When Miami Lakes Councilmember Manny Cid decided to run for mayor, 10 candidates initially filed papers to run for his vacant Seat 5, but only three qualified while the others failed to do so or withdrew from the race. Luis Collazo, former chair of the Miami Lakes Elderly Affairs Committee; Esther Colon, a former town manager for Lauderdale by the Sea; and attorney Nayib Hassan are seeking the vacant seat on election day, November...

The Miami Lakes Town Council adopted a new tax rate for property taxes to help shield residents with Homestead Exemption from a tax hike, and a $35 million budget which included restoring funding for the city’s committees since volunteers play a major role in the town’s affairs.Lawmakers initially kept the 2.3518 rate but reduced it to the rollback rate of 2.3353 mills and closed the $40,000 budget deficit by cutting funding from...

A Candidate Forum for the November 8 general election will be held at noon on Tuesday, October 11, at Town Hall, 6601 Main Street, in Miami LakesThe Town has been hosting candidate forums for the past two elections with the Good Government Initiative (which is no longer active). Merrett R. Stierheim, a former interim Miami Lakes Town Manager, will serve as this year’s moderator in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of...

The Miami Lakes Bar Association hosted a debate last month for candidates running for seats on the Town’s Council in the November 8 general election. The public forum, which was moderated by former Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas, was held at Italy Today’s banquet room on Main Street. Participants included (from left) mayoral candidates Councilmember Manny Cid, incumbent Mayor Michael Pizzi and former mayor Wayne Slaton; Seat...

As Miami Lakes put the finishing touches on the town’s $35 million budget for 2016-2017 late last month, council members never discussed the possible impact the mayor’s lawsuit to cover his attorney fees could bring if the city has to pay $2.5 million his lawyers have been requesting for successfully defending him during his federal corruption trial.The two sides agreed to abate the case for six months while Miami Lakes pursues...