Miami Mayor touts city's rising status

[Aessotariq]

Posted on Wed, May. 25, 2005

MIAMI

Mayor touts city's rising status

With a view toward the next election, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz boasted of drops in crime, homelessness and unemployment and touted the city's booming real estate market.

BY MICHAEL VASQUEZ

[email protected]

Less than six months before he will ask voters to reward him with another term in office, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz delivered his fourth State of the City address Tuesday -- an optimistic speech that boasted of substantial drops in unemployment, homelessness and crime.

While highlighting Miami's recent good fortunes, Diaz issued a challenge for the city to be more demanding of itself and to dream bigger dreams.

''Now is the time we stop talking about potential,'' Diaz told a crowd of roughly 1,000 gathered at the Coconut Grove Convention Center. ``Now is the time to take our rightful place as one of the world's greatest cities.''

In his speech, Diaz stressed the importance of Miami's current effort to create a citywide development master plan, dubbed Miami 21.

In an interview after his address, Diaz also mentioned Miami's proposed streetcar line and downtown Museum Park as examples of his strategy for attaining world-class status.

More: Miami Herald

SPEECH HIGHLIGHTS

Economic health: Diaz cited several indicators he said demonstrate Miami's economic strength. Among them:

[Brickell]

Mayor Diaz has been berry beery good for Miami. I'd like to see how he handles a little adversity though.

[Dale]

Mayor Diaz has been berry beery good for Miami.  I'd like to see how he handles a little adversity though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True, true. but what kind of adversity do you have in mind ? Something really, really bad like the FAA chopping the Empire World Towers ? B)

[Urban_Legend]

Things are looking up, which is good for a reelection campaign. Miami has been rising to the top of international cities.

And forget dropping crime rates....WE GOT THE VMA's!!!! lol

[up+down=midtown]

my fav. mayor in the whole world........i do like the fact that two years ago he said he would fix this dump of a city and get investors to come in and more tourist and put miami in the spotlight and he has delievered.......now i just wish he would say somethinglike i'll bring in major corporations get high paying jobs and we'll have an office boom etc..

[Aessotariq]

He has been a very effective mayor who will leave behind a rich legacy. He will have no problem getting reelected.

The mayor's State of the City Address is now available online, and you can read it here:

http://www.miamigov.com/cms/mayor/1508.htm

[Dale]

He has been a very effective mayor who will leave behind a rich legacy. He will have no problem getting reelected.

The mayor's State of the City Address is now available online, and you can read it here:

http://www.miamigov.com/cms/mayor/1508.htm

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, and proved that you don't need to be a Daley-like dictator to get things done.