Miami is a fast paced community with a rapid fire news cycle. Our blog keeps you current on the most important issues affecting the tax payers of Miami-Dade county. Read, share, comment, and as always let us know what topics you want us to tackle.
Homestead Mayor Steve Losner slimly wins re-election vs Elvis Maldonado
Homestead Mayor Steve Losner hung on to his seat, winning re-election Tuesday by a small margin against former Councilman Elvis Maldonado, who had bounced back from a lost county commission race. Final score: 51 to 49%.
The difference was a scant 69 votes.
Whistleblower Hialeah cop gets stripped down at mayoral swearing-in
Chief Sergio Velazquez abuses his position to retaliate and embarrass
Two Hialeah council races head to runoffs, could swing power one way
Hialeah Councilman Carl Zogby, the former police department spokesman, won re-election outright in a three-way Group 5 race Tuesday, with 57% of the vote. Mayra Jimenez got 27% and Salvador Blanco got 16%.
But the other two council races, the open seats which had five and six candidates vying, are headed into a runoff after nobody got 50% plus one by the end of the Election Day Nov. 2. And in less than two weeks, the city will have two more fresh, new council members that, depending on who wins, could tilt power one way or another.
Miami Beach commission runoffs could stack the deck against Ocean Drive
Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber won re-election easily Tuesday. Like Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Gelber had basically no opposition. But instead of getting 80% of the vote, like Baby X did across the causeway, Gelber won with 62%, which is still a comfortable victory if not an overwhelming mandate.
He also won on his pet project, the non-binding referendum asking voters if the city should ban alcohol sales after 2 a.m., effectively moving last call up three hours (more on that later). Almost 57% of the voters said yes. Ladra wonders if the ballot question helped him or hurt him. Or if he helped the ballot question.
Esteban Bovo solidly wins his second place prize job: mayor of Hialeah
Pobre Hialeah.
They were Esteban Bovo‘s second choice. But one year after he lost the race for Miami-Dade mayor, the former county commissioner — whose political career began on the Hialeah council — voters chose him over four others to be the next mayor en la ciudad que progresa.
No runoffs in Miami as incumbents and Christine King score big election wins
What an anticlimactic finish.
There were no big surprises and there will be no runoffs in the city of Miami after both Mayor Francis Suarez and Commissioner Joe Carollo won re-election by huge margins and newcomer Christine King totally stomped on appointed Commissioner Jeffrey “Who” Watson‘s dreams to serve a real term.
Medley Council’s Ana Lilia Stefano busted for ‘free’ food fraud at non profit
An elected was finally arrested in Miami-Dade. But it wasn’t for anything done in public office.
Medley Councilwoman Ana Lilia Stefano was charged with two felony crimes related to her other job as executive director of the Santana Moss Foundation. Stolen: About $24,000 worth of food for the needy.
Palmetto Bay council gets an earful, changes course on 87th Avenue bridge
A group of Palmetto Bay residents scored an incremental victory Monday in their fight to keep a vehicular bridge from being built over the C100 canal on 87th Avenue, connecting 164th Street to 163rd Terrace — a decades old battle that has divided the South Dade community.
The Village crowd was not split for the meeting Monday night. Every single speaker begged and/or demanded the village council reject Miami-Dade County’s interlocal agreement they characterized as lopsided and aprovechado. Even a resident south of the canal was against the agreement.
Latino candidates could claim victories across the U.S. Tuesday in several races
Sure, all politics are local, and we have several municipal races in the 305 Tuesday that we could regret for four years. Yes, I’m talking to you, Miami.
But there are elections all over the country and among the high-profile races there are several Hispanic candidates who stand out because they could break the political glass ceilings in their lanes, either by becoming the first Latino or Latina in a particular elected office or transforming, finally, the face of the New York City Council.
Can’t get to the polls? Lime provides scooters for voters in Miami election
There are fewer excuses not to vote on Tuesday in Miami’s election.
Lime, the global leader in micromobility (read: electric ride-share bikes and scooters), will provide free scooter rides to and from the polls so it’s harder to blame car trouble.
