General Meeting Recap: May 2025

By: Rosie Betancourt, Communications

It is becoming increasingly clear that the only effective antidote to TDS—Trump Derangement Syndrome—might just be a booster shot of DRE—Democratic Reality & Engagement. Thankfully, we had the perfect prescription at our May General Meeting, delivered by none other than Miami Beach Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, Ph.D. She offered a stimulating dose of reality to everyone present, both in person and on Zoom. The message was clear: our city and its people are anything but ordinary. To build a stronger, smarter, safer, and more Democratic Miami Beach, we must think beyond the conventional and embrace bold, innovative solutions.

Our political climate remains deeply concerning. The damage done by every single stroke of the infamous presidential “Sharpie®” and the often-unconstitutional whims of the Tallahassee establishment cannot be overstated. Now, more than ever, we must grow the Miami Beach Democratic voter base and elect local officials committed to protecting and advancing our values.

Miami Beach Democratic Club is fully focused on growing voter registration and supporting candidates like Commissioners Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, Laura Dominguez, Alex Fernandez, and all Democrats running in the upcoming local elections.

Here is how we are rising to this moment: Club President Amanda Knapp outlined several new initiatives aimed at expanding our influence and mobilizing voters. A key effort is a voter registration pilot program, launching May 17th in partnership with the Florida Democratic Party. Director Tim Johnson leads the campaign to identify and engage left-leaning residents and get them registered and election-ready.

We’re also excited to roll out a new project: thoughtfully designed welcome cards for newly registered Democrats, party-switchers, and first-time 18-year-old voters in Miami Beach. This personal touch aims to build a sense of connection and commitment within our Democratic community.

Building a strong Democratic presence in local government is essential, especially as state leadership continues trying to shift power away from cities and into Tallahassee’s hands, where local needs often go ignored.

Our guest speaker, Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, joined us fresh from filing her paperwork to enter the November mayoral race—news we were excited to hear, even if we wish she had announced it at our meeting. When (no ifs) elected, Commissioner Rosen Gonzalez would be only the second woman to serve as Mayor of Miami Beach in the past hundred years. Learn more about her campaign at KRGforMiamiBeach.com.

A provocative and outspoken advocate, the Commissioner is known for holding her colleagues accountable and championing transparency. She pledged to run a campaign grounded in unity and fiscal responsibility, with a focus on resiliency, smart development, and protection of our city’s historic districts. We know from her Commission meeting recaps that she gets to the point and is unafraid to wear the cloak of “People’s Commissioner.” We were glad to hear her promise to be the “People’s Mayor.”

She addressed Miami Beach’s politically driven fixation with crime statistics while everyday issues like traffic congestion and lack of affordable housing remain inadequately addressed. Innovative solutions such as a reliable water taxi service and a golf cart initiative are part of her vision for a more connected, less congested, city. She also called for deeper collaboration with the county and raised alarms about the loss of local control over development and the potential impact of tariffs on infrastructure projects.

On a more personal note, she shared her role in fast-tracking the reopening of the senior lunchroom and community center in South Beach—a project stalled by red tape until she stepped in and simplified the process.

Q&A could have gone on for hours and Commissioner Rosen Gonzalez did her best to address every question, including concerns about flooding, the city’s preparations to deal with the effects of climate change and sea level rising, and other resilience efforts. One particularly alarming topic raised was the environmental threat posed by FPL’s aging Turkey Point nuclear power plant, located less than 30 miles south of Miami Beach.

Here’s the troubling reality: Turkey Point sits atop the Biscayne Aquifer, the primary drinking water source for millions in South Florida. Contaminated, salinized water from the plant’s cooling canals has already tainted surrounding groundwater. Despite a court-ordered ten-year deadline, FPL has failed to clean up the pollution (link to Harris, A., Feb. 12, 2025, FPL has a deadline to clean up salty pollution under Turkey Point. It won’t make it. The Miami Herald).

Even more alarming, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved the plant’s operation into the 2050s. A recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office raises serious questions about whether the NRC’s licensing and oversight processes adequately consider the heightened risks climate change poses to nuclear facilities. What does this mean for the safety of our water and our community? Read full report here.

Following the discussion, we could all have used one of those Kumbaya moments the Commissioner often mentions in her monthly email recaps. True to form, she stepped up, pledging to spearhead an initiative at City Hall to raise awareness and push for a comprehensive study and plan of action addressing Turkey Point’s environmental threats. She expressed confidence that such a resolution would pass, calling it a bipartisan issue that affects everyone in the region.

The evening’s core message was simple but urgent: we must build resilience—politically, environmentally, structurally, and emotionally. When confronted with harsh realities, the answer is not despair, but action and engagement.

Can we count on you to stand with us as we move forward? Let's be the voices Miami Beach needs.

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