MAYOR ALVAREZ STATEMENT REGARDING COMMISSION VETO OVERRIDE

(MIAMI – December 6, 2005) – Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez is disappointed by the Board of County Commissioners’ 12 to 1 veto override.

“On December 2, 2005, I exercised my power of veto because the Commission’s decision to transmit to the state applications which would move the Urban Development Boundary (UDB) is not in the best interest of our community,” said Mayor Alvarez. “The decision about whether to move the UDB is a local one. By choosing not to sustain my veto, county commissioners have failed to explore all options available to them and abdicated their responsibility to the state.”

“Their decision is a disservice to the community councils, professional planning and zoning staff, and our planning advisory board which have worked so diligently to analyze information and provide the most comprehensive and professional opinions possible,” continued Mayor Alvarez. “While I trust that Florida’s Department of Community Affairs (DCA) will do its best to render fair and balanced comment on the applications now before them, in the end it is the County Commission’s responsibility to carefully manage the expansion of our community. I will continue to monitor this issue closely and advocate for development within the UDB. This issue is about our future and the legacy we leave for generations to come.”