Mercedes Benz E320

In Miami mayor's race, third-party group tries to tie Carlos Gimenez to Carlos ...

The two candidates for Miami-Dade mayor -- Carlos Gimenez and Julio Robaina -- share much in common. Both are Republicans. Both are Cuban-Americans. Both have served in government before -- Gimenez as fire chief, Miami city manager and Miami-Dade county commissioner and Robaina as the mayor of Hialeah. And both need to cast themselves as thrifty reformers as they compete to replace Carlos Alvarez, recalled in March by voters angry about the county doling out raises to most employees amid property tax hikes for homeowners. Now comes an ad from a third-party group, The Accountability Project, trying to portray Alvarez and Gimenez as one and the same. What they share -- according to this ad -- are taxpayer-funded luxury cars. The ad starts with an unflattering photo of a grumpy looking Alvarez next to a photo of car keys in the ignition as an ominous voice says:

"Carlos Alvarez drove a fancy European car at taxpayer expense." But first, a general word about making such comparisons. Car allowances -- or the use of city-owned cars -- is one piece of an official's compensation package that may include salary, expenses, health insurance and pensions. We are not providing a full comparison here of every part of the officials' compensation -- but we think its worth looking at the benefit of the car allowance within the context of their salaries and expense accounts. The Miami-Dade Mayor's job is considered full time -- the Herald Gimenez said in a June 16 interview that his most recent car, the Mercedes-Benz ML, was silver, and he thought it was a 2009 car. He said it was $2.44 above the $800 monthly car allowance and that he paid for that out of his own pocket. The Mercedes Benz website lists the 2011 ML at $46,490 (before options are added) and describes its "unparalleled ride quality" this way: the car "offers stylish proof that utility and safety can coexist enthusiastically with performance and luxury. Ruggedly capable, truly versatile and every inch a Mercedes-Benz, it's a vehicle that feels at home anywhere you go." (We're not certain if the features changed from 2009 but the Kelley Blue Book listed a similar price for the 2009 car.) Robaina was the mayor of Hialeah between 2005 and 2011 when he resigned to run for mayor. His campaign spokeswoman, Ana Carbonell, said in an e-mail that while mayor, Robaina did not receive a car allowance but drove a city-issued 2004 Chevy Tahoe and later a 2009 Chevy Suburban. His last annual salary was $154,655 and he had an expense account of $116,175. During the 2010-11 year, he took a 7 percent insurance contribution deduction, according to Hialeah Acting City Clerk David Concepcion. included a list of various commissioners' car allowances: the politicians generally chose 2010 cars including a Lexus, Cadillac, Sawgrass Infiniti, Toyota Prius and a Ford Taurus. Some chose the $800 monthly stipend instead of leasing or renting a car. Starting this fiscal year in October 2010, the benefit was scaled back to $600 a month for the mayor but remained $800 month for commissioners. To be clear, car allowances for elected officials aren't unusual in South Florida. Some government entities provide elected officials with a specified car allowance -- like in Broward County and the City of Miami Beach  -- while others provide a more general allowance that can be used toward a car.