Here is one of the classic examples of over-government there is here. The Neptune was built in the 1931 when such buildings were constructed with an infrastructure of wood. The endless assault by moisture, wind, heat, and salt air eventually destroys everything; The Neptune was never meant to last 80 years and began to waste away and became unsafe.

This is where The City steps in, as it does in everything whether you are building a forty-story condo or changing the door on your garage. You can't destroy anything with "history" in it; the facade must be preserved. In the case of The Neptune, it was a cheesy Mediterranean/Arabian hybrid that was common in the late 20's, and the same cheesy design could be replicated, NEW without have to maintain a crumbling edifice on which the balconies must be bolstered up. The result: higher costs in production and a myriad of City "inspectors" keep their jobs. There is a department in City Hall that studies old, hand-painted postcards of buildings to keep them original.

The commissioners who run the city generally are completely out of touch to the business or social needs of South Beach. Miami Beach is made up of South Beach, the flamboyant and expensive tail that wags the dog, Mid Beach, an equally expensive residential area made up of old farts, and the terribly sad, North Beach, a much-neglected ugly sister which the other two try to imagine doesn't exist up there in that attic. The Commission is mostly made up of Mid Beach loonies who have "an idea" for everything except how to make life easier on business. They try to regulate the color of umbrellas, the display of food in front of restaurants, the number of plants, and even tried to stop street performers such as the fabulously popular, Mr. Disco who--in his polyester clothes and platform shoes would demonstrate disco dance in front of his boom box.

I used to love watching Mr. Disco. He would make a brief introduction to the song he was about to play and then dance; he was a great hit and always drew big crowds. That's what did him in; Commission Nancy Fishbaum (not real, but close) wanted him and the others off Lincoln Rd. and pushed a law through forbidding public performances. The outrage was enormous from the South Beach community and Mr. Disco joined other performers and had the law declared unconstitutional. Although he made a brief comeback, the toll might have been to much because Mr. Disco stopped and not to long ago I ran into him in a store and he was mumbling about taking too much medication.

We just elected our first openly gay commissioner in a very bitter battle that included all the nastiness one could imagine. The next time The Commission tries to stop disco dancing maybe there's one on it who will stand up for the freedom to dance on any street corner you like.