…local political activist and member of the Miami Beach Design Review Board Gabrielle Redfern, who has been campaigning for environmental issues such as bicycle lanes in the city for more than a decade. (…)
Redfern says cities have to create more tax revenue-producing measures for themselves, but admits it will be a challenge, due to the fact that some cities rely almost entirely on property tax revenues to function. Tough choices will have to be made, such as making “substantial changes to the size and scope of our component obligations, like Jackson Memorial Hospital and the Ryder Trauma Center,” she says. (…)
“The largest trouble with transit is that too few people use it and so few people that use it pay for it. This plan would attract more riders of choice to help pay for the system,” Redfern says. “Public transportation may not pay for itself in my lifetime, but there is no excuse to not change the paradigm in the future by making it more useable today.”
It is, however, obvious that Redfern’s main focus is the environment.
“Fixing public transportation is good for our environment. Making our cities more livable is good for the environment,” she says, as is “building for the future and taking into account the resources we need for safe and well-performing infrastructure such as water and sewer services.”
Finally though, Redfern is aware that it is the economy that grabs the public’s attention.
“Making Miami-Dade County shine, releasing her from the bondage of corruption, malfeasance and politically-based incompetence does good for the environment and also for the economy,” Redfern said. “We must take every opportunity to improve our economy.”
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