The Miami Beach commissioner found one loophole to defy DeSantis that exposed her real agenda

Florida just delivered a reality check to woke local politicians trying to turn public roads into political billboards.

But one Miami Beach commissioner thinks she’s smarter than state officials.

And the Miami Beach commissioner found one loophole to defy DeSantis that exposed her real agenda.

Commissioner Laura Dominguez fights back with sidewalk scheme

The Florida Department of Transportation sent clear orders to cities across the state – remove the rainbow crosswalks or lose your transportation funding.

It’s a simple safety issue.

Roads are for getting from point A to point B safely, not for making political statements.

But Miami Beach Commissioner Laura Dominguez wasn’t about to let common sense get in the way of her virtue signaling.

She announced a clever workaround that she thinks makes her look like a champion of “love and equality.”

Dominguez plans to introduce a proposal at the next city commission meeting to paint the sidewalks – not the crosswalks – with rainbow colors.

“The rainbow crosswalk on Ocean Drive has long been more than just paint on the pavement — it’s a powerful symbol of Miami Beach’s inclusivity, freedom and pride,” Dominguez said in a statement.

She called the state directive an attack on “free speech and local governance by requiring the removal of our public art.”

But here’s what she’s really admitting – this was never about safety or traffic management.

It was always about pushing a political agenda.

Florida’s crackdown follows federal guidance on road safety

The state’s action came after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made it clear that “roads are for safety, not political messages or artwork.”

That’s not controversial – that’s basic common sense.

Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared W. Perdue explained that Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1662 to “keep our transportation facilities free & clear of political ideologies.”

https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1958583393714667572

The law requires cities to remove “surface art that is associated with social, political, or ideological messaging” that doesn’t serve traffic control purposes.

Cities like Key West and Delray Beach also got the same order.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniela Levine Cava posted what she called a “defiant message” on social media, stating “We will not be silenced or erased.”

But nobody’s trying to silence anyone – they’re trying to keep roads safe and neutral.

The difference between sidewalks and crosswalks isn’t just technical.

Crosswalks are where drivers need to focus on pedestrians, not decode political messages.

The real agenda gets exposed

Commissioner Alex Fernandez, who’s openly gay, tried to frame this as discrimination rather than safety.

“Our Pride crosswalk was properly approved, it is safe, and it reflects the values of inclusion that define Miami Beach,” Fernandez wrote.

But if it was really about safety, why are they fighting so hard to keep political messaging on public infrastructure?

The answer is obvious – because this was always about politics, not transportation.

Dominguez’s sidewalk scheme proves the point perfectly.

If she cared about actual inclusion or community values, she’d find ways to express those that don’t involve government property.

Instead, she’s determined to use taxpayer-funded infrastructure to make political statements.

“While the State may order Miami Beach to remove the crosswalk, they cannot erase our values,” Dominguez stated.

Here’s the thing – nobody’s trying to erase anyone’s values.

The state is simply saying that public roads should serve their actual purpose – moving traffic safely.

Commissioner Joseph Magazine called the state directive “complete and utter bulls***” on a Facebook post and said the state “has no business getting involved in” the issue.

The crosswalk was installed in 2018, according to Magazine, who said it “was a welcome symbol for everyone” and “bothered no one.”

States have authority over transportation infrastructure

The federal guidance and Florida’s law aren’t targeting any specific group.

They’re establishing a principle that roads should be politically neutral.

Think about it – would Magazine be okay with crosswalks painted with conservative political messages?

Probably not.

That’s exactly why the state stepped in with clear, consistent standards.

Cities that don’t comply risk losing state transportation funding, and the state can remove the markings directly at the city’s expense.

Orlando already painted over a pride crosswalk outside the Pulse Nightclub without any major incidents.

The deadline for compliance is September 3rd for some cities, while Miami Beach was given until September 4th.

Miami Beach commissioners plan to address the letter at their meeting, but they can request an administrative proceeding while still removing the markings.

Key West and Delray Beach are appealing, but they still have to remove their crosswalks while the process plays out.

So here we are – local commissioners throwing tantrums because the state wants roads to actually function as roads rather than political art galleries.

Dominguez thinks she’s being clever with her sidewalk loophole, but she’s actually proving that Florida was right to crack down on this political theater in the first place.

¹ Michelle Vecerina, “Miami Beach commissioner vows to fight in favor of keeping LGBTQ pride rainbow sidewalks,” Miami Herald, August 21, 2025.

² Martin Vassolo, “Florida’s Pride crosswalk crackdown expected to hit South Beach next, city says,” Axios Miami, August 21, 2025.

³ Sergio R. Bustos, “Miami Beach commissioner slams state for demanding removal of Ocean Drive ‘rainbow’ crosswalk,” WLRN Public Media, August 21, 2025.

⁴ Michael Costeines, “Miami Beach Commissioner Slams Decision by State to Remove LGBTQ Crosswalk,” NBC Miami, August 21, 2025.

⁵ Samiar Nefzi, “Miami Beach commissioners push back after letter from state orders removal of rainbow crosswalk,” Local 10 News, August 21, 2025.