Miami Dade College’s vote redo on Trump library land is mere rubber stamp | Opinion
A win without a victory
Because of a lawsuit that I filed accusing the Miami Dade College Board of Trustees of violating the Florida Sunshine law in September, when they voted to give 2.6 acres of land valued at $67 million to the state for the Trump presidential library, the trustees will hold a special meting Dec. 2 to allow the public to address them.
This is a win for transparency. The commercial value of the land could be as high as $300 million. The “library” will essentially be a high-rise commercial development. It will earn millions for the Trumps while giving nothing to the financially stressed college.
My reason for filing the lawsuit is not political. No politician should be given land that is intended for the education of our youth. This special meeting will change nothing. It is being held only to escape the lawsuit.
If they valued “public engagement” as they have said, why are they meeting at 8 a.m. in Hialeah? Why have the meeting after the Thanksgiving weekend, when many people may be out of town or returning too late to request an appearance before the board? The people of Miami-Dade County will have a Trump presidential library on Biscayne Boulevard whether we want it or not.
A recent poll showed that 74% of Miami-Dade residents who responded did not approve of the giveaway. Even 59% of Republicans believe giving the land away is wrong, yet the college will do this anyway.
In an authoritarian state such as Florida is today, public concern and engagement are a joke. Gov. Ron DeSantis wants this land to appease President Trump. The meeting is to rubber stamp what was done previously in the dark. At least this time, we are watching their dirty work in the morning sunshine.
Marvin Dunn
Palmetto Bay
No-fault train
The Miami Herald continues to malign Brightline, with little acknowledgement that the reported collisions were sadly due to people putting their own lives in harm’s way. Some crashes typically result from certain victims’ own tragic desire to end their lives; some are due to deliberate recklessness; some from a foolish choice to cross tracks in a non-marked area; and some from sheer disregard for warning signs and lights at marked crossings.
All of these events are surely tragic for victims and their loved ones. Train conductors must live with the memory of what they saw ahead and could not avoid under any circumstances.
Let’s be a bit even-handed about the root cause of all of this loss. The Herald paints Brightline with an unfair brush. Every crossing has lights, a gate arm and signs indicating not to park on the tracks. Yet, we see another article in which a witness describes a car driving onto the tracks, despite lights flashing and the gate arm hitting the car as it came down.
Drivers and pedestrians must take these warnings seriously and take steps to preserve their own safety.
Patricia Kahn Green,
Miami
Holiday mail
The holidays are about looking out for one another. In Miami, the Postal Service is proud to help. Alongside recent transformation efforts to strengthen day-to-day delivery, we invite neighbors to visit USPS Operation Santa at https://www.uspsoperationsanta.com/ and adopt real letters to Santa from individuals and families.
This year, please consider choosing family letters — a meaningful way to help an entire household at once. You can explore Santa’s Gift Shoppe, our expanded online catalog, to find thoughtful items families have requested and fulfill them easily from the comfort of home.
If you’re mailing gifts to your family and friends, please plan ahead: check recommended ship-by dates at usps.com/holidayshippingdates, confirm addresses using our ZIP Code Lookup tool at usps.com/zip-code-lookup and pick the service that fits your timing — USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express. You can also print labels and schedule free carrier pickup at usps.com.
To make holiday sending easier, select Post Office locations will offer extended retail hours and prioritized morning parcel delivery. Thank you, Miami, for supporting your neighbors and trusting the Postal Service this holiday season.
Antonio Gracia, Jr.,
postmaster,
Miami Post Office
This story was originally published November 28, 2025 at 3:00 AM.