Coral Gables Historical Archive
The Guide
Thursday, November 2, 1961, page 8 (of 16)
The page
The text of this pageRead by computer from the scan, so some words may be wrong. The page picture is the original.
WEST of the City Limits with Ron Levitt
They call the group CITY!! That stands for Committee to Incorporate This Year. The group's purpose is to incorporate the populous unincorporated areas from the Trail south to North Kendall Drive and from S.W. 70 Ave. west to S.W. 97 Ave. Their spokesmen claim that by incorporating into a city, this area of Dade County can get better police protection, better fire protection, lower insurance rates, better trash and garbage pickup and a host of other benefits. By incorporating, of course, they argue that this area could get thousands of dollars in tax money now lost to the State. For example, they say "In an unincorporated area, the cigarette taxes are sent to Tallahassee and are put into the State's general revenue fund. However if we were a city, these funds would be returned to us to help tremendously in providing services." This may be an oversimplification of what the group is trying to do, but basically this seem to be what they are seeking and these are the answers the backers give you when you ask them, "Why do we need another city in Dade County?" I have met with and talked to several members of the CITY group this past weekend because their little brochure explaining their plan to incorporate and their purposes to incorporate seemed too simple. There were still several questions unanswered which I felt needed reply before I could form my own opinion. "Wouldn't the formation of another Dade municipality further throw a monkeywrench into Metropolitan Government?" CITY spokesmen said "no." They say they plan on contracting police, fire and garbage pickup from Metro rather than forming a regular city police, fire and garbage department, and paying Metro from city funds. "It's been rumored that the former backers of the McLeod Amendment are behind this incorporation move here and a similar move elsewhere in Dade so as to further hurt Metro. Is this true?" The answer from CITY spokesmen said this is not true. They said their group is composed of both Metro and McLeod Amendment supporters. "Isn't it true that if the area was incorporated, the area would have additional taxation?" The CITY spokesmen differed on this answer. One said, "Definitely no new taxes." Another said, "It's possible but it would be for new services." Another said, "It'll be up to the city commission when they are elected." I then asked, "What type of city government this area would have if incorporated?" Here again the answers differed. Some said it hadn't been decided by the 20 to 30 man "steering committee" which makes up the executive group of CITY. Another said it would be up to the electorate. Still another said that it would be a "legislative city commission." The group is now in the process of getting petitions signed to start the ball rolling toward incorporation. If and when enough signatures are gathered, they must present these petitions to Metro, get approval of the Metro Planning Board and the Metro Commissioners to have the matter brought up for a vote. But their campaign has begun in earnest! But before the CITY group goes too far, they should clarify their answers: They should prove that they are not trying to monkeywrench Metro; that they have a plan for a city organization and that incorporation can really provide more for the area than Metro can after Metro is given a chance. Their answers today are too confusing. You get different answers depending on to whom you speak. I admit that I personally am not sold on incorporation. I'd much prefer to keep Metro strong and let it have a chance to work out the items which this group seems to think is lacking. But I think this group has a right to expound this idea and I think Metro spokesmen should answer in reply. Finally, if this area ever is incorporated, I hope they don't try to push through one of their suggested names—"Tropical Park Village." Who wants to be named after a racetrack? The group hasn't really decided on a name yet. One spokesmen (I'm sure he was kidding) said: "Why, we might even name it Levittown." I THINK THAT NAME WOULD BE GREAT . . . but I'm still not sold on incorporation!
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