Dear residents,

September is budget time in Miami-Dade County. I'd like to remind you that you are free to speak your mind in person at either of our two public hearings on September 6 and 20. These hearings will take place at Government Center in Downtown Miami, 111 N.W. 1st Street, on the second floor. While the meetings begin at 5:01 p.m., I encourage you to come early if you plan to speak so you can fill out a speaker card.

If you can't attend the public hearings in person, they will be televised on Miami-Dade TV (check with your cable service provider for channel) and online. Please feel free to contact my office should you have feedback on the Mayor's proposed budget. A copy of the proposed budget is available online .

Sincerely,

Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz

On July 31, Commissioner Diaz teamed up with Men's Wearhouse, the Miami Dolphins, Miami Marlins and other local politicians in collecting over 150 garments during Men's Wearhouse's National Suit Drive, a program aimed at collecting professional attire to help men and women 'suit up' for success on their job interviews. Commissioner Diaz also donated one of his suits for the cause. The garments collected in Miami-Dade County will assist our local military men and women and also the Greater Miami Service Corps., to look professional and be confident so they can so they can land their dream jobs. Besides collecting suits, Men's Wearhouse also accepted shirts, jackets, ties belts and shoes.

At his annual back to school event, Commissioner Diaz was joined by Billy the Marlin in handing out over 200 book bags filled with paper, folders, binders, erasers, pens, markers and pencils to district 12 students. The event took place on August 8 at the Commissioner's district office, where children and their parents took pictures with Billy the Marlin and also had a chance to win Marlin tickets and Miami Dolphin tickets. The children also enjoyed some delicious chocolate chip cooks by Philly Steak Sub shop. The event was sponsored by Wal-Mart and Flagler Development.

During Commissioner Diaz’s annual school scholarship, we had over 27 high school seniors from District 12 apply and six lucky students will be receiving $1,000, which they can use to pay tuition or chase school supplies.

Congratulations to the winners:

• Eduardo Vilchez from Doral Academy High will be attending Florida International University and majoring in Business Administration,
• Ana Enriquez from Mater Academy High will be attending University of Florida and majoring in Microbiology & Cell Science,
• Sheila Lopez from Ronald Reagan Doral Senior High will be attending Valencia College and majoring in Pre-Med,
• Matthew Espinosa from Belen Jesuit will be attending University of Florida and majoring in Chemical Engineering,
• Alvaro Velandia from Hialeah Gardens High will be attending Florida International University and majoring in Mechanical Engineering and
• Jose Diaz from Hialeah Educational Academy High will be attending Florida State University and majoring in Statistics.

If you are a senior in high school and getting ready for college, you might want to apply for Commissioner Diaz’s annual school scholarship. Be sure to call Andy at the Commissioner’s office at the end of January 2013 to get details on when the scholarship applications will be available.

On August 17th, Commissioner Diaz joined other elected officials who rappelled down from the 19th floor of the JW Marriott Marquis Miami to raise funds to benefit the children in Liberty City. The event was sponsored by the Miami Children's Initiative. Commissioner Diaz also presented a proclamation to the group proclaiming August 17 as Over the Edge Miami Day. For more information on the organization or to donate, please visit their website.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools is excited to announce the LINK (Learn Ideas, Navigate Knowledge) computer literacy program. LINK is a federally funded grant program that may provide computers to qualified 9th graders at a cost of $25. To qualify, Miami-Dade County Public School students must be a 9th grade student during the 2012-2013 school year and be enrolled in the Free and Reduced Price Lunch Program. Parents must apply online through the Parent Portal. If you don't already have a Parent Portal account, please visit your school to receive your PIN and register. Students will be selected to participate in the program through a random lottery. The LINK application deadline is September 21.For more information about the program, visit the LINK website or call 305-995-3276.

As the Chairman of the Miami-Dade Sports Commission, Commissioner Diaz joined the Miami Marlins, Global Football Challenge President Stuart Webb, world leading soccer legend Ruud Gullit and City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado at a press conference on August 1 at the Miami Marlin's Park to announce the inaugural Miami Soccer Challenge, where world soccer giants will face off in 2013. The Miami Soccer Challenge will be for three years and will feature clubs from Europe and South America. While teams have yet to be selected for the first game, which will be sometime in January 2013, Stuart Webb would like to have one of the two major professional clubs from Madrid - either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid participate. Commissioner Diaz believes this is a right fit for our community, which is very diverse and loves soccer and he can't wait for the first match to be announced in November 2012. Some European clubs being mention to participate in the Miami Soccer Challenge include Liverpool, Barcelona, Juventus and AC Milan, as well as the Boca Juniors and Santos clubs from South America.

The Miami-Dade Community Action Agency’s (CAA) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is currently assisting eligible residents with payment of their gas or electric bills.  The program assists individuals who are experiencing an increase in their energy bill due to the weather as well as individuals with final notices or those who have had their services disconnected.  Applications for LIHEAP are available Monday through Friday at CAA Service Centers like the Hialeah Service Center, 300 E. First Avenue, or the Sweetwater Service Center, 250 SW 114 Avenue. For a complete list of all the CAA Service Centers or to download the application, please visit the County’s website or contact the Miami-Dade Community Action Agency at 786-469-4600. 

On  August 24, the Office of the Property Appraiser mailed the 2012 Notice of Proposed Property Taxes (also called the TRIM “ Truth in Millage “ Notice) to more than a million properties and businesses in Miami-Dade County. The mailing of this notice sets the stage for the 2012 interview period when property and business owners are encouraged to contact the property appraiser with questions about their values and exemptions. During the interview period those who have questions about their values and/or exemptions are encouraged to meet with Property Appraiser staff at either the Downtown Miami Office or the South Dade Government Center. Property owners can also call the Appraiser’s Office at 786-331-5321. Those who don’t agree with their bill,  have the right to appeal to the Value Adjustment Board (VAB). The deadline for filing a VAB appeal is September 18.

To help Miami-Dade County residents, the Miami-Dade Public Library System is offering a wide assortment of vital information and valuable assistance for job seekers!  From computer classes and access to the Internet, to help with resume writing, job interviewing skills and test preparation, the Library wants to help patrons prepare for and search for jobs. Free classes are held throughout all 47 branch locations and are available in both English and Spanish.  The Library’s website, www.mdpls.org, has created a “Job Search” section for individuals to access from any location 24/7. For more information, contact 305-375-BOOK (2665) or visit Miami-Dade Public Library System online.

On November 30, 2009, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Six in partnership with the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) began a reconstruction project of the State Road (S.R.) 826 (Palmetto Expressway) and S.R. 836 (Dolphin Expressway) Interchange. Now that construction has begun, there will be many upcoming lane and ramp closures on the Dolphin Expressway. For more information about construction-related activities, please contact Oscar Gonzalez at 786-280-0983 or via e-mail at [email protected]. General information can be found at www.826-836.com. Motorists are encouraged to call 511 before they drive, or log on to www.fl511.com for real-time traffic and lane closure information.

September 8, 2012 at 7:30 a.m.  -  Park Project 2nd Annual 5K Freedom Run & PARK Festival at
JC Bermudez Park, 3000 NW 87th Avenue in Doral

[email protected]