The Miami-Dade County Commission has set March 15 for a recall election in which voters can choose to keep, or eject, Mayor Carlos Alvarez and Commissioner Natacha Seijas.
Seijas had asked for a separate date for her recall election. However, the commission is under pressure to save expenses and chose to combine the two.
Alvarez and Seijas were subject to separate recall petitions over public outrage about rising taxes. The petition initiatives were started late last year following the county’s approval of a 14% property tax increase to support the budget of Florida’s largest county. The budget also included wage increases for many employees, including top-level managers.
Alvarez’s recall petition was sponsored by billionaire car dealer Norman Braman, who is president of a political action committee called People Who Want Honest Government Inc.
Seijas’ recall petition was sponsored by a PAC called Miami Voice, which took aim at recalling the five commissioners who approved the budget. They obtained the necessary signatures in Seijas’ district first. She has filed a lawsuit challenging the validity of many petition signers.
There could be more recall elections this year if Miami Voice is successful in its petition drive to recall four other commissioners.
