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Jun 3, 2025 · 24m · allin

The Formula for Building America's Happiest City: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez | All-In Live

Francis Suarez · 13m spoken Jason Calacanis · 4m spoken David Friedberg · 1m spoken
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In this live edition of the All-In Podcast recorded in Miami, host Jason Calacanis and the panel interview Miami Mayor Francis Suarez on his city's economic boom, municipal management strategies, public safety record, and future political outlook. Mayor Suarez shares insights on lowering taxes, cutting bureaucracy with AI, tackling homelessness, and applying business-friendly principles to modern civic governance.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. The hosts hold 29.8% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

The hosts as informed peer 3.3 Guest teaching 4.3 Guest disagreement 1.0 The hosts pushing back 1.0
05100:0010:0020:000:00–4:36 · The hosts as informed peer 3/10 Opening & Welcome of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Jason asks detailed questions contrasting modern super-drugs like fentanyl with older narcotics. Suarez responds with specific census figures on unsheltered homelessness and historical homicide statistics comparing 1980 to the present day.4:36–8:24 · The hosts as informed peer 3/10 Record Safety, Low Taxes, and the Miami Governance Model The co-host questions Suarez on causation versus correlation in municipal revenue and social policy. Suarez educates the hosts on how lowering municipal tax rates expanded the city tax base, growing total budget revenues from $500M to $1.5B.8:24–10:33 · The hosts as informed peer 2/10 Managing Growth: Housing Inflation and Private Transit Innovation The hosts inquire about managing rapid growth issues like housing density and fast-tracked rail transit. Suarez informs them that Brightline rail was entirely built by the private sector, so the city's role was simply avoiding interference.10:33–14:40 · The hosts as informed peer 6/10 Cutting Bureaucracy and Automating Permits with AI Friedberg demonstrates strong firsthand regulatory expertise by detailing San Francisco's absurd three-page code requirement for office phone booths. Suarez agrees and outlines a vision for automating city permitting decisions using AI.14:40–18:51 · The hosts as informed peer 4/10 Regulatory Sunset Rules, Zero-Based Budgeting, and Political Strategy Jason presents policy ideas like regulatory sunsetting and one-in-one-out rules. Suarez offers mild pushback on the one-in-one-out idea before detailing state statutory mechanisms used for municipal budget cuts and recent presidential election demographic shifts.18:51–21:39 · The hosts as informed peer 2/10 Highlighting Well-Run Cities, Ecosystem Building, and Future Plans The co-host presses Suarez to name other well-run cities, preventing an easy evasion. Suarez highlights Cleveland's mayor and explains the exponential difficulty of ecosystem building compared to individual company building.0:00–4:36 · Guest teaching 4/10 Opening & Welcome of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Jason asks detailed questions contrasting modern super-drugs like fentanyl with older narcotics. Suarez responds with specific census figures on unsheltered homelessness and historical homicide statistics comparing 1980 to the present day.4:36–8:24 · Guest teaching 5/10 Record Safety, Low Taxes, and the Miami Governance Model The co-host questions Suarez on causation versus correlation in municipal revenue and social policy. Suarez educates the hosts on how lowering municipal tax rates expanded the city tax base, growing total budget revenues from $500M to $1.5B.8:24–10:33 · Guest teaching 5/10 Managing Growth: Housing Inflation and Private Transit Innovation The hosts inquire about managing rapid growth issues like housing density and fast-tracked rail transit. Suarez informs them that Brightline rail was entirely built by the private sector, so the city's role was simply avoiding interference.10:33–14:40 · Guest teaching 4/10 Cutting Bureaucracy and Automating Permits with AI Friedberg demonstrates strong firsthand regulatory expertise by detailing San Francisco's absurd three-page code requirement for office phone booths. Suarez agrees and outlines a vision for automating city permitting decisions using AI.14:40–18:51 · Guest teaching 4/10 Regulatory Sunset Rules, Zero-Based Budgeting, and Political Strategy Jason presents policy ideas like regulatory sunsetting and one-in-one-out rules. Suarez offers mild pushback on the one-in-one-out idea before detailing state statutory mechanisms used for municipal budget cuts and recent presidential election demographic shifts.18:51–21:39 · Guest teaching 4/10 Highlighting Well-Run Cities, Ecosystem Building, and Future Plans The co-host presses Suarez to name other well-run cities, preventing an easy evasion. Suarez highlights Cleveland's mayor and explains the exponential difficulty of ecosystem building compared to individual company building.0:00–4:36 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Opening & Welcome of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Jason asks detailed questions contrasting modern super-drugs like fentanyl with older narcotics. Suarez responds with specific census figures on unsheltered homelessness and historical homicide statistics comparing 1980 to the present day.4:36–8:24 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Record Safety, Low Taxes, and the Miami Governance Model The co-host questions Suarez on causation versus correlation in municipal revenue and social policy. Suarez educates the hosts on how lowering municipal tax rates expanded the city tax base, growing total budget revenues from $500M to $1.5B.8:24–10:33 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Managing Growth: Housing Inflation and Private Transit Innovation The hosts inquire about managing rapid growth issues like housing density and fast-tracked rail transit. Suarez informs them that Brightline rail was entirely built by the private sector, so the city's role was simply avoiding interference.10:33–14:40 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Cutting Bureaucracy and Automating Permits with AI Friedberg demonstrates strong firsthand regulatory expertise by detailing San Francisco's absurd three-page code requirement for office phone booths. Suarez agrees and outlines a vision for automating city permitting decisions using AI.14:40–18:51 · Guest disagreement 2/10 Regulatory Sunset Rules, Zero-Based Budgeting, and Political Strategy Jason presents policy ideas like regulatory sunsetting and one-in-one-out rules. Suarez offers mild pushback on the one-in-one-out idea before detailing state statutory mechanisms used for municipal budget cuts and recent presidential election demographic shifts.18:51–21:39 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Highlighting Well-Run Cities, Ecosystem Building, and Future Plans The co-host presses Suarez to name other well-run cities, preventing an easy evasion. Suarez highlights Cleveland's mayor and explains the exponential difficulty of ecosystem building compared to individual company building.0:00–4:36 · The hosts pushing back 1/10 Opening & Welcome of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Jason asks detailed questions contrasting modern super-drugs like fentanyl with older narcotics. Suarez responds with specific census figures on unsheltered homelessness and historical homicide statistics comparing 1980 to the present day.4:36–8:24 · The hosts pushing back 1/10 Record Safety, Low Taxes, and the Miami Governance Model The co-host questions Suarez on causation versus correlation in municipal revenue and social policy. Suarez educates the hosts on how lowering municipal tax rates expanded the city tax base, growing total budget revenues from $500M to $1.5B.8:24–10:33 · The hosts pushing back 1/10 Managing Growth: Housing Inflation and Private Transit Innovation The hosts inquire about managing rapid growth issues like housing density and fast-tracked rail transit. Suarez informs them that Brightline rail was entirely built by the private sector, so the city's role was simply avoiding interference.10:33–14:40 · The hosts pushing back 0/10 Cutting Bureaucracy and Automating Permits with AI Friedberg demonstrates strong firsthand regulatory expertise by detailing San Francisco's absurd three-page code requirement for office phone booths. Suarez agrees and outlines a vision for automating city permitting decisions using AI.14:40–18:51 · The hosts pushing back 1/10 Regulatory Sunset Rules, Zero-Based Budgeting, and Political Strategy Jason presents policy ideas like regulatory sunsetting and one-in-one-out rules. Suarez offers mild pushback on the one-in-one-out idea before detailing state statutory mechanisms used for municipal budget cuts and recent presidential election demographic shifts.18:51–21:39 · The hosts pushing back 2/10 Highlighting Well-Run Cities, Ecosystem Building, and Future Plans The co-host presses Suarez to name other well-run cities, preventing an easy evasion. Suarez highlights Cleveland's mayor and explains the exponential difficulty of ecosystem building compared to individual company building.

speaking balance: gold is the hosts, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · the hosts 40.7% · guest 59.3%0:00 · the hosts 40.7% · guest 59.3%3:00 · the hosts 28.1% · guest 71.9%3:00 · the hosts 28.1% · guest 71.9%6:00 · the hosts 3.1% · guest 96.9%6:00 · the hosts 3.1% · guest 96.9%9:00 · the hosts 58.1% · guest 41.9%9:00 · the hosts 58.1% · guest 41.9%12:00 · the hosts 26.3% · guest 73.7%12:00 · the hosts 26.3% · guest 73.7%15:00 · the hosts 17.7% · guest 82.3%15:00 · the hosts 17.7% · guest 82.3%18:00 · the hosts 4.4% · guest 95.6%18:00 · the hosts 4.4% · guest 95.6%21:00 · the hosts 61.8% · guest 38.2%21:00 · the hosts 61.8% · guest 38.2%24:00 · the hosts 0% · guest 0%24:00 · the hosts 0% · guest 0%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 14:55 Rejecting the One-In-One-Out Regulatory Model

Suarez directly pushes back on Jason's one-in-one-out regulatory proposal, arguing that arbitrary ratios lack substantive justification compared to time-based sunsetting.

 Hardest push from the hosts ▶ 19:00 Pressing for Other Well-Run Cities

The co-host insists that Suarez name specific well-run cities beyond Miami, telling him not to jump to an easy answer and holding him accountable on municipal management.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 9:50 Clarifying Brightline's Private Ownership

Suarez educates the hosts on how Brightline rail was entirely executed by private enterprise on existing right-of-way, emphasizing that good governance meant simply not getting in the way.

 The host holds their own ▶ 11:08 Detailed Critique of San Francisco Regulatory Bureaucracy

Friedberg showcases deep domain expertise by dissecting a three-page municipal document outlining absurd requirements, including mandatory fire sprinklers inside office phone booths.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicThe hosts as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementThe hosts pushing backWhy
Opening & Welcome of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez 3411 Jason asks detailed questions contrasting modern super-drugs like fentanyl with older narcotics. Suarez responds with specific census figures on unsheltered homelessness and historical homicide statistics comparing 1980 to the present day.
Record Safety, Low Taxes, and the Miami Governance Model 3511 The co-host questions Suarez on causation versus correlation in municipal revenue and social policy. Suarez educates the hosts on how lowering municipal tax rates expanded the city tax base, growing total budget revenues from $500M to $1.5B.
Managing Growth: Housing Inflation and Private Transit Innovation 2511 The hosts inquire about managing rapid growth issues like housing density and fast-tracked rail transit. Suarez informs them that Brightline rail was entirely built by the private sector, so the city's role was simply avoiding interference.
Cutting Bureaucracy and Automating Permits with AI 6400 Friedberg demonstrates strong firsthand regulatory expertise by detailing San Francisco's absurd three-page code requirement for office phone booths. Suarez agrees and outlines a vision for automating city permitting decisions using AI.
Regulatory Sunset Rules, Zero-Based Budgeting, and Political Strategy 4421 Jason presents policy ideas like regulatory sunsetting and one-in-one-out rules. Suarez offers mild pushback on the one-in-one-out idea before detailing state statutory mechanisms used for municipal budget cuts and recent presidential election demographic shifts.
Highlighting Well-Run Cities, Ecosystem Building, and Future Plans 2412 The co-host presses Suarez to name other well-run cities, preventing an easy evasion. Suarez highlights Cleveland's mayor and explains the exponential difficulty of ecosystem building compared to individual company building.

Statements from this episode (13)

Assertion Supported
Suarez: Miami is ranked happiest and healthiest city in America
“We're ranked the happiest city in America, the healthiest city in America.”
Francis Suarez Jun 3, 2025 ▶ 0:13
Assertion Supported
Suarez: Miami unsheltered homelessness dropped to 11-year low of 546
“So, in homeless specifically, we are at an eleven-year low. We did our census, we do two census a year. We do one in January, one in the summer, and our January census had us at an eleven-year low at 546 homeless, unsheltered homeless in the entire city of Mia…”
Francis Suarez Jun 3, 2025 ▶ 1:01
Prediction Not checkable as stated
Suarez: Miami can become first major US city with zero homelessness
“We want to be the first major American city to have zero homeless, and we think we can get there.”
Francis Suarez Jun 3, 2025 ▶ 1:28
Assertion Partly supported
Suarez: Miami has lowest unemployment and highest wage growth in US
“We have the lowest unemployment in America. We have the highest median wage growth in America. We, I lowered taxes to the lowest level in history, and we've seen a 140% growth in nine years.”
Francis Suarez Jun 3, 2025 ▶ 1:43
Prediction Didn’t hold up
Suarez: Miami on track for record-low homicides under 24 in 2025
“Last year we had 27. OK, we had 220 in 1980. This year we're trending below the 24. So we may this may be the safest year in the history recorded history of Miami.”
Francis Suarez Jun 3, 2025 ▶ 4:46
Assertion Partly supported
Suarez: Miami lowered taxes while tripling city budget to $1.5B
“I lowered taxes to the lowest level in history, and I took the city in 2009 as a councilman out of bankruptcy. So I got it in bankruptcy. We decided this is sort of the doge before doge. We decided not to raise taxes. We cut costs. We cut, you know, we didn't …”
Francis Suarez Jun 3, 2025 ▶ 6:11
Assertion Partly supported
Suarez: FC Barcelona moved its Americas headquarters from New York to Miami
“Two days ago, we announced that FC Barcelona moved their headquarters from New York to Miami, right?”
Francis Suarez Jun 3, 2025 ▶ 7:57
Disclosure
Suarez: Miami leverages public housing dollars at a 15:1 to 20:1 ratio
“Housing costs have certainly gone up significantly, and we do everything we can to leverage public dollars and public assets like land to try to build projects at a 15 to one or 20 to one leverage rate. So for a hundred million dollars invested, we'll get two …”
Francis Suarez Jun 3, 2025 ▶ 9:01
Assertion Partly supported
Suarez: Brightline rail was entirely private and owned its right-of-way
“No, they had the right of way. So it was totally private.”
Francis Suarez Jun 3, 2025 ▶ 10:13
Assertion Supported
Friedberg: SF office phone booths require extreme permitting and fire sprinklers
“In San Francisco, they're illegal. Turns out that you need to run, and there's a piece of paper, which I was actually going to tweet because it's insane, it's like three pages long, all the things you need to know about the phone booths that you want to put in…”
David Friedberg Jun 3, 2025 ▶ 11:19
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Suarez: Getting a building permit takes up to 18 months in most US cities
“It takes to get a permit on a home in most places in America, or on a building in most places in America, you know, six months, nine months, a year and a half.”
Francis Suarez Jun 3, 2025 ▶ 14:13
Insight
Suarez: Building permits could be processed instantly with current technology
“It should be done instantly, and it could literally be done instantly with a technology that we already have available to us today.”
Francis Suarez Jun 3, 2025 ▶ 14:25
Disclosure
Suarez would strongly consider serving as a US ambassador
“If the president called me and said, you know, I want you to be the US ambassador to, you know, a country that I have a passion to help. You know, in terms of the United States, in terms of their relationship and world peace and things of that nature which I t…”
Francis Suarez Jun 3, 2025 ▶ 20:48
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