South Florida Sun Sentinel from Fort Lauderdale, Florida • Page 7

-rrr" ocal Bulletin Board 4 Consumer 8 Obituaries 11 Sun-Sentinel Florida SOUTH BROWARD PAGE 10 Section Thursday November 4, 1999 MS South Florida Van hits, kills girl, 3, on her bike Miami vote may muddy the waters one 19 months later, in November 2001. "We're resigned to the fact that this city is going to be in chaos for another two years," said Tom Gabriel, president of the Miami Association of Firefighters. "Then hopefully some leadership will emerge. But we don't expect the fireworks to end for three years." Gabriel has reason to be pessimistic. After yi Ly Government changes likely to bring turmoil More campaigning, feuding expected By DAVID CAZARES STAFF WRITER MIAMI When it comes to treating a city's poor political health, the suggested cure can seem just as painful as the ailment.

After the decision by voters on Tuesday to change city government by eliminating the city manager's job and creating a commission-strong mayor form of government, the immediate prognosis isn't good. The vote, which forces Mayor Joe Carollo to run for a re-election in March, 20 months before the end of his term, has ushered in a political free-for-all that could last years. What's ahead, according to civic leaders, city employees and political observers, is a period of virtually nonstop campaigning and mudslinging before the March mayoral election and a following AFTERMATH: Police investigate an accident in which Veronica Talamantes, 3, was killed when her bicycle, in center of photo, was hit Wednesday by the van on the right, staff E.semanft Thy ii liidliT r-f Marlins: We'd return 90 percent of profit Mother missed sight of her for two seconds' By TANYA WEINBERG Staff writer DAVIE Neighbors often saw little Veronica Talamantes, 3, riding her pink and purple bicycle around the streets of the Silver Oaks trailer park. On Wednesday night, they gathered behind yellow police tape blocking them from a pile of her clothes, her little white shoes, and the van that struck and killed her. Police have not yet determined if Juanita Nolon, 57, was at fault when she took the curve on Southwest 6 1 st Avenue and the right side of her GMC van hit Veronica.

It is possible that Nolon's right rear wheel ran over the girl, said Lt. bleeding so much." Quinones said the girl's mother was picking up another child from the day-care program run by nuns in the trailer across the street. "She said she just missed sight of her for two seconds," Quinones said. Quinones said she is always careful when her son, 28, also in a wheelchair, goes out because neighbors don't obey the posted 20 mph speed limit. She added that she did not think Nolon was going very fast.

Disturbed neighbors discussed how stop signs, speed bumps, and even yellow signs reading "SLOW: CHILDREN AT PLAY" don't keep drivers from zipping around the park's winding roads. "That's why I always keep my grandson in the house," Norma Ar-zola, 43, said. "You see that stop sign? They don't even stop." One neighbor, Jose Sequeira, 16, said that just two days earlier, he was driving through the trailer NEIGHBOR: Maria Quinones said she and others tried to help the 3-year-old girl after the van hit her. Staff photoUrsula E.Semann park when Veronica pedaled out into the street from behind bushes that blocked his view of her. "I got out, put her on the side of the street and got back in the car," he said.

"I never thought something like this would happen." Tanya Weinberg can be reached at or 954-385-7923. qualify as easily as poor ones. The reason behind that fear is the $20,000 income requirement exempts tax-sheltered investments and Social Security earnings above a certain level from being counted as income. City Manager Sam Finz, who opposed the exemption, said it wasn't a matter of not wanting to help seniors, but finding ways to absorb the lost revenue. And he's not alone in his concern Broward County SENIORS continues on 2B all, his union was one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit that sought to prevent Tuesday's vote.

Despite complaints by city employees that the Carollo strong-mayor measure would do them harm, it prevailed by a margin of 53.2 percent to 46.8 percent. Voters also approved an amendment that limits city commissioners to two four-year terms, beginning with those elected in 2001, and gave the commission the power to appoint an auditor general to oversee city spending. The strong-mayorvote, however, will likely have the most dra- ELECTION continues on 2B rather than "a hobby." But what Henry's pledge really means is difficult to gauge. No one knows whether the proposed ballpark, expected to cost about $400 million and to be built in either downtown Fort Lauderdale or downtown Miami, will even turn a profit. The profit would be any money generated by the ballpark after the team's operating expenses, including player salaries, are paid, Henry said.

And team officials are not sure where that 90 percent would go. That would hinge on where the stadium is built and how much participation the community has in its construction, said Jonathan Mariner, Marlins senior vice president and chief financial officer. Henry made his pledge during a keynote speech to the business group, which until recently was known as the Miramar-Pembroke Pines Chamber of Commerce. Whether the pledge makes Henry's campaign more palatable STADIUM continues on 2B card Russo says. "But that doesn't mean he should lead the nation." Perhaps The Donald's future is in the hands of America's youth.

Josue Alvarado, 1 7, was leaving the Pembroke Pines DMV with some friends. The Hollywood teen will be old enough to vote in time for the 2000 election. How does he feel about a mogul? Alvarado's face gets real serious, and he says, "I think if a politician was true to his word, then I might vote for him. But I'd have to see something, some evidence. I'd have to know he was true to his word." Ahh.

Out of the mouth of babes. Sherri Winston 's column appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. She can be reached at or Dual homestead exemption gets nod Rick Smith. At 5:43 p.m., Veronica was pronounced dead at Broward General Medical Center. An hour earlier, at the accident scene, Nolon stopped and rendered aid until police and paramedics arrived, Smith said.

Police continued to investigate and no charges were filed against Nolon as of Wednesday night. "It did not appear that she was driving at an excessive Smith said. From her trailer right at the curve in the road, Maria Quinones said she heard a thump, then the mother's scream before she came out and saw Veronica lying in the street. After calling 911, she wheeled her wheelchair down her trailer's ramp and joined several nuns already at the girl's side. "I just took her pulse," Quinones said.

"She just, like, sighed. Her eyes went up. I kept taking her pulse and it just faded. She was just approval to the measure. Hollywood residents 65 years old or older who have a household income of less than $20,000 a year are eligible for the new exemption, up to $25,000 on their property taxes.

The tax break is in addition to the state's existing $25,000 homestead exemption, which is available to all Florida homeowners. "I'm very satisfied," said Jean Koti, a Hollywood resident who, like other seniors, watched the commission intently as they debated the issue on Wednesday. Holly Taking the question to the people, I approached Bather Lee Kelly of Fort Lauderdale. Kelly, 52, was enjoying the crisp morning air beneath a shade tree in front of his apartment building. "IfTrump SHERRI WINSTON COMMENTARY became President, could he understand your needs?" I asked.

"Who? Ronald Trump?" No. Donald Trump. The Donald. He says he represents you and me. Says he's down with all the people.

Kelly scratches his head and looks at his shade-tree partner. J2 Needy seniors getting a break in Hollywood By KATIE RYAN Staff writer HOLLYWOOD Supporters of an additional homestead exemption for senior citizens got their wish on Wednesday when the Hollywood City Commission gave final Owner makes stadium pledge By SARAH TALALAY STAFF WRITER MIRAMAR If a new ballpark for the Marlins turns a profit, the team's owner has pledged to put 90 percent of it back into the community. "It's not about profit. It's about this franchise being successful," Marlins owner John W. Henry told the Southwest Broward Regional Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday during a meeting in Miramar.

Henry, who is seeking public financing for a retractable-roof stadium, has said before that he doesn't expect to make a profit from the stadium. On Wednesday, he said he would need to keep 10 percent of whatever he does make for tax purposes, to be able to deduct losses and to ensure the Marlins are considered a business venture the Puerto Rican side of Russo's heritage feel about The Donald? "He's for rich people, like Reagan," Russo says. "What does he know about the blacks, about the Hispanics? Has he gotten them jobs? I'd definitely need to do some research on him." We chatted a bit, me pointing out Trump's rationale according to his handlers. How Trump believes a lottery mentality among minorities, as well as low-income whites, boosts him above the other non-billionaires also running. One thing's for sure: Thanks to the scandalous legacy of President Clinton, Trump would have to claim he has had sex with aliens to bring more shame to the Oval Office.

Would a fat cat in the White House give low-income folks something to hope for? "He's a hell of a businessman," Minorities certainly not the Donald's trump wood gave a preliminary nod to the measure last month. "Any senior that earns less than $20,000 a year definitely needs it," Koti said. Hollywood's move comes about a year after voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment allowing local governments to grant the additional exemption for seniors. While politically popular, the tax break has been plagued by concerns over cities losing too much tax revenue and possible loopholes that could allow wealthy seniors to Looking back at me he says, "I've seen him on the TV. But vote for him?" Kelly laughs, and says he can't think of a good reason for such a vote.

Credibility issue Farther down the block, another cluster of shade-tree loungers scatter when I approach. Why? Mistaken identity. It's a sad day when a sistah-girl, that would be me, can't approach plain ol' folks without being mistaken for Five-Oh. That's slang for the police. Not wanting to scare anyone else, I moved along.

At The Neighborhood Barber Shop in Fort Lauderdale, a barber identifying himself as L. J. knew a good deal more about Trump, but didn't see him as a man of his people. "Donald Trump couldn't represent black people," says L.J., who is African-American and one of the barber shop owners. "If he really said that, it's just a publicity stunt.

Donald Trump doesn't have any credibility." Andre, who asked that his last name not be used, says, "He probably thinks because blacks frequent his casinos in Atlantic City that we'd vote for him." Oh, such cynicism. Poor Trump. Maybe we're being unfair. Perhaps The Donald will do better with Hispanics. Tor rich people' Martha Medaglia, a Colombian mother of five and a nursing assistant says, yes, she has heard of Donald Trump.

Donald para presidente? "Oh, no, no, no," she says. Ivan Anthony Russo describes himself as a Puerto Rican-Italian. He says he splits his time between New York and Florida. How does Mega Mogul Donald Trump wants to represent The People. Who are the people most likely to support Trump, a potential Reform Party candidate for president? Well, according to a "talk of the town" column in this week's New Yorker, Trump claims blacks and Hispanics be his people.

"It's a lifestyle thing. They think, 'If I hit the lottery, that's how I want to live. The boats, the planes, the beautiful "says a Trump aide in the magazine article. Sure, I've seen the celebrity photos of Trump with the likes of rap aficionado Sean "Puffy" Combs. I've seen the pictures of him at big time sporting events, his pink face shining amid a sea of brown.

But does that mean he's connected with minority voters? Does it mean that minority voters feel connected with him?.