HIALEAH, Fla. – City leaders in Hialeah voted to strip the names of a former mayor and state senator off several city buildings.
"This is an ugly practice where elected officials name the streets, buildings for themselves or family members," said Mayor Carlos Hernandez.
City leaders voted to remove the names of former Mayor Raul Martinez off city hall, his wife's name off a city housing complex and former State Sen. Roberto Casas' name off a park.
"They're saying, basically, we're with you, forget what they're doing, people cannot erase what you did in Hialeah," said Martinez as he ate lunch with Casas.
For 25 years, the mayor was given the namings. Martinez remains a big presence in the city, and a critic of the current administration.
"I had nothing to do with it. Am I going to say, 'No, don't name it after (me?)'" he asked with a shrug. "This is done for cheap, petty politics."
Casas welcomed the recognition.
"Not everything brings the amount of money that I brought to Hialeah," he said.