Developers who need county land deals and lobbyists who work the halls of Miami-Dade County government donated $1.8 million to incumbent commissioners and Mayor Daniella Levine Cava over just 60 days this summer, a Miami Herald analysis of public campaign finance records found.
The money flowed in June and July as the commission prepares to vote on a proposed budget that would eliminate 12 bus routes and cut service on 82 others, affecting an estimated 7,500 riders countywide.
For Aventura-area residents, the stakes are direct: the same commissioners receiving large checks from developers and consultants will decide transit funding, park budgets and land-use approvals across the county. Commissioner Micky Steinberg, who represents District 4 and keeps a satellite office at Aventura City Hall, is unopposed in the Tuesday, Aug. 18 primary.
Who gave the most
Barbara Hardemon, president of B&B Professional Consultants in West Park, topped the donor list at $85,000. She is the aunt of Commissioner Keon Hardemon, who represents District 3. Of that total, $65,000 went to All Miami-Dade, a political committee backing Commissioner Hardemon, and $20,000 went to Commissioner Marleine Bastien's campaign and her committee, Moving Forward Together.
The Herald reported in 2019 that companies needing city commission votes hired Barbara Hardemon to help with their projects when Keon Hardemon served on the Miami City Commission. Neither Barbara Hardemon nor Commissioner Hardemon was available for comment Friday, Aug. 14, according to the Herald.
Developer Michael Swerdlow's companies and associates gave $74,000, the second-highest total. Swerdlow, who heads the Swerdlow Group in Coconut Grove, specializes in developments on government-provided land. According to the Herald, his firm broke ground on a Costco-anchored project in Cutler Bay on a 17.3-acre county site appraised at $31 million but sold for $7.177 million in a no-bid arrangement. Bastien received the most Swerdlow-linked money: $25,000 to her committee and campaign.
Duty Free Americas, which operates 21 stores at Miami International Airport, gave $51,000. Commissioner Oliver Gilbert received $21,000 of that for his congressional campaign. Miami-Dade serves as the airport's landlord, deciding which retailers rent space at MIA.
The Southern Group, a lobbying firm with a large presence at County Hall, gave $45,000. Commission Chair Anthony Rodriguez's political committee, A Bolder Florida, received $25,000 of that total.
World Cup tickets and tourism dollars
The Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau donated 11 skybox tickets valued at $38,500 to Rodriguez's PAC. The GMCVB is set to receive roughly $37 million in county funding this year, and the Herald previously reported that Rodriguez requested the World Cup tickets from the nonprofit.
Bluenest, a suburban townhouse developer that relies on county approvals, rounded out the top five donors at $40,000. Of that, $25,000 went to Our Democracy, Levine Cava's political committee.
Budget vote ahead
These donations arrived as commissioners gear up for budget hearings beginning Thursday, Sept. 3. Levine Cava's proposed budget would redirect an $89 million reserve set aside for future rail projects and eliminate bus routes for the first time since 2009. Among the 12 routes proposed for elimination: routes 16, 25, 42, 57, 79, 132, 203, 204, 272, 279, 288 and 338.
"Unfortunately, we just don't have money to run the system without a fare increase or other revenues," Levine Cava told CBS News Miami on July 31.
Three commissioners face voters in the Tuesday, Aug. 18 primary: Bastien, Danielle Cohen Higgins and Vicki Lopez. The general election is Nov. 3. Residents can submit public comment at the Thursday, Sept. 3 budget hearing or contact Steinberg's Aventura office at 305-787-5999.
