Looks like Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina wants to rewrite history when it comes to his support for the Marlins' stadium sweetheart deal. At last week's Latin Builders Association sponsored mayoral debate, Robaina claimed the stadium didn't get built in Hialeah because "it wasn't a good deal for this community and it wasn't a good deal for the taxpayers." His opponent and county Commissioner Carlos Gimenez reminded the audience that Robaina had appeared before the county commission in 2009 in support of the stadium deal. "And I have the tape to prove it," Gimenez added.
Well there is no need to go to Gimenez. All voters have to do is see the archived footage from the March 23, 2009 meeting. Eye on Miami already posted the clip of Robaina sucking up to the Marlins.
Speaking after former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, Robaina gushed about how Hialeah residents backed the ball park because it would create jobs. He said:
I stand before you in approval of thisRobaina's hypocrisy wasn't lost on Eye On Miami blogger Genius of Despair, who writes: "Shame on you Julio, the tape doesn't lie." We asked Robaina for a response through his assistant Arnaldo Alonso, who referred us to the mayor's campaign spokeswoman Ana Carbonell. She did not respond to an email requesting comment.item and to recognize that back in 1999 as a city council member I put on
the straw ballot whether or not the residents of my city wanted the Marlins to stay. Overwhelmingly, at that moment, the vote yes. Today, the
vote continues to be yes. Just last month we received a report that
over 10,000 of my residents are receiving unemployment compensation. I bet you the majority are in the construction industry. They are looking forward
to this being approved also. We must recognize the commitment of two entities
like I have never seen before in my lifetime in this community: the Florida Marlins and Major League Baseball.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.