Omar Jimenez is among six candidates[1] running for the Group 1 seat on the Miami Beach Commission.
But he’s the only one among them with an endorsement from VoteWater[2], a South Florida clean-water advocacy nonprofit.
The group announced its support for Jimenez, citing his founding and leadership of the Park View Island Sustainable Association following a major sewer main break that spilled 1.6 million gallons of raw sewage[3] into public waters.
“Omar Jimenez puts clean water at the top of his agenda — because he’s seen first-hand the effects dirty water can have on his community and its quality of life,” VoteWater Executive Director Gil Smart said in a statement.
Jimenez, a Park View Island resident and restaurateur who immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba, is running on a promise to restore water quality in and around Miami Beach, upgrade city infrastructure and foster other environmentally focused improvements. He’s led beach cleanups[4] for years.
He also vows, if elected, to help Miami Beach attract more tourism and support existing and future local businesses by updating the city’s permitting process.
“My commitment is simple: to ensure that every drop of water flowing through Miami Beach is clean, safe, and worthy of the paradise we call home,” Jimenez said.
Smart added, “We’d like to see every candidate in Florida make that same commitment.”
Jimenez is running to succeed Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, who is running for Mayor[5].
He and candidate Ava Frankel, a Realtor, have no party affiliation.
Three Democrats — former Miami Design Preservation League Executive Director Daniel Ciraldo, developer Brian Ehrlich and Miami Beach legislative aide Monica Matteo-Salinas — are also running.
Lawyer Monique Pardo Pope is the lone Republican in the contest.
The Miami Beach Commission is technically nonpartisan, as are its elections.
The city’s General Election is Nov. 4. If no candidate takes more than 50% of the vote, the two top vote-getters will compete in a Dec. 9 runoff.
References
- ^ six candidates (www.voterfocus.com)
- ^ VoteWater (votewater.org)
- ^ spilled 1.6 million gallons of raw sewage (www.biscaynetimes.com)
- ^ led beach cleanups (www.facebook.com)
- ^ running for Mayor (floridapolitics.com)