Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who was elected recently following the ouster of the previous mayor in a recall vote, has named a number of senior managers, including a former First Southwest Co. executive.
Gimenez tapped Ed Marquez as a deputy mayor whose oversight duties include finance, the Office of Management and Budget, audit and management services, the Office of Capital Improvements, and the internal management and fiscal responsibility committee.
Marquez reportedly will earn $267,000.
Marquez was a senior vice president at First Southwest, which provides financial advisory, underwriting, asset-management, and consulting services to public-sector entities. He joined the firm in 1988 and his clients included Miami International Airport.
In September 2003, Marquez took a one-year leave from the firm to serve as the chief financial officer of Miami-Dade Public Schools.
Before going to work at First Southwest, Marquez was manager for Miami, where he assisted the city in developing a recovery plan after a severe financial emergency. Before that, he worked for 20 years at Miami-Dade County, in various capacities including 10 years as finance director.
Gimenez was sworn in July 6 as the new mayor of Florida’s largest county after winning the post with 51% of the vote over his challenger, former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina.
The two were in a runoff after being the top vote-getters in a May 17 special election in which there were 11 candidates.
The special election came about as a result of the successful recall of former Mayor Carlos Alvarez and Commissioner Natacha Seijas by 88% of voters. The two supported property tax increases for the current budget, which included salary increases.
Gimenez has already rolled out his $6.1 billion budget for the next fiscal year, promising major tax cuts of $203 million.
The proposed budget would also cut 1,300 jobs and reduce salaries and benefits by $238 million.
Concessions from employees and labor unions are an important part of his budget, Gimenez has said.
The County Commission will hold two hearings on the budget in September.
