In District 13 commission race, both candidates say they will address mine blasting

In County Commission District 13, an experienced politician and a political newcomer are running to replace incumbent Esteban “Steve” Bovo, who is term limited but running for county mayor.

René García, a former state legislator who entered public office in 1997, is facing Adrian Jesús Jiménez, an insurance case analyst running his first campaign. The candidates are children of Cuban immigrants and longtime residents of District 13. García, 46, has called Hialeah home his entire life, while Jiménez, 24, has lived there since he was 4.

García and Jiménez have vastly different political experience but both said that the impact of mine blasting in District 13 is an issue they would address as county commissioners.

Florida has large deposits of limestone, and the state is one of the country’s top producers of cement. Rock mining companies started digging around the edges of western Miami-Dade County to find limestone and other rocks in the 1950s. To extract the mineral, miners detonate buried explosives.

Residents of District 13 have had concerns about the blasting for years. The office of Florida’s state fire marshal regulates the use of explosives in rock mining by setting standards for “ground vibrations, intensity, blast pattern, air blast, and time.” But homeowners in the surrounding areas near Hialeah-based White Rock Quarries have previously told the Herald that they had spent thousands of dollars fixing damage from mining explosions that regularly shake and crack their homes.

“Blasting continues to be a contentious issue in our community,” García told the Herald.

In 2015, García and state representative Manny Diaz Jr. sponsored companion bills that required the state fire marshal to organize a study that reviewed whether established “statewide ground vibration limits for construction material mining activities” were appropriate and “any legitimate claims paid for damages caused by such mining activities.” It also prohibited any changes to zoning laws that would increase population density near mine operations in certain areas, at least “until there is no mining activity within a certain distance.”

“Although the state regulates how strong rock miners’ blasts can be, residents in Northwest Miami-Dade have been vocal about reaching an agreement,” García told the Herald via email. “I vow to cease working in isolation and include shared accountability among all involved parties — surrounding residents, rock miners, insurance companies, and my colleagues in the county and state..”

Jiménez said that the explosions had been going on for decades at the expense of residents’ homes and pocketbooks. He described the damage to “walls, pools, roads, even foundations” in residences across northwest Miami-Dade and southwest Broward.

“We must seek to indemnify our community for all the damage done to our homes by allowing the community to directly seek compensation from the limestone quarries,” Jiménez told the Herald.

He added that he would push for a tax on quarries for funds to be allocated for repairs from blasting damage.

The candidate also said that blasting limits should be reviewed to reflect the reality of Florida’s water table. He advocates for pushing new state regulations on mine blasting in Florida and making blasting reports accessible and transparent.

Veteran politician and a rookie

García has been a staple of Florida politics for more than two decades.

Like Jiménez, García got an early start in local politics. In 1995, while still a college student, García ran for Hialeah City Council. He lost the election, earning less than 2% of the vote. Two years later, he was elected at the age of 23 to the council with almost 18% of the vote.

In 2000, García went to the Florida House of Representatives after winning the 110th District, including Hialeah and Miami Lakes. The Republican legislator held office until 2008 when term limits forced him to vacate. He was a state senator for eight years until term limits forced him out again in 2018.

“In my years of service, I have always strived to live up to the ideals and values of my community, fairness, hard work, and helping those most in need,” García told the Herald. “As a county commissioner I will bring those ideals and values to county hall.”

Meanwhile, Jiménez is new to public life. The candidate is an insurance case analyst and corporate trainer with a claims adjustment license who implements and designs training for insurance professionals. Jiménez said he is toying with the idea of opening a private adjustment firm.

Jiménez’s interest in conserving Florida’s ecosystems has led him to attend several Florida Wildlife Commission meetings.

It was the stagnation that Jiménez perceived in local politics which inspired him to run.

“As Miami-Dade has grown, we have been dealing with the same issues for years,” Jiménez told the Herald. “We have a lot of politicians who talk about change during election time but disappear into the night after winning. Others who speak on issues but never go out and initiate change. Then the ones who always say they can’t do anything about it and point [their] finger [at] others.”

García has raised over $230,000, and his campaign manager is Anthony Bustamante of local political consulting firm Groundswell Strategies.

Jiménez’s $750 in contributions has been self-funded, according to financial records. Unlike his opponent, he does not have a political committee. He said that he is building a grassroots, citizen-led movement.

“We are not a typical campaign filled with paid staffers. Our campaign is built by volunteers … [leading] the change they want to see,” said Jiménez. “And with the voice of the community we shape our policy platform.”

Views on other issues

The candidates’ views on affordable housing:

▪ García wants to “encourage the blending of new communities with market, affordable and workforce housing,” he told the Herald. The candidate wants to establish more public-private partnerships to create more affordable and workforce housing in the district, which will benefit “teachers, first responders, and young families.” As part of his taxes and budget plan, García would freeze property taxes for senior citizens who have occupied the same residence for at least three decades.

▪ Jiménez does not support working with the private sector to expand affordable housing. Jiménez emphasized the importance of zoning regulations in managing affordable housing in District 13. He said that affordable and workforce housing needs to be integrated into, not isolated from, the community at large. “This gives more resources to those who need it the most,” Jimenéz told the Herald. “which ultimately will lead them to more success and a way out of poverty.”

The candidates’ views on policing and criminal justice reform:

▪ At a Miami Foundation online forum on July 1, García was asked if he would support the establishment of a civilian police oversight panel in Miami-Dade County. García responded that as long as it “incorporates and has all aspects of our community on there,” he was “OK with it.” García also said that there needs to be a comprehensive approach at the county level to handle police brutality and that the public defender’s office, the state attorney’s office, elected officials, community leaders, and police officers all need to be involved.

▪ At the same online forum, Jiménez said that he favored establishing a civilian police oversight panel. Jiménez asserted that dialogue between police and community was essential to solving public safety issues and police brutality. He said he “was a big supporter of our first responders,” but that it was crucial to work with police officers to “start weaning out the ones that aren’t fit for the job.”

This story was originally published July 16, 2020 at 12:39 PM.