Elizabeth Delgado is challenging the incumbent for Seat 3 on the Miami Lakes Town Council in the November 8 general election.
Lama and Delgado submitted their candidate questionnaire to The Miami Laker discussing the campaigning experience on the issues residents want them to resolve if elected.
Delgado is 52 years old and has been living in Miami Lakes since 1981.
She is married and has two children who attend Miami Lakes K-8 Center and Monsignor Edward Pace High School.
She is a former state prosecutor and an assistant attorney general, practicing law for more than 24 years.
“I have lived in Miami Lakes for over 35 years and I am seeking the office of Miami Lakes Town Council Seat 3 because I love this community and believe I can make a positive difference,” Delgado said. “Unlike my opponent, who has a cadre of professional campaign consultants, I am running the Miami Lakes way, with only family and neighbors helping.”
Delgado said as an assistant state attorney and assistant attorney general, she decided herself to protect the people of Florida by ensuring that “our” constitution was followed and that the public was protected from violent criminals.
“Throughout my career, I have directly provided low cost and many times pro bono legal services to indigent people in our community,” she said. “I have also served as a guardian attorney to the elderly who could not afford an attorney and who faced the possibility of losing their individual rights. I have proudly served as a volunteer teacher at Junior Achievement, a program that empowers young people to win their economic success by teaching them entrepreneurship and financial literacy.
“Early in my career I also volunteered at Christi House and helped children who were removed from their homes because they were in serious danger of physical harm by their parent or care-giver.”
To her, Delgado said Miami Lakes is an oasis in the middle of a metropolis.
“When I get home, my family and I are able to enjoy the peace and tranquility of life on the lake,” she said. “This is a relatively safe place to live. It is centrally located.”
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 in the town 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 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 that has a matter pending before the town, be it a permit or otherwise, said council members must disclose the conflict and recuse themselves from any decision in the matter,” she said. “This is just one example of true transparency government. The ethics rules need to be properly spelled out, followed, and enforced. Finally, developers must account for the impact that their development leaves in the town in the short run and in the long run.”
Delgado said she’s reaching out to voters through the media and the traditional campaigning of knocking on doors.
“As I walk through the town and discuss these issues, I find that most people feel the same way,” she said. “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 he people.”
Delgado added: “We have been talking about traffic since the date of our incorporation yet it has gotten to the point of gridlock.”
If elected Delgado will have an open door policy.
She said Miami Lakes resident should vote for her because she can achieve transparency and accountability in government.
“I provide the most basic principles to keep this town moving forward,” she said.
Lama, senior director of Innovations and Customer Strategy at Aspect Software, was first elected to political office in 2012, when he defeated incumbent Richard Pulido.
The 38 year-old is married to Eileen Lama and they have four children, Mia, 18, Sophia, 16, Anthony, 9, and Lucas. 7.
Lama was president of the Lake Hilda Homeowners Association, a member of the Miami Lakes Elderly Affairs Committee, and founding chair of the town’s Neighborhood Improvement Committee.
Lama has been living in Miami Lakes for the past seven years.
“I made a decision years before buying our first home that Miami Lakes is where we wanted to raise our family,” he said. “Really … what’s not to like about Miami Lakes? It’s in the northwest corner of Miami-Dade County, is a town with tree-lined streets, beautiful lakes, beautiful homes, beautiful sunsets and neighbors that care about their homes, the environment and serving each other. I know every one of my neighbors and their families. We don’t just wave to each other. We celebrate special moments in each other’s lives.”
Lama said Miami Lakes is a small town where he meets everyone, particularly at Publix.
“My wife sends me there to pick up some milk and it takes me an hour to return home. I bump into parents from soccer, neighbors and friends, and before we know it, we are 20 to 30 minutes into a conversation. Some of us joke that Publix is like our meting place. But if we take a moment and ponder on that, we quickly realize that we are blessed. I am blessed to live in Miami Lakes.”
Lama 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 address 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 on 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.”
On the campaign trial, Lama said he’s informing voters by knocking on their doors, using social media and traditional mailers to present his political platform.
“My role as councilmember is not a part time gig,” he said. “I take my responsibilities seriously and that, at times, requires carving time out of the my day to visit residents and hear their concerns. I don’t have hours of operation. Your sidewalk, drainage, beautification, or code compliance requests are important to you and they are equally as important to me.”
Lama said residents are happy with the services.
“There is nothing more satisfying than receiving a hand written note from a resident thanking you for helping them resolve a sidewalk issue, helping them maneuver through local government, or simply having their voice heard,” he said. “Are there areas for improvement? There is always room for improvement.”
Lama said he plans on keeping his open door policy if he’s reelected.
“I’ll meet residents at my door or at their doors,” he said. “I also engage over social media, meet residents at their homes or businesses or at the parks.”
Lama said residents should vote for him because he’s the best man for the job based on his track record.
“We have accomplished a lot of great things over the past four years,” Lama said. “That includes great collaboration and engagement with residents, delivered on beautification initiatives, favorably renegotiated our contract with the police, raised the bar with respect to park cleanliness, added new equipment to our parks, expanded programs for our seniors and youths and drainage improvement and beautification around Lake Martha and West Lakes, and all while maintaining taxes low and creatively reducing unnecessary spending.”