Latest news with #Esteban'Steve'Bovo
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The party had an ice sculpture, custom espresso cups — all on Hialeah taxpayers' dime
Former Hialeah Mayor Esteban 'Steve' Bovo's April farewell party must have been quite the shindig — to which the public was not invited, even though taxpayers footed the steep bill of more than $45,000. No expense was spared, it seems. There was more than $20,000 spent for Brazilian grill catering — quite the splurge! — plus $8,015 for decor that included elaborate floral centerpieces and gold charger plates for 350 party guests that included city council members and local elected officials. This one is must have made quite the impact on them: custom espresso cup and saucer sets that cost $4,667.50, the Miami Herald reported Wednesday. And then there was the crowning touch: $1,500 for a deluxe espresso and cappuccino bar staffed by two baristas. Or perhaps this was the most impressive element: an ice sculpture for $745 with Bovo's seal: 'Hialeah first, Hialeah always.' Sounds like quite a bash. The irony of this logo shouldn't be lost on Hialeah taxpayers, whose dollars Bovo and the Hialeah City Council were elected to oversee, not spend them on frivolous party details usually reserved for weddings and celebrations that people pay for out of their own pockets. It's unclear who green-lighted the $45,000 expense, which was never brought up before the City Council for approval. In Hialeah's strong-mayor government system, the mayor, the finance management director and the purchasing department director must approve any expenditure, but it's unknown if Bovo personally signed off on it, according to the Herald's reporting. Tellingly, the city did not provide documentation, when the Herald asked, on which department authorized the event or which budget the money to pay for it came from. If a $45,000, four-hour, going-away lunch isn't galling enough, think about this: The median annual household income in Hialeah is just over $53,000, the Herald reported. That means Bovo's party cost almost as much as the entire annual income of many people in his city. It also cost more than the $44,000 that council members earn annually, as the Herald reported. What a bad look — especially when Bovo resigned seven months before the end of his first mayoral term to join a lobbying firm that reportedly is paying him a lot more than what he made as mayor: a $150,000 annual salary and a $40,000 expense account. Before he left city hall, Bovo got another gift from taxpayers, this one courtesy of the city council: a reimbursed retirement benefit of $44,594, the Herald reported. Hialeah used to have a decade-old rule that banned retired elected officials from receiving retirement benefits while in office. In March, the City Council voted unanimously to lift the restriction. Bovo, who spent nearly 30 years in public service, should have known better. Whether he personally approved the bill for his party or somebody else in city government did and he didn't ask questions, it's all the same. This isn't how you put 'Hialeah First.' Click here to send the letter.
Miami Herald
6 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
The party had an ice sculpture, custom espresso cups — all on Hialeah taxpayers' dime
Former Hialeah Mayor Esteban 'Steve' Bovo's April farewell party must have been quite the shindig — to which the public was not invited, even though taxpayers footed the steep bill of more than $45,000. No expense was spared, it seems. There was more than $20,000 spent for Brazilian grill catering — quite the splurge! — plus $8,015 for decor that included elaborate floral centerpieces and gold charger plates for 350 party guests that included city council members and local elected officials. This one is must have made quite the impact on them: custom espresso cup and saucer sets that cost $4,667.50, the Miami Herald reported Wednesday. And then there was the crowning touch: $1,500 for a deluxe espresso and cappuccino bar staffed by two baristas. Or perhaps this was the most impressive element: an ice sculpture for $745 with Bovo's seal: 'Hialeah first, Hialeah always.' Sounds like quite a bash. The irony of this logo shouldn't be lost on Hialeah taxpayers, whose dollars Bovo and the Hialeah City Council were elected to oversee, not spend them on frivolous party details usually reserved for weddings and celebrations that people pay for out of their own pockets. It's unclear who green-lighted the $45,000 expense, which was never brought up before the City Council for approval. In Hialeah's strong-mayor government system, the mayor, the finance management director and the purchasing department director must approve any expenditure, but it's unknown if Bovo personally signed off on it, according to the Herald's reporting. Tellingly, the city did not provide documentation, when the Herald asked, on which department authorized the event or which budget the money to pay for it came from. If a $45,000, four-hour, going-away lunch isn't galling enough, think about this: The median annual household income in Hialeah is just over $53,000, the Herald reported. That means Bovo's party cost almost as much as the entire annual income of many people in his city. It also cost more than the $44,000 that council members earn annually, as the Herald reported. What a bad look — especially when Bovo resigned seven months before the end of his first mayoral term to join a lobbying firm that reportedly is paying him a lot more than what he made as mayor: a $150,000 annual salary and a $40,000 expense account. Before he left city hall, Bovo got another gift from taxpayers, this one courtesy of the city council: a reimbursed retirement benefit of $44,594, the Herald reported. Hialeah used to have a decade-old rule that banned retired elected officials from receiving retirement benefits while in office. In March, the City Council voted unanimously to lift the restriction. Bovo, who spent nearly 30 years in public service, should have known better. Whether he personally approved the bill for his party or somebody else in city government did and he didn't ask questions, it's all the same. This isn't how you put 'Hialeah First.' Click here to send the letter.
Miami Herald
6 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Hialeah's $45,000 farewell to Bovo: When public money pays for private parties
'Hialeah first, Hialeah always.' That was the slogan proudly displayed at the four-hour farewell luncheon for then-Mayor Esteban 'Steve' Bovo on April 25, held at the Milander Center for Arts and Entertainment — a city-owned venue typically reserved for public gatherings and cultural exhibitions. But at what cost? It came straight from the pockets of Hialeah's taxpayers. Public records from Hialeah's city clerk show that the city spent over $45,000 on the farewell party. For comparison, the median annual household income in Hialeah is just over $53,000. The send-off was anything but modest, drawing 350 guests from across Miami-Dade's political spectrum, including council members, commissioners, mayors, and other elected officials — but the public was not invited. The event featured an elaborate ice sculpture and custom mug sets emblazoned with Bovo's personal logo. The expenses of the farewell party included $20,250 for Brazilian grill catering and $8,015 for decor such as navy blue Capri linens, gold charger plates, napkins and elaborate floral centerpieces. Another $7,155 went toward printing, lighting and additional decorations. The city also purchased 350 custom espresso cup and saucer sets for $4,667.50 and paid $1,500 for a deluxe espresso and cappuccino bar staffed by two baristas. Seating and table settings, including gold Chiavari chairs and dinnerware, cost $1,620. The rental for decorative plants, including 30 areca palms, 20 ferns and 20 silver bays, was $1,080, and $745 was spent on one ice sculpture, with Bovo's seal: 'Hialeah first, Hialeah always.' The event's expenses were never brought before the City Council for a vote or formal approval. Several council members privately expressed surprise and discomfort to the Miami Herald upon learning that the city had spent more than $45,000 on a farewell party for the departing mayor. However, none were willing to comment publicly, reflecting the reluctance of local politicians to openly criticize controversial decisions in a city governed by a strong-mayor system. More than a month after the Miami Herald requested public records on April 29, the city has yet to provide documentation identifying which department authorized the event or which municipal budget the funds were drawn from—leaving taxpayers with more questions than answers. It remains unclear whether Bovo personally approved the expenditures for his own farewell or if a department director acted on his directive. The Herald requested comment from Bovo and the city's current chief operating officer, Ismare Monreal — who previously served as Bovo's chief of staff — but neither responded. Under Hialeah's protocol as a city with a strong-mayor government, any expenditure must be authorized by the mayor, the finance management director and the purchasing director after the department directly involved requests the money — in this case, the director of the Division of Special Events, which operates under the Parks and Community Engagement Department. The farewell was framed as a tribute to Bovo's nearly 30-year political career and his early — and for some, unexpected — departure from office. Bovo stepped down seven months before the end of his first mayoral term to join Corcoran Partners, a lobbying firm reportedly offering 'way more' in compensation. As mayor, Bovo earned a $150,000 annual salary, along with a $40,000 expense account. Bovo's career in public service began in 1998 when then-Mayor Raúl Martínez, a Democrat, helped appoint him to the Hialeah City Council—marking the beginning of his long tenure in elected office. Though once political allies, that alliance is long over. Martínez criticized the farewell party in sharp terms: 'If city money was used to celebrate a mayor who didn't complete his term and whose performance was mediocre, it amounts to a robbery of the taxpayers,' he said. 'Those who supported it are complicit in misusing public funds.' Although Bovo repeatedly told the Herald that he had no intention of leaving for another position, he ultimately departed early when a more lucrative opportunity arose, leaving Hialeah in a state of political uncertainty. His early exit created a power vacuum that has yet to be resolved. Interim Mayor Jacqueline Garcia-Roves, now in her first month in the role, has struggled to lead the City Council toward appointing someone to temporarily fill her former seat. Meanwhile, the race to succeed Bovo is already heating up, with several council members and Miami-Dade Commissioner René Garcia vying for the office. Before leaving, Bovo received a reimbursed retirement benefit of $44,594, despite a decade-old rule in Hialeah prohibiting retired elected officials from collecting retirement benefits while holding office. The City Council amended the rule in March—just one month before Bovo publicly announced his departure. Although Bovo officially announced on April 7 that he would leave office on April 27, the Herald had broken the news in February. The council unanimously approved the amendment unanimously, making it retroactive to October 2021 —one month before Bovo was elected mayor — effectively lifting the restriction. An interesting side note to the cost of the farewell party: It was more than the $44,000 annual salary of a Hialeah council member earns.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hialeah, city of immigrants, unanimously approves agreement to enforce immigration laws
Hialeah became Tuesday night the second city in Miami-Dade County to enter a partnership with the Trump administration to deputize local police officers to perform duties typically handled by federal immigration agents. The city council unanimously gave Mayor Esteban 'Steve' Bovo the green light to authorize a partnership agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with six members voting in favor and one absent. With the approval of Tuesday's resolution, the mostly Hispanic city, where a majority of residents were born outside the U.S., is now among the first jurisdictions in South Florida to localize the crackdown by President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis on illegal immigration. It's also a development in the city's evolving response to newly arrived immigrants that officials say have strained city resources. Bovo told the council the decision is a 'fine line in a city like this one that has been built by legal immigrants, a very fine line as opposed to illegal immigrants.... The person that comes into the country illegally, illegally has already violated our laws, the laws of this country.' Under the federal 287(g) agreement, which allows state and local police to assist ICE in immigration enforcement, Hialeah police officers will gain the authority to stop, interrogate and arrest individuals suspected of violating immigration laws. The decision comes days after the Coral Gables Police Department signed a similar agreement. 'The agreement does not weaponize our Hialeah Police officers against our city of Hialeah residents,' said Police Chief George Fuentes. It remains to be seen how the policy will play out in predominantly immigrant Hialeah, where five of the council members who approved the agreement are the children of immigrants, and the sixth was born in Cuba. Several residents denounced the agreement amid worries that recent arrivals to the United States, many of whom have made a home in Hialeah, will be targets. READ MORE: Hialeah, a city of immigrants, is set to have its cops take on immigration enforcement Fuentes told the council that he wants all victims and witnesses to report crimes and said the officers selected for the program will be trained 'to understand their protocols and what can or can't be done when it comes to certain operations that they perform.' According to Fuentes' interpretation, the agreement does not mean Hialeah officers are going to do immigration raids, or stop people and ask for their documents. However, the agreement signed between the department and ICE explicitly grants city officers the authority to interrogate anyone they suspect of being in the country illegally. It also allows them to arrest individuals without a warrant, detain those attempting to enter or already in the U.S. unlawfully, execute immigration arrest warrants and prepare documents that initiate deportation proceedings for ICE. Officers are also authorized to take and maintain custody of those arrested on behalf of ICE. This isn't the first time Bovo and other Hialeah officials have taken a hard line on immigration and backed Trump's policies. When Trump visited the city for a campaign event in 2023 and announced he would conduct mass deportations, Bovo announced at the rally that the city would be renaming its main street in honor of Trump. Days later, the council unanimously renamed Palm Avenue Donald J Trump Avenue. In 2024, the mayor claimed that 80,000 Cubans had arrived in the city and strained local resources. He compared the influx to the 1980 Mariel boatlift, which brought 125,000 Cuban refugees to Florida. In response, the city council voted to formally criticize the Biden administration's 'open border policies' and urged the federal government to implement stricter immigration measures to address the surge in migrants to northwest Miami-Dade. On Tuesday, Hialeah residents shared their concerns with the council before its members voted on the agreement with the feds They said that in a city where residents predominantly have roots in Cuba, leaders have fast-tracked a deal that could jeopardize the future of immigrants who call the city home. Since coming into power, the Trump administration has moved to terminate the legal status of hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans and Haitians. 'I urge you, my city council, to not terrorize your own community with this wasteful, harmful, and unnecessary agreement, ' said Tony Marcial Olivera, 21. He pointed to Justice Department investigations and academic research that shows that 287(g) agreements have led to extreme racial profiling and discrimination towards Hispanics. Residents argued that the partnership with ICE would be costly for Hialeah and make the city less safe because people will not come forward to report crimes. 'What happens when a victim of domestic violence is scared to report?' said Jacqueline Gilbert. 'What about when a victim of a crime is scared to report because they are scared to be detained?' One of the residents told council members the decision on an immigration agreement should be put on the ballot, and leave to residents to decide if city resources should be used to 'deport their neighbors, family and friends.' Local law enforcement agencies can enroll in one of three 287(g) models. Hialeah and Coral Gables opted into the Task Force model, which allows police officers to conduct immigration enforcement functions during routine work. ICE describes the model as a 'force multiplier.' Florida's 'sanctuary city' law requires local law enforcement agencies to fully cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Bovo told reporters that Hialeah must cooperate with the state's decree and that he doesn't see any difference between how Hialeah police operate now with the federal government. 'The police have always cooperated, but I think it's also important to point out to people that our police will not be arresting people or asking for documents.' Bovo said. 'That's not our role, and I don't see that as their role.' Bovo, once again pointed fingers at the Biden administration as the reason for the influx of undocumented immigrants in Hialeah. 'How many additional people do we have who don't have papers, who don't have that status?' he said. 'We understand why they come sometimes, but the reality is that they're here illegally.'
Miami Herald
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Hialeah, city of immigrants, unanimously approves agreement to enforce immigration laws
Hialeah became Tuesday night the second city in Miami-Dade County to enter a partnership with the Trump administration to deputize local police officers to perform duties typically handled by federal immigration agents. The city council unanimously gave Mayor Esteban 'Steve' Bovo the green light to authorize a partnership agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with six members voting in favor and one absent. With the approval of Tuesday's resolution, the mostly Hispanic city, where a majority of residents were born outside the U.S., is now among the first jurisdictions in South Florida to localize the crackdown by President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis on illegal immigration. It's also a development in the city's evolving response to newly arrived immigrants that officials say have strained city resources. Bovo told the council the decision is a 'fine line in a city like this one that has been built by legal immigrants, a very fine line as opposed to illegal immigrants.... The person that comes into the country illegally, illegally has already violated our laws, the laws of this country.' Under the federal 287(g) agreement, which allows state and local police to assist ICE in immigration enforcement, Hialeah police officers will gain the authority to stop, interrogate and arrest individuals suspected of violating immigration laws. The decision comes days after the Coral Gables Police Department signed a similar agreement. 'The agreement does not weaponize our Hialeah Police officers against our city of Hialeah residents,' said Police Chief George Fuentes. It remains to be seen how the policy will play out in predominantly immigrant Hialeah, where five of the council members who approved the agreement are the children of immigrants, and the sixth was born in Cuba. Several residents denounced the agreement amid worries that recent arrivals to the United States, many of whom have made a home in Hialeah, will be targets. READ MORE: Hialeah, a city of immigrants, is set to have its cops take on immigration enforcement Fuentes told the council that he wants all victims and witnesses to report crimes and said the officers selected for the program will be trained 'to understand their protocols and what can or can't be done when it comes to certain operations that they perform.' According to Fuentes' interpretation, the agreement does not mean Hialeah officers are going to do immigration raids, or stop people and ask for their documents. However, the agreement signed between the department and ICE explicitly grants city officers the authority to interrogate anyone they suspect of being in the country illegally. It also allows them to arrest individuals without a warrant, detain those attempting to enter or already in the U.S. unlawfully, execute immigration arrest warrants and prepare documents that initiate deportation proceedings for ICE. Officers are also authorized to take and maintain custody of those arrested on behalf of ICE. This isn't the first time Bovo and other Hialeah officials have taken a hard line on immigration and backed Trump's policies. When Trump visited the city for a campaign event in 2023 and announced he would conduct mass deportations, Bovo announced at the rally that the city would be renaming its main street in honor of Trump. Days later, the council unanimously renamed Palm Avenue Donald J Trump Avenue. In 2024, the mayor claimed that 80,000 Cubans had arrived in the city and strained local resources. He compared the influx to the 1980 Mariel boatlift, which brought 125,000 Cuban refugees to Florida. In response, the city council voted to formally criticize the Biden administration's 'open border policies' and urged the federal government to implement stricter immigration measures to address the surge in migrants to northwest Miami-Dade. 'Do not terrorize your community' On Tuesday, Hialeah residents shared their concerns with the council before its members voted on the agreement with the feds They said that in a city where residents predominantly have roots in Cuba, leaders have fast-tracked a deal that could jeopardize the future of immigrants who call the city home. Since coming into power, the Trump administration has moved to terminate the legal status of hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans and Haitians. 'I urge you, my city council, to not terrorize your own community with this wasteful, harmful, and unnecessary agreement, ' said Tony Marcial Olivera, 21. He pointed to Justice Department investigations and academic research that shows that 287(g) agreements have led to extreme racial profiling and discrimination towards Hispanics. Residents argued that the partnership with ICE would be costly for Hialeah and make the city less safe because people will not come forward to report crimes. 'What happens when a victim of domestic violence is scared to report?' said Jacqueline Gilbert. 'What about when a victim of a crime is scared to report because they are scared to be detained?' One of the residents told council members the decision on an immigration agreement should be put on the ballot, and leave to residents to decide if city resources should be used to 'deport their neighbors, family and friends.' Local law enforcement agencies can enroll in one of three 287(g) models. Hialeah and Coral Gables opted into the Task Force model, which allows police officers to conduct immigration enforcement functions during routine work. ICE describes the model as a 'force multiplier.' Florida's 'sanctuary city' law requires local law enforcement agencies to fully cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Bovo told reporters that Hialeah must cooperate with the state's decree and that he doesn't see any difference between how Hialeah police operate now with the federal government. 'The police have always cooperated, but I think it's also important to point out to people that our police will not be arresting people or asking for documents.' Bovo said. 'That's not our role, and I don't see that as their role.' Bovo, once again pointed fingers at the Biden administration as the reason for the influx of undocumented immigrants in Hialeah. 'How many additional people do we have who don't have papers, who don't have that status?' he said. 'We understand why they come sometimes, but the reality is that they're here illegally.'
