMISSION GOT INVOLVED WITH WHAT THE JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL WAS SHOWING OR NOT SHOWING.
IN ADDITION, I WOULD LIKE TO AGAIN, JUST SAY, UH, REPEAT WHAT SOMEONE ELSE SAID ABOUT DOCUMENTARIES, WHICH IS A DOCUMENTARY IS SOMEONE'S PERSPECTIVE ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT THAT THEY THINK ARE THE FACTS.
I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN IN ENOUGH CONVERSATIONS TO UNDER TO KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES OF STORIES THAT WE THINK ARE RIGHT.
AND TO CENSOR SOMEONE FOR, UH, TELLING THEIR STORY, I THINK SETS A BAD PRECEDENT.
I NEVER REALLY KNEW WHAT, UH, ART BASIL WAS, BUT I HAPPEN TO LIVE NEAR THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY ONE LAST THING, WHICH IS I WOULD REALLY NOT LIKE TO SEE THE COMMISSION OR THE MAYOR HAVING A SPECIAL SCREENING AT ART BASIL TO GO THROUGH.
THOUSANDS OF PIECES OF ARTWORK TO DECIDE WHICH ONE SHOULD NOT BE IN A PUBLIC BUILDING.
UM, I JUST RETURNED FROM BEING, SPENDING THREE MONTHS ON THE WEST BANK ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, INCLUDING SPENDING A WEEK IN FRIDA WHERE THE FILM NORTHERN LAND WAS MADE.
UM, THE, THE NOTION THAT ANTISEMITISM EXISTS WHEN INSTITUTIONALIZED SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION, SEGREGATION, OPPRESSION, DOMINATION, VIOLENCE, AND INHUMANE ACTS ARE DOCUMENTED, SIR EITHER REPRESENTS, UM, A EXTREME MISINFORMATION ON YOUR PART OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WEST BANK, OR YOU ARE FRANKLY JUST MISSTATING THE TRUTH.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN MIAMI BEACH.
MY NAME IS FRANCESCA GONZALEZ.
UM, I WAS BORN AT MOUNT SINAI AND I GREW UP GOING TO THE O CINEMA AND THE K THEATER EVERY WEEKEND WITH MY MOTHER AT FIRST BECAUSE SHE BRIBED ME WITH CANDY.
BUT AFTER A WHILE, BECAUSE I ENJOYED IT, MY MOTHER IS ACTUALLY ON THE DEUS RIGHT NOW AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
I'D LIKE TO PREFACE, SHE DID NOT ASK ME TO SPEAK, AND I THINK I ACTUALLY REALLY SHOCKED HER WHEN I WALKED IN HERE AND I WALKED TO THE BACK OF THAT LINE,
UM, I WAS WATCHING ONLINE AND I WAS SO PROUD OF ALL THE CITIZENS WHO CAME OUT HERE TO SPEAK, AND I FELT AS THOUGH I HAD SOMETHING TO SAY, SO I CAME HERE STRAIGHT AWAY.
MY MOTHER HAS TAUGHT ME TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THE ROLE OF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IS TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE.
IT IS NOT ISRAEL VERSUS PALESTINE.
IT IS FREE SPEECH AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY IN CONTESTABLE.
IF YOU WISH TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE.
WE HAVE HEARD ONLY FIVE PEOPLE OR SIX PEOPLE WHO WERE IN FAVOR OF DEFUNDING, AND THREE OF THEM WERE YOUR FRIENDS, MR. MAYOR
WELL, YOU CLEARLY CALLED TO SPEAK ON YOUR BEHALF.
UM, WE WERE A DOZENS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPOKEN IN FAVOR OF THE OZ CINEMA, AND I URGE YOU TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE.
I DROVE ALL THE WAY DOWN FROM BROWARD, EXPLAINS THE ROLLERS, UH, VERY QUICKLY.
I UNDERSTAND SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE, EXCEPT THAT THIS IS ABOUT FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
VIVIAN HAS DONE A FABULOUS JOB AT BEING A PILLAR IN BRINGING CULTURE AND ART TO MIAMI BEACH.
IT IS THE ONLY REASON WHY I COME TO MIAMI BEACH ANYMORE BECAUSE MIAMI BEACH SUCKS NOW BECAUSE ALL OF THE MOM AND POP SHOPS ARE GONE.
ALL THE INDIVIDUALITIES GONE AND NOW THEY'RE DEMOLISHING ALL THESE HISTORICAL BUILDINGS.
YOU GUYS ARE NOT PROTECTING THIS PLACE.
SO YOU MAY HAVE YOUR OWN OPINIONS ABOUT THIS, BUT DO NOT INFANTALIZE THE REST OF US WHO WANT TO VIEW THIS FILM AND MAKE OUR OWN INFORMED DECISION ABOUT HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE CONFLICT.
HOW YOU DOING? UH, SARAH DE LOS RE, SANTA HARBOR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND RESIDENT.
I WANNA SUPPORT, UH, C FOUR C, THE MAURICE GI PARK ENTRANCE REFERRAL TO LAND USE.
UH, C FOUR OH AND TO NAME THE STREET PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE MARK IAN.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING TO ACTUALLY DO.
AND R FIVE F I'M SUPPORTING ALL THOSE.
[01:35:02]
GOOD MORNING.THANK YOU MR. RABBI DANIEL HADAR, 1389 BAY DRIVE.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR ALL YOU FOR THE CITY.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO TO HAVE A GREAT CITY.
AND S IS A GREAT PLACE AS WELL.
AND AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY SAID TODAY.
UH, VERY, VERY, UH, IT'S VERY HEALTHY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ONE SMALL THING, AND THAT'S THIS.
I BELIEVE THAT THE MAYOR AND THE COMMISSION, SOME OF THE THOUGHT BEHIND THIS IS AS A JEW AND AS A PERSON REPRESENTS A LARGE COMMUNITY, THE, THE VISCERAL REACTION AGAINST THE JEWISH PEOPLE SINCE OCTOBER 7TH HAS BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, EXTREMELY PAINFUL, AND EXTREMELY, UH, TOUGH.
AND I THINK THAT THERE IS JUST A, A, A HEIGHT HIGHER SENSITIVITY RIGHT NOW.
AND THERE'S AN IDEA OF PERHAPS WE, WE SHOULD JUST TAMP DOWN A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH HATRED OUT THERE, SO MUCH.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE TWO SIDES TO IT, BUT THAT'S, I THINK, THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT.
LET'S TAMPER DOWN THINGS THAT REALLY BRING A LOT OF, A LOT OF UPSETNESS.
YOU KNOW, UM, ON SUNDAY I HAD THE HONOR OF CELEBRATING THE HUNDRED NINTH BIRTHDAY OF MOLLY HOROWITZ, ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING SURVIVORS OF THE FIRST HOLOCAUST.
SHE HAD HER DAUGHTER THERE, HER GRANDDAUGHTER, HER GRANDCHILDREN, HER WHOLE FAMILY, SITTING WITH HER AND TALKING BETWEEN BROKEN YIDDISH, SPANISH AND HEBREW.
I FELT LIKE I WAS TRANSPORTED BACK TO MY CHILDHOOD IN SUNNY ISLES.
I LIVED IN A VERY SMALL ONE BEDROOM CONDO WITH MY MOTHER.
AND I VIVIDLY REMEMBER GETTING INTO ELEVATORS, UH, WITH MY ELDERLY NEIGHBORS.
AND I WOULD ALWAYS SEE THEIR NUMBERS ON THEIR WRISTS AS A CHILD.
I, I DIDN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND HOW OR WHY THE HOLOCAUST HAPPENED, BUT NOW I DO.
THOSE NUMBERS WERE EVIDENCE OF A GENOCIDE, A SYSTEM THAT WIPED OUT 6 MILLION JEWS IN A MATTER OF YEARS.
AND YET HERE WE ARE NEARLY 80 YEARS LATER, WATCHING HISTORY TRY TO REPEAT ITSELF ON OCTOBER 7TH.
I DID NOT INTERRUPT A SINGLE ONE OF YOU.
I EXPECT THE SAME COURTESY ABOUT CENSORSHIP.
MR. MAYOR, IF THEY CONTINUE TO INTERRUPT, CAN YOU PLEASE ESCORT THEM OUT OF THE CHAMBERS? I AGREE.
HE IS AN ELECTED COMMISSIONER.
I LET EVERYONE SPEAK IN THIS ROOM.
HE IS AN ELECTED COMMISSIONER AND HE IS GOING TO SPEAK.
PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME CLEAR THE ROOM.
ON OCTOBER 7TH, JEWS WERE SLAUGHTERED.
BABIES THROWN INTO OVENS, WOMEN RAPED IN FRONT OF THEIR CHILDREN, ENTIRE HOUSEHOLDS BURNED ALIVE.
HAMAS DIDN'T JUST COMMIT THESE CRIMES, THEY GLORIFIED IT.
THEY FILMED IT, THEY PUT IT ON THEIR GOPROS, THEY CHEERED IT.
AND NOW IN MIAMI BEACH, SOMEONE US THE TAXPAYERS TO FUND A FILM THAT SPREADS PROPAGANDA FROM HAMAS.
LET ME BE CLEAR, I OPPOSE CENSORSHIP IN ALL FORMS, BUT THIS ISN'T ABOUT FREE SPEECH.
THIS IS ABOUT GOVERNMENT POLICY.
MIAMI BEACH IS ONE OF THE MOST J JEWISH CITIES IN THE WORLD.
HOW IT DECIDES TO ALLOCATE TAXPAYER DOLLARS IS BETWEEN US.
IF THIS FILM WERE PLAYING AT REGAL CINEMAS, WE WOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW, IF A PRIVATE GROUP WERE SCREENING IT OUTSIDE CITY HALL, WE WOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT IT.
BUT WHEN IT'S BEING SHOWN ON TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZED GOVERNMENT VENUES WITH PUBLIC
[01:40:01]
FUNDS, THAT'S NOT FREE SPEECH.THIS FILM ISN'T JUST ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE, IT'S A MEGAPHONE FOR HAMAS SYMPATHIZERS.
AND WHAT MAKES ME SICK IS SEEING PEOPLE HERE WHO WOULD BE THE FIRST VICTIMS OF HAMAS WOMEN, LGBT.
EXCUSE ME, I'M SPEAKING PLEASE.
I WILL CLEAR THE ROOM IF HE IS NOT ALLOWED TO FINISH OR ANY OF US UP HERE, PLEASE LET HIM FINISH.
NO, IF YOU ARE SO CONCERNED ABOUT FREE SPEECH, DON'T INTERRUPT MINE.
THIS FILM IS JUST ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE, ISN'T JUST ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S A MEGAPHONE FOR HAMAS TERRORIST PROPAGANDA.
AND WHAT MAKES ME SICK IS SEEING PEOPLE HERE.
MOST OF THEM WOULD BE THE FIRST VICTIMS OF AMASS WOMEN.
IF THEY WERE IN GAZA, THEY'D BE SEXUALLY MUTILATED, THROWN OFF ROOFTOPS AND STONED TO DEATH.
YET HERE THEY ARE LECTURING US ABOUT MORALITY.
BUT LET'S BE HONEST, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO ABOUT ART FREE SPEECH.
IF THERE WAS A FILM GLORIFYING WHITE SUPREMACY, WOULD WE BE FUNDING IT? IF IT WERE A FILM PROMOTING CHARLIE HEBDO CARTOONS DEPICTING THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD, WOULD WE TOLERATE IT? WE ALL KNOW THE ANSWER IS NO.
WHY? BECAUSE IT'S WILDLY OFFENSIVE.
SO WHY WOULD WE SPEND A CENT OF PUBLIC MONEY TO PRI TO PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR A FILM THAT PURPOSELY LIES BY OMISSION AND JUSTIFIES HAMAS PROPAGANDA? I KNOW WHY, BECAUSE IT'S THE JEWS
WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEM.
THEY HAVE A DOUBLE STANDARD THERE.
THE HYPOCRISY AND DOUBLE STANDARD HERE IS STAGGERING.
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SMA ADMITTED ON PAPER THAT THIS FILM HAS ANTISEMITIC RHETORIC, BUT CHOSE TO AIR IT ANYWAYS.
AND THE CHAIRMAN OF SMA, KAREEM TABBA HAS A LONG, WELL DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF PUSHING FOR CENSORSHIP WHEN IT SUITS HIS AGENDA.
THIS MAN HAS CALLED FOR THE SILENCING OF OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES.
HE'S CALLED FOR THE SILENCING OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
HE HAS SPENT YEARS DEMANDING THE SUPPRESSION OF FREE SPEECH, BUT DOESN'T LIKE IT.
NOW, THE REALITY IS THAT O CINEMA IS EXPLOITING THIS CONTROVERSY FOR POLITICAL AND FINANCIAL GAIN.
JUST YESTERDAY, WE ALL GOT AN EMAIL FROM, FROM FROM THEM WHERE THEY'RE USING THIS CONTROVERSY AS A FUNDRAISING TOOL.
THEY'RE ASKING FOR $2.8 MILLION IN PRIVATE DONATIONS WHILE PRETENDING THEY'RE UNDER ATTACK.
MEANWHILE, THEY RECEIVE TAXPAYER FUNDING, PAY NEXT TO NOTHING IN RENT AND THEN TURN AROUND AND DEMAND EVEN MORE.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT FREE SPEECH, IT'S ABOUT PUBLICLY FUNDED INSTITUTIONS USING OUTRAGE AS A BUSINESS MODEL.
AND YET, WHILE THEY REFUSE TO ENTERTAIN DISSENTING PERSPECTIVES, THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM DIRECTING AND GLORIFYING A FILM ABOUT BESTIALITY WHERE A MAN RAPES A DOG AND GET THIS EVEN A DOLPHIN.
THE SAME PERSON AT O CINEMA LEADERSHIP, EXCUSE ME, THE SAME PERSON AT O CINEMA LEADERSHIP COMPARED BESTIALITY TO INTERRACIAL SEX.
YES, YOU HEARD ME RIGHT? THIS IS WHAT THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH IS SUBSIDIZING WITH OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO OBLIGATION TO FUND PROPAGANDA, PERIOD.
PLAY THE FILM WHEREVER YOU WANT ON PRIVATE PROPERTY IN FRONT OF CITY HALL, ON THE STREET CORNER.
BUT DO NOT ASK THE TAXPAYERS OF MIAMI BEACH TO FOOT THE BILL FOR ODIOUS PROPAGANDA FILMS WHERE THE SOLE AGENDA AND INTENTION IS TO DISMANTLE THE JEWISH STATE OF ISRAEL.
NOT HERE, NOT ON OUR WATCH, BECAUSE WHEN WE SAY NEVER AGAIN, WE MEAN IT.
[01:45:03]
THANK YOU.UM, I'M GONNA ASK FOR SOME GRACE FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE.
I'M GONNA ASK FOR SOME PATIENCE FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, AS I SAID, I'M USUALLY A LITTLE LOUDER THAN THIS, BUT THIS IS THE BEST I GOT.
I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS ON THIS DISASTER THAT HAS UNFOLDED BEFORE US OVER THE LAST 10 DAYS.
AND I AM TRYING VERY HARD TO SPEAK ABOUT IT IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY, IN A NON-EMOTIONAL WAY, IN A FACT-BASED WAY.
I HAVE A TATTOO ON MY ARM WHERE OUR FOREBEARS HAD TATTOOS ON THEIRS.
THE REASON I'M HERE AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL BEFORE YOU IS BECAUSE TWO OF MY FATHER'S, FATHER'S SIDE OF HIS FAMILY WE'RE NOT BURNED ALIVE IN A CHURCH IN LITHUANIA.
TWO, ONE OF THEM HAD ALREADY IMMIGRATED TO NEW YORK.
ONE OF THEM WAS IN A SIBERIAN WORK CAMP BECAUSE HE REFUSED TO COOPERATE WITH THE RUSSIAN OVERLORDS AT THE TIME.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PREFACE ANY REMARKS THAT I SPEAK ON AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IN A NONPARTISAN RACE WITH ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY PERSONAL BACKSTORY OR MY JEWISH ANCESTRY, MY FAITH, IT'S IRRELEVANT.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, I'M NOT A HUGE FAN OF ORGANIZED RELIGION GENERALLY.
BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT I ADMIRE ABOUT, UM, ORGANIZATIONS WHO REACH OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, CHURCHES, SYNAGOGUES, MOSQUES, INSERT ORGANIZATION HERE, BECAUSE I THINK THEY DO INCREDIBLE WORK IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M PROUDEST OF LIVING IN MIAMI BEACH IS THAT THERE IS A, UM, BREADTH OF RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO GOOD WORK.
IT IS IMMATERIAL TO MY WORK AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, BUT IT MAKES ME PROUD THAT WE CAN HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT FAITHS LIVING AND WORKING TOGETHER AT MULTIPLE POINTS ALONG THE CONTINUUM.
I MEAN A BACON CHEESEBURGER IS MY FAVORITE FOOD.
SOME PEOPLE MIGHT NOT FIND THAT FUNNY, BUT I I STILL THINK IT'S FUNNY.
UM, BUT SERIOUSLY, I, IT IS A MARK OF WHO WE ARE, WHO WE HAVE BECOME AS A CITY.
THAT THAT IS A TRUE STATEMENT.
AND I THINK ONE, ONE OF THE SPEAKERS RIGHTLY POINTED OUT, SEVERAL OF THE SPEAKERS RIGHTLY POINTED OUT THAT WE DID NOT COME BY THIS, UM, OPEN-MINDEDNESS EASILY.
CARL FISHER, WHO WE REVERE AS A FOUNDER, WAS A RAGING ANTISEMITE.
JOE STONE CRAB IS WHERE IT IS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY WERE ALLOWED TO OPEN THEIR BUSINESS IN THE JEWISH DETEL, SOUTH OF FIFTH NORTH BEACH.
WHEN YOU DRIVE UP TO NORTH BEACH, THERE'S A WHOLE AREA NORMANDY FULL OF FUNNY FRENCH NAMES, WHICH I LOVE.
UM, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY FUNNY TO HEAR PEOPLE TRY TO SAY FRENCH NAMES WITH A CUBAN ACCENT.
BUT THE REASON IT'S THERE IS BECAUSE HE COULDN'T BUY LAND TO DEVELOP HOMES AND HOUSES FOR JEWS ANYWHERE ELSE.
WE WERE A SUNDOWN TOWN FOR THE LONGEST TIME, EVEN AS WE HAD GORGEOUS HOTELS AND VENUES WHERE EVERY PERSON THAT WE STILL LISTEN TO PERFORMED AND THE CROWDS CLAPPED FOR THEM, ADORED THEM, PAID MONEY TO ENJOY THEIR PERFORMANCES.
DON'T GET CAUGHT HERE AFTER DARK.
IF YOU WORK HERE TAKING CARE OF OUR FAMILIES, THAT'S GREAT, BUT NOT AFTER DARK, UNLESS YOU HAVE A CARD GIVING YOU PERMISSION TO STAY HERE WHEN YOU GET STOPPED BY THE POLICE.
THEY'RE HORRIFYING, BUT THEY ARE PART OF OUR HISTORY.
AND IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER THEM BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE BECOME AS A CITY
[01:50:01]
IS THE ANTIDOTE TO RETURNING TO THAT.I FIND IT HORRIFYING THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING THE REALLY BIG FIGHT THAT WE NEED TO HAVE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT AND WHEN AND HOW TO RAISE OUR SEWER WATER RATES, WHICH ARE GONNA HAVE TO DO, AND IT'S GONNA BE AN UGLY FIGHT, WE ARE SPENDING HOURS TALKING ABOUT THIS.
I'VE SPENT MOST OF THIS LAST WEEK WORKING ON THIS ISSUE.
INSTEAD OF DOING WHAT WE WERE ELECTED TO DO, WHAT I FIND EVEN MOST UPSETTING IS THE NARRATIVE THAT IS BEING PAINTED.
THAT YOU ARE EITHER A RAGING ANTISEMITE AND A HAMAS SUPPORTER, OR YOU SUPPORT CENSORSHIP THAT IS A DON'T WANNA GET CENSORED BY THE FCC, BUT THAT IS A BS FALSE BINARY CHOICE.
I WILL TELL YOU, I AM SURE THAT TOMORROW OR THE NEXT DAY THERE WILL BE A NEWSLETTER GOING OUT AND VIDEO CLIPS OF ME USED FOR WHEN I RUN FOR MY REELECTION IN THREE YEARS, CALLING ME A HAMAS SYMPATHIZER.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT I AM NOT, HAVE NEVER BEEN, WOULD NEVER BE.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I THINK ABOUT THE WAY IN ISRAEL IS CONDUCTING ITSELF OR THE WAY IT DOESN'T MATTER FOR THE RECORD, SINCE I HAVE THE PLATFORM, I BELIEVE JU UH, JEWS SHOULD BE SAFE TO BE HOW THEY ARE WHERE THEY ARE, WHEREVER THEY ARE.
I BELIEVE ISRAEL HAS THE RIGHT TO EXIST.
I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO WALK AMONG EACH OTHER LIVING OUR BEST LIFE WITHOUT TRYING TO SUBJUGATE EACH OTHER.
NOW, SINEMA DID NOT HANDLE THINGS THE WAY I WOULD'VE LIKED THE MAYOR WHO COMES BY.
HIS PASSION FROM A PLACE OF DEEP HONESTY AND GENUINE FEELING ALSO DID NOT HANDLE THINGS THE WAY I WOULD'VE LIKED.
IT'S NOT MY TURN TO WATCH THEM.
THEY ARE ALL INDEPENDENT GROWNUPS ACTING THE WAY THEY FEEL IS CORRECT.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS SHOWN WELL OVER 50 FILMS, PRO-ISRAEL FILMS BY JEWISH FILMMAKERS AND IS A HUGE SUPPORTER, FOUNDATIONAL SUPPORTER OF THE MIAMI JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL, WHICH I KNOW INTIMATELY FROM MY LAST JOB, WHICH IS IN THE MIDDLE OF SHOWING, I THINK IT'S A 12 PART DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST TO SILENCE, THAT VOICE DOES MORE DAMAGE THAN ALMOST ANYTHING I CAN THINK OF.
WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE, EXCUSE ME, LET ME FINISH PLEASE.
WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE WHEN THE ITEM IS CALLED.
AND I, I REALLY AM GRATEFUL TO THE MAYOR FOR COMING WITH A SECOND OPTION OF HOW TO PROCEED.
I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE IS TO TAKE SINEMA OUT OF THE EQUATION.
AND WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE IS THAT WE IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH PUT TOGETHER A THOUGHTFUL WEEKEND OR WEEK OR WHATEVER WE WANNA DO, SCREENING SERIES OF SCREENINGS WITH TALKBACKS PEOPLE WHO CAN SPEAK ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS TO GET EDUCATED AND SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT I'M NOT CENSORING ANYBODY, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I THINK THE FOLKS IN HERE WHO ARE PURELY STIRRING THE POT, AND I, AND I BELIEVE THEIR VIEWS ARE, ARE COME BY.
THESE FOLKS ARE NOT SERVING THEIR CAUSE.
WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING JEWISH, EVEN THOUGH A BACON CHEESEBURGER IS MY FAVORITE FOOD, IS THE FACT THAT THE WAY WE TRY TO RESOLVE MOST OF OUR ISSUES IS BY EDUCATING OURSELVES.
NOT TO SHUT DOWN, NOT TO ASSUME THAT WE KNOW THE FULL STORY.
IT'S SOMETHING I'M GUILTY OF LESS NOW, BUT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, BOY, I WAS SURE I WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING.
JUST ASK MY EX-HUSBAND, HUSBAND.
I BELIEVE THAT THE PATH FORWARD IS TO LET
[01:55:01]
SINEMA GO CONTINUE DOING THE GOOD WORK.I THINK THE MESSAGE HAS BEEN RECEIVED LOUD AND CLEAR AND LET US AS, AS, AS, UM, AN ORGANIZATION, A GOVERNMENT ENTITY THAT HAS MULTIPLE WAYS OF SCREENING, UM, FILMS AND HAS, HAS A HISTORY OF SHOWING FILMS THAT WE THINK OUR RESIDENTS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN.
IT IS A HOT TOPIC, SO LET US ADDRESS IT HEAD ON, BUT NOT BY SHUTTING DOWN ONE VOICE OR ANOTHER VOICE.
AND I WILL STATE AGAIN THAT WHEN YOU SEE THE NEWSLETTER COME OUT OR THE CLIPS OF ME IN A COUPLE OF YEARS SUPPORTING HAMAS AND, AND, AND I, YOU KNOW, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ALL HAVE OUR, OUR PASSIONS, BUT REALLY THE SENSATIONALISM OF CALLING OUT WHAT HAMAS DID, WHICH IS VILE AND REPREHENSIBLE, AND THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR OCTOBER 7TH.
PEOPLE DO AWFUL THINGS ON EVERY SIDE.
THERE WAS NO EXCUSE FOR THE WAY THEY CONDUCTED THEMSELVES.
AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, I AM NOT DEFENDING THEM OR THEIR POSITION EVER OR THEIR, THEIR VIEWS ON, ON, UM, HAVING OTHER FOREIGN ACTORS BE THEIR PROXIES.
THAT'S NOT WHY YOU ELECTED ANY OF US.
IF THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO WEIGH IN, I WOULD'VE RUN FOR CONGRESS.
I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHY IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE RAISE YOUR SEWER RATES.
I'M GONNA GET PILL READ ON THAT TOO, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
SO I AM BEGGING MY COLLEAGUES AND THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND ANYBODY LISTENING AND ANYBODY READING THE NEWSLETTERS OR WATCHING THE CLIPS IN THREE YEARS TO TAKE THE RHETORIC DOWN BECAUSE IT DOES NOT SERVE THE PURPOSE IT SERVES TO INFLAME AND TO PROMOTE SOMEBODY'S PARTICULAR AGENDA.
IT IS NOT SAFE TO BE JEWISH RIGHT NOW IN A LOT OF PLACES.
I USED TO WEAR STARVE DAVID AROUND MY NECK.
I HAVEN'T WORN IT IN YEARS BECAUSE WHY GIVE SOMEBODY AN EASY WAY TO TARGET ME? I GIVE THEM PLENTY OF OTHER WAYS JUST BY WALKING AROUND.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T NEED ANOTHER ONE.
SO THE INFLAMMATION THAT I'M HEARING SERVES NO ONE.
WELL, AND IF WE WANT TO GET TO A BETTER PLACE, IF WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE A, A, A DIALOGUE THAT IS NOT PROPAGANDA.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOUR PASSION COMES FROM, RESPECTFULLY.
I HAD NO INTENTION OF SEEING THE FILM, BUT I WANTED TO BE INFORMED.
SO I WENT AND BOUGHT MY TICKET.
I SMA AND WATCHED THE FILM, AND HERE'S WHAT I CAME AWAY WITH.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, WHATEVER, DO OR DON'T, NOT MY PROBLEM.
AND I'M ACTUALLY PRETTY, FAIRLY, UH, FAIRLY WELL INFORMED ON, UH, WORLD AFFAIRS.
UM, MY FAMILY HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, IS JEWISH THROUGH AND THROUGH.
I THINK I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO MARRIED SOMEBODY OUTSIDE OF THE FAITH.
BUT MY GIRLS ARE, ARE, ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, VERY INVESTED.
UM, WHAT I CAME AWAY WITH FROM WATCHING THIS FILM WAS IT WAS NOT A COMPLETE STORY.
BECAUSE BY DEFINITION, SOMETHING THAT IS WRITTEN OR FILMED ISN'T, THERE'S ALWAYS AN EDIT.
UH, AN UM, AN ELEMENT OF EDITORIALIZING.
YOU TELL A STORY, EVEN IF IT'S A FACTUAL STORY, IT'S STILL A STORY.
AND YOU PUT YOUR SPIN, NOT SPIN, BUT YOU, YOU HAVE TO SHAVE IT.
IT ALSO, BY THE WAY, COVERED A PERIOD BEFORE OCTOBER 7TH.
BUT WHAT I CAME AWAY WITH, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO WATCH FOR SO MANY REASONS.
WHAT I CAME AWAY WITH WAS HOPE.
I CAME AWAY WITH HOPE BECAUSE YOU HAD PEOPLE IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE NORMALLY BRICKS WOULD'VE BEEN THROWN AND WORSE.
THEY KEPT QUESTIONING EACH OTHER.
HOW IS THIS OKAY? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO US? WHAT, HOW DO YOU THINK THIS IS RIGHT? HOW DO WE FIX THIS? I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL, BUT I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO PRACTICE LAW BECAUSE I DON'T LIVE IN AN EQUAL SOCIETY.
HOW DO WE FIX THIS? AND THAT IS THE RIGHT QUESTION.
THAT IS THE DIALOGUE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE.
YOU TALK TO ANY FOREIGN POLICY EXPERT AND IN THE WORLD, AND THEY WILL SAY THE SINGLE MOST
[02:00:01]
DIFFICULT FOREIGN POLICY SITUATION TO TRY TO RESOLVE.IT'S NOT NUKES, IT'S NOT IRAN, IT'S NOT THE FALKLAND ISLANDS.
IF ANYBODY REMEMBERS THAT, IT IS, IT IS THIS SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
IF IT WERE EASY, IT WOULD'VE BEEN DONE ALREADY.
SO LET US CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE.
LET US TAKE DOWN THE, THE TONE OF THE RHETORIC.
LET'S TURN DOWN THE FANNING OF THE FLAMES THAT WILL END UP IN MORE DANGER.
WE HAD A NEIGHBOR IN, IN MID BEACH LITERALLY SHOOT TWO PEOPLE THAT HE THOUGHT LOOKED PALESTINIAN BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HE WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING.
YOU KNOW WHO THEY WERE? TWO ISRAELI TOURISTS.
AND FRANKLY, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
YOU SHOOT SOMEBODY BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE THE WAY YOU THEY LOOK.
THAT IS A HUGE PUBLIC SAFETY PROBLEM FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
OUR FIRST JOB, NO MATTER WHAT OUR VIEWS ARE ON ANY ISSUE, TAXATION, DEMOLITIONS, NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING, INSERT TOPIC HERE.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO AS YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE DELIVERING ON THAT WITH THIS RHETORIC THAT IS BEING INFLAMED.
SO I WOULD RESPECTFULLY URGE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT WHEN WE GET TO WHERE WE WE'RE GOING WITH YOUR ITEM TO DO A BIGGER PROBLEM SOLVING STEP FORWARD TO HOST A FILM FESTIVAL, AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN EMAILING ON BOTH SIDES.
LET'S FIND FOLKS FROM THAT GROUP WHO HAVE SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE TO SAY AND LET'S GIVE THEM THAT PLATFORM.
UH, RESPECTFULLY, I, I THOUGHT I HAD THE TRADEMARK ON SELF DEPRECIATING HUMOR ABOUT A STRUGGLING OR A FAILED MARRIAGE AND LOVE LIFE.
UM, BUT ANYWAYS, UH, WHAT SADDENS ME IS HOW DIVIDED THAT OUR COMMUNITY APPEARS.
THE COMMUNITY THAT I PERSONALLY KNOW.
AND THE ISSUES WHERE WE HAVE SHARED DIFFERENCES, WE DO SO RESPECTFULLY IN EVERY ACTION I TAKE AS AN ELECTED LEADER, I LOOK TO ACHIEVE CONSENSUS, LEAD BY EXAMPLE, AND BE A COMMUNITY BUILDER, NOT DIVIDER.
I SUPPORT OUR ARTS AND CULTURE.
I'M PROUD TO LEAD EFFORTS IN HELPING MIAMI BEACH BE THE EPICENTER OF THE ENTIRE ARTS AND CULTURE WORLD THAT'S DEMONSTRATED BY THE FUNDING WE'VE ALLOCATED TO ARTS, EVEN WHEN THE STATE HAS PULLED SOME OF THOSE FUNDS.
I ALSO STEADFASTLY SUPPORT OUR JEWISH COMMUNITY.
I'M PROUD WE HAVE AND CONTINUE TO TAKE MEASURES IN MIAMI BEACH TO MAKE OUR CITY THE MOST WELCOMING, SAFEST PLACE OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL FOR OUR JEWISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
AND I'M CONFIDENT AND I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO DO SO.
I DON'T THINK I TRULY APPRECIATED HOW DEEP ROOTED ANTISEMITISM WAS UNTIL TRAGIC EVENTS IN RECENT YEARS.
THAT SAID, I ALSO WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE IN FREE SPEECH.
WHETHER I AGREE WITH IT OR THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY ABHORRENT.
DO I THINK A COMMUNITY PARTNER IN A COMMUNITY WITH SUCH A LARGE JEWISH PRESENCE? SHOULD IT MINIMUM PLAY SHOWS DEPICTING BOTH SIDES? YEAH, SURE.
BUT IF I WANTED TO INFLUENCE OR HAVE A SAY IN WHAT IS PLAYED IN THE THEATER, I'D BE MORE INVOLVED IN THAT THEATER, WHICH I'M NOT.
SO I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT OUR JEWISH COMMUNITY.
AND I'LL CONTINUE TO WORK HARD IN ENSURING MIAMI BEACH REMAINS THE SAFEST, MOST WELCOMING COMMUNITY FOR OUR JEWISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
AND I'LL ALSO STEADFASTLY SUPPORT THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH.
LET'S BE CLEAR, THOSE THINGS ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
I HOPE WE DON'T EVEN TAKE A VOTE TO REMOVE FUNDING OR EXPEL THE SMA.
I WON'T VOTE IN FAVOR OF THAT.
I DO HOPE ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TAKE IT UPON OURSELVES TO HEAR THE PAIN AND PASSION ON BOTH SIDES.
COMMIT TO PLAYING FILMS THAT SHOW A WIDE VARIETY OF INTERESTS.
WE NEED TO BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
THOSE UP HERE ON THE DAIS AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON OUT THERE IN THIS ROOM, IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US TO REALIZE WE'RE A COMMUNITY OF SHARED VALUES, SHARED INTERESTS, AND DISAGREEING IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER.
THIS MAY SOUND SILLY OR CHEESY, BUT I MEAN IT.
BEFORE EVERYONE LEAVES THESE CHAMBERS, I ENCOURAGE YOU, INTRODUCE YOURSELVES.
SHAKE YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HAND OF SOMEBODY THAT YOU THINK LIKELY HAS AN OPPOSING VIEWPOINT AS YOUR OWN.
IN FACT, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THE MAYOR WILL ALLOW THIS, BUT I ALSO ASK FOR ANYONE THAT WISHES TO.
LET'S UNITE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
WHEN EVERYBODY SAYS WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY, LET'S JOIN TOGETHER FOR A PICTURE
[02:05:01]
WHERE WE'RE SYMBOLICALLY SAYING WE RESPECT ALL VIEWPOINTS OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.AND IF YOU WANNA LAUGH OR MOCK THAT, IT'S NOT 'CAUSE IT'S SILLY OR CHEESY, MAYBE IT'S 'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO SHARE WITH YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAT HAVE DIFFERING VIEWPOINTS.
SO IN SUMMATION, I'LL BE VOTING TO UPHOLD FREE SPEECH, BUT PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, FOR OUR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES.
I'M CALLING UPON OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER, TO UNITE, TO STAND TOGETHER, NOT JUST WITH THOSE THAT WE AGREE WITH, BUT THOSE THAT WE LIKELY DISAGREE WITH AS WELL.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME, UH, BACKGROUND HISTORY ABOUT WHO I AM.
I WAS BORN TO A YIDDISH SPEAKING FATHER, AND BOTH OF MY GRANDPARENTS ON MY FATHER'S SIDE WERE KILLED IN A POGROM IN BELARUS.
I MARRIED A HISPANIC, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, MY MOTHER MARRIED TWICE, ONCE TO A JEWISH MAN, ONES TO A PERSIAN MAN.
SO I HAVE THREE, UM, IRANIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
SO IN MY FAMILY, WE, THERE'S A LOT OF DIVERSITY, A LOT OF LOVE, A LOT OF FOCUS ON ACADEMIA AND, AND, AND DIALOGUE.
AND FRANKLY, THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT WE DISAGREE ABOUT.
AND I FOUND OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS THAT MY SIBLINGS AND I SOMETIMES HAVE TERRIBLE FIGHTS, UM, OVER THE ISRAELI PALESTINIAN CONFLICT.
BUT WE DISCUSS IT AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE SAME MOTHER.
AND IT IT IS, IT IS, YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS.
AND WE, WE ENCOURAGE THOSE DIALOGUES.
AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, I HAVE TO PUT MYSELF INTO EVERYONE'S SHOES.
I PRACTICE EMPATHY AS A POLITICIAN.
AND I DON'T THINK WE SEE THAT ENOUGH IN POLITICS.
AND WHEN I GOT THE MAYOR'S EMAIL, UM, WHICH WAS THREATENING TO DEFUND, THE SMA HAD TO PUT MYSELF IN HIS SHOES AND SAY, WHY DID HE DO THIS? AND OBVIOUSLY, UM, MAYOR MINOR, YOU DID THIS BECAUSE YOU FOUND THAT THE SMA IN A CITY BUILDING RECEIVING PUBLIC FUNDS, OF WHICH BY THE WAY, I RECENTLY, UM, SPONSORED $75,000 TO HAVE THIS DCP EQUIPMENT AND THE SCREEN.
SO, AND MY COLLEAGUES UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED THAT, UM, DECISION TO FUND AND GET THE SINEMA NEW EQUIPMENT.
SO I THINK FROM HIS SIDE OF THIS EQUATION, UH, SHOWING THIS MOVIE IN WHAT, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ AND COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE SAID IS A, YOU KNOW, A JEWISH COMMUNITY WAS VERY OFFENSIVE.
BUT THEN THE OZ CINEMA'S REACTION TO WHAT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND I THINK THIS KNEE JERK REACTION MAYOR WENT A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR AS YOU CAN SEE TODAY.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THE O'S REACTION TO HIS COMPLAINT TO ADD MORE SCREENINGS AND, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY FUNDRAISE, I ALSO THINK THAT THAT WAS ANTAGONISTIC TOO.
AND IT REALLY DOES DISCOURAGE ANY KIND OF OPEN DIALOGUE.
AND I WAS VERY UPSET ABOUT THE POTENTIAL DEFUNDING AND EVICTION OF THE SMA.
AND I ABSOLUTELY DON'T SUPPORT THAT.
AND THE RES AND WHEN THE MAYOR PRESENTED THE SECOND RESOLUTION YESTERDAY, WHICH IS AN URGING TO SHOW AND TELL BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY, I THOUGHT, WELL, WE'RE COMING TO SOME SORT OF MIDDLE GROUND.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE FEEL THAT THE MAYOR IS PRESENTING THE SECOND RESOLUTION.
UM, BECAUSE TO SOMEHOW PUNISH THE O IN THE FUTURE.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD NEVER LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN.
OKAY? DO NOT BELIEVE IN CENSORSHIP.
AND FRANKLY, THERE WAS YOUNG, ONE YOUNG LADY WHO CAME UP TO SPEAK TODAY, A, UM, A RESIDENT OF MIAMI BEACH WHO SAID, YOU KNOW, WE ENCOURAGE DIALOGUES BETWEEN, UM, THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY, BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, ALL PEOPLES.
AND I THINK THIS UNIFYING MESSAGE FROM COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AND COMMISSIONER BOT WERE VERY HEALTHY.
THIS TYPE OF DIVISION IS SO UNHEALTHY, MAYOR MINOR FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I WOULD ASK TODAY AND I WOULD SUPPORT COMMISSIONER BOT'S.
I WOULD SUPPORT COMMISSIONER BOT'S IDEA TO HOLD SCREENINGS SURROUNDING OCTOBER 7TH, IF THAT, IF THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.
AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU JUST WITHDRAW BOTH OF THESE RESOLUTIONS, WHICH PEOPLE FIND PUNISHING AND CENSORING, AND WHY HAVE
[02:10:01]
THIS? AND, AND, AND, AND, AND BY THE WAY, YEAH, IT'S NOT A VERY ENTHUSIASTIC CLASS, BUT THIS IS NOT AN EASY POSITION TO BE IN AND DO THE RIGHT THING AND DO WHAT IS FAIR AND PROTECT OUR CONSTITUTION, AND AT THE SAME TIME UNDERSTAND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE DEEPLY OFFENDED BY THIS.YOU KNOW, I WAS IN ROME ON VACATION THIS SUMMER AT AN OUTDOOR CAFE, AND THERE WAS A VIOLINIST, AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE STARTED TO PLAY HAVA NA, AND NOT IN A VERY NICE WAY.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I BEGAN TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.
I I DID, BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I SAID, WELL, WHY IS, IS HE LIKE, YOU KNOW, MARKING ME AND WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? AND, YOU KNOW, IS, IS THERE GONNA BE SOME SORT OF REPERCUSSION? SO YES, ANTISEMITISM IS REAL, AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE FEELING FEARFUL.
OKAY? SO I WOULD ASK MAYOR MINOR TODAY, LET'S PULL THIS RESOLUTION.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DIALOGUE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE O CINEMA AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND TALK THIS OUT, FINE, BUT LET'S NOT, YOU KNOW, PUNISH AN ORGANIZATION THAT HOSTS THE JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL THAT SCREENS A HOLOCAUST MOVIE MONTHLY THAT HAS A LOT OF CRED IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY.
OKAY? SO, AND DON'T FORCE A VOTE ON SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE PUNISHING WHEN WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS POSSIBLY HAVE DIALOGUE.
SO WOULD YOU CONSIDER PULLING BOTH OF THESE RESOLUTIONS PLEASE? AND HAVING AN ADDITIONAL SUNSHINE MEETING THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN ATTEND.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM ALL MY COLLEAGUES, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR HONOR.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT OUR CITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CITY THAT THRIVES ON ARTISTIC EXPRESSION, WHERE CREATIVITY IS CELEBRATED AND DIVERSE VOICES HAVE A PLACE TO BE HEARD.
WE ARE HOME TO A THRIVING ARTS AND CULTURAL SCENE, ONE THAT HAS HISTORICALLY UPLIFTED DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE, INCLUDING THOSE OF OUR JEWISH COMMUNITY.
FROM HOSTING THE MIAMI JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL TO SUPPORTING HOLOCAUST EDUCATION INITIATIVES, OUR CITY HAS ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD THE POWER OF ART TO EDUCATE, TO HEAL, AND TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
WE INVEST IN THE ARTS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN THEIR POWER TO SHAPE COMMUNITIES.
FOR DECADES, MIAMI BEACH HAS BEEN A NATIONAL LEADER IN CULTURAL FUNDING, SUPPORTING EVERYTHING FROM WORLD CLASS SYMPHONIES TO EMERGING FILMMAKERS.
BUT WITH THAT INVESTMENT COMES A FUNDAMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY NOT TO CONTROL CONTENT, BUT TO ENSURE THAT THE PUBLIC RESOURCES SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD WHILE RESPECTING THE FREEDOMS THAT MAKE ARTS POSSIBLE.
ART PROVOKES US, IT INSPIRES US.
BUT WITH THAT POWER COMES RESPONSIBILITY.
THE RESPONSIBILITY TO UPHOLD THE FREEDOMS THAT MAKE ARTISTIC EXPRESSION POSSIBLE.
AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS CLEAR.
GOVERNMENT MUST NEVER CENSOR ARTISTIC EXPRESSION, EVEN WHEN IT IS CONTROVERSIAL OR DEEPLY OFFENSIVE AT THE SAME TIME, WHILE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IS ABSOLUTE, PUBLIC FUNDING IS NOT.
INSTITUTIONS THAT RECEIVE TAXPAYER SUPPORT SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF THE DIVERSE COMMUNITY THAT THEY ARE IN.
BUT THE ANSWER TO SPEECH WE FIND OFFENSIVE IS NEVER CENSORSHIP.
IT IS A COMMITMENT TO THE TRUTH.
A TRUE COMMITMENT TO FUNDING ARTS IS ALSO A COMMITMENT TO ARTISTIC FREEDOM.
EVEN WHEN WE FIND THE ART TROUBLING, IN FACT, THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE ARTS OF PHARMACISTS, I'M GONNA QUOTE DIRECTLY FROM THEM, STATING THAT THE FREEDOM OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION IS, IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR DEMOCRACY.
THE ARTS SHOULD CHALLENGE, PROVOKE AND EXPAND OUR PERSPECTIVES.
WHILE PUBLIC FUNDS SHOULD NOT BE USED TO DICTATE ART ARTISTIC CONTENT, THEY MUST UPHOLD THE PRINCIPLE THAT NO ART SHOULD BE CENSORED SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS CONTROVERSIAL.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE DEEP CONCERNS RAISED ABOUT THIS FILM, AND I TAKE THEM VERY SERIOUSLY.
[02:15:01]
JEWISH PEOPLE HAVE ENDORSED CENTURIES OF SLANDER AND MISINFORMATION, THAT HAS FIELD HATRED, THAT HAS FIELD VIOLENCE, THAT HAS FIELD PERSECUTION.AND IT'S SAD THAT IN 2025, ANTISEMITISM IS NOT A HISTORICAL RELIC.
IT IS A GROWING DANGER THAT HAS NO PLACE IN OUR CITY, IN OUR COUNTRY, OR ANY WORLD IN THE WORLD.
WE MUST REJECT EFFORTS TO DE LEGITIMIZE ISRAEL AND JEWISH IDENTITY JUST AS WE REJECT ALL FORMS OF BIGOTRY.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT SINEMA, LIKE ANY INSTITUTION RECEIVING PUBLIC FUNDS, HAS A RESPONSIBILITY.
AND THAT RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ENSURE THAT IMPORTANT ISSUES LIKE THIS CURRENT WORLD OF FEAR IS PRESENTED WITH FAIRNESS AND WITH BALANCE.
BUT THAT RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD NOT COME FROM A GOVERNMENT MANDATE.
IF WE START POLICING ARTISTIC CONTENT TODAY, WHERE DOES IT STOP? DO WE BEGIN REQUIRING RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS TO RECEIVE CITY FUNDING TO ALTER THEIR MESSAGING IF IT DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S POSITION AS AN OPENLY GAY MAN? THIS IS AN ISSUE I'VE ENCOUNTERED AS A COMMISSIONER.
I'VE ENCOUNTERED WITH THE ISSUE OF FUNDING RELIGIOUS ENTITIES THAT DON'T ALIGN PRECISELY WITH THE CITY'S POSITION ON L-G-B-T-Q ISSUES.
AND I'VE SIDED WITH THE RIGHT TO THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, TO THE FREEDOM OF RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
'CAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE DO IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
'CAUSE ONCE WE CROSS THAT LINE, WHERE DOES IT END? INSTEAD OF MANDATES? I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE INSTITUTIONS TO ACT RESPONSIBLY, TO BE FAIR, TO BE BALANCED, TO RECOGNIZE THE POWER THAT THEY HOLD IN SHAPING PUBLIC DISCOURSE.
BUT WE MUST DO THIS WHILE RESPECTING THE VERY FREEDOMS THAT MAKE THAT DISCOURSE POSSIBLE.
AND JUST AS I CANNOT SUPPORT THE ITEM BEFORE US TODAY TO END THE LEASE OF OLD CINEMA, I HAVE TO SAY I AM DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED BY THE HATRED, BY THE INTOLERANCE THAT HAS BEEN DISPLAYED IN THESE CHAMBERS.
BUT I EXPECT MORE FROM A COMMUNITY THAT BELIEVES IN FREEDOM OF SPEECH, THAT BELIEVES IN THE DIVERSITY OF OPINIONS THAT SEEKS TO UPHOLD THESE TRUE AND AMERICAN VALUES.
WE DON'T DO THAT BY THIS KIND OF VI, IT DOESN'T STRENGTHEN ANYONE'S ARGUMENT.
IT MAKES IT SO MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO TAKE AN IMPORTANT VOTE ABOUT FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
IT IS SADDENING TO SEE THIS BLATANT ANTISEMITISM IN OUR COMMISSION CHAMBERS.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT HAS BEEN EXPOSED IN PART TODAY.
NOT BY EVERYONE, BUT BY SOME WHAT WE HAVE RECEIVED IT IN OUR EMAILS.
WE'VE RECEIVED IT IN PHONE CALLS TO OUR OFFICES.
AND THAT CANNOT BE THE PATH TOWARDS UNIFYING A COMMUNITY.
WE CAN'T HAVE HATEFUL DIALOGUE WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO REACH A POSITIVE OUTCOME.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OLD CINEMA HAS FAILED TO FIND THE PROPER PATH THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THE DEEP PAIN, THAT IT HAS COST.
AND I THINK THAT'S A RESPONSIBILITY THAT THEY HAVE THAT IS DISAPPOINTING TO ME.
WHEN POOR JUDGMENT OCCURS, IT IS THE RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO, TO CORRECT IT.
THE MAYORS, EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME.
YOU'RE WHOLE HIM FOR CREATING HATRED.
WHETHER WE BE ELECTED LEADERS OR CULTURAL LEADERS OR CIVIC LEADERS.
WHEN WE MAKE MISTAKES, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CORRECT OUR MISTAKES.
AND I'VE HAD TO DO IT IN THE PAST.
THE POSITION IS NOT TO DOUBLE DOWN THE CORRECT COURSE OF ACTION IS TO SAY, WE'VE MADE A MISTAKE.
WE'RE WILLING TO FIND A PATH FORWARD.
AS LEADERS, WE, WE MUST MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON PRINCIPLES THAT WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME.
AND THIS IS MORE THAN JUST ONE FILM.
THIS IS ABOUT DEFINING THE KIND OF CITY WE WANT TO BE, NOT JUST FOR TODAY, BUT FOR THE FUTURE.
WE CAN STAND FIRMLY AGAINST ANTISEMITISM WITHOUT SETTING A PRECEDENT THAT COULD LATER BE USED
[02:20:01]
TO SILENCE OTHERS.WE CAN REJECT HATEFUL RHETORIC WITHOUT HANDING GOVERNMENT THE POWER TO DECIDE WHAT ART IS ACCEPTABLE.
WE CAN FIGHT FOR TRUTH WITHOUT SACRIFICING THE FREEDOMS THAT ALLOW TRUTH TO FLOURISH.
AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE IN THE BUSINESS OF DICTATING ARTISTIC POLICY OR ARTISTIC CONTENT.
THIS IS A MOMENT TO DEFENSE, FREEDOM OF SPEECH, AND TO STAND AGAINST ANTISEMITISM AND TO REAFFIRM OUR CITY'S COMMITMENT TO FAIRNESS, TO TRUTH, AND TO RESPONSIBLE PUBLIC DISCOURSE.
AND I TRULY FEEL THAT WE DO THAT NOT BY PASSING THE ITEMS IN FRONT OF US TODAY, BUT WE DO THAT BY LEADING, BY EXAMPLE, BY STANDING STRONG IN OUR PRINCIPLES, BY FOSTERING DIALOGUE, BY FOSTERING UNDERSTANDING.
AND AS COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE SAID, BY FOSTERING UNITY.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I STAND ON THIS.
I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY BEEN MANY MISTAKES MADE, BUT I THINK WE ARE A COMMUNITY AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THE PROPER PATH FORWARD.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ACKNOWLEDGING THAT A MISTAKE WAS MADE, OR THAT PEOPLE MAY PERCEIVE THIS FILM IN A WAY THAT IS NOT APPETIZING IN A WAY THAT'S HURTFUL.
BUT THE POINT IS, HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE? DO WE JUST DOUBLE DOWN AND SAY, YES, WE ACKNOWLEDGED THIS FILM WAS HURTFUL, AND YES, WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO REMOVE IT, BUT WE'RE JUST GONNA IGNORE ALL OF THAT.
OR DO WE FIND A COMMON PATH FORWARD THAT RESPECTS EACH OTHER AS ONE COMMUNITY? AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE CHALLENGE IN FRONT OF US TODAY.
AND I THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE ELEVATED DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD HERE TODAY FOR EVERYONE'S POSITION.
BUT I TRULY FEEL THAT CENSORING CINON BY REVOKING THEIR LEASE IS NOT THE PATH FORWARD.
AND IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS PRECEDENT FOR US TO SEND AS A GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT JUST COULD, COULD BE TRANSMITTED TO OTHER ENTITIES.
IT COULD BE TRANSMITTED TO RELIGIOUS ENTITIES.
IT COULD BE TRANSMITTED TO, TO OTHER TIMES IN THE FUTURE WHERE PERHAPS THE SENTIMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE DIFFERENT.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO ECHO ALL THE SAME THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID ON THE DAY.
AS, UM, I WILL MENTION, MIAMI BEACH DOES HAVE A VERY VIBRANT JEWISH COMMUNITY.
THERE IS NO PLACE IN OUR CITY FOR ANTI-SEMITISM.
SMA HAS BEEN AN ART HOUSE THEATER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
THEY'VE HOSTED THE JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL.
AND AS SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE MENTIONED, HAVE THERE BEEN MISTAKES MADE ON BOTH SIDES HERE? I THINK SO.
BUT CENSORSHIP IS NOT THE ANSWER.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO COME TO A COMPROMISE SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
AND I KNOW HOW MUCH THIS PAINS THE MAYOR, EVEN JUST DISCUSSING IT, I SEE IT IN HIS EYES.
AND IT'S, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S VERY DEEP.
AND I HOPE THAT TOGETHER WE CAN FIND A PATH FORWARD HERE.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA START OFF, ALTHOUGH MOST OF IT WAS HEALTHY, SOME OF IT I, I'LL ADMIT WAS HURTFUL.
UH, I'M APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYONE WHO CAME IN HERE.
I, I HOPE YOU SAW THAT I WAS ATTENTIVE, UH, OTHER THAN RUNNING TO THE RESTROOM AT ONE POINT.
AND THAT WAS THE POINT OF HAVING IT AND EXTENDING THE FORUM.
ALSO VERY APPRECIATIVE OF MY COLLEAGUES.
UNITY DOESN'T MEAN WE AGREE ON EVERY POLICY DECISION.
UNITY MEANS THAT WE ARE STRIVING FOR WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CITY AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS JOKE THAT I MADE THE MOVIE MORE POPULAR BY DOING WHAT I DID THAN THE ACADEMY AWARDS DID.
I, I KNEW THIS WOULD CREATE A DIALOGUE.
UH, AND I DON'T WANNA SAY THAT I, I AM SHOCKED BY WHAT'S TRANSPIRED AND, AND THE ATTENTION THAT IT'S GOT.
UH, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT I EXPECTED THERE TO BE A BIT.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY NOBODY CAN PREDICT THIS LEVEL.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S, FOR THE MOST PART, A HEALTHY DI DISCOURSE.
I VIEWED THIS AS A PUBLIC SAFETY MEASURE.
I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WATER AND SEWER.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT OUR CITY IS.
WE'RE A NON-PARTISAN GOVERNMENT.
BUT I, AND I, I'M TRYING NOT TO GET EMOTIONAL, BUT I LEGITIMATELY VIEWED THIS AS A PUBLIC SAFETY THREAT.
I DIDN'T THINK ANYBODY IN MIAMI BEACH IS GONNA GET HURT OR ATTACKED BECAUSE THIS MOVIE IS BEING SHOWN.
BUT I SEE, AND I'M WITNESSING WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR WORLD.
[02:25:01]
MANY PLACES IN EUROPE THAT JEWS DO NOT WEAR YAMIKAS ON THEIR HEAD.THEY'RE TOLD BY THEIR RABBIS AND LEADERS NOT TO.
THAT WAS ONCE UNTHINKABLE IN AMERICA.
YOU HEARD IT FROM A VICE MAYOR.
SHE DOESN'T WEAR HER JEWISH STAR.
BUT I ALSO HEAR FROM PEOPLE, NOT JUST JEWS.
I HEAR FROM MANY PEOPLE, THANK YOU MAYOR.
THANK YOU TO OUR POLICE FOR MAKING MIAMI BEACH, SUCH MIAMI BEACH, SUCH A SAFE CITY.
BUT I DO HEAR IT FROM MANY OF OUR MIAMI BEACH JEWISH RESIDENTS.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS ONE OF THE LAST BASTIONS IN THE WORLD WHERE WE FEEL SAFE, WHERE WE CAN WALK DOWN THE STREET AND BE PROUD OF OUR IDENTITY.
BUT THAT IS CRUMBLING IN MANY AREAS.
SO WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO WAS HIGHLIGHT A LEVEL OF HURT AND WHAT PROPAGANDA, YES, IT ALL NEEDS TO BE HURT, BUT A LEVEL OF PROPAGANDA THAT EVENTUALLY CAN LEAD TO DEVASTATION, WHETHER IT BE POGROMS IN EUROPE.
AND BY THE WAY, I'M PICKING ON JEWISH ISSUES, BUT IT'S HAPPENED TO OTHER GROUPS TOO.
AND I WILL FIGHT TO DEFEND EVERY GROUP IN MIAMI BEACH, POGROMS IN EUROPE, THE HOLOCAUST, AND CERTAINLY OCTOBER 7TH.
IT STARTS WITH PROPAGANDA IN DE DEHUMANIZING PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT THIS TO THE FOREFRONT.
'CAUSE IN MY VIEW, IT WAS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
AND I WOULD IMPLORE THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
AND I REALLY AM, I REALLY AM APPRECIATIVE OF THE PASSION THAT WE SAW TODAY.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES OUR COUNTRY GREAT.
I MEAN IT WHOLEHEARTEDLY, BUT I'M ALSO ASKING PEOPLE, WHETHER IT BE THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, PEOPLE LISTENING, BUT ALL PEOPLE OF GOOD CONSCIOUS TO HAVE THAT SAME PASSION.
WHEN ANY GROUP IS ATTACKED, WHEN ANY GROUP IS UNDER A THREAT, AND JEWS ARE FEARFUL.
I AM TELLING YOU, I DON'T SPEAK FOR JEWISH PEOPLE, BUT I THINK WE ALL KNOW IT.
WE ARE SHOCKED BY THE LEVEL OF ANTISEMITISM AND JEW HATRED AND EXCUSES THAT ARE MADE FOR WHY IT IS OKAY TO DEHUMANIZE A JEW.
WHATEVER EXCUSE YOU WANT TO USE.
YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT HISTORY, THERE'S BEEN DIFFERENT EXCUSES FOR HATING JEWS.
SOMETIMES IT'S 'CAUSE JEWS ARE TOO SUCCESSFUL SOMETIMES 'CAUSE THEY'RE TOO POOR.
EVERY GENERATION, IT MORPHS INTO SOMETHING ELSE.
IT'S JUST A CONVENIENT EXCUSE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT, THAT WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF WHERE HATE CAN GO AND WHERE IT CAN LEAD TO.
AND THAT WE SHOULD JUST KEEP OPEN-MINDED PERSPECTIVES.
[C7 A A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ELECTING COMMISSIONER DAVID SUAREZ, GROUP V, AS VICE-MAYOR, FOR A TERM COMMENCING ON APRIL 1, 2025, AND TERMINATING ON JULY 31, 2025.]
AM GONNA WITHDRAW C SEVEN AA, THE, UH, REVOKING OF THE FUNDING TO SINEMA.UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I HEARD SOME R SEVEN G, WHICH IS THE ENCOURAGING.
I HEARD SOME COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
I ACTUALLY, I'M GONNA DEFER THAT.
I THINK IT, IT'S OPEN TO MORE DISCUSSION.
I ALSO THINK IT'S NOT GONNA BE HEALTHY TO DEBATE WHAT THE WORDING IS.
THE NUANCE IS, I OVERALL THINK THIS WAS A VERY POSITIVE TODAY.
BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF YOU SAID SOME THINGS WERE HURTFUL, I LOVE YOU ALL.
WE'RE ALL AMERICANS, WE'RE ALL PROUD TO BE IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND I REALLY JUST WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR US, OUR CITY AND OUR COUNTRY, AND THE WORLD.
SHOULD WE DO THAT GROUP PICTURE? YEAH.
I'M OPEN TO THAT IDEA FOR A GROUP PICTURE.
WHO DOESN'T LIKE A SELFIE? JUST UP HERE? THANK YOU, BY THE WAY.
[02:32:00]
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND RESUME THE MEETING.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND RESUME THE MEETING.
WE ASK FOR EVERYONE TO CLEAR, UH, THE CHAMBERS AT THIS MOMENT.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND RESUME THE MEETING AT THIS TIME.
SO PLEASE, UH, WE ASK THE MEDIA, UM, TO GO AHEAD AND CLEAR OUT THE CENTER PORTION OF THE DAY SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE AND RESUME THE MEETING.
THE MEETING IS ABOUT TO BEGIN.
REMEMBER TO SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE.
AS THIS MEETING IS BEING RECORDED FOR PUBLIC RECORD,
[02:35:52]
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND, AND RESUME THE MEETING.WE ASK THAT YOU KINDLY, UM, IF YOU'RE HAVING CONVERSATION TO STEP, UH, OUTSIDE, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND RESUME THE MEETING.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING.
THE MEETING IS ABOUT TO BEGIN.
REMEMBER TO SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE AS THIS MEETING IS BEING RECORDED FOR PUBLIC RECORD.
BACK TO, UH, ORDER OF BUSINESS.
UM, THANK YOU AGAIN TO MY COLLEAGUES AND EVERYONE HERE FOR, UH, A VERY POWERFUL AND IMPORTANT DISCUSSION.
[R9 D PRESENTATION BY PROPERTY APPRAISER TOMAS REGALADO.]
UM, WE DO HAVE SOME IMPORTANT BUSINESS, UH, IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE DISCUSSED THIS MORNING.[02:40:01]
PROUD TO, UH, INVITE, UH, MAYOR AND PROPERTY APPRAISER THOMAS RDO TO GIVE US AN UPDATE.UH, MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, UH, UH,
BUT, UH, I, I GUESS, UH, REMEMBER MY DAYS AT THE CITY OF MIAMI WHEN WE HAD, UH, SO MANY PEOPLE, UH, TALKING ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSUES.
UH, MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, UH, MR. UH, ATTORNEY, MR. ATTORNEY, UH, MANAGER.
UH, I'M HERE TO INTRODUCE, UH, THE NEW OFFICE OF THE PROPERTY APPRAISAL, AS YOU KNOW, UH, BECAUSE CHANGE IN THE CONSTITUTION ON NOVEMBER 5TH, UH, THE PEOPLE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ELECTED FIVE, UH, NEW CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS.
AND THOSE WILL BE INDEPENDENT OF THE COUNTY, UH, GOVERNMENT.
SO IN JANUARY 7TH, WE ALL TOOK OFFICE.
UH, WHAT I'M HERE TO DO IS TO OFFER YOU THE SERVICES OF OUR OFFICE IN THESE TWO MONTHS.
I FOUND THAT THERE ARE MANY, MANY PEOPLE THAT DO NOT UNDERSTAND OR DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SERVICES AND THE BENEFITS THAT THEY HAVE, UH, IN TERMS OF EXEMPTIONS FOR WIDOWS OR FOR, UH, UH, VETERANS, UH, FOR PERSON WITH DISABILITIES, FOR SENIORS.
AND, UH, IT'S OUR MISSION TO EXPLAIN TO THEM, UH, THE WAY THAT THE SYSTEM WORK.
WE ARE SUPPOSED BY A STATE STATUE TO VALUE PROPERTY, ADJUST, UH, JUST, UH, PRICE.
UH, AND WE ALL SEEN THE GROWTH, UH, IN, IN THE PAST, UH, YEARS IN ALL MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY IN MIAMI BEACH.
UH, WE ARE SEEING THAT THE MARKET IS, UH, IS BEEN STABLE IN THE LAST, UH, SIX MONTHS.
BUT, UH, WE WILL BE SENDING, UH, IN AUGUST, UH, THE TRIM NOTICE, UH, TO 1000000.2, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.
WHAT I WANT TO OFFER IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OTHER CITIES NOW, UH, WHENEVER THIS COMMISSION, THE MANAGER DECIDES, UH, WE CAN BRING A TEAM, UH, TO CITY HALL FOR THE DAY, UH, AND BRING THE RESIDENTS.
UH, AND WE'LL HAVE, UH, COMPUTERS, UH, AND PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND, UH, THE DIFFERENT EXEMPTIONS AND ISSUES, UH, FIX PROBLEMS, UH, FOR YOUR RESIDENTS.
WE ARE ALSO LAUNCHING, UH, A NEW SYSTEM, UH, NEVER DONE BEFORE, WHICH WILL BE, UH, UH, VEHICLES, UH, WITH, UH, THE, UH, WHEELCHAIR.
WE WILL BE DOING HOME VISITS FOR A PERSON WITH A SPECIAL NEEDS, UH, BECAUSE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM, UH, TO GO OUT TO DOWNTOWN OR TO THE SOUTH OFFICE.
SO WE'LL BE VISITING THOSE PEOPLE THAT REQUIRE, UH, HELP AND, UH, FIXING THEIR PROBLEMS. UH, THERE ARE MANY ISSUES, UH, IN TERMS OF TRUST, UH, THAT PEOPLE CREATE AND LOSE THEIR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AND OTHER, UH, THINGS THAT WE BELIEVE CAN BE SOLVED, UH, BY TALKING FACE TO FACE.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ANYTIME WE'LL BE, UH, READY TO COME TO BEAUTIFUL MIAMI BEACH, UH, TO SERVE YOUR RESIDENT.
I APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE UPDATE AND, UH, COMING IN HERE AND FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, AND OBVIOUSLY FOR MAKING YOURSELF ACCESSIBLE.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
[C7 Q A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, URGING FLORIDA SENATORS ASHLEY MOODY AND RICK SCOTT, AS WELL AS HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE MARIA ELVIRA SALAZAR, TO ADVOCATE FOR THE IMMEDIATE REVIEW, REEVALUATION, AND REINSTATEMENT OF THE LAID-OFF NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA) SCIENTISTS AND STAFF TO ENSURE THE CONTINUED SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF MILLIONS OF FLORIDIANS WHO DEPEND ON NOAA'S WORLD-CLASS HURRICANE TRACKING AND WEATHER FORECASTING SYSTEMS.]
[C7 Z A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, AUTHORIZING A ONE-TIME GRANT OF $5,000.00 TO THE CENTER FOR FOLK AND COMMUNITY ART TO SPONSOR ITS ALIVE ON SOUTH BEACH AND IT’S JUST A CONVERSATION PROGRAMMING, WITH MONIES TO BE DRAWN FROM AVAILABLE FUNDS PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED BY THE CITY TO AID CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IMPACTED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA’S REDUCTION IN FUNDING FOR ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS.]
[C7 AD A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO ISSUE REFUNDS TO RESIDENTS WHO WERE CHARGED THE $30 FLAT RATE FOR PARKING AT CERTAIN CITY-OWNED SURFACE LOTS AND PARKING GARAGES UPON PROVIDING DOCUMENTATION OF AMOUNT PAID AND PROOF OF RESIDENCY, WITH SUCH REFUNDS TO BE IN THE AMOUNT OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FLAT RATE APPLICABLE TO NON-RESIDENTS AND THE REGULAR RESIDENT RATE.]
BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE NEED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.SO, JUST FOR THE RECORD, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS HAVE BEEN SEPARATED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
COMMISSIONER BOT IS SEPARATING C SEVEN W, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ IS SEPARATING C SEVEN W.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ IS SEPARATING C TWO B AS IN BOY, AND C SEVEN E COMMISSIONER ROSA GONZALEZ IS SEPARATING C FOUR I AND C SEVEN A D COMMISSIONER.
SUAREZ IS SEPARATING C SEVEN A FC SEVEN Q AND C SEVEN Z.
UH, THE ADDENDUM ITEMS HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED, HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED TO GO INTO THE AGENDA.
THOSE WILL BE HEARD AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK.
SO IF I MAY HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, EXCLUDING THE ADDENDUMS AND EXCLUDING THE SEPARATED ITEMS. SO MOVED.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
[02:45:01]
ROSEN GONZALEZ.[C7 AF A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $75,000 TO THE VISION FRAME, LLC (PRODUCER) FOR THE PRODUCTION OF THE DOCUMENTARY FILM "LAPIDUS: ARCHITECT OF JOY" (WORK), SUCH FUNDING TO BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLY UPON PRODUCER'S SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTATION SATISFACTORY TO THE CITY IN ITS SOLE DISCRETION, THAT THE PRODUCER HAS RAISED AT LEAST $1,000,000 FOR THE PRODUCTION OF THE WORK; AND FURTHER, DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO INCLUDE THIS GRANT IN THE FY 2026 BUDGET; AND FURTHER, AUTHORIZING THE CITY CLERK AND CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE CITY'S STANDARD CULTURAL GRANT AGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE FOREGOING.]
C SEVEN C SEVEN AF IS APPROVED $75,000 GRANT SUPPORT.LAPIDUS ARCHITECT OF JOY DOCUMENTARY C SEVEN A F WAS SEPARATED BY COMMISSIONER SU SUAREZ.
UH, DID YOU WANT US TO SPEAK OR DO YOU WANT US TO ADDRESS COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONER SUAREZ? UM, UH, UH, SINCE COMMISSIONER SUAREZ PULLED IT, LET'S HAVE HIM GIVE US HIS THOUGHTS.
UM, WHEN, WHEN I SAW THIS ITEM, I, I, I WAS A LITTLE CAUGHT OFF GUARD.
I I, I DON'T THINK GENERALLY THAT SPENDING $75,000 OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO FUND A FILM IS THE RIGHT APPROACH.
AND WHEN I GOT A TEXT MESSAGE FROM COMMISSIONER LIBIN, UM, I, I SIMPLY ASKED, UH, A COUPLE THINGS.
I SAID, WHAT, WHAT'S THE 75? THAT'S 'CAUSE IT'S AN ODD NUMBER.
WHAT, WHAT, WHY $75,000? UM, AND HE SAID IT WAS TOWARD THE COST OF THE FILM.
THE DIRECTOR PRODUCER WILL BE AT THE COMMISSION MEETING ON WEDNESDAY.
UM, THEY HAVE APPLIED FOR A NUMBER OF GRANTS, AND WE HAVE MET WITH THE FOUNTAIN BLUE, WHICH WE HAVE MADE A LARGE, LARGER REQUEST, INCLUDING BOTH CASH AND SOFT COST, AS WELL AS OTHER MEETINGS CURRENTLY BEING SCHEDULED.
THE FILM HAS BEGUN ON SOME OF THE INTERVIEWS ON THE FILM SCHEDULE TO BE COMPILED, UH, COMPLETED IN JUNE, 2026.
UH, CAN WE COUNT ON YOUR SUPPORT? UM, I ASKED HIM, WELL, WHY ARE YOU GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS? AND HIS RESPONSE WAS, I WAS ASKED TO ASSIST IN CONNECTING THE PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT I KNOW IN MIAMI AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
I HAVE REGISTERED AS A LOBBYIST FOR THIS PROJECT AND AM BEING COMPENSATING $2,000 A MONTH.
A SMALL TOKEN FOR THE TIME I'M PUTTING IN, AS I BELIEVE THIS STORY NEEDS TO BE TOLD ON THE BIG SCREEN.
UH, TO ME, LOOK, UM, WHEN I'M BEING LOBBIED BY SOMEONE WHO'S GETTING PAID FOR SOMETHING FOR TAXPAYER DOLLARS, THAT GIVES ME, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF PAUSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I, IF THIS IS GONNA GO TO A FILM, THE FILM'S OBVIOUSLY GONNA GENERATE SOME MONEY.
UH, I HAD SOME CONCERNS WHERE IF, IF, IF WE DID DO THIS, UH, WILL WE BE GETTING BACK? WOULD TAXPAYERS GET BACK THEIR MONEY? OKAY.
UM, OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA GO TO A BOX OFFICE OR IT'S GONNA BE SCREENED SOMEWHERE AND THERE'S GONNA BE TICKET SALES.
SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ROOM TO ADD A REFUND FOR TAXPAYER DOLLARS, UH, TO BE REPAID.
BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, I, I DON'T KNOW IF NOW IS THE TIME BETWEEN RATE HIKES OF WATER AND SEWER, FPL INSURANCE, AFFORDABILITY, THAT SPENDING $75,000 FOR A FILM CREATION, UH, IS THE RIGHT APPROACH.
AND THAT'S SIMPLY THE ONLY REASON I PULLED THE ITEM.
UM, AND I, I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
UH, SO I WAS APPROACHED ABOUT THIS PROJECT, AND IT'S ABOUT MORRIS LAPIDUS, WHO'S ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL ARCHITECTS OF MIAMI BEACH'S HISTORY.
HE DESIGNED SOME OF OUR MOST ICONIC HOTELS, INCLUDING THE FOUNTAIN BLUE, THE EDEN ROCK, THE AMERICANA HOTEL.
AND WHEN I WAS APPROACHED WITH, UH, FROM JERRY AND THE DIRECTOR ASKING FOR HELP IN THE FILM, UH, THE BUDGET IS $1.3 MILLION.
I WENT TO THE COUNTY TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE, AND THEY'RE, THEY DON'T LOOK AT ANYTHING THAT'S UNDER $5 MILLION.
AND IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR FUNDING FROM THEM, THEY WOULD NEED TO HAVE A SPECIFIC, UH, LARGE ROOM BLOCK, WHICH THEY DON'T REQUIRE.
UH, MORRIS LAPIDUS, UM, LIVED AND PASSED AWAY IN MIAMI BEACH.
HE WAS JEWISH, BORN IN ODESSA, UKRAINE, OR NOW SISTER CITY.
AND, UH, ONE IMPORTANT NOTE HERE, UM, IS THAT THE FUNDING IS CONTINGENT ON THE PRODUCER'S ABILITY TO SECURE AT LEAST A MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING.
[02:50:01]
BLANKET 75,000.THEY HAVE TO SHOW THEIR SKIN IN THE GAME.
AND GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF MORRIS LAPIDUS IN OUR CITY AND THE EXCITEMENT AROUND THIS DOCUMENTARY, I, UM, WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, BEFORE WE CALL A VOTE, DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANNA ADD SOMETHING BEFORE I MAKE SOME COMMENTS? UM, I THINK THAT THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT PRODUCING ANY OTHER MOVIE, IT'S ABOUT AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL ACCOUNT OF WHO WE ARE BASED ON OUR ARCHITECTURE.
AND MORRIS LAPIDUS WAS PIVOTAL IN THAT, AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS MOVIE.
AND, UM, I ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT THIS ITEM.
WAS THERE, UM, I KNOW THAT YOU SAID THAT YOU WENT AROUND TO FIND, UH, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT FUNDS.
THERE'S NO FUNDING THAT WE CAN PULL FROM ANY ARTS ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING CULTURAL ARTS TO WORKING.
UM, I CAN LET JERRY AND AND THEM ANSWER THAT QUESTION I TRIED ON MY END ON, UM, WHAT I COULD WITH THE COUNTY AND BCA AND THEY DON'T QUALIFY.
SO BEFORE WE HAVE JERRY ANSWER QUESTIONS, BECAUSE I'M SURE THERE'S A FEW THINGS, JOE, COMMISSIONER MASON, UM, WE RECENTLY, AND MAYBE THERE'S A QUESTION FOR STAFF, BUT WE RECENTLY HAD A FILM GRANT PERMIT, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, PROGRAM, PROGRAM PROGRAM, YES.
I, I KNOW I PERSONALLY SENT IT AROUND TO, UH, A COUPLE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE WERE ACTUALLY OFFERING, UH, GRANT FOR ANY TYPE OF FILM BEING PRODUCED IN MIAMI BEACH.
WILL THIS BE PRODUCED IN MIAMI BEACH? YES.
5 MILLION BUDGET, I BELIEVE WILL BE PRODUCED.
IT'LL BE PRODUCED IN MIAMI BEACH.
AND, AND WHERE ARE YOU EXPECTING TO ROLL THIS OUT? IS, IS THIS GOING TO BE, UH, STREAMING? IS IT GONNA BE IN THE BOX OFFICE? SO FIRST WE'RE LOOKING INTO SUBMITTING IT TO PRESTIGIOUS FIELD FESTIVALS AROUND THE WORLD, AND THEN TO GET IT ON AN ONLINE PLATFORM YES.
AND REACH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, IF NOT MILLIONS OF VIEWERS WHO HOPEFULLY WILL COME TO THE CITY, UH, TO LOOK INTO, UH, EXPLORING SOME OF THE PROPERTIES AND MAYBE ORGANIZING ALONG WITH THE CITY TOUR THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT MAUR LAPD'S WORK.
SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING INTO HOW TO BENEFIT MIAMI BEACH FROM THAT FILM THAT IS GONNA BE ALL ABOUT THE LIFE AND WORK OF MR. LAPIDUS, WHO ACTUALLY, UH, WAS VERY HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL IN WHATEVER HE CREATED, BUT NEVER GOT RECOGNIZED FOR HIS WORK.
UH, AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKING JUSTICE, IF YOU WILL, ACTUALLY HONORING BOTH HIS LIFE, WORK AND THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
SO I, I DO WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH, UH, MY COLLEAGUE COMMISSIONER SU SUAREZ, THAT, THAT THE TIME FOR SCRUTINY OF OUR BUDGET, UH, CERTAINLY IS NOW, AND I KNOW IT'S, UH, UH, KIND OF KICKING THE CAM WHEN YOU SAY, WELL, TIME IS NOW, BUT THIS IS OKAY.
UM, BUT I THINK MY THRESHOLD FOR EVALUATING SOME OF THESE PROJECTS GOING FORWARD IS, YES, IS THERE COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC BENEFIT, UH, BUT ALSO DO WE SEE SOME SORT OF ROI, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, UH, ALLOCATING MONEY FOR EVENTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HOLD, OR, UH, CULTURAL PROGRAMMING THAT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE IT TO.
I DO SEE A, A, A FEASIBLE, UM, CASE WHERE WE ACTUALLY, EVEN FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE, HAVE AN ROI ON THAT TAXPAYER DOLLAR.
IF THIS IS BEING USED TO PROMOTE MIAMI BEACH AND OUR ARTS AND CULTURE AND ARCHITECTURE ACROSS THE WORLD, I I DO SEE A REASONABLE CASE THERE.
SO I, EXCUSE ME, I HAVEN'T SPOKEN YET.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE UNDER ATTACK BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO DEMOLISH OUR ARCHITECTURE.
UM, WE JUST SAVED THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH IS AN UNPOPULAR MARS LAPUS, UM, PIECE OF ARCHITECTURE.
UM, WE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF THE YEAR, GOD HELP ME IF THIS IS POLARIZING, UM, IS THE BRUTALIST RIGHT.
AND IT IS STORY OF A JEWISH REFUGEE, UM, A A FICTIONAL CHARACTER, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, BRUTALIST ARCHITECTURE, JEWISH REFUGEE.
SO I THINK NOW IS THE TIME TO DO THIS BECAUSE, UM, BEYOND JUST WHAT IT DOES FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, I THINK THIS, IF THIS FILM IS DONE WELL, NO PRESSURE.
I'M JUST SAYING, UM, IT COULD BE A COMMERCIAL SUCCESS AS WELL.
I SHARE MY COLLEAGUES' CONCERN ABOUT FINANCES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE FINE FOR THIS YEAR, BUT NEXT YEAR IS GONNA BE A DISASTER, UM, BECAUSE $7 MILLION IS COMING RIGHT OFF THE TOP THANKS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR NEW DMVS APPARENTLY, AND WHO KNOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER AREAS.
SO, UM, I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF, OF, UM, HORSE TRADING FROM THE DAYS, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT, UM, WE GRANT THIS, UM, AND, AND, UM, I'D ACTUALLY MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER UNTIL WE, WE FIGURE OUT THAT THE, THE, UM, UM, HOW TO DO THIS.
BUT WE GRANT THIS, UM, AND EITHER GET REPAID ONCE YOU MAKE YOUR MONEY BACK, OR, UM,
[02:55:01]
HAVE A FINANCIAL INTEREST IN THE SUCCESS OF THE FILM SO THAT IF WE VICE MAYOR, I'M SORRY TO CATCH, I JUST WANTED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.SEVERAL RAISED THAT I JUST CONFERRED WITH MY CLIENT AND HE'S WILLING TO REIMBURSE THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AFTER HE IS COVERED THE COSTS OF, YOU KNOW, OKAY.
SO THIS IS WHY I DON'T WANT TO NEGOTIATE FROM THE DAYS, BUT THAT IS GREAT.
SO I THINK THAT LAYS YOUR CONCERNS, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
UM, I THINK IT IS A TREMENDOUS, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, USEFUL FILM, TREMENDOUSLY USEFUL FILM FOR OUR CITY AND INCREDIBLY INTERESTING, UM, NATIONALLY.
AND I THINK IT IS A GREAT COUNTERPOINT TO SOME OF THE, THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SWIRLING AROUND.
SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO DEFER BECAUSE I WANNA HAVE A CONVERSATION IF IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO, UM, MAKE A DEAL WHERE WE GET REIMBURSED, WHICH IS GREAT AND SAFE, OR IF WE WANNA DO THAT, UM, OR MAYBE TAKE A BET ON THE FILM, UM, AND, AND, AND SEE IF WE GET SOME OWNERSHIP.
BUT, UM, I THINK THAT, THAT THIS IS, UH, A, A GREAT THING TO DO.
I, I, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO BE REIMBURSED AS LONG AS WE'RE MENTIONING.
PUT US IN THE CREDIT SOMEWHERE.
GIVE US A LITTLE SHOUT OUT OF THE CREDIT.
THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, YOU'LL SEE THE MUNICIPALITIES AND GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS ALWAYS, UM, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT CERTAIN FILMS. THIS IS A, THIS IS ALMOST LIKE, UM, PAYING FOR POSITIVE PR MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, AND I'VE SEEN US FUND SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT WILL NOT BE A LASTING PART OF OUR CULTURE, BUT THIS FILM WILL ALWAYS BE THERE.
AND WHEN PEOPLE GOOGLE MORRIS LAPIDUS, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THIS FILM, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO RENT IT.
THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S WONDERFUL PUBLIC RELATIONS.
MAYBE WHAT WE CAN DO IS GET THE G-M-C-B-B TO, UH, ALLOCATE SOME OF OUR G-M-C-B-B FUNDING FOR IT, IF THAT WOULD ALLAY YOUR CONCERNS.
BUT I WOULD RATHER BE A SPONSOR AND HAVE OUR NAME SOMEPLACE ON IT IN THE CREDITS THAN HAVE THAN REQUEST NUMBER ONE.
I, I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, $75,000 IN A MOVIE THAT, WHAT'S YOUR TOTAL BUDGET? 1.3.
I MEAN, YOU REALLY WANNA HAVE THAT PERCENTAGE GIVEN BACK OF THE CREDITS AT THIS TYPE OF MOVIE IS NOT, I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE MONEY.
PEOPLE, SOMETIMES FILMS ARE MADE, YOU KNOW, COMMERCIALLY, BUT THIS IS THE TYPE OF FILM THAT'S AN EDUCATIONAL FILM.
IT'S A FILM THAT WE CAN SHOW IN OUR SCHOOLS IF WE WANTED TO.
WE CAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE PURCHASED BY INSTITUTIONS, LIBRARIES, UH, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN ARCHIVE.
SO I, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD, UH, REQUEST TO BE A BUSINESS PARTNER.
I THINK THAT THE ONLY THING THAT WE MIGHT NEED IS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, JUST IN THE CREDITS WITH OUR LITTLE LOGO, IF I MAY RESPOND, UH, YOU MAY RESPOND.
AND THEN COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, THEN COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
SO, UM, WE WILL OBVIOUSLY GET CREDIT FOR BEING THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH BECAUSE WE ARE THE, WHERE THIS IS ALL HAPPENING.
UM, I KNOW WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
WE HAVE GIVEN GRANTS, WE'VE GIVEN, UM, FUNDING.
AND I, I AM NOT AGAINST DOING THAT.
I, I, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO STAFF COLLEAGUES ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THINGS MOVING FORWARD.
AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST IS, I DON'T THINK IS GOING TO SERVE US WELL IF WE DON'T THINK ABOUT IT IN A MORE, UM, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY, LOOKING AHEAD AT THE REALITY OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
AND SO I'M NOT TRYING TO BE PUNITIVE.
AND ONCE YOU COVER YOUR COSTS, THAT MEANS EVERYBODY IS PAID.
THEN WE, WE, WE GET REIMBURSED OR WE DO SOMETHING ELSE.
AND WE, BUT THAT'S WHY I WANNA DEFER TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
IT WILL BE SHOWN EVERYWHERE WE CAN USE IT.
THAT IS WHY I'M SUPPORTING THIS.
UM, BUT I THINK IF WE ARE NOT STARTING TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND THIS IS NOT A FIVE OR 10, UH, THOUSAND DOLLARS ASK, IT'S CLOSE TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, IT IS NOT INSIGNIFICANT.
AND IF WE DON'T, UM, START HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS, IF THIS WERE $5,000, THEN I'D SAY, YOU KNOW, SURE, BUT IT'S CLOSE TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, SO WHY DON'T WE DO IT IN A WIN-WIN WAY WHERE WE HELP GET THIS FILM MADE AND WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY FISCAL IMPACT, AND THEN EVERYBODY GOES HOME HAPPY.
SO MOTION TO DEFER, I BELIEVE, UM, TAKES PRECEDENCE.
SO I'LL, I'LL LET EVERYONE JUST MAKE STATE THEIR PIECE, BUT THEN, UM, AND, AND THEN JERRY, WE'LL, WE'LL GET TO YOU.
SO, YOU KNOW, TODAY WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO MORE THAN THAN JUST FUND A DOCUMENTARY.
UM, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEFEND THE VERY SOUL OF MIAMI BEACH.
UH, MORRIS LAMPER IS HIS VISIONARY, WORK SHAPED OUR SKYLINE, UH, SHAPED OUR IDENTITY.
UH, HIS ARCHITECTURE IS NOT JUST PART OF OUR HISTORY.
IT'S A CORNERSTONE OF OUR TOURISM ECONOMY AND OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE.
[03:00:03]
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN FACING SO MANY PREEMPTIONS FROM TALLAHASSEE THAT THREATEN, UH, OUR ABILITY TO PROTECT THAT VERY HISTORY, THAT VERY IDENTITY.AND I THINK SUPPORTING THIS DOCUMENTARY, WE ARE MAKING A CLEAR STATEMENT THAT WE AS A CITY VALUE, ITS ARCHITECTURAL LEGACY.
AND WE WILL INVEST AND WE WILL FIGHT TO PRESERVE IT.
I THINK THIS PROJECT WILL EDUCATE, IT WILL INSPIRE, IT WILL REINFORCE THE ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL IMPORTANCE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
I THINK IT ARMS US WITH A POWERFUL TOOL IN OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS, UH, ENSURING THAT OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS, THAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS, THE FUTURE GENERATIONS EVEN UNDERSTAND WHY PROTECTING OUR HISTORIC BUILDINGS ISN'T JUST ABOUT NOSTALGIA.
IT'S ABOUT SAFEGUARDING WHAT MAKES THIS CITY UNIQUE FROM SO MANY OTHER CITIES IN FLORIDA, AND UNIQUE FROM SO MANY OTHER BEACH DESTINATIONS AND CULTURAL DESTINATIONS.
AND NOW, AS JERRY MENTIONED, WITH THE PRODUCER'S COMMITMENT TO REIMBURSE THE CITY FOR THIS GRANT, I THINK IT BECOMES AN EVEN BETTER INVESTMENT.
UH, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO NEGOTIATE THAT FURTHER.
AND WE, UH, JERRY JUST STATED IT, UH, AT THE PODIUM.
UH, SO WE'RE NOT ONLY SUPPORTING AN IMPORTANT CULTURAL PROJECT, BUT DOING SO IN A WAY THAT COMES ULTIMATELY AT NO COST TO THE TAXPAYERS.
AND SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S A NEED TO DEFER THIS.
I WON'T SUPPORT THE DEFERRAL BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE PROVIDING $75,000, BUT THAT $75,000 WILL EVENTUALLY, UH, COME BACK TO US.
SO I URGE ALL OF US TO SUPPORT THIS GRANT AND TO STAND IN DEFENDING OUR CITY'S HISTORY.
UM, WHO ELSE? COMMISSIONER S FARS.
UH, GUYS, UH, WE JUST HEARD THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO REPAY US.
THIS IS TAXPAYER MONEY, BUT JERRY LIVIN, COMMISSIONER LIVIN IS GETTING PAID $2,000 A MONTH FOR THIS.
I MEAN, IF THAT IS NOT PAUSE, CAUTION FOR PAUSE.
UH, I MEAN, IF THIS FILM IS A TOTAL SUCCESS, WHY NOT REPAY THE TAXPAYER MONEY TO THE, TO THE PRESIDENTS? I, I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S GOOD GOVERNANCE TO, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE WILLING RIGHT HERE ON THE RECORD TO DO THAT.
I MEAN, I, I, THIS ISN'T MONOPOLY MONEY.
WE'RE NOT JUST GONNA JUST HAND OUT $75,000 TO WHOEVER WANTS TO MAKE A FILM ABOUT A A, A PROJECT THAT'S GREAT ABOUT MIAMI BEACH.
I THINK GIVEN THIS TIME RIGHT NOW, GIVEN ALL THE RATE HIKES, WE SHOULD BE VERY, VERY CAUTIOUS IN HOW WE SPEND OUR MONEY.
IT'S NOT, WHEN I SAY OUR MONEY, I MEAN THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY, WHO WE REPRESENT.
SO IF WE HAVE SOMEONE RIGHT HERE WILLING TO SAY, LOOK, LOOK, WE'RE WILLING TO PAY YOU BACK AFTER ALL THE COSTS HAS BEEN, UH, UH, INCURRED, WHY NOT TAKE THAT? I MEAN, IT'S SO, UM, BUT, AND I UNDERSTAND VICE MAYOR'S BOUGHT, UH, VICE MAYOR BOUGHT PROPOSAL TO DEFER THAT WAY.
WE CAN JUST WORK OUT THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT.
I THINK THAT'S A, A SMART, UH, MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT GONNA BE THE ONLY TIME THAT SOMEONE IS GONNA COME TO US ASKING FOR MONEY.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SET THE MESSAGE THAT IN THIS CURRENT FINANCIAL MARKET, THAT WE'RE GONNA SCRUTINIZE EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR OF TAXPAYER MONEY.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE GONNA BRING IT BACK, HOW ABOUT A REFERRAL TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE? AND JUST HAMMER THE DETAILS OUT THERE SO WE CAN BRING IT BACK TO COMMISSION, COMMISSION, VICE MAYOR BAT? I THINK WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IT, THEY'VE OFFERED IT UP.
UH, I THINK WE'RE LARGELY IN AGREEMENT.
UM, WE'LL LEAVE IT TO STAFF TO NEGOTIATE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UH, ESSENTIALLY I'LL MAKE A MOTION, UH, I KNOW THERE, THERE'S A DEFERRAL ON THE TABLE, BUT MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH APPROVAL OF THIS WITH
OH, YOU AND YOUR FANCY FINANCE TERMS.
JUST, JUST TO CLOSE THE LOOP ON THIS.
AND I SUPPORT BOTH THE MORRIS LAPIDUS FUNDING, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CALL OUT COMMISSIONER SUAREZ WHO SAID THAT WE HAVE TO SCRUTINIZE FUNDING.
HE PUT FORWARD A $50,000 ITEM FOR ANTI-SEMITIC TRAINING, WHICH I ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTED ALSO.
BUT THERE IS A DOUBLE STANDARD WHEN IF IT'S YOUR ITEM, IT'S OKAY, BUT IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE'S ITEM, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT ISN'T.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO JUST POINT OUT SOME OF
[03:05:01]
THE HYPOCRISY.UM, SO I ACTUALLY, UM, WOULD LIKE TO WITHDRAW MY EMOTION OF WITHDRAWAL WITH, WITH DEFERRAL.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, WE HAVE A, A, UM, A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE TABLE, RIGHT? YES.
JERRY, I JUST, DAVID, ALL THIS, DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING OR JUST NO, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU.
BUT I ALSO WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT NOT ONLY SUPPORTING THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THE PROJECT, BUT IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO FUTURE PEOPLE THAT WE TALK TO.
TO BE ABLE TO SAY THE CITY OF MY BEACH, WHICH IS AT THE EPICENTER OF THE FILM, IS SUPPORTIVE WITHOUT THAT AFFIRMATION TODAY MAKES IT THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO GO RAISE MONEY.
SO WITH THAT, LET'S CALL THE ROOM.
COMMISSIONER LIBIN, CAN YOU INTRODUCE THE GENTLEMAN? I DIDN'T CATCH HIS UP.
HE IS THE DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER, SORRY, SORRY.
I'D JUST LIKE TO RESPOND TO COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ.
UM, YOU KNOW, MY ITEM FOR, TO FUND ANTISEMITISM, UH, WAS NOT A COMMERCIAL MOVIE.
UM, AND TO CONFLATE THE TWO, I THINK IS, IT'S REALLY DISINGENUOUS.
UH, WHENEVER I SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS, IT'S FOR THE DIRECT BENEFIT TO MIAMI BEACH RESIDENTS, WHETHER IT'S THEIR SAFETY, WELLBEING, AND CLEANLINESS OF THE CITY.
SO, UM, I THINK I, I FIND THAT HIGHLY OFFENSIVE TO, TO COMPARE THE TWO, UM, AND THEN BRING IN SOME SORT OF PERSONAL BIAS.
UH, UH, WITH THIS, I'M CERTAINLY NOT CALLING OUT MANY OF THE RIDICULOUS ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT BEFORE BY COMMISSIONER ROSE AND GONZALEZ.
UM, AND, AND I DON'T PLAN ON DOING SO, SO I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT YOU, YOU KEEP YOUR PERSONAL OPINIONS AND BIASES TO YOURSELF.
I'M JUST SAYING, DON'T, WAIT, WAIT.
COMMISSIONER BOT, I WAS LIKE, RESPOND.
BECAUSE HE CANNOT SAY THAT HE IS A STEWARD OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS IF IT DOES NOT APPLY TO HIM, BUT IT APPLIES TO EVERYONE ELSE.
SO LET'S CALL A SPADE A SPADE.
IF IT'S HIS ITEM AND HE WANTS $50,000, HE GETS IT.
AND THAT'S AN EDUCATIONAL ITEM.
THIS FILM IS ALSO AN EDUCATIONAL ITEM ONLY.
SO ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE NOT BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF PACK TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
SO THIS ATTACK, UM, AND THESE CONTINUED TAX ON OTHER COLLEAGUES, UH, FUNDING ITEMS WHEN WE VOTE FOR YOUR ITEMS AND WE SUPPORT YOUR ITEMS, IS JUST UNWARRANTED.
AND FRANKLY, IT'S DIVISIVE, AND IT'S NOT THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP THAT WE NEED.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION BEFORE US THAT HAS BEEN SECONDED.
I WILL JUST ADD, I DON'T THINK THE CONCERN IS, UM, THAT ANYBODY'S FUNDING MORE ANTISEMITISM.
SHE DIDN'T MAKE THE MOTION, UH, EDUCATION, BECAUSE IN MY VIEW, YOU CAN'T HAVE ENOUGH OF THAT.
I THINK THE THING THAT CAUSED A LITTLE BIT OF CONSTERNATION, AT LEAST WITH ME, IS THAT WE FUNDED A PROGRAM THAT MOUNT SINAI WAS ALREADY FUNDING, FULLY FUNDING.
AND SO THAT WAS, I THINK, THE FRUSTRATING THING.
MIND YOU, IT WAS STILL PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
SO, UM, LET US PUT THAT BEHIND US BECAUSE IT IS A VOTE.
AND THAT WAS TAKEN, I DON'T BELIEVE ANYBODY IS CALLING A, A MOTION TO RECONSIDER THAT VOTE.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO DUKE IT OUT OFF THE DAY AS FEEL FREE, BUT NOT ON OUR WATCH.
SO WE HAVE A, A MOTION BEFORE US.
IT HAS BEEN PROPERLY SECONDED.
MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE VOTE? UH, VICE MAYOR.
WE HAVE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ TO APPROVE C SEVEN AF AS AMENDED.
THE ITEM IS APPROVED AS AMENDED.
COMMISSIONERS, WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
LOOKING FORWARD TO WATCHING IT.
SO HOW QUICKLY ARE YOU GONNA GET THIS DONE? HUH? JUNE, 2026 IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE PREMIERE, HOPEFULLY.
UH, LET'S DO SOME SECOND READING
[R5 A AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 12 OF THE MIAMI BEACH CITY CODE, ENTITLED "ARTS, CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT," BY AMENDING ARTICLE II, ENTITLED “SPECIAL EVENTS,” BY CREATING SECTION 12-5.2 THEREOF, ENTITLED “SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT REQUIRED FOR LARGE SCALE RESIDENTIAL PARTIES AND EVENTS”; AND, PROVIDING FOR REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ]
ITEMS TO TRY TO GET THROUGH THAT BEFORE WE BREAK FOR LUNCH.THE TWO R FIVE A IS IN ORDER OF THE MAYOR OF CITY COMMISSION OF CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA.
AMENDING CHAPTER 12 OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
CODE ENTITLED ARTS, CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT BY AMENDING ARTICLE TWO ENTITLED SPECIAL EVENTS BY CREATING SECTION 12 DASH 5.2 THEREOF ENTITLED, SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT REQUIRED FOR LARGE SCALE RESIDENTIAL PARTIES AND EVENTS, AND PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ABILITY, CODIFICATION, AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
THIS IS A SECOND READING PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ BOT MAGAZINE AND ME.
THANK YOU, MS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.
UH, AND IF I COULD JUST, THERE'S A LOT OF LOVE IN THE CHAMBERS TODAY.
SO AT THE NOVEMBER CITY COMMISSION MEETING, UH, WE ALL APPROVED NEW REGULATIONS FOR SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS DURING OUR WEEK TO ADDRESS
[03:10:01]
THE LARGE SCALE COMMERCIAL PARTIES IN PALM HIBISCUS AND STAR ISLANDS TO PROTECT RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND MAINTAIN PUBLIC SAFETY.THAT WAS A PUBLIC, UH, PRO A PILOT PROGRAM THAT I SPONSORED, WHICH I THINK, UH, WAS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL IN LIMITED LARGE HOUSE PARTIES AND ADDRESSED ISSUES, UM, SUCH AS NOISE COMING FROM THESE PARTIES, BUILDING PERMANENT VIOLATIONS, UM, THOUGH ENFORCEMENT WAS CHALLENGING.
ONCE THE PARTIES BEGAN, UM, THE PROGRAM WAS UPHELD AS LAWFUL BY THE US DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA, UH, IN A KIND OF HIGH PROFILE, UH, CASE THAT WE EVEN MADE IT ON PAGE SIX, BY THE WAY.
UM, WHICH I NEVER THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
BUT ANYWAYS, UH, THANKS TO CITY STAFF AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM LAST YEAR, AND THE SUCCESS OF THE INITIATIVE LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR STRONGER AND BROADER PROTECTIONS.
THE GOAL WAS TO MAKE THESE PROTECTIONS PERMANENT AND CITYWIDE.
THE ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US, UH, CREATES A CITYWIDE SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT SYSTEM FOR LARGE SCALE RESIDENTIAL PARTIES AND EVENTS DURING SPECIFIC PERIODS OF THE YEAR, AIMING TO ALLOW RESIDENTS TO HOST GATHERINGS WHILE MITIGATING NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE NEIGHBORING AREAS.
THE SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT IS REQUIRED FOR SP FOR RESIDENTIAL PARTIES OR EVENTS TO MEET ANY OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA.
IF IT INVOLVES A FIREWORK, IF IT'S MORE THAN A HUNDRED PEOPLE THAT IS EXPECTED TO ATTEND, IF THERE ARE MORE THAN 50 VEHICLES EXPECTED FOR PICKUP OR DROP OFF OR PARKING, UH, IF THEY'RE USING ANY COMMERCIAL GRADE SPEAKERS OR LIGHTING OR GENERATORS.
I MEAN, IMAGINE THIS, YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT YOUR KIDS TO SLEEP AT NIGHT, AND YOU HAVE A HOUSE THAT IS BASICALLY CONVERTED TO A NIGHTCLUB WITH COMMERCIAL GRADE SPEAKERS AND LIGHTS.
I MEAN, IT'S REALLY UNHEARD OF.
AND THEN ALL THE TRAFFIC, WE HAD VIDEOS FROM RESIDENTS.
IT LOOKED, IT, IT JUST LOOKED LIKE 3:00 PM UH, ON ALTON ROAD IN SOME OF THESE, UH, RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, AT 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
UM, SO THIS IS SEEKING TO ADDRESS THIS DURING SPECIFIC TIME PERIODS OF, OF THE YEAR DURING SPRING BREAK, DURING MEMORIAL DAY, DURING INDEPENDENCE DAY, UH, DURING HALLOWEEN DURING ART WEEK, BUT BEFORE BE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING.
UH, THE ORDINANCE WAS UPDATED TO EX TO EXPAND THE TIME PERIODS, TO TO INCLUDE SUPER BOWL WEEKENDS, FORMULA ONE RACE WEEK, UH, AND OTHER TIME PERIODS LIKE THE LATIN GRAMMY'S.
IN ORDER TO GET ONE OF THESE PERMITS, THE PROPERTY OWNER, UH, NEEDS TO GET, UM, NEEDS TO GET A REVIEW FROM THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WITH FEEDBACK.
UM, THEY HAVE TO AGREE FOR CITY PERSONNEL TO CONDUCT COMPLIANCE INSPECTIONS BEFORE AND DURING THE EVENT, THEY NEED TO OBTAIN UNNECESSARY PERMITS FROM ALL DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST THESE PARTIES GO ON, THEY BRING IN STRUCTURES AND THEY DON'T EVEN GET BUILDING PERMITS THAT CAN CAUSE ELECTRICAL ISSUES, AND THAT CAN CAUSE OTHER LIFE SAFETY ISSUES.
SO THAT'S A BIG, UH, ISSUE WE'RE CLOSING THE LOOP ON.
UH, THEY NEED TO COMPLY WITH THE SPECIAL EVENT GUIDELINES, INCLUDING OBTAINING INSURANCE AND INDEN IDENTIFICATION.
AND THEY NEED TO ADHERE TO ANY ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS AS MIGHT BE DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY THE CITY MANAGER TO UPHOLD THE PUBLIC SAFETY.
I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT THIS ALSO DOES IS THAT IT PUTS PENALTIES IF YOU DON'T ADHERE BY THIS, IF YOU DON'T ADHERE BY THIS, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO GET A PERMIT FOR 13 MONTHS.
SO IF YOU WANT TO GET A PERMIT TO THROW A PARTY, A HUGE COMMERCIAL GRADE PARTY DURING ART BASE, AND YOU DON'T GET IT, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO GET A PERMIT FOR THE NEXT ONE.
AND IF YOU TRY TO, THIS HAS REALLY STRICT PENALTIES EVEN UP TO ARREST IF, IF NECESSARY.
'CAUSE WE WON'T ALLOW OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS TO BECOME DEFACTO NIGHTCLUBS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO, WHO WANT TO ABUSE THE RESIDENTIAL QUALITY OF LIFE, AND WHO WANT TO PUT THEIR NEIGHBORS THROUGH INCONSIDERATE NUISANCES THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
SO, WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, I'M GONNA MOVE MY ITEM.
I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE OUR CHIEF DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY, ROBERT ROSENWALD, IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDED FOR THE RECORD.
I, NO, I THINK YOU COVERED EVERYTHING.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYONE HAS ANY.
I SEE NO ONE REQUESTING TO SPEAK IN THE AUDIENCE, AND THERE'S NO ONE REQUESTING TO SPEAK VIA ZOOM.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, SECONDED BY, WE HAVE JAMIE.
I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PALM HI
[03:15:01]
ISLANDS ASSOCIATION.I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF THE ASSOCIATION, AND, UH, UH, ABSOLUTELY YES TO EVERYTHING YOU'VE SAID.
I'D LIKE TO ADD THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
UM, MANY TIMES FOR THESE NUMEROUS LARGE SCALE EVENTS, UM, EMERGENCY VEHICLES WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS, UH, THE AREA AT ALL DUE TO THE TRAFFIC BACKUP.
UH, AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, BRIDGE ROAD WAS CLOSED, UH, RECENTLY, BACK IN DECEMBER.
I MEAN, THIS IS, THESE ARE SERIOUS, SERIOUS ISSUES.
NOT TO MENTION THE DRAIN OF PUBLIC RESOURCES, THE NUMBER OF, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT CODE COMPLIANCE, AND PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IS NOT TO BE BELIEVED, JUST TRYING TO CONTAIN THE CHAOS.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS.
IF, IF I COULD JUST ADD WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, THE ROADS WERE SO CLOGGED.
THAT IF A POLICE OFFICER, IF AN AMBULANCE HAD TO GET BY, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO.
AND NOW IMAGINE THIS IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME THAT IS OPERATING LIKE A NIGHTCLUB.
THEY COULD HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
THEY'RE IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND LIKE, UNLIKE A COMMERCIAL NIGHTCLUB, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE USUALLY CONDUCT SAFETY EXERCISES.
THEY KNOW THE LAYOUT, AND SO THEY KNOW HOW TO ADDRESS SAFETY SITUATIONS THERE.
BUT THIS IS IN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITH LITTLE SAFETY PROTOCOLS WHERE THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW THEIR WAY AROUND IT.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS, ABSOLUTELY RACING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION AND YOUR ADVOCACY ON THIS ISSUE.
UH, COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ.
WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT THIS ITEM IS THAT IT'S VERY PRO BUSINESS, BECAUSE WHILE IT SAYS PROTECT NEIGHBORHOODS AND ENCOURAGE PUBLIC SAFETY AT THE SAME TIME, IT REALLY PUSHES A LOT OF THESE EVENT HOLDERS TO HOLD THEIR EVENTS AT OUR HOTELS IN COMMERCIAL SPACE.
UM, AND THAT'S JUST REALLY GOOD FOR OUR ECONOMY BECAUSE INSTEAD
SO THE MORE THAT WE, WE CAN GIVE, AND ACTUALLY DURING OUR PUZZLE, I'VE BEEN APPROACHED BY SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SAYING, OKAY, WE'RE NOT GONNA HOLD OUR PARTIES ON THESE ISLANDS.
WHERE DO WE HOLD THE PARTIES? AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING SO THAT SOME OF THEM CAN HOLD THE PARTIES AT PLACES LIKE SCOPE AND UNTITLED ON THE BEACHFRONT, WHERE THEY CAN HAVE THEIR PARTIES AND THERE ARE NO RESIDENTS AROUND THERE.
AND THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, AND SO WE CAN HAVE THE REVELRY AND HAVE THE PUBLIC SAFETY AT THE SAME TIME.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS, COMMISSIONER, UH, FERNANDEZ, AND, UM, IT'S ALL OF US.
IT'S NOT JUST ME, IT'S ALL OF US.
UH, WE HAVE ONE MORE PUBLIC SPEAKER.
WAYNE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
WAYNE SOUTH, THE FIFTH, AS YOU KNOW,
UM, I AGREE WITH ALEX, UH, AND HIS POSITION, UM, I JUST, I FEAR, UM, OUR, OUR REVENUE, UH, RESORT REVENUE IS DOWN OR TAX REVENUE.
UH, AND IT'S, IT'S RELATED TO, UM, TO SOME DEGREE, UH, OUR LIMITATIONS ON, UH, TOURISM AND ART BASEL IS A VERY IMPORTANT EVENT FOR TOURISM IN, IN MIAMI BEACH, AND I WOULD HATE TO LOSE THEM.
SO I AGREE WITH THE, THE PROPOSAL COMPLETELY.
UM, I WOULD JUST MAKE IT, I WOULD TRY TO MAKE IT AS LESS ONEROUS AS POSSIBLE TO KEEP, UM, THE NEIGHBOR'S HAPPY, UM, AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, BUT I, I FEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE GET TOO, UH, DRACONIAN WITH THIS, THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL MOVE THE PARTY SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THERE ARE NO OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
MOTION CARRIES THE ITEM AS APPROVED.
I WAS TRYING TO GET THROUGH A COUPLE MORE ITEMS, BUT IT IS 12 O'CLOCK.
WHY DON'T WE TAKE A LUNCH BREAK? WE'LL RETURN AT ONE FOR THE SUT NICK.
WELL, WELCOME BACK TO OUR, UH, AFTERNOON SESSION OF THE COMMISSION MEETING.
WE'LL START IT RIGHT UP WITH OUR, UH, NIK HOUR.
IF ANYONE WANTS TO SPEAK, IF ANYONE WANTS TO SPEAK, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM.
UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I LIVE AT 66 20 INDIAN CREEK DRIVE IN NORTH BEACH RIGHT ACROSS FROM WHERE THE BEEVILLE IS GOING.
WHEN I SAW THE PLANS AT THE LAST MEETING WITH THE OPEN, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY SHOWED THE MODEL, HAVING COME HERE FOUR YEARS AGO FROM TRIBECA AND BEING HAPPY IN MIAMI BEACH,
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I WAS STRUCK BY THE FACT THAT WHAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY DOING IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE KNOCKOFFS WE SEE IN TRIBECA OF COACH BAGS AND LOUIS V BAGS.THE NOTION THAT SOMEHOW IT'S HISTORICAL PRESERVATION TO MAKE A REPLICA SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN WHAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG HOTEL AND TWO LARGE CONDO TOWERS, IS FRANKLY FALSE.
IT WON'T LOOK OR PRESERVE THE CHARACTER OF THE BUILDING OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHEN YOU CONTRAST THE TWO PLANS, THE ONE THAT WAS VOTED DOWN BY THE VOTERS BECAUSE OF THE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDINGS WITH THIS PLAN, IT'S CLEARLY INFERIOR.
IN FACT, ALMOST EVERYONE I TALKED TO AGREED WITH THE SAME REASON.
THINK OF IT THIS WAY, INSTEAD OF HAVING A HOTEL WITH AROUND 300 SOME ODD ROOMS AND CONDOS OF HOW MANY OTHER UNITS THAT WAS GOING TO BE, WHICH WOULD SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES, YOU'LL HAVE 140 ROOM BOUTIQUE HOTEL AND 100 UNITS, WHICH MY MATH TELLS ME WILL BE AVERAGING OVER $10 MILLION A UNIT.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, FREQUENTING LOCAL RESTAURANTS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
IN FACT, IT'S QUITE OUT OF CHARACTER FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE IS ONE CLEAR BENEFIT, AND I CLEARLY ADMIT THAT AS AN OWNER IT BENEFITS ME AS WELL, WHICH IS REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS ARE GONNA LOVE IT BECAUSE IT'S GONNA INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF VALUE PER PROPERTY AVERAGE JUST BY PUTTING A HUNDRED UNITS THAT ARE THAT EXPENSIVE INTO IT.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT FROM A LAND USE PERSPECTIVE, IT'S ALSO STARK.
THE PLAN THAT CURRENTLY BEING TRUMPETED HAS TWO BEACH ACCESSES.
ONE FORCES YOU UP A FLIGHT OF STAIRS TO GO THROUGH A FULL RETAIL PLAZA, WHICH NO ONE'S BRINGING, YOU KNOW, BABIES OR DOGS OR THROUGH THE OTHER IS A SMALL WALKWAY.
WHAT WE WERE GONNA GET BEFORE WAS 45% LAND USE AND A PUBLIC PARK.
NOW THE PUBLIC AREA IS REALLY JUST FOR THE RESIDENTS.
OUR NEXT, OUR FIRST VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS OMAR JIMENEZ.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES PLEASE.
I'M THE PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF THE PARKVIEW ISLAND SUSTAINABLE ASSOCIATION.
AS WE RECENTLY FOUND OUT IN THE SECOND PHASE OF THE UN PARKVIEW CANAL STUDY, A NEW BACTERIA HOTSPOT HAS BEEN FOUND AT BIS CANE BEACH ELEMENTARY.
THE OUTFALL SAMPLE THAT THE SITE CONFIRMED BACTERIA LEVELS FOUND 2,800 TIMES OVER THE FDOH STANDARD.
WE ARE OUTRAGED THAT THE CITY HAS SPENT YEARS AND MILLIONS OF CITY TAX DOLLARS TO REMEDIATE THIS CANAL POLLUTION TO NOW FIND THE SOURCE FOR THE HIGH LEVELS OF BACTERIA.
OVER THE FIVE PAST YEARS COULD HAVE BEEN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
ALL ALONG, WE WERE IN FULL SUPPORT OF BIS CANE BEACH COMMUNITY PLAYGROUNDS EXPANSION ITEM ON THE AGENDA, USING 600 THOUSANDS, 600,000 CITY FUNDS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT.
BEFORE THIS ALARMING NEWS CAME TO LIGHT, WE BEGAN SOUNDING THE ALARM ABOUT THE WORRYING CONDITIONS TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE TATU WATERWAY WALKWAY WHERE THE HOTSPOT WAS FOUND, WHICH RUNS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE SCHOOL ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY MORE STUDIES WE DO, THE SOURCE IS STILL GOING TO COME FROM BIRDS, HUMAN DOGS, AND ALL OTHER CONTRIBUTORS CITED IN THE STUDY.
IT ALL FLUSHES DOWN THE STORMWATER DRAINS AND INTO THE CANAL AS ENTEROCOCCUS BACTERIA.
THE ONLY REAL SOLUTION TO THIS POLLUTION ISSUE IS TO RETROFIT A BUFFER SYSTEM AND FILTERS TO THE DRAINS AND OUTFALLS IN THE AFFECTED 81 ACRE AREA TO MINIMIZE SEDIMENTS AND HYDROCARBONS FROM ENTERING THE STORM SYSTEM, WHILE ALSO HAVING THE ABILITY TO REMOVE BACTERIA AND NUTRIENTS FROM THE STORM WATER BEFORE IT ENTERS THE PARK.
AL, NONE OF THE NEAR TERM SOLUTIONS BEFORE 2028 INCLUDE ANY TYPE OF FILTERING FOR BACTERIA AND NUTRIENTS.
THIS IS REALLY THE REAL ISSUE AT HAND HERE THAT IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED.
WE STRONGLY SUPPORT AND COMMEND THIS COMMISSION'S EFFORTS TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY IN THE WATER IN THE WATERWAYS BY LAUNCHING OPERATION CLEAN WATER NORTH BEACH.
TIGHTENING OUR STORM WATER RUNOFF ISSUES REQUIRES A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSTANTLY ADDRESSED AND IMPROVED.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND TWO MINUTES PLEASE.
HI, DANIEL ERALDO ON BEHALF OF MIAMI DESIGN PRESERVATION LEAGUE, UH, PO BOX 1 9 0 1 8 OH MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA.
I'M SPEAKING, UH, ON BEHALF OF MDPL TO URGE A COMMISSION TO DENY THE DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR 36 11 AND 36 21 COLLINS AVENUE, AND TO CHALLENGE A CONSTITUTIONALITY OF SB 1 5 2 6 THAT WAS PASSED AT THE STATE OF FLORIDA LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR.