For Seat Three:
Elizabeth Delgado said she decided to run for public office because she believes that in Miami Lakes, a “Baller’s” mom and good neighbor can still get elected without taking special interest money or having an entourage of consultants and professional campaign advisers.
“I decided to run, invest my own funds without an organization of any kind, because that is the type of basic public servant we envisioned when the town incorporated,” she said. “The challenge for me is to win the election.”
If elected, Delgado, who has raised $8,105, said the first thing she would do is make sure rules and procedures are in place regarding ethics.
“In particular, if you are receiving or have received a campaign contribution from an individual or entity has a matter pending before the town, be it a permit or otherwise, that council member should disclose the conflict and recuse themselves from any decision in the matter,” she said. “This is just one example of true transparency in government.”
Delgado said, “As I walk through the town, I find that my concerns are voiced by many, yet heard by few. People in the town are dissatisfied with the way the town is working. Our Town Council has failed Miami Lakes. They do not represent the will of the people. The Town Council votes in blocks because of the small clicks hat control our town. I want to be the voice of the people.”
Tony Lama, who has raised $31,931, said he is running for a second term because he wants to restore civility to the Town Council, increase transparency, change the way the community engages with its public servants, maintain and improve service levels and maintain a low tax rate.
“I’m proud to say that we’ve done that and made great progress on so many other fronts,” Lama said. “I sponsored the town’s mobile application that is used by over a thousand residents to report concerns and areas of improvement and create accountability. And despite our challenges, we have done this without increasing taxes.”
Lama said he is not done with his work to continue to make Miami Lakes the best city to live, work and play.
If reelected, Lama said he wants to remain focused on alleviating the town’s traffic conditions, among other significant issues.
”For too long, elected officials have kicked the can down the road on addressing our traffic issues,” he said. “Part of this is seeing to it that some of the Complete Street initiatives my colleagues and I have supported are rolled out as we have committed to the residents. I will remain focused on executing our beautification master plan which includes keeping our lakes beautiful that is critical to increasing the value of our homes.”
Lama also said he will continue to look out for senior citizens.
“We do a lot for our seniors and I vow to fight for their needs, but we can, with the support of our local businesses, do more to serve their needs” he said. “I will remain committed to working with our business community and serving our youths. The quality of our schools and the education offered has a direct impact on our entire community.”