The Summation Weekly December 20, 2017

Page 1

USPS Publication Number 16300

T h is C om mu n i t y N ewsp a p er is a pu bl ica t ion of E sca m bia / S a n ta Rosa B a r Assoc ia t ion

Se r v i ng t he Fi r st Jud icial Ci rcu it

Section A, Page 1

Vol. 17, No. 50

Visit The Summation Weekly Online: www.summationweekly.com

Philip Levine:

December 20, 2017

1 Section, 8 Pages

A Vision for Florida

By Hana Frenette

On Nov. 1, Philip Levine, Mayor of Miami Beach. formally announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for governor of Florida. While he isn’t a household name—yet–the 55-year-old entreprenuer, businessman, and politician has steadily gained recognition across the state for his stance on sea-level rise, climate change, AirBnB rentals, a higher statewide minimum wage and the actions of the GOP. The unconventional Boston-born cadidate sat down with us to discuss his overall vision for Florida if elected Governor, the resilience of the American dream, and the challenges he faced during his two terms as Miami Beach mayor. In the early 90s, with only $500 in start up capital, you started a media company called Onboard Media, in a studio apartment, which ended up being a very successful port-marketing company. Tell me about the decision to create that company. After college, I still hadn’t found what I really wanted to do. My life changed when I answered an ad in the Miami Herald, for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line— a tiny company with 3-4 cruise ships. They were looking for someone to go on board their ships and give lectures on what they could expect at each port, where to shop, where to eat. I told them I was a great public speaker— even though I’d never done it before, and they really needed someone, so next thing I knew, I was on a a cruise ship. My cabin was below the water line, I was terrified, and I thought I had made a terrible decision. All I could think was, how do I get off this ship? Maybe I could call the Coast Guard? I kept going and prepared to give my first lecture. I thought there probably wouldn’t be many people there anyway, and when I walked out to begin speaking there were over 1,500 passengers in the room for the lecture. For me, that was a turning point. I became pretty good at speaking publicly from that job and I fell into an amazing industry. I worked for several months on board the cruise ship, and shortly after that experience, I started my own company in 1990. Eventually, we merged with a partner to create OnBoard Media and we became the largest partner in the world to the cruise ship industry. We created everything from Onboard Media, TV advertisements, and port marketing. In 2000, I sold the company to Louis Vuitton. After that I began acquiring and dealing in commercial real estate, and helping to restart companies in South Florida. How did you become involved in politics? It had actually begun early on when I became friends with the young mayor of Miami-Dade County, Alex Penelas. I became involved in supporting him and we formed a friendship. Through Mayor Penelas, I met this gentleman named Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton and I built a wonderful relationship and friendship. After I sold my company and he was no longer president, I was fortunate enough to travel with him and to mentor with him—one of greatest political leaders of our time. In 2013, you were elected Mayor of Miami Beach. What issues did you focus most on during your fist

term? What have you continued to focus your attention on? It was a very interesting election. One of our biggest issues here and all across the state, especially in coastal cities, is seal-level rise. And, one of the things I really pushed was that if I was elected mayor, I wanted to attack that problem immediately. It was a four-way race, I won in a landslide with over 50 percent of the votes, and I believe it’s because everything I’ve done is different.

sure that the other folks sitting with you will follow you. You have to not only listen to them, but to your constituents—that is always going to be a challenge to anyone in a political position. Treat your constituents as vested interest; figure out a way to get everyone moving in the right direction for the community. We did have a big challenge here, and we were able to really convince people this new thing called “Climate Change” is real and the resulting sea level rise was something we needed to take acWhat were some of the things tion on immediately. We explained to you did differently than the other people that their livelihood and their futures are depending on investing in candidates? I made a lot of direct contact with resiliency. That was a major commuthe people. I knocked on 6,000 doors, nications campaign we had to run to met the voters, talked with them, went get the buy in from our community. directly to them through social media, You’ve helped establish a numand ran a really fun TV commercial. In the commercial, I was paddling ber of successful Miami Beachdown one of our main streets with a based businesses. How were you yellow slicker on and my dog with able to make this happen, and how me, and I said, “Some people want to much of an impact has it had on be the mayor of Venice—I want to be the local economy? Do you believe the mayor of Miami Beach.” Water Pensacola or Florida as a whole was pouring on his head and I’m tell- can make similar strides in order to find economic success with job ing Earl, my dog to paddle faster. growth? If you take some of the leading What are some of your biggest accomplishments as Mayor of Mi- Fortune 500 companies like Amazon ami Beach during your two terms? and Boeing, and you read their HR We’ve done a lot. After these two manuals, you’ll see one of the main terms, we’ll be completing a new things they believe in is treating their convention center. Before I took of- people really, really well. If you treat fice, we had a police force that many people well and offer them educationwould describe as the “tail wagging al opportunities, healthcare and childthe dog,” with international head- care, they’ll actually work harder and lines that were not positive. We had the company will prosper more. If you try and make your commuhorrible shootings involving our police department, and we were able nity a place you actually want to live to recruit one of the great chiefs of and work, you’ll actually get people police to our police force and were to continue opening up operations able to change the culture of a po- here. We’re trying to create ecosyslice force with a troubled past. We tems of culture in Florida—and we’re were the first city in the state to pass not doing that through corporate ina minimum living wage. The mini- centives, we’re doing it by creating a mum wage was $8.25 and we have culture of excellence. We want to have the best univerpassed a new minimum wage law that will have minimum wage starting at sities that turn out the best graduates $13.31 by 2021. We’ve been sued by who are then able to handle these Publix and by the State of Florida— great positions, while possibly comwe believe this issue will go all the mitting to work in Florida for a cerway to Supreme Court. We’ve also tain time period. We need to have the connected the entire city with a free most state-of-the-art public transportrolley system, which was a pretty tation throughout the state available monumental task. We have an area for everyone. We need to create an in Miami Beach, called North Beach, environment that is pristine and be a which was a very depressed and un- state that is concerned and forthright derserved area. Over the last several in maintaining and keeping our enviyears we’ve been able to turn this area ronment and waterways clean. GE is moving their world headinto a really hip, happening spot with significant vibrant growth. Another quarters to Boston—and they did it thing we’re very proud of is the fact because Boston has all the right stuff: that we’ve received a perfect score the finest education, incredible pufrom the Human Rights Campaign’s bic transportation and infrastructure, Municipal Equality Index, along with which helps create a great environonly a few other cities in the country. ment for these companies. Our current governor believes that I think the biggest challenge I’ve encountered as mayor is making $8.25 an hour service jobs are the way

to go here—and if you want a state of Wal-Marts and McDonalds, then that’s great, but my vision is very different. I’d like to see more opportunities for more experienced positions, higher paying jobs, and innovation. And we have NASA— I call NASA our Silicon Valley. We need to build upon NASA, and take advantage of what we can create there for Florida. You’ve announced that you will run for Governor in 2018. What’s motivated you to run for this role? I’m running for Governor because I love helping people. I truly believe in the American dream, and I think the Florida dream is the same. I could run for a third term, but everything I said we were going to do, we’ve either done or it’s in process of being done. Change is good. I’d rather take my sills and abilities to the state level and help the entire state. I’ve enjoyed meeting people in other towns all across the state, listening to the customers, the voters, residents, and hearing what they have to say. I have a vision for the entire state. If you’re elected Governor, what are a few of your top tasks you plan to tackle once in office? One of the first things I plan to address is making sure we have the best sea-level has plan in place. With my experience in Miami Beach I can roll out a plan statewide and make sure we have a chief resiliency officer. We will work with the local communities to make our state is the leader in resiliency. The second issue I’d focus on is that of local elected officials being dictated to by Tallahassee. They have this preemption in Tallahassee, where they want to preempt the ability of local communities. Government is best closest to the people. Communities should be able to decide what cable company they want, or how they feel about AirBnB—on a local level. One big issue I heard about from a lot of people who were working service jobs, was that they felt like they needed to make more because they cant survive, even with two, sometimes three jobs. So minimum wage is something to discuss statewide. I’ve also heard from a lot of folks that we need to invest more in our pubic schools—that needs to be a major priority with the state of Florida. If you don’t like the idea of your kid leaving and going to work in another city, we need to create an ecosystem here that includes great education for everyone and great opportunities for everyone. Folks are a little flipped out over their healthcare these days. We don’t think the Affordable Care Act (ACA)

is the greatest thing on earth, but it’s better than using the ER as our healthcare system. Why don’t we make it better and make it so everyone has the chance to have health insurance? That’s something I heard from everyone—going backwards is not the answer. Tell me about your time on the board of directors for Best Buddies International? Why have you chosen to spend your time with this organization? I got involved with Best Buddies International through a friend, Anthony Kennedy Shriver, his mother was Ida Shriver who started the special Olympics. Anthony started this in college and as I got to know him, I saw the incredible work this organization does and how they help folks with developmental disabilities. I saw first hand how amazing it is and how they make people feel like they really do have a friend. The organization is a great example of the Kennedy legacy: doing good for people. You recently chartered a flight with 7,000 pounds of supplies to help San Juan following a hurricane that devastated Puerto Rico. Why did you feel the need to help and how did you make it happen? My expression as mayor was “just get it done.” I felt very frustrated by how inept and paralyzed Washington was in aiding a part of our country, Puerto Rico, and felt it would be a great example to get a plane, fill it with life-saving supplies, coordinate with the mayor of San Juan, and say, ‘look what I’m doing—you can do it too.’ The White House took note of it and it spurred dozens of other relief flights. These are Americans and they are in need, how in the world could we not help them? I was incredibly disappointed in the reaction of our federal government. What advice would you give to citizens who are eager to make their community and economy better? I think the most important thing is to get involved. When I ran for mayor of Miami Beach, I had friends who said ‘you’re crazy, you don’t need it.’ But I wasn’t doing it for the money or the recognition. I’m doing it because if folks like me don’t do it, who is going to do it? I wanted to make the city better. I would encourage anyone who wants the same to get out there and get involved. Volunteer at a charity or find a way to become active in your community—and getting active doesn’t meet sitting on your couch and making comments on Facebook or Twitter.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
The Summation Weekly December 20, 2017 by Ballinger Publishing - Issuu