Philip Levine is running for Mayor of Miami Beach!
Real estate mogul Philip Levine just announced his candidacy for Mayor of Miami Beach. I am thrilled about the news because it has been too long since someone with a true business background has thrown his hat in the ring. Miami Beach is the crown jewel of South Florida and it is time that we have a representative who reflects our stature as a serious city.
Even better: Philip is going the Michael Bloomberg route with his campaign, meaning that he is going to mainly self-fund his efforts and will cap all donations at $100. “I won’t be accepting money from corporations,” Philip tells me, in an exclusive call. “Therefore, I won’t be beholden to any corporations. This is very different from what Miami Beach has seen before. There’s so much corruption and crazy pensions. I want to change the paradigm.”
Indeed Levine’s announcement is sure to shake things up. First, he is running against two veterans of City of Miami Beach politics, Michael Gongora and Jerry Libbin—both of whom are currently City Commissioners. For Levine, that’s exactly the problem—politics as usual! “There’s a leadership vacuum,” he continues. “There are two people running against me. They have been politicians with the City for years. The people of Miami Beach know what they’ve done. If they want change, I’m the choice for that.” Whomever wins will be replacing longtime Commissioner and Mayor Matti Bower.
“I want to be independent of groups bidding for business in the City,” he notes, citing the recent allegations of corruption surrounding the bidding process for the new Convention Center. “I want to clean up the circus and do it in a way that is unique. It’s time to take the Beach back.”
In fact, Philip says that his campaigning will be on a grassroots level and that he will be going door to door all over Miami Beach himself. While he filed two weeks ago, a committee is currently being formed on his behalf. Expect some of the biggest movers and shakers in the 305 to jump onboard the campaign. Who knows? Maybe even an appearance by former President Bill Clinton, who is a dear friend of Levine’s.
This is certainly going to shake up the “established” political players locally, who have never had to run against someone so savvy before. It also reflects the maturation on the behalf of our business community, who will certainly rally around Levine. We have world-class events on Miami Beach—such as Art Basel and the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. It’s time our politicians caught up too.
While November is months away, Philip predicts it will be a “long, hot, wet summer.” And that’s he’s looking forward to a “big fight.”
Miami Pop will keep you posted on all of the upcoming races for the COMB. In the meantime, don’t be surprised to see Miami’s next Bloomberg knocking on your door.
He is a real leader MB is lucky to have him as a candidate
Being the Mayor of Miami Beach, which includes all of South Beach – is a BIG deal! Although the job description is mostly ceremonial, it, depending on who that person is, could be huge. This past Sunday the New York Times talked about how the ever growing number of millionaires and new billionaires always hung their hats and assets in either London or New York.
From the point of view of us South Beach “folks”?, people – the Times buried the lead a bunch of paragraph’s down by firmly stating that Miami was now firmly the third city of choice for those billionaires, millionaires. They attributed a great deal of 3rd place ranking to the influx of new Brazil, Latin America money, etc.
We, the Beach is that city. Our economy is booming in Real Estate, Retail, high end luxury, everything. Two of the top five grossing restaurants in America, the most expensive shopping mall in the world by the square inch, the second or third highest grossing night club on the Planet, the most successful art fair, boat shows, food and wine and music festivals in the world, etc., etc., etc. did I mention the world class new restaurant outposts, Lincoln Road, the home of the NBA champions (yea the Heat play on the mainland, but King James said “I’m takin my talents to ……”).
So, what can a local, yokel Mayor of about 70,000 minions, who has no administrative power whatsoever, do?
Everything. In terms of worldwide influence in culture, trends, fashion, music, lifestyle, sports, we – Miami Beach, us, we are one of the top 3 or 4 cities in the world. The Mr. Mayor, Hizzhonor can, if he or she is that person ( and no one has been yet) can be our ambassador, our spokesman, leader, speaker of the House, cultural director, including Soho House; to crush it and make us the number one City in the World. We are very close as it is – no one has put the pieces together yet or sent out the press release. We, a big we, are number one or two for yachting and cruise ships; our awful airport is number one on the planet earth for cargo and two or three for passenger air travel, we are the bank for South America and blah, blah, blah.
All this while our resort, hotel and food surplus taxes go to a visitors bureau led by a team of people who spend that money promoting Opa Locka and Homestead and our berg is run by a city government that from a national perspective is a joke. But it works – they are and always have been focused on the big stuff, you know, installing a City wide “free” Internet service that does not work; paying a shi_ load of money to name a electric bus and counting cash.
It really works. Did I use the word bubble? We are knocking it out of the park because they don’t see it, get it or understand it. Don’t tell them that people swim nude on our Beach.
We really need a Mayor who will cut the right ribbons, attract more art and culture, invite TED kind of thinking, bring back fashion, film, science, technology. Where would you rather be – South Beach or Austin, Lincoln Road or Las Olas, South Beach or Vegas?
By the way Miami Beach has an Ocean. Bring it on.
Go Philip. Commissioner Libbin, also running is soooo on the take, as in corrupt!
The last thing Miami Beach needs is a mayor who is also a developer. Bad choice all the way around. I also love how he has labeled Michael Gongora as an insider. Gongora has only been in office a short time, especially when compared to other politicians and does not have real estate development special interests backing him like this guy will.
Mr. Levine has common sense and business experience. This will help Miami Beach greatly. Good Luck Sir !!
We need business people to reinvent our entire political landscape. I want to vote for a person that can manage something NOT just winning votes by giving things away. Miami Beach is a JEWEL and it needs Leadership
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