Re-Votes Eyed in Miami

Miami-Dade County commissioners are expected to decide Thursday if one or two elections should be held to reconsider whether Carlos Alvarez should continue as county mayor and whether Natacha Seijas should remain a commissioner.

The two were subject to separate recall petitions late last year following the 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.

Braman said the budget increase was the main reason for his recall effort, but he also fought unsuccessfully against Miami-Dade’s bond financing for the Marlins baseball stadium — a project promoted by Alvarez. Petitions in Braman’s recall effort were approved by clerk of courts Harvey Ruvin on Dec. 21.

A PAC called Miami Voice also cited the property tax hike when it took aim at recalling the five commissioners who approved the budget. They obtained the necessary signatures in Seijas’ district first and the petitions were approved by Ruvin on Dec. 23.

Seijas has filed a suit challenging the validity of many petition signers. Political observers have said Seijas wants to avoid being on the same ballot as Alvarez.

However, the County Commission has a charter-imposed deadline to schedule elections for the two officials and there could be more recall elections this year if Miami Voice is successful in its petition drive to recall four other commissioners.

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