Blame it on higher taxes, the brouhaha over a rebel flag, big-ticket items, even dissent at council meetings.

Homestead voters swept four of five incumbents out of City Hall Tuesday -- handing Mayor Lynda Bell and her political slate a stunning defeat.

``I've never seen a race where all the incumbents lost by that margin,'' said Melvin McCormick, who lost to the Rev. Jimmie L. Williams III.

Homestead residents voted for change, much like New Jersey voters who picked a federal prosecutor over Gov. Jon Corzine, and the Miami electorate that rejected an ally of Mayor Manny Diaz in favor of chief naysayer Tomás Regalado.

``There was an anti-incumbent feeling yesterday,'' said activist Jim Tranthem.

``That brush went really wide. American voters want a choice. Our freedom is taken away when we only have one point of view.''

BATEMAN WINS

Voters chose former Council Member Steve Bateman over Bell.

In addition to Williams, they swept two other political newcomers into office: attorney Stephen Shelley and businessman Elvis Maldonado.

The lone incumbent to win was Judy Waldman, who often clashed with Bell. She defeated challenger Angel Garrote.

The economy created the perfect storm to oust incumbents, said Dario Moreno, who directs Florida International University's Metropolitan Center.

``With the economic downturn, budget shortfalls and people losing their homes, there's a real anger with the electorate, a feeling that local government has let them down,'' he said.

Homestead's low turnout didn't help. The election drew 14 percent of the city's 19,996 registered voters to the polls.

The city's ongoing troubles are tied to a real estate bust after nearly a decade of explosive growth.

Homestead is reeling from a nearly $1 billion drop in its tax base and the continuing trend of foreclosures and short sales, which has depressed property values.

Council Member Tim Nelson, who lost to Shelley, credits several factors -- including partisan politics, what he calls dirty campaigning and a general anti-incumbent feeling pervading the nation.

``Homestead and America, in general are blaming the politicians in office now as to the state at which the government, as a whole, is in,'' Nelson said.

The seeds for today's discontent were planted two to three years ago when banks lent money to people for mortgages they could not afford, he said.

``People today blame the now and not the then.''

But Bell said special interest groups chased her out of office.

``It's less about anti-incumbents and more about how money drives a race.''

MANY STAYED HOME

Bell says she wouldn't have altered her campaign. ``I knocked on doors for over two months and people in Homestead said they were happy. . . . I said, `You have to make sure to get out there and vote.' [But] when people are happy, they stay home.''

Cindy Stingone said she cast a vote against the incumbents because she wanted a return to civility.

``I expect [the new mayor] to show respect to all citizens of Homestead,'' she said.

For many, the last straw was the council's refusal to ban the Confederate battle flag, which was flown by the Sons of Confederate Veterans at last year's Veterans' Day parade.

The parade was sponsored by the Greater Homestead/Florida City Chamber of Commerce.

The council ignored the hurt and outrage the flag had caused some people, said Winston Elliton.

``We are a community that needs to be represented, not divided,'' he said.

Williams, who defeated McCormick, said voters could also oust him if they didn't like his decisions over the next four years.

``People gave me an opportunity to earn their trust. If I don't, they can vote me out,'' he said.

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