Coral Gables FACTS

Below are 5 critical facts every Coral Gables resident needs to be aware of. We have provided sources and quotes to support each fact listed below, as we believe in providing truthful information to Coral Gables residents, without spin.

Fact 1

Commissioner Kirk Menendez gave himself a 101% raise

What Happened

During the September 13th, 2023 Coral Gables Commission meeting Commissioner Kirk Menendez joined Commissioners Ariel Fernandez and Melissa Castro in voting 3-2 in favor of a massive new pay package. One of the most shocking components of the new self-awarded compensation plan was a new car allowance of $703 per month!

The new package consisted of:

A 78% Pay increase

Doubling their expense accounts to $9,600

A new car allowance of $703 per month

Mayor Vince Lago voted against this raise (in spite of him benefiting from the newly proposed package). If re-elected, Mayor Lago has pledged to roll back these increases and make any future salary increase for elected officials contingent upon approval by the voters via referendum.

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Fact 2

Commissioner Kirk Menendez is against November elections

What Happened

In September 2023, Commissioner Kirk Menendez voted down a measure supported by Mayor Vince Lago to move Coral Gables city elections to November, aligning them with our Nation’s general elections. Although Menendez previously supported November elections, he changed his mind when it came time to vote, realizing his friends in the Commission would have a harder time if there was a larger voter turnout. Moving our Municipal elections to November had an additional benefit of saving the city over $200,000 per election.

Lower turnout elections are less representative of the whole population, and are easier for special interest groups to influence, resulting in their desired outcome that would not succeed if a larger population was involved in the voting process.

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Fact 3

Commissioner Kirk Menendez voted to increase your property taxes

What Happened

In July 2024 - for the second year in a row and as the City of Coral Gables ranked as the most expensive zip code in the United States - Commissioner Kirk Menendez voted - again - against a proposal by Mayor Vince Lago to decrease the property tax millage rate by 2%. This decrease in millage rate - amid skyrocketing home values - would have offered Coral Gables residents some financial reprieve. However, Commissioner Kirk Menendez lead a 3-2 vote against the initiative, suggesting it would be financially irresponsible. It’s worth remembering this is the same person who 10 months earlier did not hesitate to give himself a 101% pay raise, including a new car allowance.

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Fact 4

Commissioner Kirk Menendez is afraid of the Inspector General

What Happened

This past July - amid a flurry of false corruption allegations and wild stories being leveled against Mayor Vince Lago - Commissioner Kirk Menendez voted against the idea of allowing the voters of Coral Gables to choose whether or not the City should hire an Inspector General. Although the commission makes endless claims of corruption, intimidation, and mismanagement, they stop short of actually hiring an independent Inspector General to investigate such serious claims.

Mayor Vince Lago asked the commission to let the residents make that decision by placing the question on the November 2024 ballot, but the Commission - lead by Kirk Menendez - voted down the opportunity to give residents a voice.

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Fact 5

Commissioner Kirk Menendez was the deciding vote to fire and hire 3 city managers in 11 months

What Happened

Commissioner Kirk Menendez was the swing vote that led to firing of city manager Peter Iglesias, only to immediately turn around and try to install a friend of Kirk Menendez as the new City Manager without public notice, public input or an effort to verify the individual's credentials. Less than 10 months later, the unqualified manager that Menendez voted to hire abruptly resigned (after pocketing $300,000 of our tax dollars), leading Menendez to once again appoint a political ally to the position without public notice or public input.

If re-elected as Mayor, Vince Lago has pledged to conduct a thorough search that will allow the most qualified candidates - nationwide and including current city staff - to come before the community to make the case for why they deserve the critically important job of Coral Gables City Manager.

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Commissioner Kirk Menendez gave himself a 101% raise

Commissioner Kirk Menendez is against November elections

Commissioner Kirk Menendez voted to increase your property taxes

Commissioner Kirk Menendez is afraid of the Inspector General

Commissioner Kirk Menendez was the deciding vote to fire and hire 3 city managers in 11 months

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