On March 15, Miami-Dade voters fired Mayor Carlos Alvarez over pay hikes and tax increase. The revolt was led by moderate members of his own party and spearheaded by a recall campaign launched in October by billionaire businessman Norman Braman after the Mayor successfully pushed for a property tax-rate increase to help close the budget gap.

What complicated things more, was the fact that the Mayor gave pay hikes to top staffers, used tax payers money to fund the new Florida Marlins stadium and also pushed for labor contracts with employee unions that included pay hikes for most county workers this year, all that while trying to balance the budget.

The Mayor tried to fend off the coup d’etat twice by filing suit to block the recall to no avail. In the end, he was defeated by nine of every 10 voters.

Good or bad, it was democracy in action. In many countries, government embezzles, bribes from its people and stay in power forever and ever. If you don’t like it, make it work, find solutions, take control.