He’s an accountant and Miami Beach commissioner. Now he’s running for tax collector

Miami Beach Commissioner David Richardson wants to leave city government to become Miami-Dade County’s first elected tax collector in 2025.

Richardson, a Democrat and an accountant, filed Monday for a position that currently reports to county Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. A constitutional amendment Florida voters approved in 2018 requires an independently elected tax collector, along with sheriff and elections supervisor.

State rules also require the positions be partisan, meaning Richardson first must win the Democratic primary in August 2024 to compete on the November ballot. He’s the first candidate to file for the tax-collector race.

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Richardson, 66 and a first-term city commissioner, was the first openly gay candidate elected to the Florida Legislature when he won a House seat in 2012.

The office of tax collector not only processes taxes for the county government, but it also issues a range of licenses, including for hunting and fishing. The agency also processes motor vehicle tags and registration, placing it in charge of tag stickers, vanity plates and disabled parking permits in Miami-Dade.

“As your tax collector I will bring a fresh approach to an office that needs revamping to deliver top-notch customer service and countywide resident services so the office can respond to your needs,” Richardson said in a statement. “Through mobile office hours, we will expand our reach to every corner of the county, and we will deploy enhanced technology to streamline services.”

Richardson’s decision to run for tax collector means he will not seek a second four-year term on the Miami Beach City Commission later this year.

Peter Cam is the current director of the county’s tax collector office, reporting to Levine Cava. Cam was appointed in 2019 and said last year that was considering running for the elected position.

Miami Herald staff writer Aaron Leibowitz contributed to this report.

This story was originally published May 1, 2023 at 10:52 AM.