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WellconnectedHires
Transithiresaftertax
hikeincludedthewell
connected
Aidesandsecretariesto
currentandformerpublic
officialsfoundnewjobsat
thetransitagencyafter
votersbackedasalestaxfor
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Published Dec. 21, 2008

Taxmoneyinflatedsalaries,overtime
BYLARRYLEBOWITZANDROBBARRY
llebowitz@miamiherald.com
ItwasNov.1,2002,fourdaysbeforeahistoric
electionaimedatreshapingthetransitlandscape
inMiamiDadeCounty,andabackroomdealwas
quietlybeingcementedatCountyHall.

JOHNVANBEEKUM/MIAMIHERALDSTAFF
BarbaraWalters,center,whoridestoandfromMiami's
UpperEastSide,saysthecountymadeimprovements
onlytotakethemaway.

Fourtimesin26years,votershadrejectedcounty
attemptstoraisetaxesfortransit.Thistimewould
bedifferent,countyleadersvowedastheylaidout
adetailed,overdueexpansionofthebus,railand
roadnetwork.Votersboughtthesalespitch,ratifyinganew0.5percentsalestaxbya21margin.

Whattheydidn'tknow:Justbeforetheelection,thenTransitDirectorDannyAlvarezandthenCountyManagerSteve
Shiverinkedthatsecretdealwithapowerfullaborunionthathadcampaignedhardforthetax.
ThepactwithLocal291oftheTransportWorkersUniondelivereddoubledigitraisesfor274minibusdriversatthe
bottomofthepayscalejustfivedaysaftertheelection.Itvaulted731veteranTWUbusdriverstothetopofthescaleat
leasteightyearsfasterthantheywouldhavegottentherebefore.
Noneofitwasdisclosedtovoters.Countycommissionersnevervotedonit.EvenformerMayorAlexPenelas,who
spearheadedthe2002campaign,saidinaMayinterviewthathewasunawareoftheagreementhistransitdirectorand
countymanagerhadcut.
Thatpreelectiondealwasjustthebeginning.Insteadof''NewMoneyforNewProjects,''asthecampaignpromised,the
newrevenuestreamcontributedtoballooningsalaries,overtimeandfringebenefitsatMiamiDadeTransit,wherethe
payrollhasswelled63percentsincethetaxtookeffect.
Overthenextfouryears,thecountyreclassifiedhundredsofrankandfileandmanagementjobstohigherpaying
salaries,asAlvarez'ssuccessorastransitdirector,RooseveltBradley,presidedoverthehiringof1,400newfulltime
employees.
Patronageabounded.ThehiringspreeincludedadaughterofCommissionerDorrinRolleandaidesorrelativesofat
leastnineprominentlocalpoliticians,aswellasfiguresimplicatedinMiami'svotefraudandairportfuelfarmscandals.
Despiteallofthenewhires,thecountydidn'tcomeclosetodeliveringallofthenewbusandrailservicethatPenelas
andhistaxsupportershadpromised.
MetrorailandMetromoverarerunningfewertrainstodaythanin2002.Thecampaignpromiseda64percentincreasein
busserviceby2007itpeakedat44percentinDecember2005andhasbeenslashedseveraltimessince.Today,
Metrobusmilesareup23percentover2002,aboutonethirdofwhatwaspromised,andmorecutsloomnextJune.
Theconsequenceofthoseexpandingsalariesandbureaucracyamiddiminishingservicesisoneoftheuntoldfailingsof
the2002salestax.
Moremoneyforroutinetransitoperations,includingsalaries,meanslessmoneytobuynewbusesandrailcarsandto
designandbuildnewMetrorailextensions.
''That'sunconscionable.Thatisn'twhatwevotedfor,''saidCoralGablesfamilypractitionerDr.CharlesDunn,alongtime
railadvocate.``WevotedforexpandedserviceonthestreetexpandMetrorailandthebusservice.Wedidn'tvoteto
increasesalaries.''

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Unionleadersandformercountyofficialstakeadifferentview.
Transitcustomersbenefitedfromtherecraftedcontract,saidformerTWUPresidentJ.W.JohnsonandformerTransit
DirectorAlvarez.Ithelpedthecountyquicklyandefficientlyaddmuchofthenewbusservicethatthecampaign
promised,theysaid.
Taxpayersalsobenefited,JohnsonandAlvarezargued,becausetheunionagreedtoslightlylowerentrylevelwagesfor
newdriversandthecontractgavemanagementmoreschedulingflexibilityandthefreedomtohiremoreparttime
drivers.This,theysaid,ultimatelyplacedmorebusesonmoreroutesforriders.
ButthosereasonsprovidelittlesolacetocriticslikeRichardN.Friedman,aPalmettoBaylawyerwhocampaigned
againstproposedtaxincreasesforthetransitagencyin1976,1991,1992and1999aswell.
''Afteralltheseyears,andbeingaslightlycynicallawyer,Isuggesttoyouthatthere'saquidproquogoingontherefor
theunion'ssupportofthistax,''hesaid.
TheTWUisoneofthethreemostpowerfulbargainingunitsatCountyHall.Itplaysakeyroleinmostcommissionand
mayoralraces.Thetransportworkersledalargeorganizedlaborcontingentthatcraftedthelistofprojectsinthe
People'sTransportationPlanandworkedphonebanks,distributedmailersandattendedcampaignevents.
JohnsonandAlvarezsaidthepreelectionagreementwiththeunionizedbusdrivershadbeenintheworkssincethe
summer.Theysaiditwasacoincidencethatthepapersweresignedshortlybeforetheelection.
JohnsoninsistedtherewasnolinkbetweentheTWU'scampaignsupportforthetaxandtheraisesthecountyawarded
afteritpassed.
''Iknowhowitlooks,''Johnsonsaid.``Butthiswasintheworksforawhile.Andifthetaxdidn'tpass,[thebusdriver
deal]wouldn'thavegoneintoeffect.''
Alvarez,nowconsultingforthePuertoRicanmasstransitagency,saidtheaccord``reallycleanedupalotofproblems
we'dbeenhavingwithovertimeandpaydifferences.''
Critics,likeFriedmanandDunn,believethecountybreachedthepublictrustinawaythatwillmakeithardertowin
futuretaxinitiatives.
AMiamiHeraldinvestigationalsofound:
Patronagehelpedgreasetheway.Dozensofemployeeswerebroughtintotheagencythroughasidedoorcontract
withtemporarystaffingagenciesthatwascriticizedina2006countyInspectorGeneral'sreport.
''Youjusthadcronyismgalore,''saidPaulConley,whoretiredin2005after26yearswiththetransitagency's
procurementdivision.``Itwasjustpurelypatronageandfeedingatthetrough.Theyweremanipulatingthehiring
practicesfortheirfriendsandupgradedeverybody.''
Afterthetaxpassed,aidesandsecretariestoformerMayorPenelas,CommissionersBarbaraCareyShuler,Betty
Ferguson,JimmyMorales,Jos''Pepe''Diaz,DennisMoss,NatachaSeijasandKatySorensenandretired
congresswomanCarrieMeekwerehiredbyMiamiDadeTransit.
InMarch2003,threemonthsafterthetaxstartedtoaccrue,BradleycutanotherdealwiththeTWUthatboosted
salariesbyasmuchas33percentfor256busgaragemechanics,techniciansandbodyshoppainters.
Thecontractamendmentsthatreclassifiedthedriversandmechanicshadacascadingeffectontherestofthetransit
agency.Overthenextfouryears,hundredsofunionizedlowerlevelmanagersandsupervisors,andexemptexecutives,
hadtheirsalariesadjustedhigher.
Theconsequencesofthosereclassificationsandsalaryadjustmentscoupledwiththeannualcostoflivingand
contractualraisesenjoyedbymostcountyworkerscontinuetohauntthedeficitplaguedtransitagencytoday.
Thenumberoftransitemployeeswhogrossedmorethan$100,000ayearincreased324percentoverfiveyears,from
34in2002to144in2007,ananalysisofcountypayrollrecordsshows.
EvenasMiamiDadeTransithasraisedfares,cutpoorperformingroutesandeliminatednearly600fulltimepositions
sinceMarch2006,thepayrollhasremainedvirtuallyflatat$280millionabyproductofthereclassifiedjobsandroutine
annualraises.
PROMISESFORALL
ThePeople'sTransportationPlanpromisedsomethingforeveryone:freeridesforseniors,freeMetromoverridesfor
everyone,andupto88.9milesofnewMetrorailoneightcorridors.
Italsopromisedadoublingofthebusfleet,upto17millionmilesofaddedservice,a20percentshareoftheproceeds
forcities,synchronizedtrafficsignals,widerroads,andhundredsofsmallscalepublicworksprojects.
AMiamiHeraldinvestigationinJuneshowedhowthecampaignmadefartoomanypromisesandthetaxcouldn't
generateanywherenearenoughmoneytofulfillthem.Mostofthecostestimateswereoffbase.Commissionersrefused
tocedepowertoanindependenttrustthatvotersdemanded.Countymanagersandtransitagencyleaderstucked
dozensofbigticketitemsintothespendingplantorepairandreplacecomputersandinfrastructure.
Thecampaignalsoextendedthevaguepromiseofjobsnewbusdriversandrailcarmechanics,clericalstaffersand
securityguards,engineeringconsultantsandconstructionlaborersbutneverspecifiedhowmanywouldbeneededas
servicegrew.

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Therewasscantoversight.Theunioncontractamendmentswerehandledinternallybycountybureaucrats,never
drawingofficialcommissionscrutiny.
TheCitizensIndependentTransportationTrust,whichwassupposedtoprotectvoterswhofearedthatthecountywould
squanderthenewtax,neverhadtheauthoritytotellthetransitagencyhowmanypeopleitshouldemployorwhennew
staffersshouldbehired.
MostofthenewhiresandthebulkofthereclassificationscoincidedwithaleadershipvacuumatCountyHall.
Afterwinningthetaxreferendum,Penelasfocusedonastatewideprekindergartenballotinitiativeandthenan
unsuccessfulattemptataU.S.Senateseat.
Twoweeksafterthetaxpassed,AlvarezandShivercreatedanewagencywithPenelas'blessing:theOfficeof
ProfessionalTransportationManagement,tappedtopursuematchingfederalfundsforMetrorailexpansionandoversee
thelongrangeplanning,constructionandcapitalimprovementspromised.
ETHNICPOLITICS
LikemanynewinitiativesatCountyHall,itbecamemiredinethnicpolitics.
BlackleaderscomplainedthatAlvarezbuiltaminiempireatthenewoffice,rentingexpensiveheadquarters,buying
furnitureandpickingoff60ofhishighestpaidemployees,mostofthemHispanic.
HispanicsandnonHispanicwhitescomplainedtocommissioners,topmanagersandtheInspectorGeneral'soffice
aboutpatronageandhiringirregularitiesunderBradleyinthebusandrailoperations.
A2006InspectorGeneral'sreportslammedBradleyforfailingtoconductacriminalbackgroundcheckandmanipulating
theselectionprocessingivingasensitivesecurityjobtoafriendofafriend.Thewoman,initiallyhiredthrougha
temporaryagency,wasledfromCountyHallinhandcuffs,chargedwithstealingcashfromherpreviousemployerin
BrowardCounty.
Shiver,whodidnotansweremailedquestionsfromthenewspaper,wasforcedoutinJune2003,replacedby20year
CountyHallfixtureGeorgeBurgess,whohadspenttheprecedingninemonthsworkingattheschooldistrict.
BySeptember,BurgessdismantledAlvarez'sempire.Mostoftheworkersreturnedtotransit,except15Alvarezloyalists
whobecametheinitialstaffattheCitizensIndependentTransportationTrust.
WiththebackingofamajorityofcommissionersandthenChairwomanCareyShuler,Bradleycontinuedhiringasthe
agencyaddedmorebusesandbrieflyrolledout24hourMetrorailandMetromoverservicethathadbeenpromised.
Theagencyprovedillpreparedtotrainandassimilatemorethan1,400newfulltimeworkerswithspecializedskillsets
intwoyears.
Underfireforhisagency'shiringpractices,Bradleypaiduniversityresearcherstoconductindepthstudiescomparing
salaryandemploymentlevelsatsimilarsizedtransitagencies.ThestudiesgenerallyfoundMiamiDadeTransitonpar
withDenver,BaltimoreandCleveland.
Yetovertimebudgetsexplodedinthosechaoticearlydaysofthetax.Fifteenbusdriversandtwotrainoperators
grossedmorethan$100,000in2005.
TrainingsupervisorJosephTomlingrossedmorethan$200,000inovertime,or42percentofhispay,between2003and
2006.His2003overtimesetanagencyrecord:$69,111.Tomlinandfourothermembersofhisstaffgrossedmorethan
$50,000inovertimein2003.
Tomlin,whojustretired,didnotrespondtorepeatedmessagesathishome.
Thepreelectiondealprovedlucrativetohundredsoflowerpaiddriversfromthenowdefunctparatransitdivisionand
helpedthecountyfillanimmediateneedtorecruit,trainandhireadditionalbusdriversforallnewroutes.
Atypicalformerfulltimeparatransitdriversawhisgrosssalaryrisefrom$19,181in2002to$47,412in2007.
Thepactalsobenefitedtheveterandrivers.Beforethecontractchange,itwouldhavetaken19yearstoreachthetopof
thescale.Now,ittakessevenoreightyearstoreachthetop.
Thesecondmajorcontractamendment,in2003,reclassifiedmostofthebusgaragemechanics,techniciansandbody
shoppainterstopayscalesequaltotheirhigherpaidcounterpartsatthetransitrailyardandintheprivatesector.Most
receivedraisesrangingbetween15percentand33percent.
Bradleysaidthedealmadetheagency''moreefficient''becauseitkeptworkersfromswitchingtohigherpayingjobsthat
wouldrequireextratraining.
Thecontractswiththedriversandmechanicscreatedarippleeffectthroughouttheagency.
Overthenextfouryears,355membersoftheGovernmentSupervisorsAssociationofFloridahadtheirsalariesadjusted
upward,manyofthemkeepinginlinewiththehigherratesthathadbeenawardedtotheirrankandfilechargesinthe
TWU.
''Iknowitlooksliketherewassomesortofquidproquoforuscampaigningforthetax,justliketheTWU.Butthat'snot
thecase,''saidGregBlackman,presidentofthesupervisorsassociation.Hesaidthedealwas''onlyfair''inlightofthe
others.
TheMiamiHeraldfoundthatin81cases,unionizedmanagershadtheirjobsreclassifiedinlate2002andearly2003to

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TheMiamiHeraldfoundthatin81cases,unionizedmanagershadtheirjobsreclassifiedinlate2002andearly2003to
higherpayingsalaries,withtheincreasesretroactivetotwoyearsbeforethetaxpassed.
Today,theagencyisretrenching.Thecountyhaskeptthetaxbutleadersaretryingtolowerexpectationsforwhatit
candeliver.
Electedin2004,MayorCarlosAlvarezwasgivenstrongmayorpowersinJanuary2007.HefiredBradleyandseveral
otherdepartmentheadstwomonthslater.
AtAlvarez'sdirection,Bradley'ssuccessor,HarpalKapoor,hasbeen''rightsizing''andmodernizingtheagency,which
hasshed523fulltimepositionssincepeakinginMarch2006.Alargeportionwereslashedfromadministrativeand
clericalareasthathadbloatedunderBradley'stenure.
''We'vegottenridofalotofmanagementjobs,andcombinedsomedepartments.Thatreducesduplication,''Kapoor
said.``It'samuchmoreefficientagencynow.''
Yet,thebrokenpromisesof2002stillresonatewithvoterslikeBarbaraWalters,atransitdependentresidentofMiami's
UpperEastSide.
''Wehadtemporary24hourMetrorail,andtheycutback,''shesaid.``Wehadtemporary24hourbusroutes.They
disappeared.Wehadatemporaryincreaseinbusroutes.Mostofthemarecut.ButI'veseenplentyofpeoplewithjobs.
Theytookcareofthemselves.''

CopyrightJune2008MiamiHeraldMediaCompany|OnlinePresentationbyLisettAraujo

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